After making headlines for calling Jamaican Dancehall queen Spice a “blue monkey” on Love & Hip Hop Atlanta, reality TV personality Erica Mena has issued an apology.
Delivering an official statement to TMZ, Mena clarified her intentions, emphasizing they were not based on racial prejudices.
She shared, “I deeply regret my insensitive comment and want to humbly apologize to anybody I hurt or offended by my thoughtlessness. My choice of words was wrong, and I take full responsibility for what I said.”
Ties to the Caribbean
Mena, who is the former spouse of rapper Safaree, whose lineage traces back to Jamaica, acknowledges the gravity of her words and the subsequent backlash she faced.
She expressed her dedication to positive change, stating the she is “committed to listening to the voices of those affected and will work toward making amends.”
She added, “As a woman of color and the mother of two black children, I want to make it clear that my use of that word was not in any way racially driven,” her statement continued. “That said, I do understand the gravity of what I said and want to use my platform to promote inclusivity and equality.”
Career ramifications
Subsequent to her derogatory comment aimed at Spice, Mena’s position on ‘Love and Hip Hop’ was terminated.
Mena’s comments were made during a heated moment. Spice suggested Mena’s son disliked her, leading Mena to retaliate with the now-infamous “blue monkey” remark.
Spice addresses controversial comment
While a large portion of the public displayed indignation at Mena’s words, some believed Spice was leveraging the situation to her advantage by portraying herself as a victim.
Addressing these speculations, Spice clarified her stance during a recent Instagram Live session.
She stated she was not playing the victim but was taking accountability for the situation.
Read more on Spice and Erica Mena
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Spice raised questions about the intersection of racism and anger. She questioned whether enduring racist comments is now deemed acceptable if someone is angered.
She acknowledged the public opinion that she may have triggered the incident by mentioning Mena’s son but clarified that this did not justify racism.
Furthermore, she noted that Mena’s teenage son had been the subject of comments from others in the past, yet the backlash was not equivalent to what she faced.
She reminded her followers that in 2018, she painted her face white as a form of protest, aiming to bring attention to the issue of colorism within the black community.
She further shared that some individuals might react differently based on skin complexion and that lighter-skinned black people might not tolerate such comments if they were in her position.
Spice also made references to her song “Black Hypocrisy,” which delves into her own experiences of being ridiculed for her dark skin.
