Sounds of Reality: When Reality TV Stars Turn to Music

Reality TV stars who attempt the musical crossover.

Changing Channels - There really is no such thing as an overnight success. Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams got a healthy dose of that lesson recently when she went in the booth on air to lay down "Perfectly Worthless." The song lyrically fits her divorce drama, and could have catapulted her to enough musical fame to match her reality TV popularity, but the song's producer has told her that it's not a good fit for her vocally, and already has sold the song to Syleena Johnson. Tough love. Will she keep pursuing her music career after that setback? Time will tell. Meanwhile, read on to see how more reality show stars have waded in the musical talent pool.(Photo: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET)

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Changing Channels - There really is no such thing as an overnight success. Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams got a healthy dose of that lesson recently when she went in the booth on air to lay down "Perfectly Worthless." The song lyrically fits her divorce drama, and could have catapulted her to enough musical fame to match her reality TV popularity, but the song's producer has told her that it's not a good fit for her vocally, and already has sold the song to Syleena Johnson. Tough love. Will she keep pursuing her music career after that setback? Time will tell. Meanwhile, read on to see how more reality show stars have waded in the musical talent pool.(Photo: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET)

Benzino, @IAMBENZINO - Tweet: "Ok so the lil p---y n---a ‪@hitmansteviej posted a private pic with me & my girl....who cares, nothing was shown but her beautiful face"On this Twittersode of Lies & Photoshop, Benzino blasts former bro-turned-foe Stevie J for posting a nude shot of his fiancée, Althea Heart, online. The Snake move by the "hitman" sparked a slew of insults and secrets exposed by Zino, who ultimately stuck by his woman's side and claims Steebie just took the photo from the 'Net, which is reportedly a still image from an alleged sex tape. #GuessItsAWrapForThatBromance(Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

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Benzino - Though Benzino may be most remembered for allegedly strong-arming his way into hip hop publishing with The Source back in the '80s, and for his current publication, Hip Hop Weekly, the Boston native has also spent time in the spotlight as a rapper — first with the Almighty RSO, then Made Men, then solo. Easy for him, then, to make a song of his on-air beef with Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta cast-mates Stevie J and Joseline Hernandez, "Smashed Da Homie," featuring a Joseline look-a-like.(Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

Photo By Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Kenya Moore on being inspired by the ultimate Civil War film:  - “I will forever be Gone With the Wind fabulous. And I hope I can inspire others to be Gone With the Wind fabulous too at any age.”  (Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images)

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Kenya Moore - Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore accosted eyes and ears with a performance of her single, "Gone With the Wind Fabulous," on Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live show. An undeniable beauty queen? Yes. But her talent is not music. (Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images)

Joseline Hernandez on her sex life with Stevie J: - "Yeah it's the best I've ever had, but I don't even want it anymore. He just disgusts me."(Photo: Prince Williams/FilmMagic)

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Joseline Hernandez - Joseline Hernandez, one of the more drama-laden characters on VH1's Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, released a single, "Bailar," featuring co-production from co-star and part-time lover Stevie J. On it, she raps, and sings. (Photo: Prince Williams/FilmMagic)

Photo By Photo: Prince Williams/FilmMagic

Ron Magro - Ron Magro of Jersey Shore fame found enough time away from the tanning salon to get in the recording booth. He released the Auto-tune-laden single "How The F%#k We Gettin' Home?!" and it's about as bad as you might expect.   (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for LAX Nightclub) 

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Ron Magro - Ron Magro of Jersey Shore fame found enough time away from the tanning salon to get in the recording booth. He released the Auto-tune-laden single "How The F%#k We Gettin' Home?!" and it's about as bad as you might expect.  (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for LAX Nightclub) 

Photo By Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for LAX Nightclub

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Kim Zolciak - Kim Zolciak, star of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, dropped "Tardy for the Party" in 2009. We can't front, it's mind-numbingly catchy, but then again, so is smallpox.(Photo: Dario Cantatore/Getty Images)

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Kim Zolciak - Kim Zolciak, star of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, dropped "Tardy for the Party" in 2009. We can't front, it's mind-numbingly catchy, but then again, so is smallpox.(Photo: Dario Cantatore/Getty Images)

Pauly D - Ronnie's Shore-mate Pauly D is a DJ, so it's no surprise he's dropped a couple fist-pumping techno songs ("Beat Da Beat Up" and "Night of My Life").(Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for DirecTV)

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Pauly D - Ronnie's Shore-mate Pauly D is a DJ, so it's no surprise he's dropped a couple fist-pumping techno songs ("Beat Da Beat Up" and "Night of My Life").(Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for DirecTV)

Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) - Tweet: "Cooking some soul food for my baby! Luxury chef...the Hermes of soul food" instagr.am/p/McWvNWuSzP/The reality TV vixen boasted her kitchen skills and showed off the meal she made for new boyfriend, Kanye West.(Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)

