The Harlem-bred mother-of-one and R&B singer is spending much of her time guest-starring on VH1′s latest music-inspired docu-series, Love & Hip-Hop. Of course, she wasn’t too busy to let it all hang out for the popular men’s mag. Below are some excerpts from King’s interview/spread on the “Back of the Club” hitmaker. And if you scroll down below the Q&A, you’ll find an extra large version of the cover photo followed by a video of the cover shoot.

We can only wonder what Swizz and his current Mrs. — Alicia Keys — think about what we’re looking at.

You’re also focused on Love & Hip-Hop. So the show does not revolve around you?

“Exactly. I did a few episodes [first], then ended up doing a lot of episodes because the chemistry was perfect with me and Emily. I ended up being a recurring guest, and it worked out perfectly, because I’m on the show and people get to see me and hear my stories. But it’s not like a character that’s 100 percent there.”

What is your role with Emily?

“I’m like her support system, her counselor. I feel like a female Dr. Phil. That person who gives her advice and is not afraid to tell her my story and show her my life, ’cause I really want her to get hers together.”

How awkward was it for you to be the shoulder to lean on?

“At the time that we shot, I was in a great place, so that’s what made the difference. I felt like that was my therapy, and that’s all I wanted to do. Anytime I’d log in to Facebook or Twitter, there would be tons of women reaching out to me, thanking me for sharing my story. Those messages gave me a lot of strength, a lot of courage. From that point on, I just wanted to help women, and Emily being a good friend of mine, it was easy for me to go on there and talk to her and be honest.”

Who is admiring you nowadays? Have you’ve been hitting the dating scene lately?

“I have. I recently went on a date, and it was incredible.”

Sounds like homeboy is getting a call back.

“Yeah, definitely.”

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned….and then there’s Mashonda: For the first time ever, the ex-wife of Swizz Beatz is revealing the whole truth and nothing but. In a candid two-part interview, R&B singer Mashonda, 29, opens up to VIBE Magazine’s Tracy Garraud about her turbulent union with the hip-hop superproducer, the affair that left her crushed, and why she’s more resilient than ever.

Mashonda claims Swizz admitted that he was having an affair with “Un-Thinkable” star Alicia Keys after she found documentation of their trysts in various hotels back in 2008. The couple went public with their romance at the Gotham Magazine Gala in March, much to the chagrin of his ex-wife.

Vibe: I know it was very important for you to sit down with Alicia if she was going to be around your son. Safe to assume that happened?
Mashonda: “When I wrote her that Twitter letter everybody wanted to say things like ‘Oh, what do you need to meet her for? It’s not her problem, it’s Swizz’s. I’m like, ‘You have a kid, go through what I went through and then talk to me.’ I’m not having my son around anybody I don’t know. I don’t give a [fig] who you are and how much money you have and what management he’s going to be under when he visits you. I need to see you and I need you to see how serious I am about him. And that’s what happened. We had to sit down, and I told her how I felt. I didn’t mention anything else, it was all about my son and it was fine after that. I’m not going sit and talk to [them] about what happened between the three of us. This is about my son.”

Vibe: How did you introduce [your son] Kasseem to Alicia?
Mashonda: “This is daddy’s friend Alicia… Daddy’s girlfriend.’ I don’t want him to ever go over there feeling uncomfortable.”

Vibe: When did this meeting finally take place?
Mashonda: “It took a good year and a half. I think that only happened in March.”

Vibe: How was Alicia’s demeanor?
Mashonda: “She just listened.”

Vibe: This all sounds like a really awkward gathering…
Mashonda: “It wasn’t awkward; I wouldn’t have done it if I wasn’t ready. I said what I had to say as a mom. It was a whole sit down dinner. So you know how intimate that is. There are certain things we have to do as women in order to move forward.”

Vibe: You mentioned there being infidelity prior to Alicia. What happened?
Mashonda: “His older son Nasir was born while we were together. We were living together [and] I was pregnant at the time. I stressed so much because I found out [the other woman] was pregnant… it put me into pre-labor,” she explains.

“I lost my baby in 2000 when I was five-and-a-half months. It was tragedy. Nothing compares to losing a child. That [stuff] put me into a two-year depression, it took me six years to even try [having a baby] again. I was afraid. So not only did I lose my baby, but now I was waiting for this other woman to have hers. Because of what happened to me, he wanted me to name the baby. He wanted a Muslim name and I loved the name Nasir. The first time I met Nasir we fell in love and whenever we had visitation he was my baby. I took care of him. We did everything that I would do with [Kaseem]. And when Swizz did that interview with DJ Enuff, he mentioned that I made him choose between his marriage and his son, and I was like ‘What?!’That kills me the most. He was saying these things because these are probably the things he told her,” Mashonda reflected.

“Obviously something is wrong with his morals, but I don’t play with kids. Even now with Alicia’s pregnancy, I believe she deserves privacy. I hate hearing people wish bad stuff on her and the baby. I’m like ‘People shut up!’ This is a child, an actual life… someone who has nothing to do with what’s going on right now. I wish her the most successful, healthy pregnancy in the world, that child is going to be my son’s brother or sister and that’s the only way to look at it.”

