Erica Mena is an American model, singer, actress, and reality television star who has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. She first emerged into the public eye as a video vixen, appearing in popular hip-hop music videos for artists like Chris Brown, Fabolous, Akon, and Fat Joe in the mid-2000s.
Mena leveraged this early fame to launch a multifaceted career encompassing modeling, television, writing, and business ventures. According to various reports, her current net worth is estimated to be somewhere between $1 million and $5 million.
In this expanded article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the various highlights of Erica Mena’s wide-ranging career so far. We’ll analyze her income sources, controversies, future plans, and more to understand all the factors contributing to her overall wealth.
Erica Mena Net Worth Forbes
Most sources estimate Erica Mena’s net worth to be around $1.5 million as of 2024. However, some reports have placed her net worth as high as $5 million. This wide range indicates that her exact wealth is difficult to pinpoint.
Regardless, it’s clear that Mena has accumulated a sizable fortune from her various endeavors in the entertainment industry. Her primary sources of income include modeling, appearances in music videos, reality television salary, book sales, and other business ventures. Mena’s net worth has steadily grown over the past decade thanks to her savvy leveraging of opportunities in modeling, television, and endorsements.
Career Highlights
To understand how Erica Mena built her wealth, it’s important to look at the key highlights of her wide-ranging career.
Modeling and Music Videos
Erica Mena first emerged into the public eye as a model and video vixen in the mid-2000s. She gained recognition for appearing in popular hip-hop music videos like Chris Brown’s “Poppin'” (2007), Fabolous’ “Breathe” (2008), Akon’s “Put It on Me” (2010), and Fat Joe’s “Porn Star” (2008).
Her sultry image and memorable appearances in these videos helped kickstart her modeling career. She has since gone on to model for brands like Show Magazine, King Magazine, Americana Model, and Smooth Magazine.
Television and Film
Beyond music videos, Erica Mena began leveraging her fame to land roles in movies, scripted TV shows, and eventually reality programs. Some of her acting credits include:
- “Almost Amazing” (Movie, 2017)
- “I Got the Hook Up 2” (Movie, 2019)
- “Swag Inc.” (TV Movie, 2019)
- “The Millennial” (Movie, 2020)
- “CSI: Cyber” (TV Series, 2015)
- “Master of None” (TV Series, 2017)
However, Mena is likely best known for her extensive work in reality television, which forms a major part of her current activities and income.
Television and Film
By 2010, Erica Mena started strategically transitioning to television and film acting roles. Her initial projects included minor parts in shows like:
- The CW’s “The Beautiful Life”
- HBO’s “Entourage”
- NBC’s “Mercy”
Her profile rose significantly when she joined the cast of VH1’s hit reality show “Love & Hip Hop: New York” between 2011-2015. Mena’s fiery persona quickly made her one of the show’s biggest stars.
Appearing on a popular, long-running reality series like “Love & Hip Hop” provides regular income and exposure for personalities. Top reality stars can make $150,000 to $375,000 per season of an established show[8]. While Mena’s exact salary is unknown, she likely earned upwards of $100,000 annually from her steady role.
Beyond reality TV, Mena has continued acting in minor film and television roles:
- “Almost Amazing” (Movie, 2017)
- “I Got the Hook Up 2” (Movie, 2019)
- “Swag Inc.” (TV Movie, 2019)
- “The Millennial” (Movie, 2020)
- “CSI: Cyber” (TV Series, 2015)
- “Master of None” (TV Series, 2017)
She returned to the reality franchise with “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” (2018) and “Love & Hip Hop: New York” (2019-present). Combined, her extensive TV work now makes up a majority of her annual income.
Controversies and Criticism
While Erica Mena’s savvy leveraging of opportunities has expanded her wealth, it has also led to various controversies and criticism throughout her career.
Spice Incident on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta
In 2018, Erica Mena joined the cast of “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta.” During her short time on the show, she quickly got into a major altercation with fellow cast member Spice. Their profanity-laden argument culminated in Spice throwing a drink in Mena’s face.
The fight gained widespread attention and led to Spice getting arrested. Mena departed the show shortly after. But the incident added to her reputation as a fiery personality prone to conflicts.
Anti-Black Comments Controversy
More recently, Erica Mena faced backlash over perceived anti-Black comments made on an episode of “Love & Hip Hop: New York” in 2020.
During an argument with castmate Cyn Santana, Mena appeared to use “you’re Black” in an insulting manner. Many viewers called her comments anti-Black and criticized the show for not addressing it properly. However, Mena did not apologize despite the public criticism.
Accusations of Greed
As mentioned earlier, some critics feel Erica Mena has returned to reality television more for money and fame rather than a real desire to be on the show. These pundits accuse her of being willing to manufacture drama solely to stay relevant and continue collecting big paychecks.
Many viewers called her comments anti-Black and criticized the show’s producers for not addressing the matter properly. Despite calls for an apology, Mena did not back down from her remarks. This furthered the perception of her being willing to use controversy to stay relevant.
Conclusion
In summary, Erica Mena has accumulated an estimated net worth between $1 to $5 million as of 2024. She initially gained fame as a video vixen and model in the 2000s. Mena then leveraged that notoriety to begin acting and eventually star in popular reality series like VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop” franchise.
Her extensive work in reality TV over the past decade now forms her primary source of wealth. However, she has also faced controversies and criticism for her fiery persona and alleged greed. As Mena continues starring in “Love & Hip Hop: New York,” her net worth will likely keep rising. She has expressed interest in focusing more on generational wealth and business ventures outside of reality TV in the future.
Regardless of controversies, Erica Mena’s savvy leveraging of modeling, television, and hip-hop culture has made her one of the most prominent Latina personalities in the entertainment industry today. Her ongoing career will continue defining her financial wealth and public image for years to come.
FAQs
What is Erica Mena’s net worth?
According to most reports, Erica Mena’s net worth is around $1.5 million as of 2024. Some estimates place it as high as $5 million.
What are Erica Mena’s main sources of income?
Her primary income comes from modeling, appearances in music videos, reality TV salary, book sales, and other business ventures. Her work on VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop” franchise is currently her biggest source.
What controversies has Erica Mena faced?
She has been involved in controversies like her fight with Spice on “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” and accusations of making anti-Black comments. Some critics also allege she appears on reality TV just for money.
How did Erica Mena become famous?
Erica Mena first gained fame as a model and video vixen, appearing in popular music videos for rappers like Fabolous and Chris Brown in the 2000s. This provided a springboard to reality TV and acting.
What does the future hold for Erica Mena’s career and net worth?
Mena seems focused on leveraging her fame to build generational wealth for her family. She may continue growing her reality TV brand and pursue business ventures outside of the show as well. Her net worth will likely keep rising as long as she remains TV-relevant.
