Safaree Samuels
Biography
While some may know him better for his romantic connections to ladies like Nicki Minaj and Erica Mena, Safaree Samuels has been in the rap game for a minute. He began his music career in the short-lived hip hop group, Hoodstars, formed in the early 2000s alongside his then-girlfriend Nicki Minaj, as well as Lou$tar and Seven Up. They recorded a few modest hits including the entrance song for WWE Diva, Victoria, called “Don’t Mess With,” before disbanding around 2004. Safaree went on to become a hype man for Nicki, who had begun pursuing a solo rap career. He co-wrote on both her debut and sophomore studio albums, before they broke up in 2014 after nearly fifteen years together. In 2016, Safaree joined the cast of Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood . He currently serves as a main cast member on Love & Hip Hop: New York and stars in a supporting role on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. Safaree met his current wife, fellow Love & Hip Hop star, Erica Mena , on another VH1 reality show, Scared Famous , in 2017. They got married in October 2019, and welcomed their first child together in February 2020. Safaree dropped a handful of mixtapes throughout the late 2010s, including It Is What It Is and It Is What It Is, Vol. 2 . in 2015, followed by Real Yard Vibes in 2016 and Fur Coat Vol. 1 in 2017. He released his official debut album in early 2020, and despite his long-spanning career, it looks like he’s just getting started. Photo credit: Greg Doherty/Getty Images