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Monica

 
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Monica

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The young chanteuse named Monica needed no last name to distinguish her, as word of her talent emerged in the music press during the mid-1990s. Her first recording, released when she was only 14 years old, sealed her reputation as a talented singing sensation. Despite her youth and the rapid rise of her career, Monica amazed the music world with the strength of her voice. Even as a young teenager she drew praise from critics, who compared her powerful voice to R&B legends such as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Anita Baker.

With "Don't Take It Personal (Just One Of Dem Days)" in 1996, Monica became the youngest artist ever to top the Billboard R&B singles chart. Her first album, Miss Thang, appeared shortly after the hit single, and by the time she turned 16 the recording had gone double platinum. When she released her second album, The Boy Is Mine, in 1997, the title song was already a chart-topping hit. In the early 2000s, after enduring a sequence of personal problems, Monica successfully made the transition from teenage sensation to adult star.

Monica Arnold was in born in October of 1980 in College Park, Georgia. Her father, M.C. Arnold Jr., left the family when Monica was only four years old. Monica's mother, Marilyn, an airline employee, supported the family on her own until 1993, when she married the Rev. Edward Best. Monica first sang in her church choir as a very young child. Stories hold that she made her singing debut at age two when her mother, a member of the church choir, allowed the toddler to join the group.

At any rate, by the age of four, Monica was a bona fide member of the choir at Jones Chapel United Methodist Church in Newman, Georgia. Outside of church, Monica was too shy to perform in front of anyone, including her friends. Yet she was completely enamored of singing, and sang in her room, turning everyday objects into microphone props. She lived all of her young life in College Park until she was discovered as a preteen in a talent contest.

Monica was only ten years old when she first entered a talent contest, after years of singing in the choir and alone in her room. Two years later she took first prize in a contest, winning $1,000 for her rendition of the Whitney Houston hit "The Greatest Love of All." Her performance solicited a standing ovation from the crowd, including record producer Dallas Austin. An associate of superstar singers including Madonna and TLC, Austin was impressed when he heard the youngster. He signed Monica to a recording contract with Rowdy Records in 1992.

Monica's life assumed a whirlwind pace as she attended high school at Atlanta Country Day School and fulfilled her agreement under Austin's contract with Rowdy Records. Despite her extreme youth, Monica immediately began work on her Miss Thang album, which was two years in production. At 14 she completed her first chart-topping hit, "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)." She graduated from high school at age 16 with a solid 4.0 grade point average, despite the demands of her recording schedule, public appearances, and touring engagements. These included a ten-week concert tour in the spring and summer of 1996.

In October of 1997, after the demise of Rowdy Records, Monica signed with Arista Records. Her tall, striking appearance garnered her further work in modeling and acting assignments, all before she turned 17 years old. Along with her manager, rap singer Queen Latifah, Monica appeared on the Fox sitcom Living Single, as well as on the Tonight Show. She cultivated an image of tough glamor, acquiring (against medical advice) a set of diamond implants in her front teeth.

Monica's second album with Austin, 1998's The Boy Is Mine, held the number one spot on the Billboard charts for two months. The album included the hit single "The Boy Is Mine," a duet with fellow teenaged R&B star Brandy that debuted at number one and stayed there for six uninterrupted weeks. Hitmaker Rodney "Dark-child" Jerkins served as producer of the song, which was inspired by the earlier Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney collaboration "The Girl Is Mine." The two young singers performed the duet to a live audience for the first time at the 1998 MTV Awards in Los Angeles, amid rumors of an embittered rivalry between the superstars. The words of the duet, which imply that there is a love triangle going on between the two singers, were misconstrued by fans, who believed that the song told a personal story about Monica and Brandy. Although rumors persisted, both women asserted a sense of individual confidence and denied that there was anything other than mutual respect between the two.

After becoming famous, Monica continued to live with her mother and stepfather, her younger brother Montez, and her grandmother in College Park. In music, Monica found an escape from the painful circumstances surrounding her father's absence. She developed an extremely close bond with her mother, and in time developed an acute sensitivity to her mother's burden of raising five children alone. As word of Monica's fame spread, she reconciled with her father.

More personal trials were on the way, however, and they forced a temporary halt to the singer's career. First, while Monica was still basking in the glow of the Grammy Award for best R&B duo that she received (with Brandy) for "The Boy Is Mine," she received word that her 25-year-old cousin Selena Glenn had died suddenly of a brain aneurysm. Monica became romantically involved with a drug dealer, Jarvis Weems, and moved from the upscale Buckhead neighborhood in north Atlanta to the Leila Valley housing project. In 2000 Weems called Monica in a state of intense depression, and she arrived at his home just in time to see him shoot himself.

