Erica Mena recently sat down with Cam Newton on the Funky Friday podcast to reflect on the controversy surrounding comments she made toward her Love and Hip Hop castmate, Spice. She infamously described the Jamaican artist as a “blue monkey,” sparking tons of backlash on social media. Speaking about the incident, Mena admitted that she has since realized her “actions have a lot more of an impact than I ever thought it had.” She added that she was “disappointed that [she] let down women of color,” but still wishes the show featured more of Spice’s behavior that provoked her in the first place. Additionally, she feels there’s a “bigger mission now” and wants to take on a movie role to empower women.
In response to the comments, Spice posted a lengthy statement firing back in the comments of a post from The Shade Room. She began: “Girl bye, at least you confessed that you requested to speak to me, because on a normal day you couldn’t sit at my table because I been knew you think you’re better than dark skin girls. I heard how you spoke about me behind my back, you just got caught on Camera that day. Take me out of the equation since you still have a Victim mentality in our situation. What was the reason you called the promoters in Miami Black animals and monkey. Why did you call Johnni Blaze a black monkey? (Everything is on Google)”
ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 11: Erica Mena attends BET’s Social Awards 2018 at Tyler. Perry Studio on February 11, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)
She continued: “You brought your own son to the conversation, and you came to that table to talk about Amaras twins, no one can’t provoke you to say racial slurs. Remember ‘You are a repeated offender’ you have no remorse for a culture that put millions of [dollars] in your pocket. You could have said anything but you chose to disrespect a whole Nation. Interviews are not therapy but Carry on.” Check out Mena’s full comments on the situation below.
Mena ended up being let go from Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta over the “blue monkey” remarks. Be on the lookout for further updates on Erica Mena on HotNewHipHop.
MTV’s beloved docuseries Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta is set to make its highly anticipated return on Tuesday, July 23rd, at 8 PM ET/PT. Known for delving into the lives of Atlanta’s music industry elite, the show will feature a dynamic cast that includes veterans and newcomers alike.
The upcoming season focuses on the cast’s musical aspirations, culminating in the creation of the first-ever Love & Hip Hop album. Collaborating artists like Spice, Rasheeda, Renni Rucci, Scrappy, and others will showcase their talents while navigating personal challenges in family, career, and relationships.
Rasheeda and Kirk Frost, fresh off a successful fashion show, continue their foray into the fashion world while facing complications with Jasmine, Kirk’s ex, over child support. Spice, celebrating 25 years in music, aims to curate a legendary album, setting high standards for inclusion. Meanwhile, Renni Rucci shares her pregnancy journey, and Saucy Santana focuses on his music and advocacy within the LGBTQIA+ community.
New storylines include Bambi embracing “New Beginnings” post-Scrappy and Karlie Redd navigating relationship dynamics with entrepreneur TLo amidst personal challenges.
Fans can catch up on previous seasons of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta on Paramount+, MTV VOD, and the Love & Hip Hop channel on Pluto TV ahead of the season premiere.
Okay, let’s get right to the latest and greatest with Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. So Shadow and Act reported some updates from the preview MTV just dropped on the LHHA.
Bambi is moving on. She has been about a year removed from her divorce from rapper Lil Scrappy, and now the mother of three is ready to go back to the dating world. Good luck! In the preview, she and Karlie Redd go on a double date. Then the conversation takes a turn when they dish about non-monogamous relationships. Whew. When Bambi’s “date” starts talking about polygamy, Redd says she has had her situations.
Here’s the play-by-play… “I’ve been in that,” she says. “I might as well be [in a polygamous relationship]. I can’t waste time on someone who wants to send rings to another girl…” Bambi then asks if Redd’s man sent engagement rings to another girl, to which Redd says yes. “Why are you still like straddling the fence?” Bambi asks. “I’m not straddling the fence…we have business…” In her confessional, Redd says it’s not easy to leave her relationship because they still live together and are in business. Redd then excuses herself from the table to answer the phone for her “primary boyfriend,” per a production note on the screen.
Tonight, January 9th at 8 pm ET/PT, marks the highly-anticipated return of the hit reality series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. The new season promises to be explosive, featuring rap sensation Saucy Santana joining the star-studded cast, which includes Amy Luciani, Bambi, Erica Banks, Erica Dixon, Jessica White, Karlie Redd, Kendra Robinson, Khaotic, Kirk Frost, Mazi G, Mendeecees, Momma Dee, Rasheeda, Renni Rucci, Scrappy, Shekinah Jo, Sierra Gates, Spice, Yandy, Yung Joc, and ZellSwag.
