MTV’s Family Legacy is back, and this season is giving fans a fresh look at hip-hop royalty through the eyes of their children, including Method Man’s illustrious offspring, Cheyenne Smith and PXWER.
Source: Leon Bennett/WireImage/Joy Malone
Streaming on Paramount+ starting March 25, the docuseries pulls from exclusive MTV archives and features new interviews with the kids of music legends like Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Salt-N-Pepa, Wu-Tang Clan, DMX, and more.
It’s not every day that you get a chance to hear from the children of your favorite artists. Imagine their perspectives on life as they get a chance to see the ins and outs of powerful industries and behind the scenes of lavish lifestyles.
PXWER (Sha Smith) and Chey (Cheyenne Smith), the children of rap icon and actor Method Man, are making their own mark. BOSSIP caught up with them to talk about their experience on Family Legacy, their independent journeys, and what it’s like growing up with a hip-hop legend.
For PXWER and Chey, being part of Family Legacy was a refreshing experience because it shifted the focus to their own lives.
“I mean, I feel like it was great. You know, it was definitely a different experience being on a platform such as MTV and Paramount,” PXWER shared. “And you know, I never been asked, like every time someone wants to interview me, or, you know, wants me to speak, it’s always about my dad. So for the first time, someone acknowledged, just like, you know, that I am related to this person, and that is my father, but they want to know about what’s going on with me. It was definitely different and eye-opening.”
Chey added,
“For me, it was just seeing the memories and seeing how my dad was before we were born in some clips, and then even seeing younger us it’s like, it’s emotional and it’s sentimental. This is my life, we’ve been private for so long, and now we’re sharing it with the world.”
The Struggles Of Growing Up In The Spotlight
“Just stay grounded. You know, we have a support system here. We have people to fall back on,” PXWER said. “We are authentically ourselves, although he goes by Fifth PXWER as a stage name. What you see is what you’re gonna get. We encompass it all. There’s no facades. There’s no faking. Same thing with how my dad has lived his life. For his whole life, he’s just been unapologetically himself, and that’s how we are, and we’re just going to represent that.”
Having a famous parent comes with perks, but also its own set of challenges. PXWER spoke about how hard it can be to know who to trust.
“Definitely like, you know, fitting in with people sometimes, because you never know who’s out to be your friend just for that one autograph, you know, that one picture,” he shared. “I’ve had friends who didn’t even know my dad was Method Man for years, and it was like a mind-blowing thing to them. But then it was like, it don’t even matter, because I really know who you are. Don’t change nothing about you.”
For Chey, proving her independence was key.
“I’ve been working since I was 16 years old, and I started at Wendy’s. And I tell this story a lot, because it’s just like, I’m working at Wendy’s. I’m trying to get my little money for prom saved up, because my parents, they can do it, but I’m going to show them that I can do it for myself, because I need that independency,” she said. “And people are like, ‘Why are you working at Wendy’s? Can’t you just lay on your butt and just, you know, be, and just be?’ And it’s like, okay, you might think that. You might think this is the life of a celebrity kid. You might think that’s how everybody is, but it’s not that. I’m gonna go back to making this Baconator over here so I can get my check and go shopping with my own money. Thank you. Love you.”
Pxwer & Cheyenne Talk 2nd Generation Wu
While music is in their blood, the two siblings explained that 2nd Generation Wu is more than just a group—it’s a way of life.
“I just want to say 2nd Generation Wu is a lifestyle. It’s our lifestyle. Instead of it being a group, we were literally born into this. We had no choice. So it’s definitely our lifestyle,” she emphasized.
PXWER shared how the movement came together:
“On the music part, you know, my cousin iNTeLL, who was also U-God’s son, it’s always been his vision to, you know, since he started rapping, to have and find whoever else is related to any of these members, as far as sons, daughters go. If you make music, I want to do that with you. I want to try to make this collective and get us all to just record on one thing,” he said.
The result is Hereditary, an album featuring PXWER, Sun God (Ghostface Killah’s son), Young Dirty Bastard (ODB’s son), Supreme Intelligence (Ghostface’s other son), and Pyro (Masta Killa’s son).
“It just turned into something that we didn’t think would have possibly happened before, and now it’s finally come to fruition,” PXWER said.
Carrying on the legacy for the next generation, while PXWER is focused on music, Chey has found a way to blend her education with her passion for performance.
“Psychology is my—the love of my life. Okay, school was—graduating was very hard, but I found that in loving what you do, you’re definitely going to push your all into it, and you’re going to get it done,” she said. “And that’s how I feel about my career as well, and just performing. As far as being on the cheer team, I was captain of the cheer team in college. So I’m used to performing and holding the same standards that I have, as far as a public speaking class, or, you know, something like that. Everything works its way into each other.”
Before wrapping, BOSSIP asked PXWER and Chey what advice they would give to anyone growing up in the shadow of a famous parent.
PXWER gave a reality check:
“One thing I like to live by is, you didn’t win any Academy Awards, any Grammys, you didn’t go platinum, you didn’t go gold. So don’t put that pressure on yourself, and don’t let people make you feel like you have to carry that. You could be yourself.”
Chey echoed the sentiment:
“For me, it would be the same—be yourself, stay authentic to yourself. Times change, people change, but as long as you have the love for what you do, do what you love, and love what you do, and you’ll be the happiest.”
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