Spice From "L&HH" Blasted For Calling Bambi A "Giraffe" After Erica Mena Scandal

BYGabriel Bras Nevares6.8K Views
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2019 MTV Movie And TV Awards - Inside
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 15: (L-R) Lil Scrappy, Bambi, Spice, and Karlie Redd, winners of the Realty Royalty award for 'Love & Hip Hop Atlanta,'t attend the 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards at Barker Hangar on June 15, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/VMN19/Getty Images for MTV)
The moral of the story here, folks, is that maybe using animals as insults isn't a particularly good idea.

Shortly after the Erica Mena firing from "Love & Hip Hop" for calling Spice a "monkey," it seems like the zoo isn't closed just yet. Moreover, Spice herself got some more backlash for calling Bambi a "giraffe" during a recent altercation on the show. As such, fans are now divided: should this be held to the same standards of racism as Mena's incident or is this just an overblown response? Of course, plenty of people are on either side of the coin, with others arguing that neither insult is appropriate. Regardless, it's a pretty drama-heavy show, but clearly that backfired in a lot of areas, particularly with the show's production.

After the Erica Mena outrage, many questioned how networks allow content like this to make it to airwaves in the first place. In fact, some took even more issue with them firing Mena because it was purely a response to fans' backlash for her comments. Regardless, they waited until after the spectacle to give their verdict, which many saw as exploitative. It's unclear if this instance with Spice and Bambi will yield similar results, thought assumptions point to "no."

Fans Divided Over Spice & Bambi Argument

For one, calling a Black person a "monkey" has different racial and negative connotations than calling someone a "giraffe.' Neither is derogatory on impact, but many fans believe the attack towards Spice followed a history of questionable behavior and statements from Mena. However, there are some circles in which the term "giraffe" can also be derogatory, particularly to people of African descent. As such, context turns something simply brash and argumentative into something much more sinister. Maybe Spice didn't mean to do so with her insult, but the parallels and proximity between the cases make it hard to overlook.

Meanwhile, she responded to the Erica Mena situation by dismissing claims that she insulted her son. As she puts it, it was more of a question of parenting than anything else. Still, it's possible she has more to answer for and explain now, but people can sweep hist under the rug more easily than the example against her. With that in mind, stay logged into HNHH for the latest news and updates on Spice, Bambi, and the Erica Mena situation.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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