Reality star Joseline Hernandez went from rags to riches as a break-out personality on the hit VH1 hit show “Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta. According to the Puerto Rican princess, she charged producers $100,000 an episode, a bold move that changed the trajectory of her life and cemented her as a businesswoman.
Hernandez appeared on a recent episode of N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN’s “Drink Champs” to talk about her upbringing, music and more than decade-long career in reality television.
One bomb she dropped is that she might be one of the top-paid cast members of that franchise.
The ’90s rapper and host asked Hernandez about the possible reason why there is show turnover with cast members. She said it might be because a plot got boring or an issue of compensation, adding that the suits in charge of the show’s purse strings made drastic salary changes.
Always Need a Plot Twist
“[With] those types of TV shows, you gotta be prepared for growth and prepare for taking yourself to another level and go somewhere,” she said. “They looking for new talent, you know? They always want new talent,” Hernandez explained. “So, if your storyline is not up-to-date, they’re like they’re going to kick the boots.”
Another reason cast members have to be aware of what’s going on is because of contract negotiations.
Grow to Go: Compensation and Value
She said when she departed from the cast, the producers started to drastically slash what people were being paid on the show. Top talent that would get $25,000 an episode was not offered $15,000 an episode.
“You got to grow as you go and then that way, you can continue to get the money that you want to get,” she shared with the “Drink Champs’” hosts, adding, “Because you know these white folks be flaking with that bag!”
“These white folks” is a reference to the executives at Viacom, the company that owns VH1, the network that the show airs. The executives allocate the budget for each show and determine the pay raises and cuts for the talent.
She said, “You got one lady out there working and saying, ‘Okay, well, we got a budget for Joseline for $100,000 episode, got a budget for Mimi for $10,000 episode’ or whatever the case may be. Or you know, ‘Karli Redd for $25,000’… I don’t know.”
Though she did not know the details of the other cast members’ deals after she left, she knew her own value.
“I charge $100,000 for an episode,” she said, explaining, “One episode might take three days to shoot but that cost you $100,000 for me.”
The hosts were flabbergasted, saying “That’s big money talk.”
While the reality star maintains she commanded six figures to appear on each episode, Celebrity Net Worth claims her estimated net worth is only $300,000.
Hernandez did not want the conversation to be stuck on how much she made, but shared that she was the one who negotiated her own deal, keeping the power in her own hands.
This is also a strategy that she took to the Zeus network when hammering out her deal for “Joseline’s Cabaret.”
BIG Money Talking
“Joseline’s Cabaret” debuted in 2020, and was created with a different business model than the shows she had started on with VH1. With the young Zeus network, she worked directly with Lemuel Plummer and negotiated, she said, to own her show, not just get a credit as talent or producer.
“A lot of people that’s on Zeus don’t have the same deal that I have,” Hernandez said. “I made VH1, Viacom billions of dollars.”
Her deal is different, not because Plummer was benevolent, but because Hernandez took the time to learn the business.
“A lot of people don’t know that intellectual property is important for you to get as you’re going up in the game,” Hernandez explained. “It’s going to be hard for you to get in the beginning but you can actually get your intellectual property if you stay on top of your s–t.”
Producer Problems
Taking on the role of the big boss brings challenges — especially when the show is purposefully conflict-driven.
In 2022, the 36-year-old was sued for $25 million in damages after the “Joseline’s Cabaret Las Vegas” reunion show ended in a fight between Amber Ali, Hernandez and Balistic Beats, Hernandez’s fiancé, TMZ reports.
Since the complaint was filed, Hernandez has been in two additional brawls. One very public mix-up was captured on the campus of Alabama State University for “College Hill: Celebrity Edition” with another influencer and reality girl Amber Rose. The other fight was backstage at the most recent Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III fight.
Hernandez fought Big Lex, who was once a cast member of her Zeus show. Video shows Hernandez not only scrapping and getting the best of Lex but also going after others around, including a woman who threw a drink at her.
In the end, the Puerto Rican princess was taken away in cuffs by the Sunrise Police Department.
As of Monday, June 12, according to Local 10, the reality star-turned-businesswoman was being held at the Paul Rein Detention Facility.
Just always trying to make joseline seme crazy , the host said “u we’re making 100k” , Joseline said sumn like “I’m giving you a example “ so why y’all lying on that girl tip
But if someone is coming to fight u at ur own show even tho I do like big lex . She should be able to defend her self other wise what has the world come to so ur suppose to let ppl run up on you in theses types of situations. U shouldn’t have to be condemned to be a floor mat and allow things to happen I agree with she was standing her ground it was clear a show for joseline I doubt she would have told her come to my show to hit me n hurt me n insult me . I’m sorry no this is AMERICA YOU CAN STAND UR GROUND . If anything maybe big lex should receive a fine for coming after joseline