‘Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’ Fires Erica Mena Over Racist Comment

By Michael Haskoor @Tweetskoor
Published Sep. 3, 2023, 9:49 a.m. ET

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Reality TV personality Erica Mena has been fired from VH1‘s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta over racial comments she made during an argument with dancehall star and fellow castmate Spice.

The episode titled “Mena-ce to Society” aired on Tuesday and featured a sit down between Mena and Spice, who began rehashing past issues. Shekinah Anderson arranged the heated conversation.

During the confrontation, Spice claimed that Mena’s oldest son hated her. In response, Mena said Spice should have died during her medical emergency and called her a racial slur.

Mena called Spice a “blue monkey” while making monkey sounds.

Due to the racial connotation the term “monkey” carries, the episode sparked controversy and resulted in backlash across social media.

Although some fans criticized Spice for mentioning Mena’s son, most decried Mena’s use of the term and called for repercussions.

Love & Hip Hop issued a response on Saturday.

“The Love & Hip Hop franchise has never shied away from hard conversations in our community,” read a statement posted to the franchise’s official Instagram page on Saturday.

Mena is set to appear in the last three episodes of Season 11 but will not return for Season 12.

“Working hand-in-hand with our partners, viewers will see the impact of Erica Mena’s remarks play out in the final three episodes of the season. Effective immediately, she will not appear in the next season of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta,” said the release.

The creator and executive producer of the Love & Hip Hop franchise, Mona Scott-Young, wrote on her personal page: “handled.”

Mena has not yet responded to the announcement.

After the episode aired, Spice spoke to Forbes and didn’t speak ill of Mena, saying that she “knew what she signed up for” appearing on the show and was in “a better space right now.”

“Someone’s opinion of me doesn’t value who I am. Not because someone thinks something of me that doesn’t mean that’s who I am,” said Spice.

Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta first debuted on June 18, 2012 on VH1 and is the second installment of the Love & Hip Hop reality franchise.