“Not racist” Erica Mena NW45 foundation flagrantly refused to apologize to Spice for the “monkey” mayhem that unfurled on #LHHATL despite asking the Black community for forgiveness.
Source: Nykieria Chaney/Joi Stokes/Paras Griffin / Getty
The former reality TV star recently opened up about her disgraced departure from Love & Hip-Hop after she was fired for hurling the racist slur, “blue monkey,” during a fight with Spice
In a recent interview on Carlos King’s Reality With The King podcast, Erica packed on her best “blackfishing” bronzer to apologize to Black fans but she still had smoke for Spice and her “weird” ex-bestie Sierra Gates.
Oh, Erica…
This NW45 tan is flagrant https://t.co/Jp6tUSng7F
— Old Miami (@flyChy) October 25, 2023
🤣🤣Not Erica Mena tanning herself 4 shades darker to come defend the racial slur she made on LAHH on Carlos King podcast💀
— Adillah (@AD1LLXH) October 24, 2023
As BOSSIP previously reported, Erica’s “blue monkey” comment sent shockwaves through the L#HHATL cast and social media. Following days of online outrage, the franchise announced firing Erica on Instagram and that she would not appear in future seasons. ALLBLK also fired her from the series Hush in the aftermath.
Although Erica claims she wants to “take accountability,” she spent much of the interview pointing fingers at the show’s producers as well as Spice, Sierra Gates, and Yandy Smith. She claimed that Spice and other cast members didn’t even know about the “monkey” comment until producers told them for “great ratings.”
“If it’s as bad as the network says it is, why wasn’t I let go a long time ago?” she asked. “I would’ve been more content with that than the way they did it. You promoted this fight for most of the year.”
“I really feel like production went and they were like, ‘Oh my God, this is going to be great ratings, let’s go with it.’ And what they failed to realize is yeah, it brought ratings but it also brought backlash that you now have to save face for and probably lost a lot of sponsorship.”
Copping pleas to save face and secure the bag after disrespecting Black people? Well, that sounds familiar.
Several comments clocked that Erica is seemingly doing the same thing after fumbling multiple bags in the backlash. “I knew I f***ed up,” she said.
erica mena’s being hypocritical in this interview. saying LHH only fired her to save sponsorships is the same thing she’s doing.
she’s only apologizing because she lost money. glass house.. throwing stones..
— Big A (@TheeLetterA) October 31, 2023
Erica claims that she wasn’t thinking about race when she went toe to toe with Spice. She explained that the racist nature of the insult was just a “coincidence.”
Check out Erica Mena’s explanation of calling Spice a “blue monkey” and what fans didn’t see behind the scenes after the jump!
Erica Mena Explains Calling Spice A “Blue Monkey” And Why She Won’t Apologize To Her
Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Many fans immediately called out VH1 and #LHHATL producers for letting the “monkey” comment slide without consequences. Erica Mena hopped on that bandwagon. She revealed they still had her filming confessionals until the day before producers announced her termination on Instagram.
Erica Mena had her Tubi hat on for this interview.
— ☿ 𝚘𝚏𝚏𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍🐦⬛🐲🩸 (@sweetfacedinero) October 31, 2023
Erica Mena in that interview: *begins to cry* I am NOT racist I am NOT a colorist!
Me: 😂😂😂😂girl stfu
— Andres (@putiando45) November 1, 2023
According to the model, “there’s a lot that happened inside that establishment that was edited out.” After security escorted Erica outside, she said Spice continued taunting her, and that somehow reminded her of a monkey.
“Next thing you know, she comes to the window where I’m standing. She’s lifting up the blinds, banging on the window. Next thing I know, I see her putting her a** in the window. Between the banging and putting her a**, I’m like, this b***h is taunting me,” Erica said.
“Honestly, it wasn’t anything but her banging on the window and her putting her a** up that reminded me of [a monkey]in that moment, not a race, an individual, her. The way she’s bantering me from inside putting her a** [on the window]and banging.
Spice had it right when she pointed out how Erica Mena called Scrappy a deadbeat & doesn’t pay child support. Scrappy mentioned her son & she didn’t call him a monkey. But didn’t hesitate to call Spice a monkey. Because she knew what she was doing! BEEN waiting to say that!
— Bella Goth 🇵🇸 (@WickedNFine) September 28, 2023
Telling her side of the story only made it sound worse. That still sounds like something Trump would say, so it’s pretty racist, regardless. Erica seemingly only learned that she should call Black people a different animal.
“So, what do you think, like, you’re a f*cking animal. Was it the wrong choice of animal? Yes. But in that moment I felt completely violated by a woman that I really respect,” she continued.
Girl, what?
