EXCLUSIVE: Gangsta Boo & Emmett Flores Were Complicated—But Loved Each Other

Gangsta Boo died unexpectedly in her hometown of Memphis on Sunday (January 1), leaving the Hip Hop community in shambles. The Three 6 Mafia rapper was beloved not just for her skills on the mic but also her lively personality. Prior to her death, Gangsta Boo and longtime partner Emmett Flores participated in Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition, but their stint was short-lived. In one of the episodes, they were busted with a “white powdery substance” in their room. The resident therapist, Dr. Ish, confronted the couple on the show and she denied knowing what it was. Despite her claims, they were eventually kicked off. In a subsequent Twitter rant, Gangsta Boo went off on Dr. Ish, accusing him of failing to do his job.

Before the explosive episode aired, Gangsta Boo and Flores were happy to discuss their Marriage Boot Camp experience, early origins of their relationship and struggles they were trying to overcome. During a conversation with AllHipHop last April, the two were playful, upbeat and, above all, doing their best to navigate their relationship.

Since Gangsta Boo’s death, Flores has been sharing memories of their time together on Instagram, as recently as Thursday (January 5). In one of them, the two are all smiles as they paddle a boat. He wrote in the caption: “THE QUEEN’S BOAT RIDE.”

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In another, Gangsta Boo excitedly calls her mother so the Delfonics can sing to her over the phone. The clips are rare glimpses into their private life together and a clear sign Flores is struggling in the wake of her death.

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As a way to preserve Gangsta Boo’s legacy and shine a spotlight on her endlessly charismatic personality, AllHipHop has decided to posthumously publish a Q&A with the couple. There’ll be a little bit of feistiness, some arguing but also a whole lotta love. From her father’s 2017 death to how they met, nothing was off limits.

AllHipHop: What does it take to get to that point where you’re comfortable with putting your personal life out there? If people saw what happened between my husband and me, I don’t know if I could ever go in public again [laughs].

Gangsta Boo: I like the way you’re laughing because that’s how I feel right now. But s###, I’m going to let Emmett answer that one.

Emmett: I have no qualms about any of this. It doesn’t really bug me. It’s kind of on her really, and the way her public image is perceived at this point. Because I’m just the plus one on the show. That’s all.

AllHipHop: That’s so funny. My husband calls himself my permanent plus one.

Gangsta Boo: Thank you. We need your husband on call.

AllHipHop: I know, right?

Gangsta Boo: He sounds like a smart man. He sound like a smart guy. He’s playing his position. 

Emmett: Yep.

AllHipHop: He just went with me to the Grammys this weekend. He played his position; he got me my dress, my shoes. He was running around, doing everything.

Gangsta Boo: I like that. That one I can’t relate to [laughs]. 

Emmett: Hey, hey, hey. That’s craziness right there.

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, I can’t relate to that one. I typically handle my own business.

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AllHipHop: You’ve been dating for a long time. Has it been consistent for seven years or have you guys been off and on. What’s the status of the relationship?

Gangsta Boo: I’ll let him answer that one.

Emmett: Consistent for eight years.

Gangsta Boo: That’s a lie. He’s lying.

Emmett: I’m not lying.

Gangsta Boo: Well, it ain’t been no consistent—

Emmett: Let me answer, what happened to that?

Gangsta Boo: We did have a situation where we wanted to see what it was like to be apart. We can break up but, it didn’t work, well the first few months.

AllHipHop: I would imagine being in your business, Boo, does it make it even harder to be in a committed relationship? I know, it’s got to be rough with all the traveling and engagements and things.

Gangsta Boo: To be honest with you, no. Because I’m like, “No, that’s not an issue.” I keep it pretty separate. But then he does the same thing that I do in the entertainment field. Something like that. So we kind of get it. No, it don’t affect us.

AllHipHop: Emmett, you rap, too. And what else do you do? You’re kind of a mystery man.

Emmett: Yeah, I really host a podcast. We met on tour and several lives ago, in another life. I was an opener. That was the level I plateaued at.

Gangsta Boo: Girl, I cannot even believe. I was like, “Wow, actually f##### an opening act. What the f###?”

Emmett: Yeah.

AllHipHop: You took a step down. Is that what you’re saying? [Laughs] 

Emmett: Yeah.

Gangsta Boo: But we upgraded each other. 

Emmett: Step down. Oh my God [laughs]. 

Gangsta Boo: No, we upgraded each other. It’s pretty cool.