Following a dramatic mid-season finale, the show pivots towards healing and renewal, exploring the cast’s journey to address unresolved trauma, including addiction, grief, infertility, abuse, and assault. As they embrace vulnerability, Spice embarks on a redemption journey and activism with the Grace Hamilton Foundation. Rasheeda and Kirk Frost focus on building generational wealth, Yandy and Mendeecees navigate mogul status and political aspirations, while Bambi celebrates her independence from Scrappy. The season also introduces ZellSwag from Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood, openly embracing his sexuality in a new relationship with Saucy Santana.
In an exclusive clip from the season, Scrappy provides an update on where he and Diamond stand, following an appearance together at the BET Hip-Hop Awards. The conversation turns into a divorce and “Welcome Back to the Streets” party that would be hosted by Momma Dee and Diamond, with performances from Safaree and Khaotic.
Now more than ever, the rise of women in rap is positively booming. There’s still quite a ways to go, but many more women artists have sprung up within the Hip Hop scene in recent years. These acts are willing to brave the industry and make a name for themselves in a male-dominated space. One such artist is Erica Banks, an emerging rap star. If the name sounds familiar, it’s probably because she had a viral hit in early 2021. However, since then, she has not made as many waves. Regardless, she is still very present in the industry and working hard to consistently put herself out there.
The rapper revealed in June 2023 that she has parted with 1501 Certified Entertainment. Furthermore, she called them “greedy” and alleged they owed her money. Banks is also signed to Warner Records, and records show that she has the potential to become a major star. For example, Megan Thee Stallion, whom Erica Banks is often compared to, also found great success after departing from 1501 Ent. Banks just might be on the right track with her decision to leave. In the meantime, however, she’s joined the main cast of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta.
Background & Debut
ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 24: Erica Banks performs 2021 A3C Conference and festival at The Gathering Spot on October 24, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
Erica Banks was born on October 5, 1998, in DeSoto, Texas. She developed an interest in music from a young age and started writing her lyrics in her preteen years. Banks started off writing poems in high school. She soon realized she had an affinity for rap and transitioned to rapping while still there
Like many other contemporary rap artists, Banks first started uploading her songs on SoundCloud in 2018. She amassed a moderate following from there and in March 2019, independently released her debut mixtape, Art of the Hustle. In the same year, she independently released two more mixtapes, Pressure and Cocky on Purpose, in June and November, respectively. Prior to the release of the latter two projects, Banks signed a record deal with 1501 Certified Entertainment in April 2019. She bagged the deal after giving the label’s CEO a preview of her then-unreleased song “Buss It” on Instagram Live.
Breakout Single
Following her steady rise, Erica Banks dropped the eponymous Erica Banks mixtape in 2020, under 1501 Certified Entertainment. The self-titled mixtape was released mid-pandemic, on June 19, 2020. It contained 12 songs, including her eventual viral TikTok hit, “Buss It.” Not much came of the album or any of its singles upon its release, and the reception was lukewarm at best. However, in January 2021, “Buss It” began gaining traction on TikTok, and soon became a massive hit.
The “Buss It” challenge on TikTok, where people would typically transition from casual attire to glamorous outfits while dancing to the song, significantly contributed to the song’s popularity. “Buss It” became Erica Banks’ breakout single and went on to achieve commercial success. The single peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100, her first appearance on the chart. It also earned a Platinum certification from the RIAA for selling over one million units. “Buss It” is Banks’ most successful single to date.
Musical Style
Hollywood, CA – November 13: Recording artist Erica Banks, on the red carpet of the 2021 AFI Fest Gala Premiere of Netflixs, Bruised at the TCL Chinese Theatre, in Hollywood, CA, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. The film, Halle Berrys directorial debut, follows an aging mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, played by Berry, who accepts an offer to fight the top female MMA fighter, while also dealing with the return of a son she given up for adoption. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
In an interview with Nylon magazine, Banks credited the iconic artists Missy Elliot and Nicki Minaj as her biggest creative influences. The rapper has taken notes from their artistry and developed her unique voice along the way. Banks is also known for her assertive and confident style of rapping. Furthermore, she often addresses themes of empowerment and self-confidence in her lyrics.
