These days, it's easy to think that we know everything there is to know about Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna's relationship. The two lovebirds have been very public about sharing Snapchat videos and Instagram shots of their romance ever since they stepped on the scene as a couple earlier this year. They seem to be moving quickly, especially given that they're engaged and possibly already married, per Rob calling Chyna his "wife" in an Instagram post recently. However, there's one fact about Chyna and Rob that even their biggest shippers may not realize... and it has to do with a Kanye West connection.
Way back in 2010, when Rob still regularly appeared on his family's reality show, and before Kimye was a thing (hell, I'm talking even before Kim Kardashian was dating ex-husband Kris Humphries), and before Kylie Jenner and Tyga ever met, Chyna worked with her potential future brother-in-law West.
I know, it seems hard to believe that the two have had a connection for that long, but it actually makes a ton of sense. Chyna appeared as a stunt double for Nicki Minaj in West's music video for "Monster," which also features Jay Z, Rick Ross, and Justin Vernon. The video was shot in late 2010, which means that the two had met each other long before Chyna met Tyga (she starred in his 2011 video for "Rack City") or any members of the Kardashian-Jenner crew.
The "Monster" video features some disturbing imagery and lyrics, so you've been warned. If you want to see Chyna, though, skip ahead to around the 3:45 mark. At the time, Chyna was modeling, and her resemblance to Minaj is likely what made her the perfect candidate to appear as her body double. There's no confirmation that she actually met West on the shoot, but Chyna did discuss meeting Ross and the totally bizarre experience of having one's head put in a bag all in the name of art. Check out this vintage interview of Chyna with 305Honeys from 2011, which she calls her "first real interview." Aw!
The 27-year-old discusses the "Monster" shoot at around the 1:20 mark, saying that when she got on set, Minaj wasn't there, but Ross was, and the shoot was "crazy" and "scary" having to work with a bag over her head, tied to a chair. She seemed to have only pleasant memories, though.
Of course, in the years since, Chyna has slowly become a household name, especially now thanks to her relationship with Rob. Back when this video was released, however, Chyna was simply a model with a burgeoning career on the rise, Kim hadn't even met Humphries yet, let alone dated or married West, Rob had broken up with his longtime girlfriend Adrienne Bailon and was still on Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and Tyga hadn't met Kylie yet (that happened in late 2011 at Kendall's sweet 16 party). As for West? Well, he was... a rapper known for stirring up controversy. Not much has changed on that front.
How's that for a little #tbt action in the land of all things Kardashian/Jenner/West/Tyga/Chyna? It may just be me, but it's kind of comforting to know that even when it seems like I know everything there is to know about the Kardashian empire, that there are new things to behold all the time.
Images: Vimeo (2)
