‘Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’ Adds New Cast Member

Saucy Santana is joining the reality world. The Wrap exclusively reports that the makeup artist turned rapper will be part of MTV show’s newest season, which premieres in January 2024. The season premieres Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, He makes his debut alongside alum ZellSwag, who is in embracing his sexuality in his new relationship publicaly for the first time.

Saucy Santana and ZellSwag will be featured alongside returning cast members Amy Luciani, Bambi, Erica Banks, Erica Dixon, Jessica White, Karlie Redd, Kendra Robinson, Khaotic, Kirk Frost, Mazi G, Mendeecees, Momma Dee, Rasheeda, Renni Rucci, Scrappy, Shekinah Jo, Sierra Gates, Spice, Yandy and Yung Joc. 

Santana is an openly gay rapper, something the industry is still growing accustomed to. In 2019, he released a song with Madonna titled “Material Gworllllllll!” Prior to rap, his claim to fame was as a makeup artist to the stars, namely City Girls. He’s appeared on Love & Hip Hop: Miami in several scenes.

Per an official logline: “As the crew moves toward a new renaissance, intent on restoration and renewal, some members realize that the road to healing and finding joy, brings up a host of unresolved trauma including addiction, grief, infertility, abuse, and assault, which causes them to shed their tough exteriors and make way for vulnerability.” The new season comes after longtime cast member Erica Mena’s acrimonious exit. She was fired from the show amid online backlash following her controversial moment of calling her Black co-star, a “blue monkey,” which is a racial slur.

Mena promises her insult had no racial intent behind it. She says she was responding to her co-star, Spice, “taunting” her from afar and behaving similarly to an animal. Spice donned a blue wig in the infamous scene. 

Mena has since apologized to the Black community, but not Spice specifically, noting Spice continued with her alleged taunts. In her interview with Carlos King, Mena stated: “I would have [apologized] if she was genuinely broken from that comment, but let’s go back to the day it happened. She went on live and ranted for three hours on live saying I have all types of STDs, even mentioned Safaree a few times.”