This, in addition to her delivery style, has made the rapper come up in multiple discussions comparing her to Megan Thee Stallion. Admittedly, there are some similarities between the two rappers, but their brands are distinctly different. In summary, they both clearly express their individuality in their music, fashion, and personality.
Body-Shaming Controversy
The 24-year-old rapper has been involved in a few controversies in her career so far. She received backlash in 2022 after accidentally sharing a story intended for her Instagram Close Friends to the public. In the video, she states the physical requirements that have to be met before any lady can be allowed to club with her. Following the outrage, she expressed that she did not feel she was being discriminatory and just wanted a certain type of look. The public, however, did not buy it and believed she was body-shaming.
Growth & Potential
In 2021, Erica Banks was nominated for two American Music Awards. She received the nods for Favorite Female Hip Hop Artist and Favorite Trending Song for “Buss It.” Although she didn’t take home either of the two awards that night, Banks has the potential to eventually bag some in the future. The rapper is considered an up-and-coming artist with the potential for further success and influence in the Hip Hop scene. Perhaps her time on Love & Hip-Hop will aid her prominence as a burgeoning star. Nonetheless, her music isn’t taking a back seat, and new music is still on the way.
Over the years, more and more female artists have been vocal about how toxic it feels to be compared to each other. Unfortunately, that hasn’t stopped fans who often bring up other rappers even when they don’t have anything to do with the artist at hand. Latto, Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, Ice Spice, and many more have all fallen victim to it but very few artists face the same amount of comparisons as Cardi B. Cardi has been vocal in the past about not appreciating them and letting her work stand for itself. Now, one of the artists she’s been compared to is speaking out with a similar sentiment.
In a new interview, Joseline Hernandez is asked about being compared to Cardi B. Both are Love & Hip-Hop stars and while Cardi has broken through into the mainstream, Joseline is yet to. That doesn’t stop her from flexing her own accomplishments when the comparisons are brought up. “I own my TV show … I make more money than a lot of these women,” Hernandez begins. She hopes that eventually, the pair’s respective accomplishments will tell the whole story. “Stop comparing successes … time will tell who’s the best.” Check out the full clip below.
Speaking of Love & Hip-Hop, Joseline recently elaborated on what she gets paid for her role in the show’s Atlanta spin-off. She starred on the show from 2012 until 2017 when it blew up into one of the biggest reality TV shows in the country. She explains that while she didn’t initially make that much, her salary bumped up rapidly.
Eventually, she worked her way up to making around $50k an episode. She describes the arrangement as the show “throwing money at her.” She also recently opened up on her newfound sobriety on Instagram. What do you think of Joseline Hernandez’s response to those that compare her success to Cardi B’s? Let us know in the comment section below.
Erica Mena has issued an apology for calling Jamaican musician Spice a “fucking blue monkey” during an episode of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. Mena has since been fired from the show due to the racially insensitive remark. She addressed the situation in a statement to TMZ.
“I deeply regret my insensitive comment and want to humbly apologize to anybody I hurt or offended by my thoughtlessness. My choice of words was wrong, and I take full responsibility for what I said,” Mena told the outlet. “As a woman of color and the mother of two black children, I want to make it clear that my use of that word was not in any way racially driven.”
Erica Mena At “Love & Hip Hop: New York” Season 5 Premiere
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 15: Erica Mena attends “Love & Hip Hop New York” Season 5 Premiere at Suite 36 on December 15, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
Mena wasn’t alone in her apology. MTV also published a statement online addressing Mena’s comments. It reads: “The Love & Hip Hop franchise has never shied away from hard conversations in our community. Working hand-in-hand with our partners, viewers will see the impact of Erica Mena’s remarks play out in the final three episodes of the season. Effective immediately, she will not appear in the next season of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta.” Mena has been a staple of the Love & Hip Hop franchise for years. She previously starred in Love & Hip Hop: New York before becoming a regular on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta.
Spice broke her silence on the incident during an Instagram Live session on September 5, admitting that bringing up Mena’s child during the argument may have been wrong, but doesn’t excuse racism. “I’m not being ignorant; I’m not playing victim,” she explained. “I am taking full accountability because you said I experienced the racism because I triggered her. So, is that a new thing now in 2023? It’s okay to receive racism as long as you’re angry? I’m just asking. Feel free to let me know.”