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AllHipHop: Obviously you guys ended up really liking each other. You said you were boyfriend and girlfriend by the time you got to Seattle.

Gangsta Boo: Yep, I f##### an opening act and he moved me to LA, so it worked out.

AllHipHop: And here we are, on Marriage Boot Camp.

Gangsta Boo: Eight years later.

AllHipHop: I watched the first episode and it kind of seemed to me the two things you needed to work on the most or the biggest thing was communication. That’s a big one for a lot of couples. Do you feel like you’re communicating better now as a result?

Gangsta Boo: Absolutely not. No. The thing is, what I have learned is no matter what type of therapy you do, especially a Marriage Boot Camp therapy, if you don’t take it with you and apply it to your everyday lifestyle the best way you can, it’s pointless. So we’re still working on applying the tools that we did pick up on the show. 

Emmett: Yeah. It’s also about progression. We’ve been wired like this for what? 44 years? I’m 44 years old, so I’m not going to change overnight. So now speaking from my perspective, I can identify the issues. I see them at hand. And like she said, whether or not I apply the tools that I learned, that’s a different story altogether. But it has helped.

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AllHipHop: What you said, Boo, is perfect because my husband is in recovery. Well, I’ve been sober for a long time, but he has too. I think he’s going on 10 years or something and he learns a lot of tools, but if you don’t actually use it in real life, it’s all for show. 

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, it’s all for show. Yeah.

AllHipHop: So that’s something like I have to work on too, is just actually using those tools, like taking in a minute to respond sometimes when you want to just go off on them.

Gangsta Boo: It’s called comprehending and listening.

AllHipHop: Sometimes that’s not my strong suit. I think, Boo, you and I have a lot of similar traits, kind of bossy sometimes, like you were saying, because you’re a boss, right?

Gangsta Boo: BWA, huh?

AllHipHop: Yep. And I’m the eldest child. So I’ve kind of always been used to being in charge.

Gangsta Boo: Ah, and see, Emmett is an only child, so he has that type of syndrome.

Emmett: Hey, there’s too much estrogen on this phone call. OK? You guys are bonding way too much here. I just feel completely left out. I am an outlier.

Gangsta Boo: I forgot you was on the phone. My bad.

AllHipHop: On no. Sorry, Emmett. We love you, too.

Emmett: I know. I’m just teasing. I do. 100 percent. Hey, congratulations on your recovery. That’s awesome. I know a lot of people in the program, so that’s awesome.

Gangsta Boo: It is.

AllHipHop: On a side note, if you guys are ever interested, I have a podcast with MC Serch about recovery. It’s called Breaking Anonymity. We’ve had Royce da 5’9 and DMC and KXNG Crooked and Brandon Novak, the skateboarder.

Emmett: That’s dope, bro. MC Serch? That’s dope, bro. Dang. That’s the OG, bro.

Gangsta Boo: Wow.

Emmett: 3rd Bass. That’s hardcore right there. He got the gas face.

Gangsta Boo: Emmett, Emmett, calm down. So yeah, make sure you remember Breaking Anonymity Emmett, so we could check it out.

AllHipHop: Yeah. I’d love that.

Emmett: That’s dope. Hey, I got a podcast too. It’s called Kush and Chemtrails. Check that out, man.

AllHipHop: I definitely will. I’ve been a longtime fan of Three 6 Mafia. Emmett, were you intimidated at all by stepping to Boo when you first met? 

Gangsta Boo: F###, no.

Emmett: No.

Gangsta Boo: No, he went for it.

Emmett: I went for it. We were in the RV and I just went for it. She put her hand up against my face and stiff armed me and was like, “Nah dude, what are you doing?” And I was like, “Oh man.” Yeah. So I wasn’t intimidated at all.

Gangsta Boo: No, he was hella creepy.

AllHipHop: So your initial reaction was to push his face away?

Gangsta Boo: Well yeah, because he tried to kiss me. You know how white people do. They just like to make out, as y’all call it. “Let’s make out.” Like, damn, I just met you 30 minutes ago, bro. I don’t even know you. 

AllHipHop: So then how did he finally win you over then?

Gangsta Boo: We just was hanging out and just found out that we had a lot in common during that time and became really cool friends. Before anything, we just kind of became friends. 

Emmett: I’d leave her little notes and stuff on her, like on her cup. I’d see her sipping out of a cup and I go write her name on it and a little heart around it.

