"Sending real love" — Erica Mena supports Nicki Minaj's Instagram post on mothers despite their turbulent history

Erica Mena showed support on one of Nicki Minaj's recent Instagram stories despite their alleged turbulent relationship involving Safaree Samuels. Nicki Minaj reportedly dated Samuels between 2000 and 2014, while Mena was married to the producer from 2019 to 2022.

On Monday, June 10, Minaj took to her Instagram story to speak about the various difficulties of motherhood.

"And then one day, they're yelling push, and you're in pain. And then one day, he comes out a beautiful baby boy. To God be the glory. Congratulations to every momma out there. You're doing a great job. In case no one's told you that, you're doing a great job," the rapper said.

Erica Mena left a comment on her story, sending "real love" to her.

"You got this. Sending real love. Mom life isn't easy," she commented.

Mena has previously said certain hostile things about Minaj, supposedly due to tensions arising from their previous relationships with Safaree Samuels. Minaj reportedly split with Samuels in 2014, while Mena divorced him in 2022. Erica shares two children with Samuels.

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Erica Mena previously said she did not know the lyrics to Nicki Minaj's songs

In a 2022 interview with Hot 97, Erica Mena mentioned that she is not a fan of Nicki Minaj's music. The reality star also mentioned that she did not know the lyrics to her songs, calling her music "cartoony."

"Honestly I grew up on Lil Kim so heavy, when that came out I was like, 'Ugh, she's biting my girl. "She [Nicki] is [great], I've just never been drawn to it. I just feel like it was always just cartoony and stuff," she said.

Mena admitted that Minaj was "great at what she does" but reiterated that she did not personally like her music and did not "know the words."

"She's great at what she does, but personally? I mean, you're in the club and you're nice already, but I don't know the words."

Back in 2018, Erica Mena once posted pictures with Cardi B, Remy Ma, Jennifer Lopez, and Lil Kim, captioning them "Inspirations." In the comment section, a fan asked if Nicki Minaj was also an inspiration for her, to which she replied, "Who?".

The comments were supposedly made due to Nicki Minaj's 14-year-long relationship with Mena's ex-husband, Safaree Samuels. As per Hot New Hip Hop, Minaj and Samuels began dating in 2000.

They had been together as a part of a rap group called Hoodstars since 2002 when they were allegedly romantically involved. The pair left the group to pursue their own careers. Minaj and Samuels reportedly broke up in 2014.

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Safaree Samuels and Erica Mena's relationship timeline explained

Safaree Samuels and Erica Mena reportedly met on the sets of VH1’s television series Scared Famous in 2017, three years after the producer's alleged break up with Minaj. Mena married Samuels in 2019, and they had two children, Safire Majesty and Legend Brian Samuels. The two officially divorced each other in 2022.

According to Hot New Hip Hop, Erica Mena accused Samuels of cheating on her with Love and Hip Hop Miami star Amara La Negra. She also claimed that her ex-husband gave more time and attention to Negra's kids than the kids she had with him.

In a clip from a 2022 reunion special episode of Love & Hip Hop, Erica Mena and Safaree Samuels appeared together to discuss their failed relationship. Mena shared details about her relationship with Samuels and the emotional turmoil she went through.

“I was really like breaking in pieces day by day. I’ve found so many lessons that I needed to learn, and I was able to tap into, like, I attracted this energy into my life. I’ve had some faults in my marriage, but at the same time I’ve also swept so much under the rug, and I think that’s why I got taken advantage of — because for the first time I thought I was safe," she told host Claudia Johnson.

TMZ reported in 2022 that Samuels is legally required to pay $4,305 for child support every month as he will share joint custody with Mena for their two children. Speaking about their relationship on the episode, Samuels said:

“Who wants to get married, have kids, and then end up here? I wouldn’t have thought that two years later this is where we would’ve been."

Erica Mena added that Samuels does not owe her anything, but he only needs to owe his kids.

“It’s obvious Safaree and me will never be. He don’t owe me nothing. All he owes now is his kids, and that’s all I care about,” she added.

As per All New Hip Hop, Erica Mena later accused Safaree Samuels of neglecting his own children and giving more attention to La Negra's kids in a 2023 post on Instagram. The post is currently unavailable.