The resulting glare of publicity only made things worse. "Everywhere I went, people took my picture," Monica told Aliya S. King of Essence. "My only rest was on my knees and in my mother's arms." Then another boyfriend, rapper C-Murder (Corey Miller) was sentenced to life in prison on a murder charge. Slowly, after a period of time, Monica returned to work. She recorded an album called All Eyez on Me, whose title seemed to refer to her experiences in the media spotlight. The album was released in Japan, but the appetite for new Monica material in the United States was so strong that bootleg copies of the songs on the album began to circulate in great numbers. Monica returned to the studio to rework the music with the help of her friend Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, who served as executive producer.

When the new album appeared as After the Storm in 2003, it proved to be worth the wait. The album made its debut at number one on Billboard's chart of top-selling albums, thanks to collaborations with many of the top names of the day: singer Tyrese, rapper DMX, and rapper-composer Kanye West, among others. Things became more stable on the romantic front for Monica, as she and her boyfriend, label executive Rodney Hill, had a son, Rodney Ramone Hill III, in 2005. In 2006 Monica released her fourth album, The Makings of Me. A sample of Curtis Mayfield's hit "The Makings of You" on the song "A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me)" was one of several touches that helped the album to another top ten Billboard appearance. Ryan Dombal of Entertainment Weekly called the album "a solid addition to her quietly consistent career," and Monica seemed to have surmounted the dangers of both teenage stardom and gangster life to become a steady presence on the pop and R&B charts.

Selected discography
Miss Thang, Rowdy, 1995."Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)," 1996.(With Brandy) "The Boy Is Mine," 1997.(Contributor) Space Jam (soundtrack), 1997.The Boy Is Mine, Arista, 1998.All Eyez on Me, J, 2002 (released only in Japan).After the Storm, J, 2003.The Makings of Me, J, 2006.
Sources
Books
Newsmakers, Issue 2, Gale, 2004.

Periodicals
Ebony, September 1998.
Entertainment Weekly, October 2006, p. 41.
Essence, October 1998, November 2006, p. 67.
Jet, October 5, 1998.
Newsweek, July 27, 1998.
Rolling Stone, December 24, 1998.
People, April 22, 1996; August 3, 1998.

Online
"Bio," Monica Official Website, http://www.monica.com (November 20, 2006).
"Monica," All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com (November 20, 2006).
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AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

Monica

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Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists
  • Genres: Rhythm & Blues

Biography

Atlanta R&B vocalist Monica debuted in 1995 with the platinum Top Ten singles "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" and "Before You Walk Out of My Life." After appearing on LL Cool J's Mr. Smith later that year, she recorded another killer duet with Brandy, "The Boy Is Mine," which spent several weeks at the top of the singles charts during summer 1998. Her second album, also titled The Boy Is Mine, was released in July 1998. She scored a few more chart successes through the following spring, but a long period of silence marked time between albums. The much-delayed After the Storm finally hit stores in the spring of 2003 and reached the top of the Billboard 200, while the following Makings of Me took three years to materialize and hardly suffered for it, reaching the Top Ten. Still Standing, released in 2010, was preceded by a BET reality series of the same name, which debuted the previous October. It was her second consecutive number one R&B album, and her fourth consecutive Top Ten Billboard 200 release. She quickly followed that success in 2011 with New Life. ~ John Bush, Rovi
Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Monica (entertainer)

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Monica

Monica performing in 2007
Background information
Birth name Monica Denise Arnold
Born October 24, 1980 (1980-10-24) (age 31)[1]
Origin Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genres R&B, hip hop soul
Occupations Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress
Years active 1993–present
Labels Worldwide, RCA, J, Arista, Rowdy
Associated acts Dallas Austin, Brandy, Missy Elliott, Ludacris, Ciara, Polow Da Don, Rocko
Website www.monica.com

Monica Denise Brown (née Arnold; born October 24, 1980), professionally known as Monica, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, Monica began performing as a child and became part of a traveling gospel choir, by the time she was ten. Guided by producers Dallas Austin and Tim & Bob, she signed with Arista Records at age thirteen and released her debut album Miss Thang in 1995. Its first two singles "Don't Take It Personal" and "Before You Walk out of My Life" made her the youngest recording act to ever have two consecutive chart-topping hits on the US Billboard Top R&B Singles chart.

