That Grape Juice Interviews Monica

Published: Wednesday 24th Feb 2010 by Sam

Pinned: Normal Posts Resume Below!

That Grape Juice caught up with Grammy award winning R&B star Monica this week. In our candid interview with the mother-of-two, she spoke on everything from finding her place in the industry again, to whether her hit BET reality show will be returning, exclusive details on her new album ‘Still Standing’, marriage, kids, Rihanna, and much more.

As ever, we ask the questions you really want answers to. A great read, I must say….Enjoy!

{Transcription by Bisi Kadejoh}

Monica Shouts Out That Grape Juice

Sam: Hi Monica, how are you?

Monica: I’m good, how you doing?

Sam: I’m doing fine thank you!

You’re on the brink of releasing your sixth studio album ‘Still Standing’. Tell us a little about why you chose that title?

Monica: I wanted the album’s title to be one that will make people feel as if they can be as victorious as possible. You’ll experience lots of different hardships in life and I feel if you believe, you will basically come through, knowing that each experience was for your own life lesson. ‘Still Standing’ was just my own way of saying ‘I’ve been through a lot, but I’m here, even though my back is against the wall, I will still stand tall.’

Sam: Great message.

The recording process of the album was viewed by millions on your hit BET reality show also titled ‘Still Standing’. What influenced your decision to go the reality route?

Monica: Originally, I was not going to even do the show. I thought that it would mean people would automatically would want to see different dramatics and back and forth. But I was very fortunate to find a team of people who understood what type of show I’d want to do. Ten years ago my life would have been hectic and a lot of drama on television. But that’s not my life anymore and I wanted to be something positive TV. I do understand that for some people that would equate to being boring and that’s ok because once they experience enough negativity in life they would be looking for something positive instead of something negative to watch (laughs). So I’m ok with that.

Sam: We saw a lot of the grafting and back and forth with the label regarding the project. What didn’t we see so much of?

Monica: The making of the album was very different. I started working on the record in 2007, I told the label I would be going into the studio and what I would be doing. And then I became pregnant with my second son, and I’ve just always prioritised my family and my children. I think they’re the ones that keep me grounded that give me that unconditional love which motivates me to do what it is that I love which is to perform, so I stepped away in mid process of recording and then came back when he was 3 months old. So it may have taken a bit longer, but I think that having something that beautiful happen in my life at that time, gave me a very organic place to sing from and a lot more love to give on that album because of that.

Sam: Granted the show’s success, will there be a season 2?

Monica: Yes, actually they called and asked me about a season 2 and I’m actually a 100% ok with that. I think this time it would be different, because what we’ll do is take the show on the road. I just want to continue to do me. And now since it’s time to promote the album and go out on tour, we’ll take the family and the kids. Everything you saw first season… we’ll just take it on the road.  I also want to use this time we have on the bus to reach out to a lot of girls in different places, who are lot similar to where I come from and just give them a direct personal reminder that they can be anything they want to be. I’m living proof of that.

Sam: Fans have gotten a flavour of what to expect from the album via the show, but is there anything else you can share in terms of what we can expect from the record, for example producers, features, etc

Monica: Sure. One of the songs that I just recently recorded, which I really love, was done by Jim Jonsin and it’s titled ‘Mirror.’ It basically says that ‘when I look in the mirror I don’t have to feel ashamed’. It’s saying that I’m happy with who I am and who I have become, and because of that I’m able to do whatever it is that I want to do in life without hesitation. I think that’s something that you should feel on a consistent basis because people are so judgemental and unfair now that it prevents some people from taking chances and doing things that they may enjoy. So ‘Mirror’ is one my favourites, of course Missy (Elliott) wasn’t on the show, but she produced a big majority of songs, she was back and forth from New Jersey and I was in Atlanta recording, so we would I kind of interchanging back and forth. Ne-Yo… he also wasn’t on the show, but he did some incredibly records for the album. I didn’t do any collaborations other than ‘Still Standing’ with Luda(cris) I’m thinking about some things for some remixes, but I just wanted to get back to what it is that I love, just singing records from my heart.

Sam: It’s been a tough few years for you commercially; how does this album differ to your last? What are your expectations for this record commercially?

