Exclusive Celebrity Interview: “Erica Mena” VH1′s Hit Reality Show “Love and Hip Hop” Season 2
JEREMY COPELAND: Erica, thank you for taking your time out to do this interview, I know your schedule has been a little bit crazy but I am glad we were able to lock this down. How are you?
ERICA MENA: I am good, things have been crazy but that’s life and you just have to flow with it.
JEREMY COPELAND: Tell us a little bit about how you got into modeling?
ERICA MENA: Well I started really young at the age of 14 years old. I used to do catalogs’ for like sears and look-books, so yea, I started off really young and then eventually scouted by an MTV scout to do a Jennifer Lopez look-a-like contest, won that and based off that I was booked by Roc-A-Fellaz to do my first music video which was “ Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop “ by Young Gunz, from there things slowly started manifesting and I could officially say I had a modeling career.
JEREMY COPELAND: Is it hard breaking into the industry and being respected rather than being categorized as just another pretty face?
ERICA MENA: Oh absolutely, even now doing the show its hard for me to be respected especially with everything and how it played out. What I stand for and what I am fighting for in this industry, as a model is not common so you deal with it as it comes your way.
JEREMY COPELAND: Out of all the videos you have been in which has been your favorite?
ERICA MENA: I would say Akon’s “So Paid” because I got a chance to act and give a new meaning to the whole “video vixen role”.
JEREMY COPELAND: Recently you made your debut on the hit VH1 Reality Series “ Love and Hip Hop “ Season 2, how did you hear about this show and become apart of it?
ERICA MENA: Well the producers contacted me and the reason why I agreed to be on it was the intention to show a different side me, especially coming from the whole Urban Modeling world I wanted to show a different dynamic to who Erica is. Unfortunately it back fired in my face and did not work out as planned but it has been a great lesson.
JEREMY COPELAND: What is the deal with you and Kimbella, we recently interviewed her and she said that she doesn’t know why you come at her the way that you do and that she initially did not have a problem with you and that you started with her off rip during the initial meeting of each other, what issues do you have with Kimbella?
ERICA MENA: What I will say is that what you guys saw in that scene is not half of what really went down with that situation. A lot of the dialogue that happened between Kimbella and I was left out of the scene. My reaction and how I came at her was definitely for a reason. But a lot of the causes and what made me act like that was not put into the scene that was aired, so it kind of comes off to the public like I am beefing with her for no reason. I don’t have a beef with her but my problem with Kimbella is she is one of many women that came in the game and depreciated the value by simply not knowing the routine of things, not knowing the business side, settling for less, and doing things that she has no business doing for gigs. When you have females like that doing things for less or for nothing at all, it makes it hard for people like me to come in the correct way and ask for proper compensation, proper treatment, having a trailer and just the basic things. Half of these girls don’t even know what per diem is and when you ask them they will be like “ IM STILL PRETTY”. I have been in this industry for a long time and I have seen the value depreciate extremely and it has been watered down. Anybody, can stand in front of a wall and call himself or herself a model and/or trying to me a video 5minute model and they don’t even realize that your doing things for less that what your supposed too. There are not a lot of females that can say they are living large and making a living off this because of that reason, but I can.
JEREMY COPELAND: Kimbella also told us that the problem that you guys have is that she is fighting to stand true to herself, she has never disrespected herself in any way shape or fashion to be in this industry unlike other and that’s the reason that you have with her, is that true?
ERICA MENA: I mean I am not really going to sit here and go back and forth with this chick, the proof is in the credibility and in the resume and considering she does not really have much of either I don’t get what she is claiming as far as what she did right I mean lets be honest, one video playing a jump off isn’t something that you can call credible or anything decent that you can even put in a portfolio. We can go back and forth for days; it is what it is at the end of the day. Look at my work and then look at that bitch work, look at the potential that I have and actual talent and capability to make things happen for myself it speaks for itself.
JEREMY COPELAND: Since you did not have such a great experience on “Love and Hip Hop” do you see yourself going back onto reality TV?
ERICA MENA: I can’t really say anything on that right now but what I will say is that you will be seeing me soon, you will get to follow my journey and get to know me better.
JEREMY COPELAND: How do you deal with all the drama and bad press?
ERICA MENA: I know for me I have been dealing with a lot with rumors and even other cast members making false stories about me and false accusations about myself, but I don’t pay attention to it. You have to realize that you are in front of millions of viewers and not everyone is going to like you. People are judgmental and that’s going to be that. I could walk a fine line, be perfect on the show and still be criticize for being boring, so nobody is ever satisfied. What has been said to you guys throughout this television show and blogs are not the facts of life but I realize that its reality TV and they are going to feed off the negative drama, its what I signed up for so I cannot be upset.
JEREMY COPELAND: What’s New besides the show that you are working on now?
ERICA MENA: Just shooting a cover now of a publication, more work with Vibe magazine and a bunch of surprises.