Erica Mena has recently been under fire for a comment she made about Spice during an altercation on Love & Hip Hop Atlanta. The two of them got into an argument at a restaurant, and things escalated when Spice brought up Mena’s son. Mena responded by calling Spice a “blue monkey,” and has since been hit with a ton of backlash. The scandal has even resulted in Mena getting booted from the next season of the show.
Various social media users and peers have weighed in on the debacle, with many claiming that Mena’s use of the slur showcased racism or colorism. Now, Spice herself has chimed in, and she seems to agree. The rapper has been facing her own criticism for bringing Mena’s family into their debate, and she hopped on Instagram Live to share her thoughts. “I’m not being ignorant; I’m not playing victim,” she explained. “I am taking full accountability because you said I experienced the racism because I triggered her. So, is that a new thing now in 2023? It’s okay to receive racism as long as you’re angry? I’m just asking. Feel free to let me know.”
Spice continued, sharing a photo of herself with lighter skin. “If I looked like this then some of the Black people who are commenting that it’s okay would not be saying what they’re saying,” she explained. “You can play hypocrite if you want.” She went on to clarify the comment she made about Mena’s family during the argument, noting that she didn’t go after Mena’s son personally, but rather her parenting.
“I would never say anything bad about someone’s child,” she explained. “I have two kids, I have God kids, I love kids.” Spice continued, “I came for Erica’s parenting, and I can take full accountability for that because that’s exactly where I was coming from, because that’s what we were talking about.” Keep an eye on HNHH for more updates on Spice and Erica Mena.
Erica Mena has been facing some major backlash for a comment she made on a recent episode of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta. The personality got into a heated argument with Spice at a restaurant, and things escalated when Spice threw a jab at her family life. Spice told Mena that her son “hates” her, prompting her to fire back. It appears as though she took things way too far, however, calling the musician a “blue monkey.” During the dispute, Mena additionally told Spice that she “should have died” amid her recent, nearly-fatal hospitalization. The situation has now resulted in her being removed from the next season of the show.
Countless peers and social media users have shared their thoughts on the incident. While some are defending her use of the slur, most are condemning it. Now, Akbar V has taken to social media to speak on the topic. In a new clip, she claims that she didn’t know the term was a racial slur, further asking “is it cool for Black people to say it?”
“I’m really asking cause us Black people say these kind of slurs and say other can’t just like the N word,” she wrote. “But let me know so i won’t ever use this word…. also i never knew monkey was racism i’m sorry but i never knew this y’all teaching me something.”
Though most familiar situation agree that her use of the term was unacceptable, Lyrica Anderson recently hopped online to defend her. She claimed that when people are in a serious argument, it’s possible for them to lose sight of what is and isn’t appropriate to say. “It’s like rules to arguing now,” she said. “Are you really thinking about how to argue with somebody when you’re mad mad?” Keep an eye on HNHH for more updates on Erica Mena and Akbar V.
Things got heated on a recent episode of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta. Erica Mena and Spice sat down to hash out some beef, but things quickly got out of control. Spice told Mena that her oldest son doesn’t like her, and things went south from there. Mena flipped the table they were sitting at over onto Spice, and the insult hurling began. She’s now under fire for calling Spice a racial slur during the altercation, with social media users noting that she took things way too far.
“You should have died, b*tch,” Mena told Spice, referencing the 41-year-old’s recent, nearly-fatal hospitalization. Spice continued to shout that Mena’s son “hates” her, and eventually, Mena called Spice a “monkey.” The Puerto Rican and Dominican personality is now being accused of being racist, colorist, and more. Some have also taken the opportunity to dig up some old reports about her, in which she’s accused of using the same slur against a club promoter.
Back in 2015, a promoter alleged that Mena was given cash for a scheduled appearance at an Ohio nightclub. Unfortunately, they claim she failed to ever actually appear. The promoter says that she went to the hotel Mena was staying at, where staff informed her of some comments the personality had allegedly made about her. Staff members accused Erica of making racist statements like “I don’t like working with these Black monkeys” and ” I don’t usually do business with these Black monkeys.”
At the time, the promoter claims that she wasn’t sure if the staff’s accounts were legitimate, or if they were just trying to provoke drama. Then, Mena allegedly arrived at the hotel, calling the promoter and her staff “Black, broke, monkeys” and “f*cking monkeys.” Though these reports are unconfirmed, social media users are noticing a concerning trend of Erica Mena using racial slurs. Keep an eye on HNHH for more updates on Erica Mena.