Monica: I learned a lot from the last album. The first single (‘Everytime The Beat Drops’) was not a good representation of what the album was. People automatically assumed that I didn’t have an R&B album because they didn’t feel the first single was R&B – which wasn’t true. But what I realised was that in this economic situation, when people hear the music they judge it instantaneously. You don’t get a first, second third… trail like you did in the 90’s. People were a lot more patient. They took their time, they listened to a couple of singles first, before they place judgement on it. Now that I understand that, I’m not bitter in any way. I’m still grateful for the million people that bought the last album. For this album I would like it to be more of a worldwide record, like my first two. And for people to be able to have different things they love, but I knew that would mean for me to put my best foot forward in the very beginning with the release of the first single, which is why we put out the song ‘Everything To Me’. A song that was very heartfelt and based solely around R&B.

Sam: I’d like to take the opportunity to congratulate you on the success of your new single ’Everything To Me’, which is blowing up on radio at the moment!

Monica: Thank You!

Sam: Considering the industry’s current bias toward more Pop/Dance orientated songs, has the song’s success taken you by surprise?

Monica: I have to be honest with you and tell you that, the song ‘Success’ didn’t take me as much by surprise as peoples response to a 40 second clip of the song on the television show. The way I was able to fight for this record was actually through my Twitter page (http://twitter.com/monicamylife) and that is just unbelievable to me. On the Tuesday night, when the eighth episode aired, I played the song for some other producers and I got hundreds of messages about ‘I want to hear the rest of that song,’ ‘that song feels right,’ ‘that song is about love,’ ‘that song is real R&B’. It just really was a great reality check for me; to follow your heart to, follow what it is that you’re placed here to do. I’m an R&B singer first and foremost, so I’m more surprised about the way people just stepped up and said ‘look this is what we want.’

Sam: A lot of your fans are quite keen to find out if the song will have a Pop radio debut any time soon.

Monica: Absolutely. Actually, Clive Davis and Barry Weiss will have it no other way. We’re just basically working from where my roots began and I’m humble enough to say that I’m ok with starting new, and that’s what happening. There’s a whole generation of kids that do not know me from the 15 years before; they don’t know ‘Just One of Them Days’ ‘Angel of Mine’ ‘Before You Walk’… those songs are foreign to them, so I’m ok with us just working from the ground up.

Sam: Can you share anything about future singles (fans are loving ‘Love Over Me’, while my favourite has to be ‘One In A Lifetime’!)

Monica: Awww…thanks Sam. We don’t know yet, I think that on March 23rd the real stories will be told, because the great things is that people are speaking up (laughs) so I’m happy with letting people choose all over again.

Sam: There have been murmurings about a bonus disc of some sorts. A lot of folks are wondering if Infinity will feature on a bonus disc of some sort?

Monica: We basically found different companies and different places that we’re partnering with, who will each have exclusive bonus tracks. It hasn’t all been finalised, but it will definitely take place.

Sam: Awesome. you rose to prominence in the 90s – an entirely different era musically to now. What’s your take on today’s state of R&B ? Artist such as the Brandy’s are finding it a little hard to garner the same success….

Monica: Times have changed and it nothing to be upset about. You find your way and it happens when it’s supposed to. That’s the way I look at life and that’s the reason I’m not as stressed as some people may be. You live and you learn from your experiences like I just told you about the last album. I think that has to happen with every artist, and if you look at any long career there are those moments like that and it’s not a deterrent for me as an artist to keep striving. And I would hope that it’s the same way with anybody else; because if you look at any long career, there are moments like that, but you regroup and you learn to stay true to who you are.

Sam: So true. What about on the current crop of stars, for instance Rihanna. What’s your take on them?

Monica: I actually still love those types of artist because I think they still bring something very special to the game. We’re all different by design, their success does not stop or hinder the success of other types of music. It just doesn’t ….in my opinion. I think that sometimes people are just focused on one type of music. But it evolves…. it constantly does. If you think about it, you look at it like fashion; now we’re back to wearing high-waist jeans and all the things I see pictures of my mom in the 80’s. It’s the same way with music. Hip-Hop has its time, then it moves back around to R&B… it moves around to lots of different types of music and I’m ok with that. I feel that everything that’s for me is pretty much already decided by higher power. My beliefs are what keep me sane and don’t allow me to get to caught up by what’s going on in the music industry (laughs).

