STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

Bambi Benson Drops Some Exclusive Wedding Details and Says D. Smith Is Messy

"Without the show, we are fine until it comes back around and then we have all these issues."

[mtvn_player height="288" width="512" content_uri="mgid:arc:video:vh1.com:72386d2d-16cf-4e0d-b5f6-054fc0411c0d"]Bambi Benson's roller coaster relationship with Lil Scrappy has entertained Love & Hip Hop Atlanta viewers for three seasons but it was recently revealed that the two are now planning to head down the aisle. VH1 caught up with Bambi to get whatever details we could about their upcoming nuptials, as well as the Bam's beefs with Jessica Dime and D. Smith.

What did you think when Jessica Dime approached you and told you she'd been FaceTiming with Scrappy?

Bambi: I was obviously annoyed because I feel like that’s the only way she would ever ever be able to be in my presence. Because she’s not a person I would normally be around or kick it with, so she has to find some type of way to be able to even be in my presence. I was actually more mad at Scrap for bringing that type of trash around me.

What did you think of Rasheeda bringing Jessica to you? Did you think that was messy?

At this point with Rasheeda, I feel like she may be a little clueless to some stuff that’s going on. I don’t really fault her for bringing Jessica over at that point because I don’t think it was intentional.

What do you think Jessica's objective was in talking to you? In her green screen she said she thought it was funny.

I think Jessica was trying, she was reaching to have some sort of conversation with me because we’re obviously two different people. We are from two totally different spectrums of like, we we would never normally ever cross paths. I feel like she was just so thirsty to be in my presence and that was the only thing that she had.

Are you worried about having to see her and Scrappy interact this season? Has he clued you on where this thing goes between them?

He told me, he sat down, and sat down and you know they had like a smoothie or something but he wasn’t feeling it. He thought he was, because, I wasn’t talking to him at all at that point. I don’t really expect anything other for him to be thirsty, of course he’s gonna try to go and do something else but he knows where his heart really is.

What happened with your beef with Jessica on Instagram? Scrappy gave you some roses and sneakers and...

Yes, so he he that was at that point he was still trying to get back with me so he came and he left some roses and some Jordans at my house. I had heard that he had went out with her at that point, so I posted the Jordans and the flowers. And then she posted some Jordans and a gun like a few minutes later. And so of course everybody was like assuming did he buy these for both of them or something. So then I changed my caption and I said some little shady s--t. I don’t think that was a coincidence. I think she was trying to start something at that point. And she did.

Where do you think things stand between you and Jessica now?

I don’t have no beef with Jessica. I don’t, she’s not a person that I would ever ever associate with. I mean she said some things like, she basically threatened me. So, obviously, I’m saying that’s not good but she’s just not a person I would want to be around ever.

So what happened between you and Betty and D. Smith? Did it come out of nowhere?

I was really confused about that because I actually I felt like I was going out of my way to um to make sure people accepted D. Smith into the group or whatever. I wanted her to feel comfortable and I tried to hook her up with Tammy [because] I felt like she was new to Atlanta and I wanted to introduce her to some people and make her feel comfortable with her situation. You know it’s kind of a tough situation to be transgender [because] a lot of people, they don’t necessarily know how to take that so I just wanted her to feel comfortable. Then I realized really quickly that she was just really messy. The beef with me, I didn’t even realize she had beef with me until [what aired in the episode.] My problem was, I walked over into a section where she and Betty Idol were sitting and naturally I didn’t feel comfortable because this girl [because] she had just gotten into a fight with my best friend.

I just mentioned out loud that I didn’t feel comfortable and then she started throwing all types of shots and obviously I clapped back and that’s where that went. I don’t think, with me it was never a beef. It was just kind of like her being catty and trying to just be so extra for whatever reason. Maybe it’s you know she her self-esteem issues or whatever but that’s the only issue I had with her basically.

What did you think when D. Smith said “We’re the same. You’re a transgender woman.” What did you think of that wording?

I thought she was talking to Betty Idol. I thought she was saying her and Betty were the first transgender [women] on the show.

When they were calling you an animal, is there anything you wish you had said in that moment?

I really I don’t wish I would’ve said anything to them because neither one of them know me. I feel like I’m way finer than both of them so they’re just haters. Those are just things you have to go through when you’re so fine, just random girls hating for no reason. D. Smith, she wants to be a tall, beautiful woman and I am that. And Betty Idol wants to be Scrappy’s girlfriend, and I am that. So of course they’re gonna hate on me.

Well, you're his fiancée now, right?

