When it comes to reality television, Puerto Rican beauty Erica Mena has become one of the most infamous stars to grace, or maybe disgrace, the tube. And for the past decade, she has subsequently gained just as many enemies/frenemies as she has loyal followers and fans. Unfortunately, many fights with her co-stars have caused chaos in her personal life.
Most recently, she rubbed Love & Hip Hop producers the wrong way after calling fellow cast member and dancehall queen Spice a "blue-haired monkey." The fight between the two mothers cost Erica Mena her job and subsequently started an uprising of comments on whether her insult was racially based. And although it seems like her days on LHH are over, who's to say that she couldn't return to the show that's known for returning old cast members for a surprise factor? But this beef is only the latest of many for Erica. Here are her seven biggest and most memorable beefs.
Spice
On the viral episode, mutual friend Shekinah attempts to mediate a conversation between Erica Mena and Spice. The two were already at odds because of Spice's friendship with Erica's ex-husband Safaree Samuels. He basically cried for Spice when she was near death in the hospital, but showed little emotion when Mena and their newborn were in the hospital. “Why did you feel the need to compare us,” Spice asks. “I was his wife and he felt nothing,” Mena responded. “That don’t have nothing to do with me,” Spice responded.
Things took a turn for the worse when Spice took the low road and mentioned Erica's distant relationship with her eldest son from a previous relationship. “With your son that don’t like you. My son loves me." The words cut Mena like a knife. She proceeded to flip the table and started a rant on how Spice should have died (when she was previously hospitalized back in Oct 2022.) “That b**ch should have died. You want to mention my kids,” she said and shouted, “You monkey, you f***ing blue monkey.”
Erica was soon fired. The franchise series released a statement that included, “....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.”
The statement almost sounds like someone behind the scenes may have had it in for Erica Mena and used the fight to get rid of her. Especially considering that only days later, Spice called cast member Bambi a "giraffe" in another heated argument. She has yet to receive any retribution from the show.
Safaree Samuels
The Stepmother star constantly seems to fight with her ex-husband and children's father Safaree Samuels, whom she divorced in May 2021. It all started with a whirlwind romance that led to a public proposal and an extravagant wedding. Rumors of infidelity would soon surface before Erica gave birth to their second child Legend.
Erica was always weary of Safaree's relationship with Spice. Her suspicions only increased when he seemed extremely broken during Spice's hospitalization. Samuels definitely seemed inconsiderate toward Erica's feelings and downright messy. Not only did he reveal private things about his wife to Spice, he also recorded Erica talking ish about Spice. All this led her to believe that Safaree and Spice were intimate during their marriage. The two even mocked Erica after her exit from the show.
His blatant disrespect for his ex-wife also seemed to go a lot farther than Spice. Erica has called Safaree a "dead beat dad" many times, saying that he never sees their children. He also (reportedly) has not been paying the court ordered $4300 in monthly child support.
Rich Dollaz
Erica Mena started dating music exec Rich Dollaz in season three of LHHNY. He was also her manager at the time. The drama started early when former G-Unit artist Olivia warned Erica that Rich was a playa. Erica was quick to tell Rich that she didn't need him or his BS. And after walking out on him at an N.Y. hotspot, she soon realized that he did not have her best interest at heart; either romantically or career-wise. Not only did he give a song (that he had promised her) to Olivia, but Erica admitted that she never really felt safe with Rich. And he stuck with the reasoning that since she never actually signed a contract with him, he couldn't truly be down for her 100%.
DJ Envy
Long before LHHNY, Erica Mena dated DJ Envy for quite a while until one day she received a call from his wife, Gia Casey. In an interview with Carlos King, she claimed that she had no idea Envy was married. The two spent a lot of time together and Erica says that nothing seemed unordinary about their relationship. According to an interview, once The Breakfast Club's host found out that his wife knew of his infidelity, he soon came clean and confessed on-air in Feb. 2013. And although he never mentioned Mena's name directly, he did call her "a bird" and "a liar" that was "beneath him."
Cyn Santana
Cyn Santana joined LHHNY in season four as Erica Mena’s love interest. They seemed very happy, but the relationship was soon tested when Erica started back working with her ex Rich Dollaz to get her music career off the ground. Santana was offended by Dollaz’s disrespect.
At one point she accused Erica of being physically abusive to her. They had a hard breakup the following season. And shortly after, Cyn started to date Joe Budden. At some point, the two must have repaired their friendship because in 2019 she and Joe did attend the baby shower for Safaree and Erica's daughter, Safire.
Read More: Erica Mena: Wildest "Love & Hip Hop" Moments
Kimbella
Another ferocious fight on LHHNY (season two) was between Erica Mena and co-star Kimbella Vanderhee, the now-wife of Dipset legend Juelz Santana. From their initial meeting, Erica's problem with Kimbella seemed minimal, petty and almost as if she just needed a little something to ignite a feud for the show. But once Mena's temper blasted off, the ladies soon needed to be separated by security. The incident shocked viewers and further solidified her reputation as a hot head. Although the two women have since moved on from their beef, their infamous hair-pulling fiasco remains one of the most talked-about moments in Love & Hip Hop history.
Raul Conde
Erica Mena and founding Terror Squad member Raul Conde started dating in 2000. They separated in 2007 after Mena reportedly claimed that Conde was being abusive towards her. That year, Erica gave birth to their son King Javien Conde.
A fight between Raul Conde and Erica Mena was once featured in an episode of LHH. The toxic pattern eventually stopped when the two reportedly resolved their issues for their son. They seemed to be co-parenting cordially up until the Conde's passing in Nov 2023 of a heart attack. He received a great send-off from Erica and friends like Fat Joe and DJ Khaled. "My son officially has a broken heart..." Erica Mena wrote on her Instagram story on Nov 23, along with a picture of Conde with King. "Life is so short. Please love your people."