Sam: What would you say are the advantages and disadvantages of you starting out in the industry so young?

Monica: For me there were no disadvantages, I feel that it help me to become the women that I am. I missed some of the things that would be important, I went to a ‘Sprite Step Off’ the other day and I was looking around, looking at the commendatory with some of the college students, some of them had come from high-school together. Whereas (at their age) I was actually already working, and I had a pretty much live-in teacher that was there, and we had to work a certain amount of hours a day by law. So there wasn’t the experience of proms, dances and step offs and all of the other things that some may have enjoyed.

However, I also experienced so much a lot earlier on, that at 29 years old it’s very easy to me to be an entrepreneur…. I mean I was much more responsible than most at 14/15 (years olds). I think that I was most lucky because I had a family that’s not a ‘stage family’. When I say they’re not a ‘stage family’, my mom doesn’t care about the music industry, she never wanted to be a singer or actress, so this something I just genuinely wanted to do and I was always able to go back home and be as normal as possible. But I did miss those key things, I can feel that absence of some of the things I see my little cousins experience when they go to prom, I don’t even know what that’s like. I have to kind of experience it through them. But I also look at being 17 and winning an Grammy, when I can remember being 13 and telling this girl I thought was a friend of mine that ‘I’m going to make it one day’ and her saying ‘girls from where we’re from don’t make it’. For everything that I missed, there was something that I gained

Sam: Your known for keeping it extra ‘real’…

Monica: Oh yeah (laughs!!)….

Sam: Who would you say have been the nicest and rudest celebrities you’ve met to date?

Monica: I was really surprised, Rihanna and I use the same makeup artist sometimes, and I called her phone the other day and I was talking to Myla and she said ‘Oh my God we’re listening to you’ and I said who, and I heard somebody with an accent say [does an accent] ‘who are you talking to, that can’t be Monica…. I love her, oh my God’ and we talked and it was heart-warming for one to see someone that’s a of a superstar status enjoy my music and is not afraid to say ‘look, I love your work, I love what you do, I love your voice’. I think it’s important for all of us to stay humble enough to pay respect to those who came before us in any way and that was very heart warming for me.

Because people know that I’m so straight-forward, I don’t have to deal with a lot of shenanigans that people usually speak. But when I was a very young girl I met CeCe Penniston; she was so huge at the time and she was terribly rude to me. But here’s the twist to that. I told that story somewhere, you know me I always speak how I feel, and she sent me back one of the kindest messages, telling me what she was going through at that time…. so you just never know.

Sam: Wow. Interesting. If you rid yourself of one emotion what would it be?

Monica: Anger, anger can make you make some very bad decisions!

Sam: Anyone whose followed you will know that your kids, Lil’ Rock and Romello.

Monica: Yes (laughs). I love your accent (laughs)

Sam: (laughs) Do you want to have more kids?

Monica: Absolutely!

Sam: One thing I noticed upon watching the show was that we didn’t see much of your fiancé Rocko. Was this a conscious decision?

Monica: You know what; he was touring a lot during the show’s filming and keeping on his grind and I really respect him for that.

Sam: So when am I gonna have to buy my suit (laughs)…When’s the big day?

Monica: (Laughs) You can ask him when you interview him, I’ll hook it up and I’ll be down. Luda(cris) always tells me I’m like one of the guys. I don’t think there should be any pressure applied in that area we have a committed loving relationship and we don’t cross the boundaries. We very much like a marriage. But the rest I’ll let him make the decisions on.

Sam: You’ve probably been asked the Brandy question into the ground!

Monica: (Laughs!!!)

Sam: So instead of asking that; if you could do a similar themed song (to ‘The Boy Is Mine’) with an artist you’ve never worked with, who would it be and why?

Monica: That’s a hard one, I want to be honest with you really quickly. I wouldn’t try to duplicate that record nor would I try to duplicate that moment, I heard Jay-Z say something the other day, that something’s are better left untouched and they remain great that way. And that is how I feel with that record. I love the fact that she could me for that record, her and Rodney Jerkins put it together and I’m very fortunate to have been a part of it and with us being grown women now, and talking and looking back….. that’s just a moment I wouldn’t touch because I wouldn’t want to change it.

