'Love and Hip Hop Atlanta' recap: season 5, episode 9 ('Free at Last')

Tommie finds out about Scrapp's little side show with Karlie. CREDIT: Vh1

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

Tommie finds out about Scrapp's little side show with Karlie. CREDIT: Vh1

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, May 31, 2016

I was at my college reunion this past weekend. Someone much older complained what a huge mess the seniors had made with beer cans and bottles strewn all over the place, a mess the university crew cleaned up almost immediately.

This made me wonder about Tommie on "Love and Hip Hop Atlanta." Does Tommie know she can instigate fights, aware she'll have the VH1 security dudes pull her off before any real bad violence happens?

After just nine episodes this season, I've already lost count how many times she has gotten into people's faces. Sure, she has a good reason to be mad this episode. Her supposed boyfriend Scrapp, who has already proven to enjoy spreading himself around, is now sleeping around with Karlie Redd.

Tommie confronts Scrapp over a receipt she found in Scrapp's car with Karlie's name on it. She attacks Scrapp and they are then quickly separated. Scrapp lies to her face and denies he is doing anything with Karlie. His twisted rationale:

"Reason I'm not telling the truth is because the truth hurts. My momma taught me to lie to people you care about to protect their feelings."

Yes. Karen "KK" King is a great person to take advice, eh? (Just arrested again this past week!)

Tommie, who knows he's lying, tries to get "revenge" by cozying up with Stevie J to try to work on her so-called music career. And like other women on this show, her way of "flirting" is to show off her big butt. Stevie's reaction is to lick his lips. Ugh. Anyway, Scrapp isn't as angry as she had anticipated and then she starts crying.

Scrapp is clearly using Karlie for some mental (and physical) relief from all this stress before he goes off to prison for five years for pot trafficking. But he's generating more drama as a result. Trouble follows this dude around.

Later, Tommie tracks down Karlie at her studio, insults her and tries to attack her, too. The security guards don't even allow them to touch before they take her out of the room. In this case, Karlie inexplicably denies sleeping with Scrapp instead of just embracing her little short-lived love triangle.

Karlie didn't seem all that disappointed when she heard Scrapp was going to prison (which will be featured next Monday.) She must be just thrilled she actually has her own story line! Congratulations Karlie!

Other storylines:

  • Stevie J has more love children? Joseline and Stevie J are currently on the outs over all sorts of issues. Stevie J claimed Joseline is bleaching his clothes in disgust. (I recall this had come out conveniently at the time their spin-off show had debuted earlier this year.) After digging through a closet, Joseline finally found her contract with Stevie J in a briefcase, the one she never seemed to ever have access to going back multiple seasons. She found out she is now a free agent because she said the contract had lapsed. She tells her booking agent Dawn she can do whatever she wants and not have to pay him a dime as her manager. "I'm a free woman like the Statue of Liberty," she said. "I'm the puppet master. Not Stevie!" Then later, she meets up with Mimi Faust after hearing news that Stevie J was secretly paying child support for an 18-month old with a stripper. Despite her earlier faux confidence being "independent," she really still loves the puppet master and is truly devastated about Stevie J's cheating. Mimi said she can't believe she actually feels sympathy for Joseline. Joseline, of course, says, "I feel sympathy for myself." Mimi: "This day right here is going down in history as the craziest day ever!" (And not when her sex tape made the Web?)
  • Is a Dime threesome forthcoming? Yung Joc tries to hone in on Jessica Dime by setting up a date. Dime thinks Scrappy is showing up at Cascade Skating Rink. Instead, it's Joc on skates, with a rose between his teeth. Both dudes are single. Why not chase after the same woman? Maybe they can share her! Dime clearly is not the shy type.
  • Ernest airs his troubles with Momma Dee. Momma Dee loves Ernest but he has a hard time earning enough income to maintain her royal lifestyle. Plus, she said he doesn't fully satisfy her in bed either. He decides to go to Rasheeda's mom Shirleen for advice and tells her about Momma Dee's alcoholism and bi-polar condition. Shirleen suggests they meet with a therapist. They go to a pastor instead. He tells the pastor how he feels emasculated. While Momma Dee expresses to VH1's cameras how peeved she is that he is airing her dirty laundry, she acts surprisingly nicey-nicey in front of the pastor. It's hard to say if anything really productive even happened.