In 1998, Arnold's second album The Boy Is Mine earned her major international chart success. Pushed by its same-titled number-one hit, a duet with singer Brandy, it spawned two further chart-toppers, "The First Night" and "Angel of Mine", and established her position as one of the most successful of the urban R&B female vocalists to emerge in the mid to late-1990s.[2] During the production of her third album All Eyez on Me (2002), Arnold experienced personal struggles and her career went under hiatus.[3] In 2003, her fourth album After the Storm was released on J Records, and after an unsuccessful period, she scored her fifth number one single, "So Gone". Her latest album Still Standing, whose recording was tracked by a BET reality series of the same name, was released in 2010 and produced the hit singles "Everything to Me" and "Love All Over Me", the first of which became Arnold's sixth number one hit.[4]

Arnold has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, including over five million units in the United States alone.[2][5] With a career lasting over 15 years, she became the first artist to top the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s.[6] In 2010, Billboard listed Arnold at number 24 on its list of the Top 50 R&B and Hip Hop Artists of the past 25 years.[7] The same year, Arnold married NBA player Shannon Brown. Currently living in Los Angeles, California, the singer has two sons with her former partner, rapper Rocko.

Contents

Biography

Early life and Career Beginnings

Monica was born in College Park on October 24, 1980. She is the only daughter of Marilyn Best, a former church singer and Delta Air Lines customer service representative, and M.C. "Billy" Arnold Jr., a mechanic working for an Atlanta freight company.[8] She has a younger brother, Montez (born in 1983),half brother Jermond Grant on her father's side,[9] and two maternal half-brothers, Tron and Cypress.[10] Monica also is a cousin of record producer Polow da Don,[11] and relative-in-law to rapper Ludacris through her mother's second marriage to Reverend Edward Best, a Methodist minister.[12]

At the age of two, Monica followed in her mother's footsteps with regular performances at the Jones Hill Chapel United Methodist Church in Marilyn's hometown Newnan, Georgia.[12] While growing up in the modest circumstances of a single-parent home after her parents' 1984 separation and 1987 divorce, Monica continued training herself in singing and became a frequent talent-show contestant, winning over 20 local singing competitions throughout her early teenage years.[10] At 10, she became the youngest member of Charles Thompson and the Majestics,[disambiguation needed ] a traveling 12-piece gospel choir.[9]

1995–1999: Miss Thang, The Boy Is Mine and C-Murder

In 1991, at the age of eleven, Monica was discovered by music producer Dallas Austin at the Center Stage auditorium in Atlanta performing Whitney Houston 1986's "Greatest Love of All". Amazed by her voice, Dallas offered her a record deal with his Arista Records-distributed label Rowdy Records and consulted rapper Queen Latifah to work as Monica's first manager.[13] Shortly afterwards Dallas and then staff producers Tim & Bob entered the studio with Monica to start writing and producing her debut Miss Thang which was eventually released in July 1995 and scored number thirty-six on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number seven on the Top R&B Albums chart.[13] It was certified triple platinum by the RIAA for more than three million store-shipped copies[14] and produced three top ten singles, including debut single "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" and "Before You Walk out of My Life", both of which made Monica the youngest artist ever to have two consecutive chart-topping hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.[15] Miss Thang subsequently won Monica a Billboard Music Award and garnered her an American Music Award nomination in the Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist category.[16]

After a label change to Clive Davis's Arista Records, Monica mainstream success was boosted, when Diane Warren-written "For You I Will", from the Space Jam soundtrack, became her next top ten pop hit.[16] The following year she was asked to team up with singer Brandy and producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins to record "The Boy Is Mine", the first single from both of their second albums. Released in May 1998, surrounding highly publicized rumors about a real-life catfight between both singers,[17] the duet became both the biggest hit of the summer and the biggest hit of 1998 in general in America,[18] spending record-breaking thirteen weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It earned the pair a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" and garnered multi-platinum sales (to date, it remains as one of the top twenty most successful American singles in history based on Billboard chart success).[18] Jermaine Dupri, David Foster and Austin consulted on the album The Boy Is Mine, which was released later that year and eventually became Monica’s biggest-selling album, becoming certified triple platinum by the RIAA for more than three million store-shipped copies.[14] It yielded another two U.S. number-one hits with "The First Night" and "Angel of Mine", a cover of Eternal's 1997 single, as well as a remake of Richard Marx' "Right Here Waiting". Rolling Stone proclaimed it as "closer to soul's source... hearking back past hip-hop songbirds like Mary J. Blige and adult-contemporary sirens like Toni Braxton,"[19] while Allmusic called the album an "irresistible sounding [and] immaculately crafted musical backdrop [...] as good as mainstream urban R&B gets in 1998."[20]