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Kim Kardashian - Kim Kardashian's multimedia assault extends to recorded music with "Jam (Turn It Up)." It features vocals from The-Dream, but may have just been a passing nightmare -- shortly after, she revealed that she has no plans to make a full-length album. Good news is, it wasn't a waste, a portion of the sales were donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.(Photo: Harry How/Getty Images)

Paris Hilton - Paris Hilton joined the YMCMB team over a year ago and it was touted that the socialite would be rocking out with several of her new label mates for her upcoming release. Lil Wayne hopped on her only single, "Good Time," last year, but she's been quiet on the music tip ever since.(Photo: Enrique Alonso /Landov/Reuters)

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Paris Hilton - Paris Hilton is a reality star OG, and she was one of the first to take a stab at music. She's also one of the few who actually managed to drop a full-lenght album, Paris, released by Warner Bros. in 2006. The LP sold almost 200,000 copies in the U.S. — that's more than a lot of your favorite rappers. Now, she's signed to Cash Money Records (yes, the one with Lil Wayne).(Photo: Enrique Alonso/Landov)

Drita D'avanzo - Rappers love boasting about their [fake] Mafia ties, which is maybe how Mob Wives star-turned-rapper Dria D'avanzo convinced both Lil Kim (who has pulled her on stage to rap for her Hardcore audience) and French Montana (who featured her on "Everything's A Go") to collaborate with her on the mic.(Photo: Brian Ach/Getty Images)

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Drita D'avanzo - Rappers love boasting about their [fake] Mafia ties, which is maybe how Mob Wives star-turned-rapper Dria D'avanzo convinced both Lil Kim (who has pulled her on stage to rap for her Hardcore audience) and French Montana (who featured her on "Everything's A Go") to collaborate with her on the mic.(Photo: Brian Ach/Getty Images)

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Mama Jones - As seen on Love & Hip-Hop, Mama Jones, one of reality TV's most gangsta gangstas, recorded a diss track, "Psychotic B---h," lashing out at her son Jim Jones' fiancée, Chrissy Lampkin.(Photo: Bennett Raglin/WireImage)

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Mama Jones - As seen on Love & Hip-Hop, Mama Jones, one of reality TV's most gangsta gangstas, recorded a diss track, "Psychotic B---h," lashing out at her son Jim Jones' fiancée, Chrissy Lampkin.(Photo: Bennett Raglin/WireImage)

Nicole Richie - Nicole Richie, following in the footsteps of both her ex-homie Paris Hilton and her adopted pops, Lionel Richie, leaked a song called "Dandelion" in 2006, and sang on the "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" remake.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Nicole Richie - Nicole Richie, following in the footsteps of both her ex-homie Paris Hilton and her adopted pops, Lionel Richie, leaked a song called "Dandelion" in 2006, and sang on the "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" remake.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Miss Lawrence - Miss Lawrence, stylish scene-stealer on Real Housewives of Atlanta, got his/her vogue on with some surprisingly good singing on last year's dance number "Closet Freak."  (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) 

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Miss Lawrence - Miss Lawrence, stylish scene-stealer on Real Housewives of Atlanta, got his/her vogue on with some surprisingly good singing on last year's dance number "Closet Freak."  (Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) 

Heidi Montag - Heidi Montag, who shot to fame on MTV's The Hills, decided to invest in career shift when she released, Superficial, a self-funded (at a cost of almost $2 million), first full-length album for her (she recorded a few EPs prior). It sold just over 1,000 copies in its first week of release.(Photo: John M. Heller/Getty Images)

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Heidi Montag - Heidi Montag, who shot to fame on MTV's The Hills, decided to invest in career shift when she released, Superficial, a self-funded (at a cost of almost $2 million), first full-length album for her (she recorded a few EPs prior). It sold just over 1,000 copies in its first week of release.(Photo: John M. Heller/Getty Images)

Melissa Gorga - Melissa Gorga of Real Housewives of New Jersey fame dropped a dance single, "On Display," last year. It was so bad that even the Situation himself wouldn't fist-pump to it. (Photo: Steve Mack/Getty Images)

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Melissa Gorga - Melissa Gorga of Real Housewives of New Jersey fame dropped a dance single, "On Display," last year. It was so bad that even the Situation himself wouldn't fist-pump to it. (Photo: Steve Mack/Getty Images)

Tila Tequila - Though will.i.am can make major pop hits, he made a major miss in 2007 when he announced that he was signing the Singaporean mpodel/reality star/wild child Tila Tequila to his label. Though nothing ever came of the deal, Tila did manage to later release a couple of EPs and handful of singles.(Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

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Tila Tequila - Though will.i.am can make major pop hits, he made a major miss in 2007 when he announced that he was signing the Singaporean mpodel/reality star/wild child Tila Tequila to his label. Though nothing ever came of the deal, Tila did manage to later release a couple of EPs and handful of singles.(Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images)