Erica Mena with her brownest tan, sitting there with Carlos explaining that she’s so cultured and that she grew up around a diverse group of people … actually just makes it clear she 100% meant monkey in the most racist way possible.
— ًj (@LordJanon) October 25, 2023
After all this time, Erica could only muster an apology to the Black people and fans she offended.
“I just want to take accountability and I just want people to know now more than ever the state of being mindful and more aware of the things I say and do is officially solidified in my life…but I’m not racist and I’m not a colorist and I’m sorry to the people who I offended,” she said.
Erica Mena is racist & colorist. & She doesn’t give a damn because she meant every word that she said. She’s another example of racial fetishism & how non Black women fetishize Black men while hating Black women & especially dark skinned Black women.
— Bella Goth 🇵🇸 (@WickedNFine) September 28, 2023
The mysteriously melanated Ms. Mena refused Carlos’ invitation to apologize to Spice because she wasn’t “genuinely broken” by the “monkey” comment. However, she said she still has “love” for Spice.
Erica Mena in that interview: *begins to cry* I am NOT racist I am NOT a colorist!
Me: 😂😂😂😂girl stfu
— Andres (@putiando45) November 1, 2023
Erica added that before the fight, Spice hurt her by believing “gossip” from her ex, Safaree. That’s not the only friendship she lost over her baby daddy’s straaaaaait shenanigans.
I’m not watching the full interview, but just saw a clip of #EricaMena addressing the monkey comment. First of all, take down the tanning spray. Next, not 1 damn tear fell during that “cry”. Finally, stop blaming Safaree for everything. You’re a MENACE & liar. This is karma! pic.twitter.com/aktdDZ86qy
— MommaBearMo (@MommaBearMo) November 2, 2023
Check out Sierra Gates clapping back at Erica Mena’s Safaree-stealing slander and “complex about lighter skin” after the flip!
Erica Mena Accuses Sierra Gates Of “Other Motives” When Safaree Approached Her, Sierra Blasts Her Online For Colorist “Complex”
Source: Nykieria Chaney / Getty
Not even Erica Mena’s closest friends think she deserves to beat the racist allegations. She revealed cutting off former bff Sierra Gates because she was “weird” for waiting so long to expose Safaree’s sexual advances. This friendship isn’t just on ice, it’s broken and blocked now.
“I will never hear from Sierra again and I personally made sure of that,” Erica Mena shared.
“Sierra just because she is weird. You can’t claim you’re my friend and go out the way you did. Because you literally took 20 days just to tell me that my ex-husband was trying to get at you.”
On the show, Erica said Sierra confided in her about Safaree shooting his shot. However, she’s suspicious that it took her three weeks to expose him.
“If you are really my friend and my ex-husband (Safaree) tries to get at you, are you not going to pick up the f***ing the call the same moment it happens – like ‘yo get your baby daddy?’ You definitely had some other motives,” she continued.
Sierra went on Instagram Live to confirm the friendship breakup, which only “legitimized that you’re guilty” to Erica.
Sierra Gates Claps Back At Erica Mena’s Excuses About Cutting Her Off: “You Always Had A Complex Abour Your Lighter Skin”
The beauty business mogul took to the comments on The Neighborhood Talk’s post about the ex-bestie beef. It’s hard to tell if Sierra was more offended by the racist comment or accusations about a sneaky link with Safaree. Either way, Sierra let the chopper sing!
“Girl bye literally! You’re just mad cause I spoke up and said you was wrong for calling Spice a black [monkey]& made the monkey sounds! You always had a complex about your lighter skin don’t make me tell it,” she wrote.
#lhhatl Star Sierra Responds To #EricaMena Saying She Wouldn’t Be Friends With Her Again. Says Erica Has A Skin Color Complex.
Credit The Neighborhood Talk pic.twitter.com/ZhsMoIJM9x
— The Gworls Are Fighting (@baddietvv) October 31, 2023
“I was always on your a** ’cause I loved you! Bye and, again, nobody don’t want no ticking time bomb a** safari, we literally watched you go from 160 pounds to 99 & we had to nurture you back to life when he cheated on you I didn’t want to break your heart again!”
Erica seemed to subtly shade Sierra’s response to the interview. “Some of us are SO POWERFUL that enemies HURT THEMSELVES TRYING TO HURT YOU,” she captioned a video on X (formerly Twitter).
Some of us are SO POWERFUL that enemies HURT THEMSELVES TRYING TO HURT YOU 🤭😏 pic.twitter.com/KV04v1RpiE
— Erica Mena (@iamErica_Mena) November 2, 2023
Something is definitely “weird” here, but it’s not Sierra.
Jesus, take the wheel and the tanning lotion!
Check out part 2 of Erica Mena’s interview with Carlos King below.
What do you think of Erica Mena’s interview and apology “to the Black community?”
