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Erica Mena

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Erica Mena
Mena in 2015
Born
Erica Jasmin Mena[1]

(1987-11-08) November 8, 1987 (age 37)
Newburgh, New York, U.S.
Other namesErica Mena Samuels[2]
Occupation(s)Actress, model, socialite
Years active2005–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2019; div. 2022)​
Children3
Musical career
GenresDance-pop

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]

Career

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Mena 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

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Mena 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

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In 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.[25]

Filmography

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Film

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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

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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

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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

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  1. ^ "'Love & Hip Hop' Star, Boyfriend Arrested In Johns Creek". October 17, 2018.
  2. ^ "Erica Mena Samuels (@iamerica_mena) • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Longeretta, Emily (September 22, 2014). "Erica she is a known racist allegedly and called co star spice blue monkeyMena".
  5. ^ "Erica Mena & Bow Wow are Over: "He's an Abuser"".
  6. ^ "Video Vixens: A Look at Kimbella and Erica Mena's Music Video Features". January 17, 2012.
  7. ^ "Interview: Erica Mena Talks "Love & Hip Hop," Video Vixens, and Her Future in Music". Complex Networks.
  8. ^ "Shad Moss and His Baby's Mother Say Erica Mena Is a Liar". BET.
  9. ^ Mena, Erica (November 1, 2013). Chronicles of a Confirmed Bachelorette. La' Femme Fatale' Publishing. ISBN 9780991020300 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Mena, Erica (April 1, 2013). Underneath It All. La' Femme Fatale' Productions. ISBN 9780988861565 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ Haring, Bruce (September 2, 2023). "'Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta' Star Erica Mena Ousted After Slur Against Co-Star Spice". Deadline. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  13. ^ "Q&A: Erica Mena Dismisses Rumors That She's Bisexual for Male Attention, Talks Coming Out to Her Family". October 30, 2013.
  14. ^ "Erica Mena – IMDB". IMDB. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  15. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Erica Mena on Footage of Her Fighting Son's Father". YouTube. October 2014.
  16. ^ "Erica Mena and Safaree: We're Married!". Tmz.com. October 8, 2019.
  17. ^ "Love & Hip Hop: New York's Safaree Samuels and Erica Mena Welcome First Daughter Together".
  18. ^ "Love & Hip Hop's Safaree Samuels, Wife Erica Mena Expecting Baby No. 2: 'Time to Get Neutered'". People.com. May 4, 2021.
  19. ^ "Erica Mena Files to Divorce Safaree". May 25, 2021.
  20. ^ "Safaree Samuels Welcomes Baby No. 2 with Estranged Wife Erica Mena amid Divorce: 'Another Me'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  21. ^ Peyton, Blakemore (October 15, 2018). "'Love & Hip Hop' Star Erica Mena & Boyfriend Arrested Near Atlanta". iHeart.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  22. ^ "'L&HH' star Erica Mena arrested with boyfriend near Atlanta". TMZ.com. October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  23. ^ "Erica Mena, boyfriend arrested in Johns Creek". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. October 17, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  24. ^ "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.
  25. ^ "Erica Mena breaks silence and issues apology for calling Spice a "blue monkey"". REVOLT. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
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