Sam: Are we going to see you here in the UK any time soon? General touring plans?

Monica: I really believe in the summer time (is when I‘ll be heading to the UK). March would see definitely be between New York, LA, so as to knock out television shows on both coasts, the US BET tour and then I would think I come abroad thereafter.

Sam: That sounds great!

Ok rounding up now; as we do with all our interviews, we’re gonna play a quick game. I’ll give you two names and you tell me which you prefer. Ok?

Monica: Sure.

Sam: Whitney or Mariah?

Monica: Whitney

Sam: Alicia or Beyonce?

Monica: Beyonce

Sam: Usher or Chris Brown?

Monica: Hmmm…. I think Usher has already paved his way, so I will route for the underdog Chris Brown – he is the ultimate talent.

Sam: Before I go, I know a lot of your fans would love to hear an acapella of your new single ‘Everything To Me’…
Monica: Sure…..

Sam: Thanks so much for your time.

Monica: Thank you Sam. Make sure you come out to see me when I come to the UK.

Sam: For sure!

————————————

Monica’s new album ‘Still Standing’ hits stores on March 23rd. The single ‘Everything To Me’ is available for purchase on iTunes right now!

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Your thoughts on our Monica interview?

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  1. Aunt Jackie February 24, 2010

    That was a great interview. She is so positive, and a nice person!

  2. MushyLove_1992(C.Breezy Fan 4ever) February 24, 2010

    I love Monica! Such an amazing spirit…

  3. IRONY February 24, 2010

    DAMN, WHY DONT U EVER DO FULL AUDIO INTERVIEWS OR SKYPE VIDEOS. THIS WRITTEN STUFF IS KINDA ANNOYING. DOESNT GIVE THE REAL PERSPECTIVE WHEN YOU HEAR THE VOICES OR SEE THE VISUALS. GET WITH THE TIMES.. JUST SAYIN.

  4. nerd February 24, 2010

    thank this is a really great interview

  5. bobs February 24, 2010

    Guess there isn’t going to be a post on Whitney’s horror-show performance in Brisbane Australia….

  6. VLB February 24, 2010

    I Love Monica
    I Really Hope This Album Does Well For Her
    So Good 2 Hear Someone That Can Actuly Sing
    Hope She comes 2 the UK

  7. cheryl February 24, 2010

    awww monica is the sweetest…love her persona…thank you sam…cant wait on this album 3/23/2010 im going to target before work so i can listen at my computer….no siree am i waiting all day to hear Still Standing!

  8. monique February 24, 2010

    thats was a beautiful and humble intvw tgj..also iddnt know tht u was in the UK.wow thats cool !!!!

  9. Oggie February 24, 2010

    Well done to you Sam that interview was Excellent, you really got a great essance of who Monica is and she is actually a very humble, spiritual person who is grown, respectful of others and not into controversy and hype, she is just doing her thing and appreciating everything that life and God has blessed her with. I will deffo be buying her new album!

  10. Mone February 24, 2010

    I always appreciate Monica for being very mature, classy and real. She doesn’t feed into all the hoopla of the industry.

  11. hopeful February 24, 2010

    I love Monica, she keeps it real. I will definitely be supporting her. Her show is one of the few reality shows that I watch. I wish her much success.

  12. hihihihi February 24, 2010

    THANK YOU SAMA BUT U SHOULD HAVE ASKED SOME MORE OF MY QUESTIONS

    ABOUT GOD AND HER FAITH

    AND IF SHE WOULD DO A REGGAE SONG

    BUT LOOK MONICA IS ABPUT POSITIVITY AND NOT HATE LIKE U GIVE TO RIHANNA WHO SHE LOVES

    LOOK SHE SAID; RIHANNA WAS WARMHEARTED AND SHE WAS SUPER NICE AND SHE LIKES HER AS ANA RTIST

    RIHANNA IS LOVED BY SO MANY OF HER PEERS

    IS MUST HURT U THAT U DOT GET RESPECT FROM UR PEERS LIKE **** AND **** BUT WITH A STINKY ATTIDUDE THATS WHAT U GET

    ANYWAYS LOVE MO AND RIHANNA

    YERAH YEAH

  13. antertain February 24, 2010

    Well Done Sam.
    Like the way you remixed some of the questions we suggested, that was cool.