Monica's career saw troubles in 1999, during which time she dealt with more personal tribulations including an up-and-down relationship with former fiancé Corey "C-Murder" Miller and the suicide of her boyfriend Jarvis "Knot" Weems, a local drug dealer and her childhood friend.[3] On July 18, 2000, the couple were together at the graveside of Weems's brother, who had died in an automobile accident at age 25 in 1998, when Weems, without warning, put a gun to his head and shot himself to death.[3] Devastated, Monica spent the first few months after his death in denial and depression, later lessened by spiritual guidance from her parents. "Afterward, I felt, 'What else could I have done?' You replay that situation over and over and you switch it around: Maybe if I had said this, or if I would have done that,'" she said in an interview with the Enquirer the following year. "It's just something that it's never possible for me to go back and change."[3] Arnold has also made guest appearances on several television shows such as Living Single (1996), Beverly Hills, 90210 (1997, 1999).

2000–2005: All Eyez on Me, After the Storm, Acting and Motherhood

In 2000, Monica made her film debut in the third drama from MTV Films, Love Song, as Camille Livingston, a young woman torn between the life her parents have planned for her and the world she experiences after meeting a musician from the wrong side of the tracks. The film debut the song "What My Heart Says" with promotion of her third album All Eyez on Me (2002). The film was released on April 30, 2002 and in Felicity (2001) and American Dreams (2003) playing Mary Wells, singing "My Guy".

In 2000, Monica contributed chorus vocals for "I've Got to Have It", a collaboration with Jermaine Dupri and rapper Nas. Released as the Big Momma's House theme song, the song saw minor success in the United States only. The following year, she released the Ric Wake production track "Just Another Girl", recorded for the Down to Earth soundtrack, as a single. A year later, Arnold channeled much of her heavily media-discussed experiences into the production of her third studio album, All Eyez on Me, her first release on mentor Clive Davis newly-founded J Records label. "I just wanted to give the people back something that had personal passion, instead of just, 'Oh, let's dance to this record'," she said about the issues worked into the tracks.[3] The first single "All Eyez on Me," a Rodney Jerkins-produced R&B-dance track, saw minor to moderate success on the international charts but failed to enter the higher half of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[3] A follow-up song, "Too Hood", also got a lukewarm response and as a result, the album's tentative release was pushed back several times.[3] "I don't think people wanted to hear a big fun record from me, after knowing all the things that I had personally experienced," Monica second-guessed her new material which saw both early and heavy bootlegging via internet at that time.[3]

After the Japan-wide release of All Eyez on Me Monica was asked to substantially reconstruct the record with a host of new producers, and as a result the singer re-entered recording studios to start work with songwriters Kanye West, Jazze Pha, Andre "mrDEYO" Deyo, Bam & Ryan and Dupri-replacing executive producer Missy Elliott.[21] Finally released in June 2003, After the Storm debuted at number one on Billboard`s Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, and on top of the official Billboard 200, with sales of 186,000 copies emerging as Monica's first and only number-one album to date. It eventually received a gold certification, and has sold over one million copies domestically.[17] Media reception of the CD was generally enthusiastic, with the Allmusic saying the album "has all the assuredness and smart developments that should keep Monica's younger longtime followers behind her — all the while holding the ability to appeal to a wider spectrum of R&B and hip-hop fans."[22] The album's lead single, Elliott-penned "So Gone", was one of Monica's biggest commercial successes in years, becoming her first top ten single since 1999's "Angel of Mine". In addition, it reached the top position of the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks and Hot Dance Club Play charts.[23] Subsequently, After the Storm spawned another three singles, with final single "U Should've Known Better" reaching number nineteen on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[24]

Arnold met rapper Rodney "Rocko" Hill, a former SWA officer and real estate manager, shortly after Knot's suicide in 2000, a time which the singer described as her "weakest."[25] While the couple soon got engaged in fall of the same year, they ended their relationship in 2004."[25] A few months later, Arnold and Hill revived their relationship and the singer became pregnant with their first child. On May 21, 2005, the pair welcomed their first son, Rodney Ramone Hill III, into the world.[25]

2006–2010: The Makings of Me, Still Standing, Second Child and Reality television

