For years, Shamea Morton Mwangi has played a supporting role on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” and for the Atlanta Hawks.
But Friday at the Hawks play-in game against the Miami Heat at State Farm Arena, the team’s longtime in-game host will get the spotlight to herself. During the halftime show, Mwangi will perform her new song, “Neva Had,” with six backup dancers. This follows her singing the national anthem a few weeks ago at a Hawks game.
“It’s going down and we’ll have a good time!” she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the court Friday morning at State Farm Arena. “I was born here. I was grown here, not flown here. I feel we can pull it through tonight.”
Mwangi, a morning co-host at V-103 for two years, was elevated to a full-time “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member this season after more than a decade as a part-time player.
Over the first six episodes, she has not been a primary driver of the season’s storylines but has been able to show off her fancy Buckhead home and her vocal skills, as she works on her music career.
The show has focused on two tension points: Porsha Williams getting angry at Drew Jubera for using Dennis McKinley as her music producer and shooting scenes with him because McKinley is Williams’ former boyfriend and father of her daughter. And longtime “Housewives” cast member Kenya Moore lost her peach after revealing explicit photos of newcomer Brit Eady at her hair spa opening. Moore said she felt threatened by Eady and sought revenge on her after Eady referenced a pistol during an earlier argument.
Eady, in the most recent episode, didn’t feel the other cast members, outside of fellow newbie Kelli Ferrell, were supportive of her situation.
“We were trying to be supportive for her,” Mwangi said. “We were very disappointed in how Kenya reacted.”
Mwangi noted that most of the cast had been friends with Moore a long time. “We had to check on Kenya but we were going to check on Brit, too,” she said. “What Kenya did was bad. What Brit did was bad. Now it’s about how we move forward.”
Moore’s sudden disappearance from the show was disconcerting, she said. “I was excited to work with all the veterans like Kenya and Porsha. To lose her so early in the season, what now? Kenya gave us all the shade and tea. She stirred the pot. She knew how to do it.”
Credit: Derek White/Bravo
Credit: Derek White/Bravo
Separate from the “Housewives,” Mwangi is thrilled to have been part of the Hawks organization for more than a dozen years. She started as a team cheerleader and dancer before becoming an in-game host.
“It’s a great organization,” she said. “You’re treated like family from top to bottom. It’s warm and friendly and there are opportunities for growth.”
IF YOU GO
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
7 p.m., Friday, April 18, $19 standing room tickets and higher priced verified resale tickets available now, State Farm Arena, 1 State Farm Arena Drive, Atlanta, www.ticketmaster.com
WHERE TO WATCH
7 p.m. Friday, April 18, TNT
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