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Even if you weren’t a huge Kelly Price fan when she hit it big in the 90s, you may have become one back in 2011. She started the year off with a hit record with R&B’s Mint Condition, “Not My Daddy”. A year later, she found herself in the spotlight following Whitney Houston’s untimely death when it was revealed that the two had performed a duet just two days prior at Kelly’s pre-Grammy celebration.

For the next few days, Kelly was the media’s go-to girl and she handled it well. Having been more than just a colleague of Whitney’s, Kelly was everywhere sharing her personal stories about their friendship.  Even though Whitney’s drug abuse was no secret, just hearing that she had someone to hang out with who really had her back was refreshing. They could relate as  “church girls,” Kelly said.

That “on a roll, sister girl, I got your back” Kelly Price,” was who most of us expected to see when the spin off to the hit show “R&B Divas Atlanta” premiered in July. But after just four episodes of “R&B Divas L.A.” starring Kelly Price, Chante’ Moore, Lil’ Mo, Dawn Robinson, Michel’le and Claudette Ortiz, it was clear that Kelly Price’s image was in big trouble.

How Kelly went from being portrayed as the Christian mentor to women on the show to the villain referred to in headlines like “Diva Threatens Violence with Her Straightedge,” is a question she must be asking herself.

Even after she began an attempt at damage control by explaining just how scripted “R&B Divas” (like most reality shows) really is, she seemed to be fighting an uphill battle.

It was tough for a video to undo the damage social media had done to her reputation.

In her defense, Kelly said she owns what she did on camera but also revealed that much of her anger was aimed at the production staff of the show who continuously tried to get her to do things she wouldn’t go along with, like setting up a surprise meeting with Chante Moore and her ex-husband, Kenny Lattimore.

The problem is that most people want to believe she is the Kelly Price they’ve seen on camera for the last few weeks, and that’s the most reality for her.

The moral of the story is reality shows aren’t for everyone, especially those who already have a brand to protect.

Omarosa and NeNe had nothing to lose when they were presented to the world as larger-than-life characters.

The Price Kelly Paid  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com

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