Exactly. Oh, there you go. Fiancé. She can’t even get a second date.

Congratulations. How is your relationship with Scrappy when the cameras aren't rolling? How is it different?

In terms of what?

You guys are on-again, off-again. We know from social media that you're back together. Will we see you get back together on the show?

The whole time [we were apart] Scrappy, he never let up. He never stopped trying to get back with me. To be honest, the show is mostly the reason we have so many issues in our relationship. I feel like people perceive him to be a certain "character" and he’s really not that, like he’s not shown me that. You know what I’m saying? Every season there’s something, there’s something going on but obviously it’s way more dramatic on TV.

When we’re together, we’re good and I don’t have issues with him like trying to talk to other girls or going back and forth with his baby mamma or anything like that but as soon as the show starts up, it just seems like everything just goes crazy as soon as we start back filming.

So would you say being on reality TV complicates your relationship?

Absolutely. The show is definitely the root of all of our issues. Without the show, we are fine until it comes back around and then we have all these issues. I was I was who I was before I got with Scrapp and so I really expect him to respect that. And he already was Scrappy, people perceived him to be a certain type of way. He has this certain image and it kind of clashes when we publicly have to get together.

So, after hearing everything you just said about being on TV together, is there a part of you that’s worried about continuing to be on the show if you really want to be with him and start a family?

Of course, I worry about it, but my thing is to try to come up with a solution for it. I just feel like so much of what we go through is driven by other people’s perception of him. I just feel like after we we can kind of get over that hump and have people to really see him for who he is then i think that it’ll be fine but but people think he’s this guy who’s just, like a player, and he’s not that.

Do you think you’re gonna have a long engagement or do you think you’re gonna get married soon?

I don’t think we’re gonna have a long engagement because, well, I’m pretty sure, like he’s real serious about wanting to get serious and not just about wanting to be engaged.

Would you be open to filming the wedding for TV?

I would be open that but as long as it’s, I don’t wanna have like go through a season planning a wedding. I would wanna do something a little more intimate because a lot of those people who are our cast members are not necessarily people that I would want involved in that type of setting.

Will Tammy be involved in the wedding? Will she be a bridesmaid?

Of course Tammy’s gonna be in the wedding. That’s my boo. Like Tammy is like she’s been so amazing to me. I have a lot of friends but Tammy has really been an amazing friend to me. This year especially, like during the time when Scrapp and I were off, I was really, I don’t wanna say depressed but I was low-key, I wasn’t myself and Tammy was there. She helped me through those moments, so of course she’ll be a part of that.

What about any of your former cast mates from Basketball Wives? Will Malaysia be part of the wedding?

Of course! Malaysia will definitely be there. She’ll probably be a maid of honor.

Tell us about the ring. I saw a picture of it on Instagram. Give us all the details.

I’m not like a really big flashy girl, but this ring is kind of flashy. I mean it just like has diamonds all around the band and then there’s like a nice thick stone in the middle with little stones around it. It’s definitely about that shimmer life.

Did he get any help from your mom or Tammy or anyone else?

He told me he did this himself, the ring part.

You've been on the show a while but are still not really in with the core group of women? Do you feel misunderstood or on the outside?

Yeah, definitely. Somebody is always always trying to pick a fight with me and I think they’re intimidated for some reason. I don’t know what it is. People probably, they see my exterior and they see that I have like gotten into altercations with people but they don’t really necessarily know that most of the time that I’ve been in altercations with other people I’ve been defending myself. So, I feel like they get super defensive as soon as I come around because they’re intimidated for some reason.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about you on television?

I think people, well they thought before that I was like a home-wrecker because of the Scrappy and Erica [Dixon] situation but obviously they see now that wasn’t the case. And the other thing is people assume that I’m a whore. They’ve only seen me in a relationship with Scrapp [but] the Benzino thing threw people off, but we were dating. I don’t know but people assume that I’ve been with a lot of people and that’s just not true. I’m sure people would be forthcoming about being with me.

You mentioned Erica Dixon, where do things stand with her?

I don’t necessarily, I don’t speak to Erica.

When was the last time you spoke to her?

The last time I actually even saw Erica was I think at the reunion.

But Emani is back in the mix again? You guys are seeing her?

Oh of course, yeah. Actually the last time I saw Erica was at court. That’s when she was getting a protective order against Scrappy. But yes, Emani's back, she was just with us until this morning. Everything's good with that.

Is she excited about you guys getting married?

Absolutely! She seems super excited so I'm happy that she’s happy.