Erica Jasmin Mena (born November 8, 1987) is an American actress, model, singer and video vixen. She is best known for her appearances in the Love & Hip Hop franchise from 2011 to 2023, particularly in the New York and Atlanta installments.[3][4]
Erica Mena | |
|---|---|
 Mena in 2015 | |
| Born | Erica Jasmin Mena[1] November 8, 1987 Newburgh, New York, U.S. |
| Other names | Erica Mena Samuels[2] |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, model, socialite |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Dance-pop |
Career
editMena first gained notoriety as a model[5] and "video vixen", through her appearances in various hip hop music videos, for artists such as Chris Brown, Fabolous, Akon and Fat Joe.[6][7] She became known to a larger audience through her reality television appearances, including Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami and Love & Hip Hop: New York, the original installment of the Love & Hip Hop franchise.[8]
She has released two autobiographies, Chronicles of a Confirmed Bachelorette[9] and Underneath It All.[10] In August 2017, it was announced that Mena would compete in the first season of VH1's Scared Famous, which premiered in October 2017. In 2018, Erica joined the cast of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta for the seventh season.[11] In 2019, she returned to Love & Hip Hop: New York for its tenth anniversary season.
Mena was fired from Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta in September 2023, after calling fellow cast member Spice a "blue monkey".[12]
Personal life
editMena is openly bisexual.[13] Mena is of Dominican and Puerto Rican ancestry. She graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh, NY.[14] She has a son, King Javien Conde (b. March 1, 2007) with video director and rapper Raul Conde, a member of Fat Joe's Terror Squad. Conde died on November 22, 2023.[15]
Mena was previously engaged to Bow Wow. In December 2018, Mena became engaged to rapper and television personality Safaree Samuels. On October 7, 2019, she and Samuels married at the White Castle in New Jersey.[16] Their daughter was born in 2020.[17] On May 4, 2021, she announced that she and Samuels were expecting their second child together.[18] On May 25, 2021, TMZ reported that Mena officially filed for divorce from Samuels.[19] Their son was born in 2021.[20]
Controversies
editIn October 2018, Mena and boyfriend Clifford Dixon were arrested at Mena's Johns Creek, Georgia residence for a domestic dispute, with Dixon charged with criminal trespass and Mena charged with marijuana possession. The police were called when roommates were disturbed by the commotion upstairs when Dixon kicked down a bedroom door that Mena had locked to barricade herself. Both were released when posting bail.[21][22][23]
In 2023, Mena was fired from Love & Hip Hop for using a racial slur.[24] She later issued an apology claiming that when she made monkey noisees and called the Jamaican woman a "monkey" she wasn't being racist or racially motivated.[25]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Almost Amazing | Cara | |
| 2019 | I Got the Hook Up 2 | Miss Peaches | |
| Swag Inc. | Natasha | ||
| 2022 | The Millennial | Lola Etienne | |
| The Stepmother | Zoey | ||
| The Stepmother 2 | Zoey | ||
| 2023 | The Assistant | Dr. Raven Fields | |
| You're Not Alone | Beverly | ||
| The Stepmother 3 | Zoey | ||
| Picture Me Dead | Kristen |
Television
edit| Year | Legacy | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | VH1 News Presents | Herself | Episode: "Hip Hop Videos: Sexploitation on the Set" |
| 2009 | Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami | Herself/Dash Employee | Recurring cast (season 1) |
| 2011-20 | Love & Hip Hop: New York | Herself | Supporting cast (season 2); main cast (seasons 3-5, 10) |
| 2013 | The Show with Vinny | Herself | Episode: "Erica Mena & Austin Mahone" |
| 2015 | CSI: Cyber | Brody's Girl | Episode: "CMND:/Crash" |
| 2016 | Bad Girls Club 16: Social Disruption | Herself | Reunion Co-host |
| 2017 | Bad Girls Club 17: East Meets West | Herself | Reunion Co-host |
| 2017 | Scared Famous | Herself | Contestant |
| Master of None | Nikki | Episode: "Thanksgiving" | |
| 2018 | Hustle in Brooklyn | Herself | Recurring cast |
| 2018-19 | Hip Hop Squares | Herself | Recurring guest |
| 2018-23 | Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta | Herself | Main cast (seasons 7, 10-11); supporting cast (season 9) |
| 2021 | Sacrifice | Bella | Episode: "Mama Didn't Lie" |
| 2022 | Hush | Gina | Main cast (season 1) |
Music Videos
edit| 2004 | "Lean Back" | Terror Squad |
| "Ain't Nothing Wrong" | Houston (singer) | |
| 2005 | "Candy Shop" | 50 Cent featuring Olivia |
| "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" | Chris Brown | |
| "Tell Me" | Bobby Valentino |
References
edit- ^ "'Love & Hip Hop' Star, Boyfriend Arrested In Johns Creek". October 17, 2018.
