With Reviews ranging from ‘Incredible’ to ‘Informative’, to ‘the best music conference I’ve ever attended’, IMC 2024 is being hailed as successful, impactful and the best of its kind in the region and beyond. The Island Music Conference’s key objectives of being a facilitator, and gathering point to engage with artistes & Global industry practitioners, address pivotal questions that can significantly influence their careers, and ultimately propel Jamaica and the Caribbean’s entertainment sector forward as a cohesive unit, continued to be met in its sophomore staging.
The recently concluded conference, held in Kingston, Jamaica from February 21st thru 25th, featured an impressive line-up of influential figures, including WyClef Jean, Kes, StoneBwoy, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Spice, Teejay, Masicka and Jesse Royal.
Sirius Xm’s Alex Tear, Audiomack’s Brian Zisook, Meta’s Brittany Johnson, Youtube’s Tuma Basa, S-Curve’s Steve Greenburg, Warner Records’ Steve Carless, United Masters’ David Melhado, Amazon’s Madeline Nelson, Grammy’s Len Brown and Ranch Entertainment’s Costi were just a few of the prominent music executives and practitioners who unravelled and provided insights into a slew of crucial global music topics, among them, the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the music industry, the nuances of publicity, branding strategies, artiste management, digital music marketing and effective money management.
The five-day event was attended by over a dozen countries to include Guadeloupe, Trinidad, Grenada, Guyana, Dom Rep, SVG, St. Lucia, Costa Rica and Barbados. Zimbabwe and Ghana were represented from the Continent. Canada was represented as well as 13 states of the U.S.
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In addition to the powerhouse convergence of top-tier artistes and key stakeholders, IMC this year looked at “Defining your Style” with Caribbean Lifestyle Doyenne Novia McDonald Whyte, Ayana Riviere, Keneea Linton-George, Carla Gittens, Neko “Bootleg Rocstar” Kelly and Paris Cole.
There was an immersive two-day song writing workshop on February 22nd and 23rd, centered on the art of crafting impactful punch lines and clever rhymes. The workshop was lead by songwriter/Producer Mikey Bennett who says in all his years of doing workshops and camps “This was the best one and the most fun”.
The final day saw the Premiere of the DocuFilm BAD LIKE BROOKLYN DANCEHALL – a riveting exploration of the rise of Dancehall in Brooklyn. It detailed the immigration, the soundsystem culture and those that set and fed the genre in the cold. A perfect end to a week of culture.
IMC Chairman and Co-Founders Orville ‘Shaggy’ Burrell, Judith Bodley and Sharon Burke are pleased with the turnout and the outcomes of 2024, though they still want to see more of the new and rising artistes attend. They’ve promised that just like this year, 2025 will be even better than the year before.
The 2024 edition of the conference was endorsed by the Ministry of Culture and supported by the Jamaica Tourist Board. Onboard with the project in a big way were Tastee Jamaica Limited, YOUTUBE, the CDB, Pepsi, IRIE FM, ZIP FM, SUNCITY FM, CVM Television and The Jamaica Observer Ltd. Other sponsors included IPrint, KFC, Kendel, KitKat and Hertz.
Ice Spice had a crazy 2023, and it could just be the beginning. In an interview with Billboard, her go-to producer, RiotUSA, revealed more is on the way. What is more? Ice Spice’s debut album.
“Fans should know I produce and record too, so look out for my music,” said RiotUSA. “Also look out for new classics with Ice in 2024. We’re working on her debut album as we speak.”
Ice Spice is officially a Grammy-nominated artist. The list of nominations was announced last month, with Ice Spice’s biggest nom in the category of Best New Artist.
Additional nominations for the “Munch” rapper were Best Rap Song and Best Song Written for Visual Media for “Barbie World,” and her collaboration with Taylor Swift, “Karma,” for Best Pop Duo or Group.
Hitting Instagram, Ice Spice shared the list of noms, writing “grATEful ^.^.”
It’s been over two months since MTV and Love & Hip Hop producers made the call to fire Erica Mena for calling her co-star, Spice, a “blue monkey” during filming. When the incident unfolded in real-time, the actress claimed she didn’t receive any sort of backlash from creators. Instead, she proceeded to fulfill her work obligations as per usual. When the episode finally aired, however, Mena was blasted by many viewers, causing her to ultimately lose her job. During a new interview with Carlos King, the 35-year-old addressed the situation. She noted that she thinks it could’ve been handled in a far more professional manner.
