Yo-Yo always demanded the respect she knew she deserved.
In this clip from Sunday’s all-new E! True Hollywood Story, the famed rapper recalls how she refused to be called “bitch” in a collaboration with Ice Cube. It’s said that Yo-Yo “commanded respect from day one.”
“Growing up in South Central Los Scandalous, when it came to battle rapping, I knew who my competitors were. And I was writing to take them down,” the “You Can’t Play with My Yo-Yo” artist notes to the THS camera. “There was not many males willing to go back there and battle with me.”
Per Yo-Yo, taking on these artists “one at a time,” helped her build her character. Eventually, Yo-Yo came onto Ice Cube’s radar.
“Ice Cube was leaving N.W.A, looking for a female artist. At that time, they were the biggest group in Los Angeles,” Yo-Yo adds.
While this was certainly the opportunity of a lifetime, Yo-Yo’s music of female empowerment directly contradicted Ice Cube’s bitch-heavy lyrics.
Rather than walk away from the chance to work with the “No Vaseline” rapper, Yo-Yo stood up for herself while recording “The Bonnie and Clyde Theme.”
“I remember doing ‘Bonnie and Clyde.’ And we were doing the lyrics and he was like, ‘Got me a down ass bitch on my team,'” Yo-Yo notes. “I said, ‘Wait, wait, wait. You can’t call me a bitch.'”
According to Yo-Yo, Ice Cube attempted to defend the lyric, but backed down after she doubled down on her stance.
“I said, ‘No. You can’t call me a bitch,'” Yo-Yo concludes. “Just by demanding that respect, it was given.”
For Yo-Yo’s reflection on the making of “Bonnie and Clyde,” be sure to watch the clip above.
Watch a brand new episode of E! True Hollywood Story Sunday at 10 p.m., only on E!