    Mo has come a long way and is so at peace in life so i’m really happy for her.

    Romello gonna be a singer at this rate he love to sing when he with his mom.
    Very cool interview.

    TEAM MONICA!!
    March 23rd

    IT’LL BE WORTH IT!!

  14. antertain February 24, 2010

    Love how Monica did the acapella with no hesitation. Real Sanger!!

  15. juju February 24, 2010

    She so classy and beautiful! I got to pick up the album March 23 I need some real music!!

  16. Mike February 24, 2010

    Lol I knew she was a major Whitney fan so the Whitney selection did not suprise me but the Beyonce over Alicia one kinda hit me for a loop. Thought that was interesting.

  17. Tsk Tsk (me, finally) February 24, 2010

    Very nice interview, REAL TALENT!

  18. Nicole February 24, 2010

    That was a good interview

  19. JoshuaBuzz February 24, 2010

    Its not every artist you can ask for an impromptu acapella and they will willingly oblige!

    Good interview although relatively few questions – would have loved for it to have been longer and more in-depth.

    Cheers!

  20. JoshuaBuzz February 24, 2010

    “Everything To Me” CANNOT be the lead single internationally.
    For the love of Christ, Still Standing must be given a full release in the US as the 2nd single and pushed internationally as the lead.

  21. Rob February 24, 2010

    Sam how did you feel about a “real” artist saying how kind and humble Rihanna is as a person when you constantly try to bring her down on your site?
    Probably real STUPID!

  22. The Classy One February 24, 2010

    That was a great read! I love Monica.

    I love it when artists speak their mind and are not concerned with what other people have to say.

  23. February 24, 2010

    such a beautiful personality
    it’s really awesome to see such a genuine, nice person succeed
    go girl 🙂

  24. Nicky February 24, 2010

    SAM I HOPE YOU LEARNED SOMETHING FROM MONICA

    THE CONSTANT DISRESPECT AND BASHING OF RIHANNA SHOWS YOU HOW MUCH OF AN ASS YOU AND TRENT LOOK LIKE.

    MONICA EXUDED CONFIDENCE , CLASS AND SOPHISTICATION.

    AND LOOKY HERE……SHE LIKES RIHANNA!!!!!

  25. cool chick February 24, 2010

    awesome interview

  26. Lisa February 24, 2010

    Yes very good interesting read. Loved it! The best =)

  27. k February 24, 2010

    Great interview. I love Monica. You should have asked her why she only got 10 songs on her album? Don’t artists know fans don’t like short albums? It don’t seem like value for money.

  28. ashantifan February 24, 2010

    I love Monica this is a great interview. As for ppl getting mad because Sam talks about Rihanna everybody has opinions just like yall have opinions so don’t dish out things you can’t take. March 23rd Still Standing in stores.

  29. Dave February 24, 2010

    YES! Love the interview, i’m so excited SPECIAL DEALS FOR BONUS TRACKS W/ DIFFERENT OUTLETS YAY!!! STill standing March 23rd go cop it!! Request “Everything to Me” at your local stations & help it rise up the charts 🙂

  30. bayareabosschic(twitter) February 24, 2010

    looove MONICA! the REALIST chic IN the GAME! she better say Beyonce over that WAAANCH alicia…ugh she gets under my skin. antyhoo STILL STANDING 3.23.10! CANT Wait

  31. Destined February 24, 2010

    Wonderful interview! Def will be supporting her on March 23rd as always! Can’t wait to see more of her on her tv show! Go Mo!

  32. Blu majiK February 24, 2010

    Great interview Sam. I just love Monica’s spirit and voice! I SHALL be getting this album!

  33. X,Y,”and Z” February 24, 2010

    Loves this chick – Y’all go and get her CD – REAL TALK!!

  34. Lewis February 24, 2010

    OMG Sam you sound hott!!

  35. sickwitit February 24, 2010

    how you compare alicia and bey? they are not alike at all…

    i didnt learn anything new in this interview

  36. eded February 24, 2010

    Monica has been able to sustain over Brandy because she doesn’t take any risks with her music or switch up her sound. It all stays the same. And why do they compare Monica and Brandy. Brandy was a megastar at one point. Movies, barbie dolls, Tv, Covergirl, endorsements galore. There is no comparison except the fact they came out the same time. Monica can sing tho. Wish her the best.