“When it happened, I knew I f**ked up that day,” Mena recalled. “But then I was filming for months and months. I knew it was coming, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this bad,” she added, reflecting on the non-stop headlines about her in the final weeks of summer. “What’s not okay is [that] if this is as bad as the network says it is, why wasn’t I let go of a long time ago?” the New York native asked the question on many people’s minds.
Elsewhere in her chat with King, Mena explained what was running through her mind during her infamous fight with Spice. “In that moment, when she mentioned my son, I was so f**king thrown off,” the embattled entertained vented. “Just months prior, when I found out about her situation, you know what was the first thing I thought about? Her kids. God forbid something happens to them.”
Some tired social media users are suggesting that it’s time to drop the topic of Erica Mena being let go from L&HH. Interestingly, that’s not the only old story the reality starlet is making headlines for discussing this fall. Her 2013 affair with DJ Envy has also come up in more than one conversation, and Mena was more than happy to detail her experience with the radio host. Read everything she had to say at the link below and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Erica Mena called out Spice on Instagram, Tuesday, in the comments section of a public apology she posted for her racially insensitive insult leveled at the Jamaican musician on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta. After admitting her wrongdoing, Mena replied to a fan, suggesting that Spice doesn’t have “the guts” to apologize for bringing her kids into their argument.
“I deeply regret my insensitive comment and want to humbly apologize to anybody I hurt or offended by my thoughtlessness,” she said. “My choice of words was wrong, and I take full responsibility for what I said. I am committed to listening to the voices of those affected and will work toward making amends. 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. That said, I do understand the gravity of what I said and want to use my platform to promote inclusivity and equality.”
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 17: Erica Mena attends the BET Hip Hop Awards 2016 Green Carpet at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on September 17, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/BET/Getty Images for BET)
In the comments section, one fan asked: “Did she apologize to you for bringing up your child?” Mena replied: “She will never have the guts unfortunately.” While Mena says Spice hasn’t apologized, she did address the incident during an Instagram Live post. She argued that, while bringing up Mena’s kids is wrong, it doesn’t excuse racism.
“I’m not being ignorant; I’m not playing victim,” Spice 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.” Check out Mena’s post featuring her dig in the comments section above.
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.”
Love & Hip Hop is known for some outlandish characters, and Erica Mena is one of the biggest. With a slick mouth and fast hands, Erica Mena isn’t one to back down, and many times, that has gotten her into some big trouble. However, Erica always seemed to bounce back. That was until her latest dust-up with fellow castmate Spice. As a result of the now-viral moment where Erica used racial slurs, producers fired her from the series. While Erica Mena has had countless wild moments over her tenure, we’ve narrowed them down to her top 7.
Erica and castmate Kimbella Vanderhee had real tension in the air as the two sat down. Erica already had problems with how Kimbella was moving in the industry and told her she didn’t consider what she did modeling. Instead, she viewed it as “soft porn.” As the two went back and forth, Kimbella asked Erica if she knew who her baby daddy was. Erica replied yes, and then accused Kimbella of trying to sleep with her baby daddy.
As temperatures started rising, things boiled over when Erica said, “You f*cked up my money, b*tch!” Kimbella responded by splashing a drink on her, and Erica returned the favor. Erica then ran up on Kimbella, grabbed her hair, and Kimbella responded in kind. It took security to separate the two, but eventually, they were unlocked. Erica screamed for a phone and said she was calling the cops. Before long, sirens were wailing in the background, and the paramedics tended to Erica as Kimbella took off.
6. Erica Vs. Scrappy
Erica Mena doesn’t just get into it with women — men can get it, too, as seen from her explosive argument with Scrappy. Erica started by dissing “men in this generation,” but Scrappy explained he wasn’t like that. Then, she escalated the situation by asking him why he didn’t pay child support to Bambi. Immediately, Scrappy told Erica she could go. Not only did Erica not go, but she kept the argument going.
Scrappy told Erica to take the situation up with her friend Bambi and not bring up his kids. Erica then jumped up on a couch, putting her finger into Scrappy’s face, and accused his mother of spreading his business. Scrappy stood up on the couch face-to-face with Erica and brought up her oldest son. Erica described it as a “disgusting situation” to bring up her child to deflect his bad actions. As the two continued to trade insults, security, once again, intervened and got them off the couch.
