Erica Mena Says “Love & Hip-Hop” Has Always “Depicted Us As Zoo Animals”

The fallout from a controversial segment on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta continues. Erica Mena had a lot to say about the show presenting a panel discussion on colorism and racism.

Mena faced significant backlash for calling Spice a “f###ing blue monkey” during one scene, which is considered a racist/colorist slur against Black people. Love & Hip Hop later fired Mena.

“I deeply regret my insensitive comment and want to humbly apologize to anybody I hurt or offended by my thoughtlessness,” Mena said after losing her job. “My choice of words was wrong, and I take full responsibility for what I said.”

She also offered, “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.”

Love & Hip Hop and the Color of Change racial justice organization presented a program titled Love & Hip Hop Atlanta: Racism, Colorism, and the Uncomfortable Truth, which debuted on September 26. Love & Hip Hop alumni Spice, Yandy Smith, Yung Joc, Scrappy, Rasheeda and others appeared on the special.

In response to the announcement of Racism, Colorism, and the Uncomfortable Truth, Erica Mena shared a lengthy message on Instagram. She commented under the Love & Hip Hop/Color of Change post about the nearly one-hour roundtable discussion.

Mena wrote:

“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. The network chose to still film with me nonstop which is why I was used as the base storyline for the whole second half of this actual season. They had this footage for months. They chose to [edit] it how they wanted and aired it. It’s only now they are desperate trying to save face and using me to so. If I’m being used to set an example why was I not [a part] of this ’round table’ discussion? Why are they so desperate to film nonstop right now to make up for everything I shot that they can’t use now? Desperate to save face but true and only reason a statement was even made by the network was because [of] the backlash. Not because they truly believed what I said was a racial slur.

“The fact that they’re now making a mockery of the situation by using individuals who have indeed said things just as bad. Messy Yandy herself in 2015 at Hot 97 on air called me “an ass monkey“ – to try and save face for this network’s sponsors is pathetic. If you really wanted to save face why not have the two women who are just as wrong in that scene have this conversation since now this network feels it needs to be had. I gave this franchise 13 plus years and now they need to save face so they are gonna wear my name out on this to make up for their f### up. The sad truth in all of this – this franchise has always depicted us as zoo animals anyway. Sending so much love to my supporters. I love y’all.”

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