The fifth season of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta aired on VH1 from April 4 to August 8, 2016, and was filmed in Atlanta, Georgia. The season featured significant cast changes, with Erica Dixon quitting, while Tammy Rivera and original cast member K. Michelle returned, alongside new additions like Lyfe Jennings, Scrapp DeLeon, Tommie Lee, and D. Smith. Notably, D. Smith became the show's first openly transgender castmate, and Chris Gould later revealed he was a trans man, with episodes featuring public service announcements on gender identity. For the first time, the show skipped its traditional onstage reunion, instead filming the cast separately in an Atlanta mansion due to safety concerns from a violent rivalry between Joseline and Tommie. The season received mixed reviews, with critics like Michael Arceneaux feeling it was "not up to par" due to its focus on new cast members' problems, though it did feature crossovers with Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood and K. Michelle: My Life, plus guest appearances from stars like T-Pain, Katt Williams, and CeeLo Green.