On the latest episode of Drink Champs, N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN sat down with Melyssa Ford and Monie Love to talk about their friendship, careers, and experiences in the hip hop industry.
Born in Toronto, Ford rose to fame in the late 1990s as a music video “video vixen.” At her height, she made memorable cameos in a list of videos, including JAY-Z’s “Big Pimpin,’” Mystikal’s “Shake it Fast,” and Usher’s “Yeah,” among many others and magazines such as King, XXL, and Maxim. Her curvy physique made her one of the most sought-after models in the hip-hop industry.
Now she focuses on her own podcast called I’m Here for the Food.
In the REVOLT Drink Champs Interview, Ford revealed she dated Rapper Q TIP back in the day and other exciting information.
Related Story: Boosie Badazz Uses His New Music Video to Hit on Rihanna…Again
REVOLT compiled a list of facts we learned from the Melyssa Ford and Monie Love interview. Take a look at a few of them below:
1. Melyssa Ford on Her No-Nonsense Persona in the Industry
Ford rose to fame at the height of the video vixen era. Back then, she had to adopt a no-nonsense persona to protect her from predators in the industry. According to Ford, she realized that she had to do this after appearing in Ghostface Killah’s “Cherchez LaGhost” video and explained that the Wu-Tang rapper’s entourage made her feel uncomfortable on set. “That experience just taught me that I have to find a way to create this persona that people don’t ever try what happened in that room where I was afraid that I was about to be raped,” she said.
2. Melyssa Ford on Dating Drake
Early in Drake’s career, it was rumored that he dated Ford. When asked about their romantic escapades, Ford shot down rumors the two had sex. But she explained that they did share a special connection.
“I cannot lie and say that part of the attraction with him was how smart and cerebral and how Canadian he was,” she said. “We spoke the same language. We’re both half back half white. I really truly fucking adored him.”
3. Melyssa Ford on the Game’s “Wouldn’t Get Far”
Game’s 2006 single “Wouldn’t Get Far” with Kanye West called out many video vixens and Ford was among the women who were name-dropped.
When asked about the track, she explained that she was surprised to hear her name mentioned because she had never interacted with the emcee.
“I really didn’t know Game from a can of paint,” she said. “He was a G-Unit soldier. That was my only interaction with Game. I had a reputation for being really difficult. He never really propositioned me in the traditional sense of ‘hey, I want to fuck.’ He never came at me. I think that this was his love letter to me. I never had a Honda Accord. It was supposed to be a diss. I was not who he portrayed me to be.”
She said that she later had a conversation with the rapper about the song and he explained that mentioning her name was him utilizing his artistic license. “[He explained that] it was art,” she said. “[He said] your name rhymed, and there was no one else [I could say that about]. And I was like, I understand, but the masses didn’t, and they tortured me daily because of it.”
Watch the full Drink Champs episode here:
