Stefan Springman

**Stefan Springman** is an executive producer on the *Love & Hip Hop* franchise. He produced the first season of *Love & Hip Hop: New York* up until the eighth season of *Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta*.

## Before *Love & Hip Hop*

Stefan Springman is a television producer and president of Eastern TV, formerly known as NFGTV. In 2006, Jim Ackerman, a director at VH1 at the time, approached him and and Toby Barraud to help develop a reality television series centered on rapper Jim Jones. Jim was unwilling to fully commit to the gruelling filming schedule and was dealing with the murder of a friend at the time, leading him to lash out violently at the producers and filming crew.

The production issues were worked into the show's concept, which now focused on the culture clash between the gangsta rapper and the "honky" television producers. Stefan and Toby used the footage for an 11-minute presentation tape, titled *Keeping Up with the Joneses*, which also featured Jones' longtime girlfriend Chrissy Lampkin and his mother Nancy. According to Springman, VH1 loved the footage but were unsure if audiences would be invested in the concept full-time.

Jones' manager, Yandy Smith, approached Mona Scott-Young, her former employer at *Violator*, to retool the show. Inspired by female ensemble-driven shows that were popular at the time, Scott-Young shifted the concept to focus on Chrissy and her circle of friends, creating what would later become known as *Love & Hip Hop*, which Stefan would serve as the show's executive producer.

## *Love & Hip Hop* franchise (2011–2019)

Stefan first appears onscreen in the season two reunion special of *Love & Hip Hop: New York*, where he hosts interview segments with Chrissy Lampkin (as Chrissy refused to sit down with Mona Scott-Young). He also hosts the interview segments with Joseline, Stevie J, Benzino and Althea in the season three reunion special of *Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta*. He would continue to make minor uncredited appearances throughout the franchise (usually in the background of a scene when attempting to break up fights between cast members).

Stefan also appears in the specials *Love & Hip Hop Atlanta: Dirty Little Secrets*, *40 Greatest Love & Hip Hop Moments* and *Love & Hip Hop Atlanta: Dirty Little Secrets 2*.

He is credited as an executive producer in the first nine seasons of *Love & Hip Hop: New York*, the first eight seasons of *Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta*, the first five seasons of *Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood* and the first two seasons of *Love & Hip Hop: Miami*, as well as the spin-off shows *Chrissy & Mr. Jones*, *Love & Hip Hop Atlanta: After Party Live!*, *Stevie J & Joseline: Go Hollywood*, *K. Michelle: My Life*, *Leave It to Stevie* and *Remy & Papoose: Meet the Mackies*, and the specials *Love & Hip Hop Atlanta: Dirty Little Secrets*, *40 Greatest Love & Hip Hop Moments*, *Love & Hip Hop Live: The Wedding*, *Love & Hip Hop: Out in Hip Hop*, *Love & Hip Hop Atlanta: Joseline's Special Delivery*, *Love & Hip Hop Atlanta: Dirty Little Secrets 2*, *Love & Hip Hop Hollywood: Dirty Little Secrets*, *Love & Hip Hop New York: Dirty Little Secrets*, *Remy & Papoose: A Merry Mackie Holiday*, *Love & Hip Hop: The Love Edition*, *Love & Hip Hop Hollywood: Ray J & Princess' Labor of Love*, *Love & Hip Hop Awards: Most Certified* and *40 Greatest Love & Hip Hop Moments: The Reboot*.

After the eighth season of *Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta*, VH1 took Eastern TV off the franchise, replacing them with Big Fish Entertainment.

## Appearances

Stefan has 10 on-screen appearances.