Sure, R&B songstress and reality television star Mashonda is single. But you have to do a whole lot more in order to get her ready to mingle. Just don’t blink first.  

KING: Can you explain the “Loyalty” tattoo on your hand?

MASHONDA: I got it a year after everything started going downhill. It’s a reminder to me that I have to be loyal to myself for once.

Elaborate, please.

I was so loyal to everyone, and I totally forgot about me. This is what it represents—it represents loyalty to self. Now I have to do things that I love to do, and I have to make myself happy, because I don’t really agree when people say, “I need a man ’cause I want to be happy,” or “I’m not happy because I don’t have a man.” That’s not where it starts. Happiness starts from within, and that’s in my focus.

You’re also focused on Love & Hip-Hop. So the show does not revolve around you.

Exactly. I did a few episodes [first], then ended up doing a lot of episodes because the chemistry was perfect with me and Emily. I ended up being a recurring guest, and it worked out perfectly, because I’m on the show and people get to see me and hear my stories. But it’s not like a character that’s 100 percent there.

What is your role with Emily?

I’m like her support system, her counselor. I feel like a female Dr. Phil. That person who gives her advice and is not afraid to tell her my story and show her my life, ’cause I really want her to get hers together.

How awkward was it for you to be the shoulder to lean on?

At the time that we shot, I was in a great place, so that’s what made the difference. I felt like that was my therapy, and that’s all I wanted to do. Anytime I’d log in to Facebook or Twitter, there would be tons of women reaching out to me, thanking me for sharing my story. Those messages gave me a lot of strength, a lot of courage. From that point on, I just wanted to help women, and Emily being a good friend of mine, it was easy for me to go on there and talk to her and be honest.

How are you going to handle all the groupies that are sure to be coming your way?

You mean the groupie boys?

Or groupie girls. You never know.

Yeah, you never know. I mean, they all love me.

After they see this spread, they’ll love you more. Word to Angela Winbush.

[Laughs] Oh, Lord, you know what, I show everybody love. But I don’t like the word “groupie”—it’s so harsh. I don’t feel there’s anything wrong with one person admiring another person.

Who is admiring you nowadays? Have you’ve been hitting the dating scene lately?

I have. I recently went on a date, and it was incredible.

Sounds like homeboy is getting a call back.

Yeah, definitely.