If you want solid proof that your background cannot hold you back from a really great future, all you have to do is look at actress, author, model, and artist, Erica Mena. Despite the crazy and very poor upbringing and family background she had, Erica kept her head up and strived to pursue her flair for the performing arts which has over time paved her way to stardom. Here are some interesting things you would love to know about Erica Mena.
Biography (Age, Ethnicity)
Born November 8, 1987, in Bronx, New York, to an abusive father and a mother who loved all things drugs more than her children, Erica Mena was practically raised by her elder sister. Her mother was eventually arrested and taken away. Though she was born in the Bronx, Erica is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent.
With no particular information on her educational background, owing to the fact that she couldn’t complete her schooling, the beautiful and talented Erica has had her eye on the camera from when she was a quite young age. The kind of upbringing she received toughened her up and gave her the determination to want to make for herself, a better life than the one she grew up in.
At age 14, she boldly ventured into modeling, featuring in MTV’s Jennifer Lopez Look-alike contest which she used as a stepping stone to announce herself to an eagerly awaiting audience. She emerged the winner and rode on that fame to create a name for herself, gaining recognition in the industry. As a model, she has appeared in music videos for famous artists like Chris Brown, Fat Joe, Akon, Lil Wayne, and a couple of others.
Erica Mena has posed for a number of magazines, featuring on their cover pages including MAXIM, King Magazine, The Source, SHOW Magazine, XXL magazine, and more. Besides her initial TV debut as Jennifer Lopez look-alike, she has made a major appearance in Love and Hip Hop, Erica has also featured in Kourtney and Kim Take over Miami where she worked as a sales attendant but was sacked due to her attitude towards the customers and her boss.
In her quest to further expand her world and earn some accolades, Erica has taken to writing and has come up with 3 books; Underneath It All (where she talked about herself, family, and all), Chronicles of a Confirmed Bachelorette (where she talked about her love life), and Feather Bone.
Net Worth
So far, Erica has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry not just as a model or reality TV star but also as a published author of Underneath It All. She is also well known for her dress sense which has over time been captivating, leading to her owning her own fashion line. In all, Erica Mena’s net worth is $350,000.
Erica Mena’s Relationship With Bow Wow
Shad Gregory Moss popularly known by his stage name Bow Wow had what many perceived as the perfect love affair. At first, we did not think it was serious but it turned out we were all wrong when he popped the big question to the surprise of many.
The lovebirds met on Bow Wow’s hit music show 106 & Park where Erica was a guest. Soon after the program, the two officially began dating. Interestingly, it wasn’t up to six months later when the couple was seen walking the red carpet together at BET Hip-hop Awards 2014. When she was asked if Bow Wow was indeed her boyfriend, she responded in the affirmative and made it more interesting by saying he is her fiancé.
In 2015, rumors went around that the seemingly beautiful couple was no longer together, making it look like the love spell didn’t last forever. When called to clear the air, Erica Mena tagged Bow Wow “an abuser”.
Baby Father and Son
Erica’s love life has not been all straightforward as she has been linked to “boyfriends” like Rich Dollaz and Raul Conde, but her relationship with the latter was serious enough to see them get married. At the age of 19, the TV star had her first child, a son she named King Conde, however, the marriage was short-lived as they are both divorced now and Erica is raising up her son as a single mother.
The American vixen is said to have featured her son in the new season of Love and Hip-Hop in a bid to show that her first duty is as a mother and she has done well by bringing up a polite and well-mannered son. The boy’s father, Raul Conde is an American rapper and a member of the rap group Terror Squad.