During Love & Hip Hop: Family Reunion, Erica put it all on the line about her and Safaree’s contentious relationship and divorce. Erica accused Safaree of “entertaining another woman” soon after she gave birth. Safaree said that wasn’t the case, and he had a right to talk to other women since they were going through a divorce. Erica said she was in pain and wanted Safaree to feel the same.
Erica then threw out a severe accusation, claiming Safaree abandoned her. Safaree had a problem with the word “abandoned” and said she was lying. Erica then accused him of making her pregnancy hell and said he was “flying out b*tches.” While Erica continued to get heated and others consoled her, she said she was done with Safaree and he had lost his family for good.
4. Erica Vs. Rich Dollaz
In one memorable episode, Erica entered the studio where Rich Dollaz was working on a song with Olivia. When Rich asked her what was up, she said she wasn’t about to talk in front of “this thing,” referring to Olivia. She and Oliva had a little back-and-forth before Olivia left the room to let Erica and Rich hash things out.
Erica told Rich, “You’re f*cking with me right now. You’ve been hovering this song over my head since the time I f*cking laid it down.” She explained her issue was it was her song and since Rich had given it to Olivia, she felt betrayed. Rich said she didn’t deserve the song because she hadn’t signed his contract and didn’t want to be managed. Erica screamed that Rich needed to meet her halfway.
Rich said she was like “the girl who cried wolf” because she was always promised to do better, but she never did. He added he didn’t feel any emotions for her at the moment because she had run him off with her antics. Erica retaliated by saying Rich had no feelings and began to cry. She also accused him of taking what she wanted most — her music. Eventually, she settled on being numb to feelings, thanked him for the “reality check,” and made a dramatic exit.
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 28: Erica Mena and Cyn Santana appear at the VH1 “Love & Hip Hop” Season 4 Premiere at Stage 48 on October 28, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Vh1)
Erica’s romantic relationships with women became a point of contention during her timeinLove & Hip-Hop. That proved to be especially true when she confronted Cyn Santana after her friend Albee spilled some tea. While Cyn admitted she loved Erica, she said she was sick and tired of all the lies, cheating, and BS. Cyn was taken aback when Erica said she was going to be honest, feeling as though Erica never kept it real. She accused Erica of continuing to do the things she didn’t like, but Erica said she wasn’t going to change who she was.
Then, Erica flipped the script and accused Cyn of being a liar and cheat, which Cyn denied. Erica continued to get loud and told Cyn, “I’ve walked into a room full of n***as you f*cked, and I’m so secure that I still repped yo ass.” Cyn denied it and called Erica names, but Erica wasn’t having it. She said she was good without her and pushed Cyn in the throat. As expected, security jumped into the mix.
2. Erica Vs. Peter Gunz
/ohnny Nunez/WireImageGetty Images/Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
Things went completely left when Rich Dollaz thought it was a good idea to put Erica Mena and Peter Gunz together. When Rich “officially” introduced them, Erica wasn’t having it and questioned why they needed to meet. As she looked at Peter with disgust and disdain, she claimed he didn’t even know her last year when he was talking recklessly about her to Rich. Moreover, she blamed Peter for breaking up her and Rich.
Peter said the streets were talking, and since he was trying to get into business with Rich, he had to let him know what was going on. Erica said she didn’t care if Peter didn’t think she could sing and called him a clown with no credibility. Peter said she was one to talk with her fake body parts, which Erica acknowledged but said, “My mouth is real, motherf*cka.” Peter told Rich to get this “b*tch out my face,” and Erica responded by throwing things. Yet again, security had to intervene.
In Erica’s wildest moment — and the one that cost her job — she went up against castmate Spice. The two were presumably brought together to hash out their differences brought on by the things Erica’s ex-husband Safaree had told Spice. Spice told Erica that she acted like she was the only divorced single mother of two, adding that she had been doing it for 14 years. Erica retorted she had been a single mother for 16 years. Spice said, “With your son that don’t like you.” That was the remark that sent everything to hell.
Erica went ballistic and flipped the entire table. She then said that Spice should’ve died on the operating table after her surgery, but that wasn’t the end of it. In an extreme fit of rage, distaste, racism, and colorism, Erica yelled, “You monkey, you f*cking blue monkey.” To make matters worse, she made monkey noises. The world quickly reacted with fans calling for Erica’s cancellation.
