Jamaican Dancehall artiste Spice took to Instagram Live on Tuesday to clarify her stance regarding a recent controversy involving Erica Mena, her former co-star on Love & Hip Hop Atlanta, who referred to her as a “monkey”.
Rather than casting herself as a victim, Spice emphasized her own accountability in the contentious episode.
Racism or anger: A question of acceptance
Spice raised questions about the intersection of racism and anger. She questioned whether enduring racist comments is now deemed acceptable if someone is angered.
The artiste expressed that she is not portraying herself as a victim. 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.
“Now let’s talk about what unuh say trigger her. This has been said to her before… Somebody bring up, ‘Oh, go take care of your son…’ We talk about this all the time… There’s videos out there when she is talking about what happened at the reunion…,” Spice recounted.
“This is not something new. So why now I become a monkey for repeating it?” she asked.
“Y’all don’t find it weird and funny? No, okay… because some black people is trying to justify it.”
Spice further questioned: “Does that mean it’s okay to experience racism as long as you were triggered, or as long as you are angry?”
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An advocate against Colorism
The artiste is no stranger to speaking out against societal issues such as colorism.
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.
Erica Mena ousted from upcoming season
The tension between Mena and Spice reached a boiling point in a video-captured verbal dispute, resulting in Mena’s removal from the set.
Mena not only used derogatory language towards Spice, but made remarks about a near-death experience Spice had.
In response to the incident, the producers of the Love & Hip Hop announced that Mena will not be included in the upcoming season of the Atlanta spin-off.