  37. ANYNOMOUS February 24, 2010

    aww monica you’re so special

  38. G.LaSalle February 24, 2010

    I love Monica so much and I cant wait for the album. March 23!!!

    SN: Whitney, Beyonce, and Chris Brown are all the people I would’ve chosen too.

  39. corey February 25, 2010

    I am a hugh Monica fan . I like everything to me.I think One in a Lifetime should be the second single because it is a big song with universal appeal. It totally SATIFIES my
    love for R/B and POP!!! Monica I am very proud of your success!!!

  40. Blasian February 25, 2010

    MO LOVES BEYONCE! AND PLUS BEYONCE IS A WAY BETTER SINGER AND A BETTER PERFORMER THAN ALICIA KEYS

  41. kekeluvsu February 25, 2010

    Mo is giving me everything I need. This is why I love her. She is so humble and respectful. March 23rd can’t get here quick enough. LOVE YOU MO!!!!!!! :mrgreen:

  42. Joseph McCoy February 25, 2010

    I love Monica and this interview just gives me more and more confirmation that she is probably one of the realest chicks in the entertainment industry. With a soul like she has, she will never fail. Love you Mo! 🙂

  43. MsTrendydotcom February 25, 2010

    I loveeeee Monica. Great interview. She has great energy. She a positive influence on young females and women. Keep up the good work Monica.

  44. Tasha MAC February 25, 2010

    brandy stans get on my NERVES! its like they feel threatened by the success and love monica’s gettin NOW…thats why they allllwwwaaayyyyssss feel the need to come to a monica board, interview post, picture post, new song post, and remind us all of how MEGASTAR brandy was 10-20 YEARS AGO…WE. GET. IT. yes WE ALLL KNOW that the former megastar singer brandy who once was a covergirl, with endorsements, (and what ever else EDED pointed out) NOW TURNED mediore rap wannabe with her huge last flop album constantly droped from labels…was the s*** BACK IN THE DAY! sorry BUT NOW SHE AINT S*** TO MOST. ITS NOW TIME FOR YALL TO GET OVER IT LIKE SERIOUSLY! ITS BEEN OVER A DECADE NOW GUYS. ON TO THE NEXT ONE! and work on creating some new memories for ya girl…BRANDY WAS THE S*** BUT NOW ITS MONICA’S TURN! Still Standing in stores 3.23.10

  45. eded February 25, 2010

    @Tasha Mac

    Monica still ain’t got as many followers as Brandy on Twiiter and she has a TV show! ;randy is still the more popular one she has a new deal with Timbaland at interscope and two new shows re will be plent more memoriez. BTW love Monica she has a beautiful voice butttttt she still isn’t or won’t be bigger than Brandy

  46. Denny February 25, 2010

    Brandy and Monica are cool now in this day in age so we the fans should accept and embrace it. I feel both the ladies are talented, however, I’ve always loved Brandy over Monica in all aspects. Still to this day Brandy is the bigger star regardless of having a record or tv show. I wish that whoever was interviewing Monica would’ve asked about the Brandy question to finally lay it to rest because I’ve never really heard Monica’s take on the situation and how close they are. But o well. Much success to Monica and Brandy. I’m anticipating this new Monica album.

  47. Jacob February 25, 2010

    You have got to be kidding me ‘Brandy is a bigger start then Monica’? Haha WOW….NOT. Somebody constantly getting dropped from labels, endorsements, not seling records & whatnot. According to that she’s no longer as relevant as she used to be. Brandy USED to be no doubt a bigger star then Monica. BUT NOW THE TABELS HAVE TURNED & MONICA IS GETTING MOST THE SPOTLIGHT. But be on the lookout for Brandy show on VH1. Lets hope this bring her relevancy back up 🙂

  48. Tasha MAC February 25, 2010

    @ EDED EXCUSE THE HELL OUTTA ME BUT WHERE WERE ALLLL OF BRANDY’s TWITTER FOLLOWERS WHEN THAT GAWD AWWWFUL album came out???? HER LAST ALBUM SOLD TO DATE WHAT MONICA’S DID IN 1 WEEK ALONE….UR POINT ABOUT HER BEING MORE POPULAR BECAUSE OF TWITTER FOLLOWERS= #epic fail TWEETHEART! LOL.

