Last year, Love & Hip Hop Hollywood star Moniece Slaughter came out as bisexual and announced that her girlfriend will appear on the VH1 reality TV series.
Enter AD Diggs, who was introduced earlier in Season 4.
This week the show touched on the issues AD is going through as she tries to balance her relationship with Moniece with her long-lasting friendships.
Monsters and Critics took time out to chat with AD, the entrepreneurial and forward-thinking founder of clothing and footwear company DiggTheKicks.
Monsters and Critics: You’re originally from Brooklyn, NY. When and why did you move to Los Angeles?
AD Diggs: Originally I am from New York but I was raised in California. My great-grandfather was the first to move to California, and shortly afterward my family decided to follow him.
I am Puerto Rican and Italian. If you know anything about Italian families it’s that they don’t go too far from one and another.
My mom was the last to join everyone in California while my pops stayed back in New York.
I spent my summers in New York with him until he went to prison and then my permanent residence became Los Angeles, California.
M&C: How did you meet Moniece?
AD: A mutual friend introduced Moniece and me in bottle service in a popular lesbian club in Los Angeles.
Since that day forward we’ve been together. We are your common lesbian dating — met at the club, spent the night together, Moniece made me her girlfriend, UHAUL — moved some of my stuff into her place — and now we have been together for over a year.
M&C: Did you take a lot of convincing to be on LHHH?
AD: Yes and no. Who you love shouldn’t really dictate the type of person that you show up as.
I thought about all the positivities, in being a part of Love & Hip Hop, that this could carry, with me being a lesbian and how I could present myself to the world.
I have a responsibility of being a role model on this show.
M&C: How are you enjoying being on the show? What are the best bits, and what are the worst?
AD: The most challenging aspect of being a part of the show is being conscious of my word choice.
I can be very critical of myself and how I present myself to others at all times. I have fun voicing my feedback on the events that transpired.
M&C: How does it feel to have your personal life shown to millions of people?
AD: At first I was fearful because I am allowing the world to judge me whether I liked it or not.
However, we are already one and the same. There is nothing new under the sun.
So for me to break the fear and be true to myself, I made the decision to show up and use this opportunity as a platform.
M&C: You have said you like to avoid drama and pettiness. Surely that’s impossible on LHHH?
AD: True story. The show is consumed by the drama and pettiness…however so is the world.
What the audience sees in episodes is what is going on in other people’s everyday lives as well.
We can’t escape drama in this world. There is good and bad, but in the end, however it looks, LOVE wins in Hollywood.
M&C: Appearing on LHHH makes you somewhat of a role model for the LGBTQ community. Are there any messages you want to get out there about LGBTQ causes through your appearances?
AD: To the LGBTQ community — stand in your truth above, confident in who you are.
One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that people will accept you when you accept you.
That is the ultimate love to achieve, loving yourself.
M&C: Can you tell us about your sneaker and clothing business?
AD: I created DiggTheKicks in 2016. It’s a unisex streetwear apparel line and consists of sweat-suits, leggings, jackets, and hats. My tag-line is: “If I ever let my head down, it would be to admire my kicks”
M&C: Do you have a favorite pair of sneakers?
AD: To be honest, sneakers for me change depending on my vibe and style.
I continue to collect sneakers that I am really in love with and will actually wear. As for a favorite pair, I love the Jordan 1s and all [of] Nike AirMax.
Love and Hip Hop Hollywood airs Mondays at 8/7c on VH1.