Returning from yet another musical hiatus, Arnold's fourth studio album The Makings of Me was released in October 2006. Titled after Curtis Mayfield's 1970 recording "The Makings of You", the album saw her particularly reuniting with producers Elliott, Dupri, and Bryan Michael Cox, all of whom had previously contributed to After the Storm (2003).[26] The Makings of Me received a positive reception from most professional music critics, with Allmusic calling it a "concise and mostly sweet set of songs,"[27] and Entertainment Weekly declaring it "a solid addition" to Monica's discography.[28] While it debuted at number one on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, and at number eight on the official Billboard 200, it received a domestic sales total of 328,000 copies, it widely failed to revive the success of its predecessors and became the singer's lowest-selling effort to date.[29] Singles such as snap-influenced "Everytime Tha Beat Drop" featuring Atlanta hip hop group Dem Franchize Boyz and Elliott-produced "A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me)" failed to reach the top forty of the regular pop charts.[30] In 2009, Arnold lent her voice to the ballad "Trust," a duet with Keyshia Cole, that peaked in the top five on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[31] The recording of Arnold's sixth studio album Still Standing was chronicled by her BET reality series of the same name. Featuring production by Stargate, Ne-Yo, and Polow da Don, it was released in March 2010 and garnered a generally response by critics, who perceived its sound as "a return to the mid-'1990s heyday" of contemporary R&B,[32] The album debuted atop on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, and number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 184,000 copies, becoming the singer's second highest-charting debut since 2003's After the Storm. The leading single "Everything to Me" scored Monica her biggest chart success since 2003's "So Gone", reaching the top position of the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks charts for seven weeks. The album was certified gold by the RIAA with domestic shipments of 500,000 copies within a single month.[33] With it success, the album and "Everything to Me" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, presented at the 53rd Grammy Awards in 2011.[34] In August 2010, Arnold joined Trey Songz on his Passion, Pain & Pleasure Tour, her first North American concert tour in ten years.[35]

They became engaged once again on Christmas Eve 2007, just a few days prior to the birth of their second child on January 8, 2008. The son was named Romelo Montez Hill, named after Monica's younger brother.[36] In March 2010, it was announced that Arnold and Hill had split in October 2009, surrounding rumors that he cheated.[37] In August 2008, the debut episode of the reality television show Monica: The Single on Peachtree TV was filmed to promote the release of the album, "Still Standing".[38][39] The show was a single episode, tracked by the single recording for her sixth studio album. While "Still Standing, which featured cousin Ludacris, was originally intended to be released as the album's lead single, the label and the singer were not in agreement with the album's title track becoming the first single no track has been for more than a year.[40][41] With the success of the one-hour reality special, Monica joined the production of the BET network for her own series Monica: Still Standing, producing a spin-off to the Peachtree TV Monica: The Single, containing the same concept. It focused on searching for a hit single for her fifth studio album release and balancing her personal life of being a full-time mother and troubled past. The premiere and encore episode garnered 3.2 million total viewers, while the show itself was made the second highest series debut in BET history behind the debut of Tiny & Toya.[42] The show was given a "B" rating by Entertainment Weekly.[43] She is also a mentor on The Voice with Coach Cee-Lo.

In her big-screen movie career, in 2006, she made a cameo appearance in the American comedy-drama film ATL, playing the Waffle House waitress. In 2009, Monica joined with completion of Rockmond Dunbar-produced upcoming film 2011 Pastor Brown. Some photos have been released in 2009, with Monica playing the role of Lisa Cross.

2011–present: marriage and New Life

Since 2010, Arnold has been in a relationship with NBA player Shannon Brown. The pair met in June 2010 when Brown was consulted to star as her love interest in the music video for the single "Love All Over Me."[44] In October 2010, Arnold confirmed her engagement to Brown via Twitter, posting a photo of her massive, rose-cut diamond ring.[45] On November 22, 2010, Arnold and Brown were married in a secret ceremony at their Los Angeles home. The marriage did however not become a matter of public record until January 21, 2011, when Brown told the Hip-Hop Non-Stop TV-Show.[46] On July 9, 2011 the couple then held a second wedding in front of close family.[47]

The singer is working on her seventh studio album New Life.[48][49] According to reports, the project will be executive produced by Polow Da Don.[50] Other producers include Oak,[51] and Missy Elliott.[52] The album's first promotinal single, "Anything (To Find You)", was officially released in August 2011, it features rapper Rick Ross. Since its release, the song has reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[53] The second promotional single from New Life is "Until It's Gone" which was released in September 2011. On October 7, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding J Records along with Arista Records and Jive Records. With the shutdown, Monica (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release her future material (including New Life) on the RCA Records brand.[54][55] New Life was supposed to be released in late 2011, however, it has been pushed back to April 3, 2012, due to Monica and RCA 'reconstructing the entire plan for the album'.[56] "It All Belongs to Me" featuring Brandy Norwood will serve as the album's lead single, tt will be released on February 6, 2012.[57] The single will also serve as the first duet by Monica and Brandy in 14 years since The Boy Is Mine (1998).

