February has the distinction of being a celebration marked on calendars for both Black history and Black love. The latter is best played out by three successful Black couples on the hit reality show “Love & Marriage: Huntsville.” The show’s Huntsville, Alabama, notables include Melody and Martell Holt, Maurice and wife Kimmi Scott and fan favorites, Marsau and LaTisha Scott. Although the Holts’ volatile relationship ended in a hotly contested divorce, the Scotts continued to savor the love, although the couple had to persevere through public scrutiny and constant speculation on the status of their relationship and commitment.
Audiences were first introduced to the twosome in 2019 on Carlos King’s OWN series, “Love & Marriage: Huntsville,” along with the two other Black entrepreneurial and founding couples of the real estate venture, The Comeback Group. The Scotts’ friendship with Melody and Martell Holt, as well as with his brother Maurice and sister-in-law Kimmi was the focal point of the show.
“This may be the story that hasn’t been told. Our group started with a conversation Melody and I had about a Black boy being killed in Huntsville and how as parents all of us were feeling that pain. I remember saying my children had a bigger chance of being a victim of a mass shooting than being shot by another Black kid because of where they live.
“Your environment weighs into that more than anything. All of us were doing real estate construction and investing. From that conversation with Melody and I talking about how this bothered us and how we all needed to give back to our community … is how The Comeback group was started,” Marsau explains.
The last seven seasons of “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” chronicled the lives of the Scott family, with their three children attempting to live their version of the American dream. Over the past seven seasons, LaTisha has completed her postgraduate degree and the Scotts’ daughters Maci and Milla, launched a natural hair care product line. Their eldest, Marsau Jr., is currently preparing to graduate from high school.
“When you look back at the first episode and the kids are so small, I think Marsau Jr. was 11 [and] watching them, you can see just how far we’ve come. … They’ve grown up on TV with fans of the show,” LaTisha adds.
Marsau asserts that although the show doesn’t always highlight the real work they put in as entrepreneurs, he is confident that the example of young Black entrepreneurs working together and celebrating family is important.
“You don’t see everything we’re doing because it may not fit into an episode or even a season. Right now, we’re working on a hotel, but that takes time. You’re not going to see that started and completed in a season. It takes time for us because we’re building things that aren’t for television,” Marsau remarks.
The Scotts say their commitment to economic empowerment for the Black community is their collective “why” as a couple.
“It’s important to understand that we won’t move the needle on economic empowerment independently. The power is in becoming interdependent as a community. We need one another. I’m proud that we’ve been able to show that example on the show,” Marsau says.
The Scotts have continued to put their time and energy into practice, and will host their second Blaque Business Expo in Atlanta on Saturday, Feb. 24. The event is an opportunity for established and aspiring business owners to network with like-minded individuals. The Scotts want the expo to be considered a think tank for entrepreneurs to focus on collaboration rather than competition.
“This is our second expo and we’re really excited. Amazon came on as our partner and amplified everything so we’re grateful for that. We have amazing speakers like Dr. Heavenly [Kimes] from ‘Married to Medicine,’ the Wallstreet Trapper, [a] wealth building expert, Britni Ricard and so many more,” LaTisha says.
The Scotts have managed their reality television fame as a partnership. The emotional drama on “Love & Marriage: Huntsville” has included rumors about the strength of Marsau and LaTisha’s marriage, but the talk hasn’t permeated the Scotts’ commitment to each other.
“You would think that more people would be excited to see a Black family commit to stay together and to support one another, but that’s not always the case,” LaTisha says.
Marsau echoes his wife’s sentiments, but says that there are more people who champion Black love and family unity, but their voices are often not as loud as those who don’t. “The negativity is always louder, but I don’t think that’s the majority,” he shares.
The Scotts’ first Blaque expo was held in their hometown and included many of their castmates and local friends. “We wanted to share the platform by giving people the opportunity to have their businesses showcased. I told everyone to wear their logo and know that this was going to be televised, so bring their best,” Marsau laughs.
“Love & Marriage: Huntsville” highlighted some of the mistakes the couple made in organizing and coordinating their flagship expo. LaTisha says she was quickly over the constant criticism leveled at them when their intention was to do something positive for the community. Marsau admits they made some mistakes in their initial attempt but says taking the criticism is a part of growth and becoming better.
“I’ve never shied away from criticism. In fact, I prefer it because it makes me better. I say the haters are going to mess around and make me perfect. I’ll take everything you said and use it to sharpen my skill set. So we welcome the criticism, it can only make us better,” Marsau affirms.
For more information about the Blaque Business Expo, visit www.mlsfoundation.net.
Photos provided by OWN