Vibe: How did you even find out that [Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz] were engaged and she was pregnant?
Mashonda: “I knew these things for a couple of months… I never talked to him about it though. It’s his life, but people talk. Nobody is nobody’s friend when it comes to stuff like this. There are people in their circles that talk and it gets back to me and I’m like ‘Wow, okay.’ I still feel like we should tell each other…No, I don’t care. I don’t give him the vibe that I care, so he wouldn’t feel obligated to tell me.”

The ink has barely dried on their final divorce decree, but the war wages on for bitter exes Swizz Beatz and Mashonda.

Alicia, look what you’ve started!

Beatz, real name Kasseem Dean, split from the “Back of the Club” singer in April 2008 after four years of marriage. She filed for divorce in February 2009 and Swizz confirmed last May that he is dating Alicia Keys, fueling rumors he began bedding the “Unthinkable” singer while still in a relationship with Mashonda.

Rumors that Mashonda has been quick to confirm.

The former couple’s divorce was finalized just two weeks ago, but in new papers filed in New York’s Manhattan Supreme Court, Mashonda claims her ex already owes her $334,000 in late alimony and child support payments for their three-year-old son, Kasseem Jr.

The New York Post writes: “In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Mashonda Dean says the man who officially became her ex-husband two weeks ago already owes her $334,000 in missed payments. ‘I so much wanted both of us to get on with our lives and maintain our respect for one another, but he now shows that his priorities and sense of responsibility are screwed up,’ R&B singer Dean said. Dean’s lawyer, Bernard Clair, called the nonpayment ‘particularly troubling’ because of reports that Beatz bought a seven-carat engagement ring for Alicia Keys earlier this year and that they’re moving into a $14.5 million duplex penthouse on Crosby Street…However, Beatz has defended himself and refuted his ex-wife’s claims…He said he’d agreed to pay Dean more than the judge required and much more than his lawyer recommended — he even had to sign court papers acknowledging that he was going against his attorney’s advice. “I gave over what the judge was recommending to give. I gave her $700,000 up front, because I thought $200,000 wasn’t enough for what she wanted to do. I still get spit in my face for it,’ he said.”

Hip-hop producer Swizz Beatz wants to ban publicity of his bitter divorce battle with estranged wife Mashonda.

Swizz – real name Kasseem Dean – split from the R&B hook singer last after four years of marriage. Mashonda filed for divorce in February after she discovered her husband had been having an affair with multiplatinum-selling singer Alicia Keys.

On Monday, Swizz confirmed that he is, in fact, dating Keys, he has now asked Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Deborah Kaplan for a gag order to prevent further publicity of the proceedings.

Mashonda’s lawyer, Bernard Clair, called the move “curious,” telling the NY Post that the divorce proceedings had been “flying under the radar until Mr. Dean and Alicia Keys went public about their long-term affair and he released a song implying that he likes it when Alicia serves him breakfast naked. Now that Mr. Dean’s questionable conduct is being scrutinized, he suddenly wants a gag order and the media to be locked out?”

“What we have is so precious. But we’re nowhere ready for a baby or a ring,” Swizz told The New York Daily News over the weekend.

Rumors of their relationship have been around since last year, when the 28-year-old singer reportedly threw Swizz a birthday party at New York’s Guggenheim Museum. The Recent song “Best I Ever Had” – which Swizz produced with singer Drake – recently confirmed the gossip. The lyrics read: “Wake up in the morning and my baby cooked me breakfast/A’s wearing nothing on but a necklace/Yeah, she says she wanna treat me like a king/I get big gifts so the money ain’t a damn thing/She gave me a party at the Guggenheim/What’s next? The ring? The baby? She really loves me!”

The 30-year-old star – who has a two-year-old son Kasseem Jr. with Mashonda – admits the lyrics have been fabricated a little.

“This whole song is not about Alicia. The part about her cooking breakfast for me naked – she’s never done that for me!”

Mashonda is seeking interim support for their son, arguing that Swizz has slashed his support payments in recent months.

Swizz’s lawyer, Dan Rottenstreich, insists, “He has taken care of her and his son above and beyond what’s required.”

Hip-hop producer Swizz Beatz has reportedly been ordered to fork over $842,644 in back taxes to the IRS.

According to TMZ.com, Swizz, whose real name Kasseem Dean, has had a tax lien placed against him and his estranged wife, Mashonda.

Producer Swizz Beatz and his R&B singing wife Mashonda have confirmed recent rumors of a split. The couple is calling it quits after three years of marriage.

“Their union was one shared in love and deep admiration for one another. For the last seven months, the two have been working on establishing a formidable friendship , being great parents to their son, and remaining great supporters of each other’s careers,” a representative of Swizz Beatz said in a statement on Wednesday. “The couple has asked that their privacy be respected at this time.”

Hip hop producer and longtime love singer Mashonda are reportedly on the outs. Swizz and Mashonda have been married for four years. The couple, who have a one year old son, Kaseem Jr., have been separated for the past seven months and have begun divorce proceedings, according to new reports.

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