VH1 heeded the calls and released a statement shortly afterward stating, “Working hand-in-hand with our partners, viewers will see the impact of Erica Mena’s remarks play out over the final three episodes of the season. Effective immediately, she will not appear in the next season of ‘Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta.’” It appears Erica Mena won’t be making any more wild moments on the LHH franchise.
Erica Mena hasn’t had much to say about her recent firing from Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, but the rest of the internet has. Cast members, viewers, and fellow celebrities have all been reflecting on the reality show’s decision to let the New Yorker go for calling Spice a “monkey.” A considerable amount of people are in favour of the decision. Some have even condemned Mena after perceiving her word choice as a racial slur. Others, like Jess Hilarious, don’t think that the socialite’s intention is as heinous as the public is making it out to be.
“That’s what I don’t get,” The Breakfast Club host began in her reaction video. “Every time they get into it, Erica Mena, they always bring that s**t up. That’s the only thing they can say about her, is something about her son. That’s what’s f**ked up. What’s wrong with her son?” Hilarious asked. As you may recall, the L&HH women only began feuding after Spice spoke negatively about her co-star’s child, which obviously triggered Mena.
“I don’t think Erica was using it as a racial slur,” Jess observed. “Maybe Spice [looks] like a monkey to her. Whatever the f**k you look like, you look like,” the internet personality further insisted. “And the fact that they found it back in the dizzle, and it come on now, and then you choose to fire her for the backlash. You not even protecting your cast like you did,” her rant continued.
Since stepping in for Angela Yee on TBC, Jess Hilarious has brought a welcome female perspective to DJ Envy and Charlamagne’s discussions. Still, the comedian has faced backlash for some of her commentary, particularly surrounding DaniLeigh’s DUI arrest back in the spring. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
As of 2023, according to Celebrity Net Worth, the wealth of the energetic, charismatic, and extraordinarily talented Dancehall Queen and reality TV star Spice is approximately $5 Million US dollars.
A Glimpse Into Spice’s Early Life
Born Grace Latoya Hamilton in Jamaica, Spice quickly made a name for herself in the music industry, forging a strong career in Dancehall music. Her vibrant performances, charismatic personality, and audacious lyrics made her a prominent figure in the genre. All these attributes positively impacted Spice’s net worth.
Road To Fame & Fortune
The journey toward Spice’s impressive net worth began with her music career. She launched her career with a breakthrough in 2009 after collaborating with Vybz Kartel on the hit track “Ramping Shop.” The single was a commercial success, charting on the Billboard Top 100 R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Spice then transitioned into reality TV, joining the cast of VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta (LHHATL) in 2018. Her presence on the show introduced her to a wider audience and solidified her status as an international icon. The income from LHHATL added a significant boost to Spice’s net worth.
The Impact Of Music On Spice’s Net Worth
DECATUR, GEORGIA – APRIL 30: Recording artist Spice performs during her “Go Down Deh” Single Release Party at Cosmopolitan Premier Lounge on April 30, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
While Spice’s participation in I significantly contributed to her net worth, her musical accomplishments can’t be understated. She has consistently churned out chart-topping hits, sold-out concerts, and critically acclaimed albums. Her music streams and album sales have substantially influenced her earnings. In 2018, she released her mixtape Captured, which topped the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart. These consistent performances have not only earned her an impressive net worth but also cemented her legacy in the dancehall genre.
Philanthropy & Entrepreneurship
Despite her significant net worth, Spice has remained grounded and committed to giving back to her community. Through her Grace Hamilton Women Empowerment Foundation, she aims to uplift and empower women by providing resources for their growth and development. Additionally, Spice’s entrepreneurial endeavors have also contributed to her net worth. In 2019, she launched her beauty brand Faces and Laces, offering a range of makeup and hair products.
With her unwavering passion and continued relevance in the entertainment industry, it is safe to predict that this multihyphenate entertainer’s net worth will continue to grow. Additionally, her influence in the Dancehall genre and her LHHATL stardom, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy paints a promising financial future. The multi-faceted artist’s success story also goes beyond her financial worth. Spice’s journey inspires, showcasing how talent, hard work, resilience, and a pinch of spice can lead to remarkable success.
(@ericamena)