- ^ "Erica Mena Samuels (@iamerica_mena) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
- ^ Design&Trend (December 1, 2015). "Erica Mena Goes Off On Rich Dollaz, Says He's Living A Double-Lifestyle: 'I Have So Much Proof'". Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
- ^ Longeretta, Emily (September 22, 2014). "Erica she is a known racist allegedly and called co star spice blue monkeyMena".
- ^ "Erica Mena & Bow Wow are Over: "He's an Abuser"".
- ^ "Video Vixens: A Look at Kimbella and Erica Mena's Music Video Features". January 17, 2012.
- ^ "Interview: Erica Mena Talks "Love & Hip Hop," Video Vixens, and Her Future in Music". Complex Networks.
- ^ "Shad Moss and His Baby's Mother Say Erica Mena Is a Liar". BET.
- ^ Mena, Erica (November 1, 2013). Chronicles of a Confirmed Bachelorette. La' Femme Fatale' Publishing. ISBN 9780991020300 – via Google Books.
- ^ Mena, Erica (April 1, 2013). Underneath It All. La' Femme Fatale' Productions. ISBN 9780988861565 – via Google Books.
- ^ Bellino, Damian. "VH1 Announces Scared Famous Starring Tiffany Pollard, Drita D'Avanzo, Alaska Thunderf-uck, and More!". VH1 News. Viacom International. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ Haring, Bruce (September 2, 2023). "'Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta' Star Erica Mena Ousted After Slur Against Co-Star Spice". Deadline. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ^ "Q&A: Erica Mena Dismisses Rumors That She's Bisexual for Male Attention, Talks Coming Out to Her Family". October 30, 2013.
- ^ "Erica Mena – IMDB". IMDB. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Erica Mena on Footage of Her Fighting Son's Father". YouTube. October 2014.
- ^ "Erica Mena and Safaree: We're Married!". Tmz.com. October 8, 2019.
- ^ "Love & Hip Hop: New York's Safaree Samuels and Erica Mena Welcome First Daughter Together".
- ^ "Love & Hip Hop's Safaree Samuels, Wife Erica Mena Expecting Baby No. 2: 'Time to Get Neutered'". People.com. May 4, 2021.
- ^ "Erica Mena Files to Divorce Safaree". May 25, 2021.
- ^ "Safaree Samuels Welcomes Baby No. 2 with Estranged Wife Erica Mena amid Divorce: 'Another Me'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
- ^ Peyton, Blakemore (October 15, 2018). "'Love & Hip Hop' Star Erica Mena & Boyfriend Arrested Near Atlanta". iHeart.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
- ^ "'L&HH' star Erica Mena arrested with boyfriend near Atlanta". TMZ.com. October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
- ^ "Erica Mena, boyfriend arrested in Johns Creek". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. October 17, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
- ^ "Erica Mena says racist slur that got her fired from 'Love & Hip Hop' wasn't 'racially driven'". Los Angeles Times. September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
- ^ "Erica Mena breaks silence and issues apology for calling Spice a "blue monkey"". REVOLT. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
External links
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