You might know her just as Erica, Love & Hip-Hop drama queen and Kimbella’s sworn enemy.
But in an attempt to get to know the real Erica, GlobalGrind sat down with the famed vixen to better understand her side of the story. Naturally, the honest go-getter revealed herself to be what the tapes didn’t catch and the public missed out on.
As the superwoman works to clear her identity, she’s strapping on her boots and getting to work: two scripts, a lipstick line and a self-authorized book is on her agenda. Ladies and gentleman, introducing Erica Mena.
VIDEO: Erica Mena & Baby Daddy Fight
You’re a mother and a career woman, Latin and from the Bronx. Coming from where you’re from, what is it like when you return home? Do you feel like you have to set an example for the girls like you?
Especially now, absolutely, yes. Especially because where I come from you don’t really have much good representation and role models besides the handful that includes, you know, Jennifer Lopez … very few. I definitely think it’s important, no doubt.
Out of curiosity, are you married?
I am not married. Never was married [Laughs], but I was in a 7-year committed relationship with Raul from Terror Squad.
You’re single now?
Yes, I’m single. Loving life! Exercising my rights! [Laughs]
You’re a woman of strength and you seem to embrace the “bitch” attitude. Why don’t you let being called a bitch bother you?
You know why? I don’t settle and I don’t budge when I know my position and my worth, and I don’t think anyone should have to. If people take that as being a bitch, I take that as just being firm and just knowing what I want… and overall what I’m capable of, what I deserve. It comes hand in hand. I would rather have those qualities than none at all.
Last night on the Love & Hip-Hop reunion, you admitted to Mona, after looking back at the tapes that you “f*cked up.” Why did you change your position on that?
It wasn’t that I changed my position; I watched it with you guys. I saw myself in the third eye and how everything came about I wasn’t too happy with it, because overall that’s not me. Granted, obviously I will defend myself when need be. But overall, the way everything played out, I did get out of hand. It was only right. I was wrong and that’s why I apologized. I stand firm on that.
Essentially, people just don’t know my story. Me coming off as harshly as I did puts a bad taste in people’s mouths and now I’m being criticized for that. It’s unfortunate because my story and the whole purpose of doing this show is to show a different dynamic – especially coming from the angle I came. I do the best in that sense. I regret that. That was the whole point of doing this in the first place. And now people who do know me and my work ethic know who I am as a person and are forced to defend me. There’s no real justification for it, so I do feel bad for that. Overall, I owed a lot of people an apology. I let a lot of people down.
What is about Kimbella that you don’t like and explain to us why you’re on a different level than she is?
[Laughs] Honestly, I’m at the stage right now where I’m moving forward. I don’t really see a Kimbella as an existence anymore. To comment on her doesn’t really make sense to me. You can’t talk about something that’s … not … in existence. [Laughs]
We all know reality TV only shows a part of each person. Can you tell us who the real Erica Mena is?
I’m a hard worker. I’m driven. I’m passionate about everything that I do. But overall, everything that I do comes from a good place. And I think with the way everything happened on the show people don’t really get to see me be that, but as young as I am, I’m definitely wise in the sense of business and just life. Everything that I’ve been through… I didn’t get to show the real Erica that I wanted to show. The one that’s been through it all, from the Bronx, had to work her way up, never gave herself physically or settled to get to where she is. That’s who I am. I go all out. I work hard and I don’t take any form of bullsh*t.
Those are things people fail to consider, even if on TV you gave people reason to think otherwise.
Right, but I understand that too because, like I said, I came off the way I did and people aren’t going to take the time to consider anything else other than that. It played out the way it did… but in time I’ll definitely get the chance to tell my story and I think a lot of people can relate to me. From young to old. I’ve been though a lot, accomplished a lot and now it’s time to really embody all of that I think. I’m a better person because of it all. I need to capitalize on everything I want to bring into fruition, as far as my brand and who Erica Mena is in the public eye.
Do capitalize on that. WE need it.
Right man! We need more Latinas! We need more ethnic period… We don’t get a lot of that and that’s why I know I let a lot of people down, especially as far as people who know me. They’re like, ‘Erica you’re not like this’ and ‘You have a story to tell… tell it!’
In a previous interview you said you put a lot of models on and that they got bigheaded. Do you regret introducing some of those girls to the game?
No… no way. Because I feel like — I don’t need credit, but I take pride in seeing — cause no one really helped me coming up. I wish I had that and to be able to deliver that… Obviously loyalty has a different meaning to everybody. You can’t really take that to the head. At the end of the day, it makes me feel good ‘cause if someone else can do good like I did good is an accomplishment all by itself. Whether they acknowledge me or not, it’s not about that. Especially for the females in this game… if you can do some good for someone else, do it, do it all the way.
Anything else you’d like to tell us?
Thank you so much for taking the time out to speak to me. I’m definitely a huge fan of the site. I just hope within time with you and everybody else, you all get the opportunity to get to know the real me. Even if you’re not where I’m from, even if you don’t do what I do, there’s a lot of me that is relatable to what plenty of people go through or have gone through. Whether you’re from the hood or Beverly Hills, my story is not uncommon. Hopefully in time my work ethic will speak for itself. I’m going full throttle.