Artistry

Vocals

Monica's voice type is Mezzo-Soprano with a vocal range of 3 octaves.[58]

Discography

Main article: Monica discography

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of Monica awards and nominations

References

  1. ^ Bush, John. "Monica: Biography". Allmusic. MSN. http://music.msn.com/music/artist-biography/monica.2/. Retrieved 2008-07-18. 
  2. ^ a b Trust, Gary (2010-01-28). "Ask Billboard: How Popular Is Country Music?". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/column/chartbeat/ask-billboard-how-popular-is-country-music-1004018336.story#/column/chartbeat/ask-billboard-how-popular-is-country-music-1004018336.story. Retrieved 2009-10-02. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Mumbi Moody, Nekesa (2003-06-27). "Monica Triumphs Over Tragedy After the Storm". Enquirer. http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/06/27/tem_0627monica.html. Retrieved 2007-06-01. 
  4. ^ "Monica @ Billboard". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/charts/r-b-hip-hop-songs#/artist/monica/88033. Retrieved 2010-02-06. 
  5. ^ "Monica: Still Standing Cast - Melinda Dancil". BET.com. 2009-10-15. http://www.bet.com/NR/exeres/174829AC-CD08-4D22-B620-A75F804501B8.htm?. Retrieved 2010-11-25. 
  6. ^ Trust, Gary (2010-02-19). "Ask Billboard: Olympics, Monica, Smokey Robinson". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/column/chartbeat/ask-billboard-olympics-monica-smokey-robinson-1004069353.story#/column/chartbeat/ask-billboard-olympics-monica-smokey-robinson-1004069353.story?page=2. Retrieved 2010-01-28. 
  7. ^ "The Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years". Billboard. 2010-11-18. http://www.billboard.com/column-the-juice/the-top-50-r-b-hip-hop-artists-of-the-past-1004127916.story. Retrieved 2010-01-28. 
  8. ^ Seymour, Craig (2002-10-01). "Monica – Pain Is Love". Vibe. Google Books. http://books.google.de/books?id=tyUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA132&lpg=PA132&dq=monica+%22PAIN+IS+LOVE%22+vibe.com&source=bl&ots=lZOVDaVWdH&sig=9QNsXAV1rkfQWkDRbWLnvmE81Iw&hl=de&ei=kqQcTNuIE6WjOPDH7ZUM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
  9. ^ a b Dougherty, Steve (2003-07-14). "Life After Death". People. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20140535,00.html. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
  10. ^ a b Starling, Kelly (2000-08-01). "Monica On Growing Up & The Pregnancy Rumors". Ebony. FindArticles.com. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_10_55/ai_63735674/. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
  11. ^ "Polow Da Don’s Surprise Gift for Monica". Rap-Up. 2010-04-09. http://www.rap-up.com/2010/04/09/polow-da-dons-surprise-gift-for-monica/. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
  12. ^ a b "Exclusive Interview With Monica". ConcreteLoop.com. 2006-09-05. http://concreteloop.com/interviews-monica. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
  13. ^ a b Ewey, Melissa (1998-09-01). "Monica: Miss Thang Grows Up". Ebony. FindArticles.com. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n11_v53/ai_21080618/. Retrieved 2010-10-22. 
  14. ^ a b Basham, David (2002-03-14). "Got Charts? The Long Road To #1 — And Those Who Rocked It". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1452903/20020314/brandy.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-03-24. 
  15. ^ Bland, Bridget (2009-10-25). "Monica: Still Standing With New BET Reality Show And Forthcoming Music". Entertainment Newsire. http://www.bvnewswire.com/2009/10/27/monica-still-standing-new-bet-reality-show-and-music/. Retrieved 2010-04-03. 
  16. ^ a b "Monica Proves She Has Staying Power With Hit Album, `The Boy Is Mine'". Jet. FindArticles.com. 1999-17-19. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_7_96/ai_55333717/. Retrieved 2010-10-22. 
  17. ^ a b Nero, Mark Edward. "Artist Bio: R&B Singer Monica". About.com Guide. http://randb.about.com/od/gthroughm/p/MonicaProfile.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-02. 
  18. ^ a b "RIAA - Gold & Platinum - Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.org/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Monica&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2011&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2011-01-28. 
