An #RHOA fresh face is dashing to BOSSIP about her explosive introduction amid a headline-making moment.
Courtney R. Rhodes has joined season 15 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta as a friend and she’s already got tongues wagging. The entrepreneur who’s experienced in fields like brand marketing and communications appeared on Sunday’s show calling out Kandi Burruss for some off-camera comments that rubbed her the wrong way.
Source: AB+DM (Ahmad Barber and Danté Maurice) / Bravo
During a tense talk, Rhodes clashed with the Xscape songstress while alleging that there was some sort of “condescending” conversation that took place about whether or not they were friends.
“I didn’t say that I knew you, I said that we were in similar social settings,” said Rhodes who added that she doesn’t have to clout chase.
Ultimately things escalated to a messy moment and Kandi threatened to head-butt Rhodes because of the “crazy” energy she was exuding while “bouncing up at her.”
As you can imagine some #RHOA watchers were none too pleased by Rhodes’ intro to the show, but the co-founder of C&D the Agency told BOSSIP that she’s taking it all in stride.
“It’s exciting, the energy, there’s a lot of buzz about it,” she told Managing Editor Dani Canada. “There’s been a lot of reception, whether it’s good, bad, or indifferent. I know that that’s a good sign for something amazing in the making. So I feel pretty good about it.”
She also recalled to BOSSIP what was going through her mind when she decided to talk to Kandi about what was potentially said.
“Really in that moment, I had just been tired of talking about it,” said Rhodes before recalling her business partner discussing the “weirdest phone call” she received about Kandi.
“She’s like, so Kandi just called X, Y, Z. And she was like, ‘Hey, do you know this person?;” said Rhodes. “And she’s like, apparently she’s going around telling people we’re friends and I don’t know this woman, I don’t know this woman. Clearly, we know that you’re not going around doing that,” she said the business partner added.
The entrepreneur said she was immediately annoyed by what she heard because the conversation that came back to her was “very condescending.”
“I don’t know you, you don’t know me, right?” said Rhodes to BOSSIP. ” I met you once or twice before. I don’t think about you, you don’t think about me—but you’re worldwide, so why do you even care? So I had that conversation with Shereé and Sanya, and I was like, at some point, I’ll ask her.”
She also said that she had no intention of bringing up the miscommunication at the ritzy party thrown by Sanya Richards Ross, but after talking to Marlo Hampton and realizing that details of the conversation were being discussed in the group, she wanted to iron things out.
“I was like, you know what, I’m gonna nip it the bud cause I don’t want her asking me if I said it,” said Rhodes. “Lemme let her know. I did say it and lemme just ask her about it.”
Rhodes denied however Kandi’s accusation that the moment was set up as a “beat” for the cameras. During her most recent “Speak On It” podcast episode, Kandi alleged that Rhodes “tried her on purpose.”
“It was absolutely not a beat,” Rhodes told BOSSIP. “It was nothing I was told to say, it was nothing I was asked. Exclusivley, I [just] wanted to ask her in that moment.”
That’s not all the #RHOA newbie had to say however. She also responded accusations that she was “aggressively” bouncing in Kandi’s direction.
While dressed to the nines and looking lovely the night of the clash, Rhodes was seen bouncing seemingly to emphasize the points she was making to Kandi.
Several #RHOA watchers took the movement as an act of aggression and said they understood why the housewife got angry.
Nah I see why Kandi wanted to Headbutt Courtney this passive aggressive energy will make me go awf!!! #RHOA
— act a fool gurl! (@soulidt) May 8, 2023
I see why Kandi got irate with Courtney. It’s okay to wonder why Kandi allegedly was asking around but it was never that deep for Courtney to gossip the way she did about it in a negative tone & then be all up in Kandi’s face like she’s looking for beef? #RHOA
— Dee Dee ? (@LydiahMavu) May 9, 2023
According to Rhodes who makes no qualms about her movements, she was just being “passionate” and reacting to Kandi’s facial expressions.
“I try not to use the word aggressive with Black women. You hear me say that over and over,” Rhodes told BOSSIP. “I was certainly passionate in that moment and I was bouncing, and there’s no apology for it. But she had this crazy look on her face [and] her conversation with her friend was very condescending. So I certainly was annoyed and activated.”
“I don’t know her, and she doesn’t know me,” she added. “So our energy certainly got escalated and I was bouncing. And that’s just a part of how I move when I’m mad. At least I wasn’t threatening to head-butt her cause I don’t do that.”
Season 15, activated… Thank me later. ? #goodnight #RHOA
— Courtney R. Rhodes (@TheBrandista) May 8, 2023
Now as fans continue to watch #RHOA season 15, Rhodes hopes that they’ll more of her fun side, and yes, her strong voice as she isn’t afraid of talking through conflict.
“I’m looking forward to the audience seeing that I’m a woman’s woman in everything I’ve done in life,” said Rhodes who also stressed the importance of women’s empowerment. “I have a strong voice but typically I’m a lot more relaxed than this.
“I know that the audience will also see those other moments; me being a mother, me being an entrepreneur, me running an agency with eight amazing girls, supporting them, nurturing them. So I hope [they see] a more calmer me and the full dynamic of who I am because I clearly have a big personality but I am certainly a woman’s woman and just passionate about the things that I’m passionate with.”
“If I do feel some kinda way, I have learned I don’t back off of conflict because I like to talk through it and move forward,” she added. “Hopefully, you’ll see that relationship and the dynamic change a little.”
She also hopes #RHOA watchers see more of her friendships with Shereé whose she’s known for years, Marlo who she called a “whoot” and Sanya who was “sweet as pie” during the interesting season she calls a learning experience.
“There were high moments, there were low moments to go through—a lot of emotions,” Rhodes told BOSSIP about navigating a space with big personalities. “I feel like it took me outside of my comfort zone and I kinda like being uncomfortable sometimes ’cause I know that I’m gonna come out evolved.”
You can see more of Courtney R. Rhodes when The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