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, but he don’t do none of that s### no more though. Literally, he don’t do none that s###. He don’t do nothing. Yeah, he’s not romantic. Nothing happens no more. It’s just like, it’s washed up now.

AllHipHop: Is that something you’re trying to work on right now?

Emmett: Yeah, it is something I need to work on. I’m pretty bland in that department when it comes to romance. 

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, he didn’t use to be though, so it’s pretty boring at this point though.

AllHipHop: Is it just because you get comfortable?

Emmett: Yeah. I have a lot less free time than I did then. That was when we were on tour together for two months. 

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, that’s why I think you got to make time to prioritize certain stuff in your life that’s most important for. At this particular stage, I’m like the last on the totem pole.

AllHipHop: I remember that from the episode. That was intense. 

Gangsta Boo: It’s still going down like that.

Emmett: There you guys go again. “I remember from the episode.” What about her? 

Gangsta Boo: He hasn’t took me out to dinner. I haven’t been out to dinner in I don’t know how long.

AllHipHop: You could change that tonight! 

Emmett: Oh my god. Chart House, dude. Valentine’s. I took you to Chart House.

Gangsta Boo: Yeah. Valentine’s Day. It’s about to be May. It’s about to be May, bro. So yeah. Cool.

Emmett: Come on.

Gangsta Boo: I really feel cool. Thank you.

AllHipHop: It is tough, I know. My husband and I are super busy too. We tried to commit to going to dinner once a week. That didn’t work. 

Gangsta Boo: She said that didn’t work.

AllHipHop: Not at all [laughs]. 

Gangsta Boo: Girl, you are giggly. I like it.

AllHipHop: I just find things funny. I think you got to laugh in life or you’re doing something wrong, right?

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, for sure.

AllHipHop: That’s the only way you can get through stuff, I think.

Emmett: A hundred percent.

Gangsta Boo: But we do have smoke a lot of weed together though, so that’s pretty cool.

Emmett: Hell, yeah.

Gangsta Boo: I’m a weed connoisseur.

AllHipHop: Have you ever taken a break?

Gangsta Boo: Maybe a couple days or something, but I can’t recall longer than that.

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All HipHop: What do you think was the favorite or a highlight of being on the show and how dramatic was it sharing a house with so many colorful individuals?

Emmett: It was great. We had a great time, but I guess I don’t want to ruin it. So the most I can say is tune in every Thursday to WEtv and you’ll find out everything you need to know, exactly how it went down in that house.

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, it was pretty crazy. Yeah, it got pretty crazy for sure.

AllHipHop: So DJ Paul made some comment on your Instagram post about you being anxious walking into the house and asking for alcohol right when you got there. Were you nervous when you got there? 

Gangsta Boo: I’m a fan of the show, so I saw all they did on the show was drink. So I wanted to be a part of the show in real life. And when I walked in, I saw them sipping on champagne already. So I was like, “Oh, well, s###, where’s the alcohol?” And yeah, I guess I do be anxious or anxiety kind of kicked in. I’ve never been diagnosed with anxiety, but I’m aware. And so once I saw A1 and Lyrica and Mariahlynn and Rich, I was like, “Oh, s###, I’m actually in this Boot Camp and I cannot leave. Oh my God.” And I was like, “All right, let me get a shot. Let me drink right quick to calm these nerves down.” But it was like that.

AllHipHop: I understand. I have to ask too, you had to do 14 days of quarantining in a hotel?

Gangsta Boo: Yep. Then we went straight into the house, so it was a lot.

AllHipHop: Wow. Was that the hardest part?

Gangsta Boo: Luckily for us, we had adjoining room, but we obviously spent time together more than we didn’t. But no, it was actually all right. It was a little challenging. You get cabin fever and stuff and you want to do what grown folks do, like leave and come back when you want. But we couldn’t do that. So that got a bit aggravating. And then, of course, we started clashing and arguing. And that’s what happened on the first episode. I was exhausted from that night before because we was up arguing and then we woke up early that next day to do makeup and prepare mentally for the show. So just in general, a lot of brain work, a lot of thinking can make you exhausted as well. You know what I mean?

AllHipHop: Oh, totally. I’ve had fights with my husband where you’re up all night until 4am and you can’t sleep and then you have to wake up for some s### the next day and you’re just like, “Ah. I hate life.”

Gangsta Boo: Yeah. You know what I mean? You out of it. So that’s what happened when I dozed off in Love Court.

