'Basketball Wives' Newcomer Kenya Bell Says 'Jesus' Kept Her From Responding to Violence
Kenya Bell, one of the newest cast member on season four of "Basketball Wives" and ex-wife of former NBA player Charlie Bell, recently opened up about her experience on the show, her Christian faith and whether she would join the cast once again.
Fans of "Basketball Wives" watched Bell attempt to jumpstart a music career in season four of the show while her fellow cast mates ridiculed her attempts. Although fans of the show witnessed Bell film a music video, go to church and interact with many women, she was also in a violent encounter with controversial cast member Evelyn Lozada.
After Lozada accused Bell of calling her "loose," the aspiring singer had a wine bottle and several plates thrown at her in a violent attack. Other cast members escorted Bell out of the vicinity of the restaurant where the women of the show attempted to end the attack.
Bell seemed eerily calm during the violent incident, according to her fellow cast members. However, the newer cast member credited her Christian faith for keeping her calm.
"To be honest with you, the scene right before the wine bottle incident, I went to church. So, (it was) Jesus," Bell told the Examiner. "But seriously, I didn't want to fight. I have a master's degree in engineering. I do want to do other things besides the reality show, as far as business ventures, so I really don't want to put myself out there like this nut that can't control her temper."
The incident was one of many that took place in season four and resulted in petitions and a public outcry for people to boycott the television show and Lozada's spinoff series. While the show raised concerns about supporting bullying, Bell spoke about being bullied after appearing on the show.
"When I was first introduced on 'Basketball Wives' it was 'oh her hair is a mess, she can't sing and she's crazy.' So I had people writing saying all kinds of things like 'I hate you' and 'you're stupid,'" she revealed to the Examiner. "I'm like, these people don't even know me. You just get this off a television show and you're berating me? It's a horrible experience."
However, Bell said she had reconciled with Lozada, her former assailant, and has begun to see positive changes in the show.
"I think some of the girls got carried away this season. I don't what was in the air," Bell told the Examiner. "I think the reunion show and the direction 'Basketball Wives' is taking now is a good direction to try to curb some of that craziness."
Still, the aspiring singer seemed to let out some of her frustrations with the series while creating the song "Hate Me." However, Bell insisted that she was not speaking about any one of her cast members specifically in the record.
"Okay so I'm like a good Christian girl. The songs that I put out before, like 'Fly,' are very mainstream easy going songs," she told the Examiner. "I hooked up with Jazze Pha, he's like "no no no you need some flavor. It's not a diss song to the 'Basketball Wives.'"
While Bell confirmed that she is working on an album, she told the Examiner that she was unsure about returning to the show in its fifth season.
"All of the songs that I'm working on now, we're going to go through and pick the best. Hopefully, if I do comeback next season, you'll be able to see me put the album together and see some of the artists I'm working with on the show," Bell said. "But, that's still up in the air. We'll see."