K. Michelle, singer and cast member of the VH1 reality television series “Love & Hop Hop: Atlanta,” recently opened up about allegedly being misguided by Pastor Mason Betha (aka Mase), being abused by a music industry executive and God having a plan for her life.
In an interview on New York City radio station Power 105.1, the singer-songwriter born Kimberly Pate, spoke about learning to accept that her time to become a successful recording artist has not yet come.
“It used to get to me a lot but it just gets to the point where you’re like you’re supposed to be where God has you,” Pate said. “Maybe I need to look at myself or maybe it’s just not my time.”
The Memphis, Tenn., native spoke about her tough time breaking into the music industry with the help of Pastor Mason Betha and boxer Antonio Tarver. However, K. Michelle claimed that Betha didn’t exactly help her career and misused God’s Word to move her to Atlanta.
“That was really the first person who ever – I had my music on Myspace and he said ‘God said move you.’ And that really wasn’t what God said to do,” the singer said. “I was in Memphis, I had a job and I moved (to Atlanta) in a day…I thought I was on my way.”
The singer admitted that although she went to his church twice, he allegedly did not act in the manner that a pastor should and ended up taking a romantic interest in her and using Jesus’ name to take advantage of the situation. At that point, K. Michelle said her boxer friend stepped in to help.
“I was like what the heck, I quit my job. I was friends with Antonio Tarver and me and him were talking and he was like ‘what,’” she revealed. “Tarver said forget it, I’m going to fund the career and make the music. I ended up taking label meetings.”
Although her first big break with Jive records did not come instantly after she left Betha, K .Michelle said she used her Bible to make her dream come true.
“I put that in the Bible. I wrote it down and said God, I want to be on Jive records because I saw Usher and Outkast,” the singer said about her dream record label. “For me not knowing the business…that’s where I wanted to go.”
However, the singer’s manager on the label ended up becoming her boyfriend who she said later abused her and threatened her son. After the record label folded, the singer admitted that reality television began to look promising despite the negative stereotypes that many people had about it.
“I didn’t have (any) brand, I was singing for three years…trying to sing my heart out and nobody cared to listen. It didn’t matter,” she said. “So I’m like you know what? Why not it’s my story I wanted my voice heard and I had nothing to lose.”
Despite the dramatic situations showcased on her television show, the singer said she will return for another season. Although she has yet to sign with another label, K. Michelle said she is focusing on herself.
“I just want to grow,” she said. “I have a lot of issues that I need to deal with.”
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