AllHipHop: Oh no. So you were really tired when that happened?

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, I was exhausted and most of us was. A lot of them were asleep, but they just didn’t get caught on camera. Or maybe I was the one that they decided to put on blast on camera. Who knows? They got to look cute. 

Emmett: It was a lot of work.

Gangsta Boo: They wanted the world to see it.

Emmett: A lot of people don’t realize how much work goes into it. We actually had call times every day We had to report, especially the girls. We have a call time at 10am or 11am and they got a call time at like 6:30am or 7am because they’re in that makeup tent forever. Then there’s a whole set itinerary for the day. And if they don’t got enough footage, they’ll tell you, “Hey man, get out your room, man. Go back out there and mingle. Do something.”

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, mingle with a bunch of people that you don’t even know.

AllHipHop: Did they encourage drinking, encourage the drama? Are they like, “Yeah, go pick a fight.” 

Gangsta Boo: Oh, absolutely. You got to tune in. Especially to Thursday’s episode, not sure when this is going to come out, but the second episode. Oh yeah. We can tell, as the show grow, you’re going to be able to tell who’s the s### starter in the house. It’s going to be quite obvious. It’s be going to quite muthafuckin’ obvious.

AllHipHop: This is going to be good. I am really happy for you. I’ll watch every week. 

Gangsta Boo: Yes, girl. You so sweet. Yeah, the second episode is going be pretty entertaining, so I can’t imagine the third one. You’re going to see who’s the messy one in the house.

AllHipHop: Before I let you go, I just have to give you props on that Run the Jewels verse because that was one of my favorite songs of 2020 and that s### was tight.

Gangsta Boo: Yes, honey. P#### power over here. Love again, girl. I wrote that about Emmett actually.

AllHipHop: Aw, I love that. How did that come together? Did El-P or Killer Mike hit you up?

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, Killer Mike. I have a relationship with Killer Mike and when I walked in the studio, I didn’t know who the hell El-P was. I thought he was like the engineer. I was like, “Who are you?” Because he was trying to tell me how to record. And I pulled Mike to the side. I said, “Mike, who is this white dude, bro?” Like, “I got this.” He was like, “Uh, that’s the producer. That’s the legend, that’s the guy.” I was like, “Yeah.” I was like, “Oh, OK, cool.” And yeah, it happened like that. So I’ve been knowing Killer Mike for a very long time. Multiple, multiple years, from Atlanta.

AllHipHop: That’s dope.

Gangsta Boo: Dungeon Family. We kind of all grew up together. Yeah, I met Mike when I was 16 or 17.

AllHipHop: I love Goodie Mob, OutKast and, of course, Dungeon Family, all that stuff. So I interviewed Killer Mike and El-P for Wax Poetics right before they became Run The Jewels. It was almost like their introduction. 

Gangsta Boo: Oh wow.

AllHipHop: I interviewed them in their trailer at this festival in Omaha, Nebraska. I was leaving and Mike is like, “Hey, do you want this bottle of Moët?” And I was like, “Oh, I don’t drink.” But I was like, “Oh s###, my mom will take it.” My mom texts and she’s like, “Thanks, Killer Mike,” and posted a photo of it.

Gangsta Boo: Oh, not the, “Thanks, Killer Mike.” [Laughs] That’s cute. Thanks, Killer Mike.

AllHipHop: Yeah, and my mom actually has passed away since then. She passed away suddenly in 2019. Yeah, so that’s always a really fond memory.

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, I hate to hear that. My father, he passed April 17 in 2017, so that’s coming up, so I can relate. Sorry to hear that. My condolences.

AllHipHop: Thank you. Same to you.

Gangsta Boo: It never gets easy.

AllHipHop: No, it doesn’t. And this is exactly when she was in the hospital. This whole period three years ago, we were all at the ICU. It was nuts. So my condolences to you too, losing a parent is horrible. Absolutely.

Gangsta Boo: Yeah, it’s brutal. Well I’m glad she had a good life though and got that Moët from Killer Mike.

AllHipHop: I know. I mean, what other mom can say that? Not too many. I’m really happy for both of you. I think it’s really rare to find somebody that you know can share your life with. Yo guys got this. 

Gangsta Boo: That’s so sweet and encouraging. 

AllHipHop: Yeah, we got through it, but it was tough in the beginning. We got married in 2015 and s###’s cool now.

Gangsta Boo: She said that s###’s cool now. S###’s cool.