  19. ^ "The Boy Is Mine album review". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/monica/albums/album/103222/review/5940769/the_boy_is_mine. Retrieved 2007-06-02. 
  20. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: The Boy Is Mine - Monica". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r366065. Retrieved 2007-06-02. 
  21. ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (2003-03-31). "Missy, DMX, Tyrese To Give Monica's New LP Extra Oomph". MTV News. VH1.com. http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1470858/20030331/monica.jhtml. Retrieved 2011-01-28. 
  22. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Review: After the Storm - Monica". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r643951. Retrieved 2007-05-31. 
  23. ^ "Chart Beat Bonus: Gone Good to Go". Billboard. 2003-06-20. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1919413. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 
  24. ^ "U Should've Known Better". A-Charts. http://acharts.us/song/491. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
  25. ^ a b c Checkoway, Laura (2006-10-01). Through The Fire. Google Books. http://books.google.de/books?id=8iYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=MONICA+%22edward+best%22&source=bl&ots=ajIB_C1OZt&sig=MrzQP7x66d1M1qWIGabywQTQkcM&hl=de&ei=H7McTMyfCpOPOJvZ7MAM&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCoQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=MONICA%20%22edward%20best%22&f=false. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
  26. ^ Rodriguez, Jayson (2006-09-08). "Monica Overcomes Pregnancy Rumors, Ex-Boyfriend's Suicide To Form Makings of Me". MTV News. VH1.com. http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1540372/20060907/monica.jhtml. Retrieved 2007-05-28. 
  27. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Rewview: The Makings of Me - Monica". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r854529. Retrieved 2007-05-28. 
  28. ^ Dombal, Ryan (2008-09-29). "The Makings of Me review". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1540569,00.html. Retrieved 2007-05-28. 
  29. ^ Trust, Gary (2010-08-10). "Ask Billboard: As Years Go By". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/#/column-chartbeat/ask-billboard-as-years-go-by-1004108098.story. Retrieved 2010-09-22. 
  30. ^ St. Fleur, Patrick (2010-03-16). "Monica Interview: Still Living, Still Strong, Still Standing". WordofSouth.com. http://www.wordofsouth.com/2010/03/16/monica-interview-still-living-still-strong-still-standing/. Retrieved 2010-04-03. 
  31. ^ "Artist Chart History - Keyshia Cole". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=603892&model.vnuAlbumId=1201227. Retrieved 2009-05-08. 
  32. ^ Wood, Mikael (2010-03-17). "Still Standing review". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20352054,00.html. Retrieved 2011-01-28. 
  33. ^ "Monica’s Still Standing Certified Gold". ThatGrapeJuice. 2010-04-22. http://thatgrapejuice.net/2010/04/monicas-still-standing-certified-gold/. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
  34. ^ "Exclusive Q&A: Monica Reacts to Grammy Nominations". Rap-Up.com. 2010-12-01. http://www.rap-up.com/2010/12/02/exclusive-qa-monica-reacts-to-grammy-nominations/. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
  35. ^ Thomas, Rebecca (2010-09-17). "Trey Songz Makes Audience Swoon On NYC Tour Stop". MTV News. MTV.com. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1648055/20100917/trey_songz.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-09-22. 
  36. ^ "Monica Welcomes Second Son". EURweb.com. 2008-01-09. http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/01/monica-welcomes.html. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
  37. ^ Hope, Clover. "Monica Addresses Rocko Breakup, Cheating Rumors: ‘I Never Felt So Confused’". Vibe. http://www.vibe.com/posts/monica-addresses-rocko-breakup-cheating-rumors-%E2%80%98i-never-felt-so-confused%E2%80%99. Retrieved 2010-06-19. 
  38. ^ Crosley, Hillary (2008-12-15). "Monica Gets Busy On Sixth Album". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/monica-gets-busy-on-sixth-album-1003922819.story. Retrieved 2008-12-17. 
  39. ^ "Monica Shouts Out Fans & AT&T Appearance". MySpace. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=56037611. Retrieved 2009-04-19. 