  49. antertain February 25, 2010

    You guys are soooooooooooo old with this Brandy and Mo ..ish.
    They both impacted the industry FULL STOP!!!

    This is like 97 all over again. GET A DAMN GRIP
    I Love Both & They Different!!!

  50. Tasha MAC February 25, 2010

    @ antertain lol TRU DAT. im sick of brandy being mentioned EVERY SINGLE TIME theres a monica post personally…i really dont care to go back and fourth over whos better

  51. eded February 25, 2010

    @Tasha Mac just ask a white person if they know who Brandy is and watch them say yes and then ask them abt Monica. I guarantee u they’ll say NO. LMBO Moesha is still in syndication and so is The Parkers and Cinderella. Still more relevant. Like I said. Watch how fast Brandys stock rises when her VH1 show comes out.

  52. Lace February 25, 2010

    Why are Brandy stans coming in here debating over Monica. This post has nothing 2 do w/ Brandy. Record sales has nothing 2 do w/ talent or who is better vocally…Britney Spears outsells Brandy & Monica conbined & I’m sure not 1 person hear would say Britney has the better voice. I have love 4 both artist & we all know Brandy had the better promotion team…she had tv shows & all…what hurt Brandy was trying 2 live up 2 the all american sweetheart image…she lied about being married just 2 keep that wholesome image..instead of fear bbeing labled just a chick w/ a baby daddy. Brandy Lied on Oprah..had a MTV series all about her fake marriage & giving birth 2 her beautiful child. 2 many Brandy came off Phoney & Fake & just desperate. While Monica always kept it 100% real…this is me..take it or leave it. Brandy has learned drom her mistakes so I wish her nothing but the best. As I do w/ Monica 4 staying true 2 herself..both artist should be held in high regard in our community. If people can support Bitney despite her ups & downs…we should do the same 4 our artist!

  53. Tasha MAC February 26, 2010

    REALLY?? EDED like for real lol…that IGNORANT ASS “brandys better because white ppl kno her” COMMENT DESERVES ABSOLUTELY NO SHINE!

    but LMAO at sad attempts u just further proved my point in my first post…yall ALWAYS feel the need to bring up that OLD s*** while MONICA’s GETING HERS NOW!

    ps. sad that brandnu’s “WHITE” ppl didnt even support her last efforts!

    i had to do it….lol…BUT IM DONE!

  54. Tori February 26, 2010

    For those who are surprised she said Beyonce, I’m from Atlanta and Monica is at everyone of Beyonce’s shows including Destiny’s Child when they came to Atlanta. Michelle Williams used to sing back up for Monica also.

  55. misslexis February 26, 2010

    Great interview! I love that she is so grounded:) The acapella version was wonderful, I love that song and her son is too precious:)

  56. plannb09 February 26, 2010

    Godd*mn that girl can sing! It’s kind of blasphemous to call some people singers when there are voices like this in the world. Wow! I’m ready to buy!

  57. eded February 27, 2010

    @Tasha Mac I don’t need to argue abt Brandy. Over 25 million sold, barbie dolls, tv shows, movies, tv movies, the first black cinderella, over 100 awards. The most watched Tv movie off all time. One of the first reality shows ever. One of the first black barbie dolls from an entertaner ever. Known worldwide and not just in the United States. Trendsetter. Inspiration and copied by so many of todays artists. When Monica can come close to achieving these feats then come talk to me. And btw I love Monicas voice.

  58. allissia September 7, 2010

    monica u have some pretty kids

  59. ricardo kelly January 28, 2011

    HEY miss Monica i juss want to say i love u nd your work dearly i didnt know u back then i was young but every since i saw your tv show still standing i got a chance to know you and when u came out with everything to me sister i feel in love with you and your work i mean i cried when i listen to Everything To Me and Love All Over Me i have finally listen to all six of your albums and i love you for your work so you remain a beutiful mother,artist,and person because aint non of these female artist got nothing on you miss monica i love you girl keep on standing tall your music is how music is suppose to sound so i love you bye!

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