Erica Jasmin Mena (born November 8, 1987) is an American television personality, actress, model and video vixen. Mena began her career as a video vixen, appearing in the music videos "Lean Back" by Terror Squad, and "Candy Shop" by 50 Cent, amongst others. Mena gained wider recognition after joining VH1's Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2011, where she remained in a prominent role until 2015. She would later join the cast of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta from 2018 to 2023.
Career Mena first gained notoriety as a model and "video vixen", through her appearances in various hip hop music videos, for artists such as Chris Brown, Fabolous, Akon and Fat Joe. In 2009, while living in Miami, Florida, she would make regular appearances on the first season of Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami while she worked at the Kardashian sisters' DASH boutique.
In 2011, Mena would begin appearing on the VH1 reality series Love & Hip Hop: New York in a supporting role during the show's second season. The next year, she became a main cast member, and would remain in that position until 2015 when she announced her decision to leave the show, following her engagement to rapper Bow Wow.
In August 2017, VH1 announced that Mena would compete in the first season of VH1's Scared Famous, which premiered in October 2017. She was initially eliminated fourth, before re-entering the competition, and ultimately finishing in third place.
She has released two autobiographies, Chronicles of a Confirmed Bachelorette and Underneath It All. In 2018, Erica joined the cast of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta for the seventh season. 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".
Personal life Mena is openly bisexual. Mena is of Dominican and Puerto Rican ancestry. She graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh, NY. 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.Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
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 Legacy Castle in New Jersey. Their daughter was born in 2020. On May 4, 2021, she announced that she and Samuels were expecting their second child together. On May 25, 2021, TMZ reported that Mena officially filed for divorce from Samuels. Their son was born in 2021.
Controversies 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.
In 2023, Mena was fired from Love & Hip Hop for using a racial slur. She later issued an apology.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2017 Almost Amazing Cara2019I Got the Hook-Up 2Miss Peaches Swag Inc. Natasha 2022 The Millennial Lola Etienne The Stepmother Elizabeth Carter/Zoey The Stepmother 2 Elizabeth Carter/Zoey 2023 The Assistant Dr. Raven Fields You're Not Alone Beverly The Stepmother 3 Elizabeth Carter/Zoey Picture Me Dead Kristen 2025 Run Donnie Mena Elizabeth Carter/Zoey Upcoming Tubi film
Television 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) 2011–14; 2019 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 HerselfReunion Co-host 2017 Bad Girls Club 17: East Meets West Herself Reunion Co-host 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" 2022–2023 Hush Gina Main cast (seasons 1–2) 2024–2025 Joseline's Cabaret Herself Web show; guest (seasons 5–6) 2025 Two Ways with Erica Mena Herself Host 2026 The Real Housewives of Atlanta Herself Episode: "Rumors and Raised Eyebrows"
Music videos 2003 "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" Young Gunz 2004 "Lean Back" Terror Squad "Ain't Nothing Wrong" Houston "Breathe" Fabolous 2005 "Candy Shop" 50 Cent featuring Olivia "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" Chris Brown "Tell Me" Bobby Valentino 2008 "I'm So Paid" Akon
References
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