Winter Ramos Talks Past Affairs With Rappers In ' Game Over '
It was Lil Wayne who declared "I ain't got no worries," but it's Winter who's seriously worry free about any backlash from her upcoming book Game Over: My Love for Hip-Hop. And just in case anyone's feeling a little froggy she's changed her cell number.
After reading Game Over (Life Changing Books) we were bubbling over with questions for the Love and Hip Hop reality star. For every question we asked she had an answer. Winter was not afraid to spill the tea. After it was spilled she left it on the floor for everyone to do what they will. In last week's interview she set the record straight on her and Lore'l's friendship. In the second half of our chat she talks more about her relationships with some of hip-hop's most valuable players. One thing that remains the same: The players may change, but the game stays the same. Even when it's over.
VH1: In your book you have no problem naming the rappers you've been with. Were you scared of backlash?
Winter: Not scared. I knew people were going to be upset. I knew people may have even wanted to have a conversation with me prior, but again, it’s all the truth. These are the things that happened and I’m not trying to blast anyone because at the end of the day I’m not telling what anyone did if it didn’t have anything to do with me. Everything that I told was about me. I didn’t say, 'Well I saw this one over there doing this.' If it didn’t have anything to do with me I didn’t mention it.
VH1: Have you received calls from any of the rappers who aren't happy with being mentioned in your book?
Winter: No because my number has changed. [laughs]
VH1: Have you heard word that some of them are trying to get in touch with you about it?
Winter: I’m sure they are but there’s no way [to]. I’m not in New York. I’m not outside I'm not out and about, I’m not at the events, I’m not at the parties, I’m not at the industry functions.
VH1: If someone questions the validity of all your claims are you ready to show proof?
Winter: Of course! No one can say that they didn’t. There were people around; there were people that were always around. You’re in this industry and it’s never just you and one person. There’s always a situation where someone knows or someone knew you had a conversation with someone. None of these situations were ever top secret.
VH1: What’s your response to people who may call you a groupie or a gold-digger?
Winter: Whatever! It’s so funny because the other day I was thinking about when these guys get on their songs and they name names and they say what they’ve done to these girls no one ever questions what happened to the girl. These girls could be someone’s mother, this young lady could be a student, she could be someone who had a head on her shoulders who thought maybe she was in love and got caught up in the mix because he sold her a dream. No one asks what happens to her or who she really is. All people are concerned about is "ooh he got her," and labeling her. It’s not fair
VH1: So the degrading labels people may give you because of this book don't bother you at all?
Winter: Never!
VH1: You seem like as long as you're getting yours you couldn't care less.
Winter: When you’re in a relationship with someone or you’re dating someone who is of a certain caliber it’s interesting that you see him in the club and he spends ten thousand dollars on a stripper or eight thousand dollars on champagne, but if you ask him for a thousand dollars for a bill or to buy yourself a bag or car or something like that you automatically become a gold-digger.
VH1: You named mostly everyone except Big Money. His identity was obvious to us, but why’d you chose not to name him?
Winter: I knew he would be upset and I didn’t want to upset him because I felt like he had already asked me when it was time to film. He said, "You know I don’t want no part of it," and I I can respect that. So I left it at that.
VH1: It’s interesting that you have that sort of loyalty towards him knowing that other guys would also be upset, but you still named them. Is it because you’re still friends, or is it because of business?
Winter: No, not even that. It was a special. It was a special situation and I don’t want to ruin [it].
VH1: Do you think the R&B singer he left you for knew about the two of you?
Winter: I’m sure she didn’t. I’m sure later on down the line she got it. Any woman in that situation shouldn’t think that that’s not the case but me specifically I doubt it.
VH1: First thing that comes to mind when I name each rapper: Fab
Winter: Hot mess. Can I say two words?
VH1: Jadakiss
Winter: [huge sigh] Lost.
VH1: Swizz Beats
Winter: Whatever
VH1: Dame Dash
Winter: Good guy.
VH1: Ja Rule
Winter: Sweetheart.
VH1: Irv Gotti
Winter: Hard as*.
VH1: Rafer Alston
Winter: Hot mess.
VH1: Young Berg
Winter: [laughs] Cutie.
VH1: Slim [of Cash Money Records]
Winter: Intelligent.
VH1: After 10 plus years of living the single life are you ready to settle down?
Winter: Yeah, definitely! I’m done with it. I get calls for music videos and I’ll pass it on to assistants. First of all it’s not worth it financially for me to be on set for 18 hours to make $500 when I was making $1500 to work for five hours. The budgets aren’t the same anymore, the work is harder, it's not worth it. I’m over it. I've been over it for a couple of years.
VH1: Is your boo in the industry?
Winter: No he’s not.
VH1: Are you going to keep him under wraps?
Winter: Long as possible.
VH1: What do you hope people will gain from reading the book?
Winter: Get an understanding of what it is as a female in this industry when you feel like sometimes you have to do things that you don’t want to do because you’re in a situation and you want to move ahead and you don’t want a certain person in a position of power to bring you down or blackball you from the industry; and just getting a better understanding of what it is in this industry. Just because you watch a video and you see this and you see that doesn’t mean that’s really what’s going on in the reality of it all.
Winter's book tour for Game Over begins April 4th in New York City at Melba's in Harlem.