Crystal Renee Hayslett is stepping away from acting momentarily and diving into her rap alter ego at the BET Hip Hop Awards 2024 Cypher—a performance you won’t want to miss. As we gear up for the event, airing on Oct. 15, BET caught up with the “Zatima” star to talk about how she felt when she got the call to join the cypher, her experience working with Rapsody to perfect her flow, and what fans can expect from the new season of her hit show.

BET: You're one of the lyricists for this year’s Cypher. How did it feel to step into that role, especially considering your background as an actress?

Crystal Renee Hayslett: Oh my goodness, it felt so good to tap into my rapping alter ego. Honestly, I'm an artist, like I sing as well, but to get to rap was fun because that's not something I normally do. So I felt good. And then also just being a part of this year's Hip Hop Awards was an honor. You know, hip hop is a huge part of our culture, always has been and still is today. So it's an honor to be a part of it. 

BET: How did it feel when you got the call?

Crystal Renee Hayslett: I was like, “Me? Y'all wanna use me?” I was super honored. BET is family so anything they call me for, I am always going to feel obliged. But it was definitely one of those things where I was super excited because I got to step outta my comfort zone, and I'm all about doing things that I don't normally do. So it was fun to just kind of step out of the actor and singer bag and step into my rapper bag for a minute. You know, that little alter ego where I can be tough.

BET: Was the transition challenging for you? Did you pick up any lessons from hip-hop legends along the way?

Crystal Renee Hayslett: No, because I'm an artist. I'm used to being in the booth. I'm used to catching on pretty fast to lyrics; it wasn't hard. I think the hardest part was catching certain rhythms that I wasn't accustomed to. Rapsody, incredible MC — she's the one who helped me with my lyrics, and she has a super dope flow. So trying to catch some of those pockets that she's able to do so intricately was a little hard, but everything else was pretty easy. 

BET: What are you most looking forward to as the Hip-Hop Awards approach?

Crystal Renee Hayslett: I mean, our cyphers, for sure. It was so many dope people who are not rappers that were a part of this year's cypher. So I'm definitely excited to see what everyone thinks of everyone's cypher moment. That's what I'm excited about the most and then just seeing all the different artists that are gonna perform, because I know they're doing a lot of performances this year. 

BET: Could you share more about your role in “Zatima” and what fans can look forward to for the rest of the season?

Crystal Renee Hayslett: Zatima is Zac and Fatima, and I play Fatima. This season, oh my goodness, it is a rollercoaster as usual. It seems as though Fatima and Zac can not catch a break. But what I love about this season is that we are fighting to protect each other versus outside forces trying to divide us. So, I feel like, at this point, our bond is super strong and tight. The foundation is secure, but we are fighting to protect each other. So, I’m super excited about that. I'm also excited that we have three new directors. Tyler [Perry] has opened up opportunities for these young men to come in and direct. Tyler still wrote this season, but he allowed other men to come in and direct. I am super excited for the opportunity that they get to showcase their talents. It was fun working with them and seeing them live out their dreams was amazing.