  40. ^ "MonicaMusic: To My Fans". SayNow.com. http://www.saynow.com/monicamusic. Retrieved 2008-08-04. 
  41. ^ Rose, Sandra (2007-11-23). "JD Signs Monica's Fiancé Rocko To Island Urban". SandraRose.com. http://sandrarosenews.blogspot.com/2007/11/jd-signs-monicas-fianc-rocko-to-island.html. Retrieved 2011-01-28. 
  42. ^ Seidman, Robert (2009-10-28). "2009 BET Hip Hop Awards And The Series Premiere Of Monica: Still Standing Bring In Big Numbers". TVByTheNumbers.com. http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/10/28/2009-bet-hip-hop-awards-and-the-series-premier-of-monica-still-standing-bring-in-big-numbers/31891. Retrieved 2010-11-25. 
  43. ^ "Tonight's Best On TV". Entertainment Weekly. EW.com. 2010-11-21. http://www.ew.com/ew/tv/tonights_best_tv/0,,2,00.html. Retrieved 2010-11-25. 
  44. ^ "Video: Monica – Love All Over Me". Rap-Up. http://www.rap-up.com/2010/07/15/video-monica-love-all-over-me/#more-51996. Retrieved 2010-07-15. 
  45. ^ Hensel, Amanda. "Monica Engaged to Shannon Brown". AOL Music. http://music.aol.com/blog/2010/10/18/monica-engaged-shannon-brown/. Retrieved 2010-10-18. 
  46. ^ "LA Lakers Shannon Brown Secretly Weds R&B Singer Monica". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/music/la_lakers_shannon_brown_secretly_hskFsfYR1wniyms9GxlH9H. Retrieved 2011-01-21. 
  47. ^ Eggenberger, Nicole. "Monica Shares Shannon Brown Engagement News?". OK!. http://www.okmagazine.com/2010/10/monica-shares-shannon-brown-engagement-news/. Retrieved 2011-01-21. 
  48. ^ "Rap-Up TV Interviews Monica: Part I". Rap-Up.com. 2010-09-20. http://www.rap-up.com/2010/09/20/rap-up-tv-interviews-monica-part-1/. Retrieved 2010-09-22. 
  49. ^ Scarpa, Gina (2010-12-15). "The Voice: Exclusive Interview With Monica". RealityWanted.com. http://www.realitywanted.com/newsitem/4320-the-voice-exclusive-interview-with-monica. Retrieved 2011-05-31. 
  50. ^ "Monica Readies Single, Album for New Year". Rap-Up.com. 2010-12-17. http://www.rap-up.com/2010/12/17/monica-readies-single-album-for-new-year/#more-68529. Retrieved 2010-12-18. 
  51. ^ "In the studio working on an incredible song with Oak...". Twitter. 2011-01-22. http://twitter.com/MonicaMyLife/status/28642893476401152. Retrieved 2011-01-22. 
  52. ^ "Yes to both... I'm soooooo excited @MissyElliott is truly...". Twitter. 2011-01-22. http://twitter.com/MonicaMyLife/status/28285276036005888. Retrieved 2011-01-22. 
  53. ^ "New Music: Monica f/ Lil’ Kim & Rick Ross – ‘Anything (To Find You)’". Rap Up. RapUp.com. 2011-07-07. http://www.rap-up.com/2011/07/07/new-music-monica-f-lil-kim-rick-ross-anything-to-find-you/#more-90370. Retrieved 2011-07-08. 
  54. ^ "RCA's New Executive Team Named Under CEO Peter Edge Amid Layoffs (Update)". Billboard.biz. 2011-08-23. http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/rca-s-new-executive-team-named-under-ceo-1005324782.story. Retrieved 2012-02-05. 
  55. ^ "Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=2268707. Retrieved 2012-02-05. 
  56. ^ Monica Pushes Back ‘New Life’
  57. ^ "Brandy and Monica Duet ‘It All Belongs to Me’ Due Next Month". Rap-Up.com. 2012-01-17. http://www.rap-up.com/2012/01/17/brandy-and-monica-duet-it-all-belongs-to-me-due-next-month/#more-110425. Retrieved 2012-02-05. 
  58. ^ "Vocal Range of some of today's artists". Prince.org. http://prince.org/msg/8/264879. Retrieved 2012-02-05. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Monica (entertainer)
Monica
Studio albums
Extended plays
Compilation albums
  • Super Hits
Filmography
Related articles
Monica singles
Miss Thang
The Boy Is Mine
"The Boy Is Mine" (1998) · "The First Night" (1998) · "Angel of Mine" (1999) · "Inside" (1999) · "Street Symphony" (1999) · "Right Here Waiting" (2000)
All Eyez on Me
"All Eyez on Me" (2002) · "Too Hood" (2002)
After the Storm
"So Gone" (2003) · "Knock Knock" (2003) · "Get It Off" (2003) · "U Should've Known Better" (2004)
The Makings of Me
Still Standing
"Everything to Me" (2010) · "Love All Over Me" (2010) · "Here I Am" (2010)
New Life
Soundtrack
"Freedom" (1995) · "Ain't Nobody" (1996) · "For You I Will" (1997) · "I've Got to Have It" (2000) · "Just Another Girl" (2001)
Featured artist
"Wake Up Everybody" (2004) · "I Aint Trying to Hear It" (2007) · "Trust" (2009) · "Always" (2010)
Other songs



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