Here's the Real Reason Erica Mena Isn't on 'Love & Hip-Hop' Anymore

Among the women who have risen to fame on Mona Scott Young’s hit reality TV series, Love & Hip-Hop, is Erica Mena.

Before launching her reality TV career, Erica appeared in music videos like Chris Brown’s “Yo (Excuse Me, Miss),” 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop,” and Terror Squad’s “Lean Back.”

A lot has changed for the former video vixen since then.

Now, Erica is a mother of three and a working actress who has more than seven million followers on Instagram. While she was a staple on LAHH for years, fans may notice that Erica is no longer on the series. It turns out that the TV personality got fired.

So, what happened to Erica and why is she no longer on the show? Here’s the tea.

There has been no shortage of drama on LAHHATL. From physical altercations to verbal lashings, the cast has had many a disagreement over the years — however, none were as nuanced as the fight between Erica and her former friend and ex-castmate, Spice.

The two were embroiled in an intense argument when Spice took a shot at Erica’s parenting, claiming that her eldest son “hated her.” And then all hell broke loose.

“You monkey, you f---ing blue monkey,” Erica screamed at Spice.

With this, Erica’s fate was sealed. Her comments echoed across social media and sparked debate.

While some argued that Erica’s response was warranted after Spice came for her parenting, most agreed that her behavior was unacceptable. And spectators online weren’t the only ones who took issue with the racial slur she used.

She was also reprimanded by the network.

Not long after the episode aired, Viacom issued a statement on the matter. The network revealed that Erica had been terminated.

“The Love & Hip Hop franchise has never shied away from hard conversations in our community,” the announcement read, adding that the cast would sit down for a round-table discussion on colorism.

It went on: “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."

While Spice, Rasheeda, Yandy Smith, and other LAHH cast members chimed in on the conversation, Erica was absent from the discussion. According to her rep, it was all part of the network’s attempt to “silence her voice.”

“She would have welcomed an opportunity to discuss what happened in a way that was productive and made this roundtable truly a valuable moment of learning for all,” the source told RadarOnline.

They also noted that she wasn’t fired until seven months after the incident actually occurred, which suggests that the network had no plans to fire her and only decided to do so after viewers voiced their outrage.

Regardless of whether Erica was let go before or after the episode aired, her interaction with Spice sparked a much-needed conversation about colorism in entertainment. Unfortunately for Erica, she had to sacrifice her job to do it.