Erica Mena seems to have moved on after being fired from the “Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta” franchise for calling Jamaican cast member Spice a “blue monkey.”
The reality star-turned-actor initially faced backlash after the episode aired this past August despite being taped months prior. Mena even apologized for using the racially charged slur, and she currently appears to be living her best life.
Safaree Samuels’ ex-wife went live on Instagram during her a recent vacation with friends.
It’s unclear where they are in the video. However, Mena can be heard saying she wants to stay in the water until she gets “the same color as Bernice.” Bernice Burgos is a known socialite and Mena’s friend of darker brown skin tone.
While relaxing in a pool, the mother of two says, “I’m loving my life. I go back to mommyhood tomorrow. We all got to go back to mommyhood tomorrow.”
Trending Today:
- Five Times Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Daughter Blue Ivy Proved She ‘Wears the Pants In The Carter’ Household
- Tyrese Hits Back After Home Depot Claims Surveillance Shows the Singer Lied About ‘Racial Profiling’ Incident
- ‘So It Is About That’: Tony! Toni! Tonè! Reveals the Raunchy Origin Behind Their Classic Song ‘(Lay Your Head On My) Pillow’
Mena flips the phone to show fans her Latina-looking friends, who were seen lounging in different parts of the pool. “Look at all my friends, they’re bad as f—k,” she said.
The video cuts to another scene where she is seen singing the lyrics to “Dreams & Nightmares” by Meek Mill. On the first verse, he raps, “lil’ n—a but I’m lion-hearted.”
“Wait we gotta be careful what we say,” said Mena while laughing. She then makes a funny face, referencing the controversy and allegations that she’s prejudiced against people of a darker complexion.
Between dipping her hair in the water, she shared that in addition to planning to get married again, she has more movies in the works.
“I’m actually going back next week. My final week home to train for this particular part,” she stated. Mena said the producers would then fly her out to film the new movie.
With a huge smile, she exclaims, “So movies are coming.” Mena also mentioned that she has a holiday project dropping near Christmas.
But fans don’t seem to buy her display of positivity.
“Awwwwww she’s bothered.”
Some noticed how though she claimed to not get out of the pool until she was darker, none of the people around her were melanous, and they all were singing the rap song verbatim.
“A whole bunch of white Latina women sitting around say n—a don’t sit right idk just ew.”
“she ain’t learn NUFFIN!”
“now she wanna do blackface? its getting weird.”
“So the answer to the back lash is to record your fellow Latino friends singing “N—a” and then mocking the anticipated response of said word…. Keep digging that grave girl.”
The group discusses Erica Mena calling Spice a blue monkey. #LHHATL pic.twitter.com/TI5gsaUVky
— jay (@JaysRealityBlog) September 27, 2023
In response to those who previously supported Mena’s remarks, one individual said, “Some of y’all wanted to be Black saviors so bad for this lady and now she’s playing in y’all face.”
In response to the criticism about this new video, Mena responded, “Who doesn’t want to have bernice beautiful color? Especially on vacation. The fact that I actually do get color naturally in the sun ALL my life and it’s now being considered as me black facing is pathetic. This is Insane how pressed people are about someone they claim is “cancelled.'”
A few locked in on Mena discussing her upcoming movies, which many believe will go straight to “Tubi.”
She was cast for several films already on the streaming service. Her new watershed of opportunities comes after producers from the AllBlk series “HUSH” also fired Mena for her “reprehensible comment.”
While the actress has more than a few credits on her IMDB page, the world first came to know Mena from her stint on the New York leg of the reality series originally created by Mona Scott-Young.
Recently, she called out Scott-Young for recent comments that the executive producer made about her firing.
However, during a recent appearance on Angela Yee’s “Way Up” show, Scott-Young explained that she has nothing to do with the day-to-day handling or troubleshooting of “LHH: ATL.” That would also include Mena’s firing.
Ye mentioned that the former Violator Management executive shared a post online that read, “Handled,” following Mena’s termination. Scott Young claimed that was her way of basically telling everyone to change the discussion.
One way “LHH: ATL” attempted to move on was by having a roundtable discussion about colorism and racism. Mena went onto call out the network and showrunners for having the conversation without her participation — particularly since she is at the center of the controversy for weeks.
She blasted producers for continuing to film with her to create a “storyline for the whole second half of this actual season.”
“I think it’s absolutely fair that I speak under this post. Especially because I was indeed filming nonstop for seven months after the actual incident between me and that other individual happened,” Mena wrote in a comment.
She added that those associated with the show were trying to “save face” and were not actually having the conversation because “they truly believed” what she said was a “racial slur.”
