One of the most prized R&B gems to have gained prominence over the last 30 years, Monica has enjoyed an illustrious career that’s seen her top Billboard charts, break music records, and amass a dedicated fan base on a global scale.
Yet for all the acclaim she’s garnered over the last three decades for her unimitable vocal stylings and unforgettable modern classics (e.g. ‘Why I Love You So Much,’ ‘First Night,’ ‘So Gone,’ and many more), Mo (born Monica Arnold) does not boast the industry recognition some of her peers can.
A circumstance the diva herself brought to light during a chat with ‘The Shop UNINTERRRUPTED Live‘ at its final tour stop in Atlanta.
Hear what she had to say inside.
Sitting on a panel with Migos rapper Quavo and retired NBA star Lou Williams, Arnold dished on a number of topics from being a supportive parent to balancing motherhood with her career, the beginning of her road to stardom, and more.
While reflecting on her overall journey, the 42-year-old waxed honest about feeling overlooked in the industry.
“For all the records I’ve broken, I really have never won any awards,” she said (as seen in the clip above). “I’m really the most forgotten, if you think about it. I’m pretty much the underdog, but I sit very comfortably in it.”
Elaborating on the subject, the R&B diva even gave an example of how award shows have left her emptyhanded.
“I was hosting the Soul Train Awards [and] was nominated for 5 [awards], three of my songs in one category, and still lost,” she shared.
Among major industry awards, Mo – at the time of this report – boasts one competitive BET Award and one competitive GRAMMY award shared with Brandy for their 1998 hit duet ‘The Boy is Mine.’
The status is one that may very well change once the songstress delivers her long-awaited ninth R&B album, ‘Trenches,’ and its highly anticipated Country follow-up.
She chose to not work and devote so much time to dudes n keepin it real’ back in the day. Mainstream almost forget she exists.
Everybody knows who she is and she’s still outchea. Better than most
Excuses. Don’t waste time on a panel. Complete your album
And still Trenches is nowhere to be found. Instead of putting in the work Monica wanted to be a little hoodrat. She had Clive Davis on her side and still fumbled. Even now she devotes more time to IG photoshoots than her craft….
Same with SWV. Folks have to remember that these awards are not about talent. They’re about popularity. They’re about what white people and respectable Negroes choosing the artists that confirm their own visions of the world.
Y’all love to blame white people for everything she spoke about the SOUL TRAIN awards . How many white artists won a soul train award? How many white artists won a BET award. If her own people won’t reward her then why u expect whites to give her a chance.
Monica is underrated BUT an artist is only as good as their team! She hasn’t had a great team in 20 years. She plays unbothered but you can tell it really does bother her. A lot of our 90’s R&B stars are unsung and didn’t get the accolades they deserved despite experiencing great sales and success. Let this be a fair warning for these new artists that are thirsty for fame. You can be hot one minute and gone the next….
Monica came out with other huge Rnb artist which was Brandy, Mary j, toni braxton, Whitney Houston so was in a really competitive era. So she wasn’t gonna really win awards like that. Now coming to the present her music doesn’t appeal to the casual listener and that is who she needs.
No, you don’t deserved to have any awards coz your R&B stuff is dated and generic.
Love her- a real one 💯🙌🏽
Legendary records & she stands for her family first.
You don’t like her- so what?
Only weirdos hate on Monica who remained unproblematic and dedicated to the core sound of R&B throughout her entire career. Real ones can relate that’s all💯
MONICA BABY U STILL A LEGEND WE LUV U. F*** FAKE ASS HOLLYWOOD AND THE HATERS WE RDY FOR TRENCHES BABY!!!
Her first album was award worthy but she was up against stronger R&B talent like Toni Braxton, R Kelly, Mary J Blige, and Mariah Carey. The quality of her follow-up solo projects decreased and she was unable to compete with the better music of that era for the awards. She wasn’t forgotten. The industry and her fans were just waiting on her to grow as an artist, and it never happened.
I love this response .. maybe one day they give her a lifetime grammy
Monica has broken records in this industry!!! Y’all better put some respect on the Queens name!!! She been sanging for decades!!! We love you Mo
I will always ride with Mo. She’s a Queen.
Hello Miss Not a thang. She is so lame now.
Is it about being forgotten or about winning awards? She and Brandy had the biggest audience at the time for Verzuz and Brandy was ready with her album. Monica wasn’t ready with anything then and she has nothing to offer now but more empty promises. You have a better chance of being forgotten when you string fans along and fail to produce the music the people have been asking for. Monica can either step up to the plate or continue to wallow in self pity; she has all the potential in the world to do the former.
Excuses Monica, look at Mary j who has been in the game longer than you and her last album was 14 on the billboard. Monica your music is dated and hasn’t pushed any boundaries. You need new producers, team etc.
Monica worries more about street cred and being “real” that it hasn’t furthered her career or legacy. Technically she hasn’t had a platinum album or pop hit in 20 years. Her last (barely) gold certification was 13 years ago. She hasn’t done much since then to keep her name out there. Like another commenter said, her team sucks. Just look at how she’s been teasing an album for 5 years that hasn’t come to fruition. Monica is talented but that’s just the honest truth.
Y’all keep saying her team sucks. Y’all kno that it takes money to make an album n a label to push it. What if it’s the label that’s holding back the album because it’s not satisfying to them. U have big artists like Adele who is selling millions of records yet the label still doesn’t give her full control of her music.
Darling Monica is an independent artist. She could release an album tomorrow if she wanted lol. I hate to mention her but even Brandy dropped her last album independently and remained booked and busy ever since. So what’s Monica’s hold up? She doesnt surround herself with good professional people. Her team sucks.
Truth be told Monica’s music hasn’t been that great post Still Standing.
Monica has stayed real to her self and people know who she is. She sells out her shows and pockets her money, lives an amazing life while many of you are on here broke and miserable. Sweep your porch before spewing your opinions that have gotten you no where.
Lmaoooo this ugIy bug eye flop just admitted she’s the biggest Flop! and most forgettable artist! MonicaStan wya? Silly off key singing can’t sing ass flop she’s only the most memorable payphone h0 for cmurder! The ghetto local church chicken b**** will never be the vocal bible!!!!!!!😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Don’t engage this fake Brandy stan troll yall 🙄
Who cares what a bunch of anonymous irrelevant blog f*** think lmao F*** yall and F*** y’all think pieces
Monica is something like an afterthought lol. Like the little bit of hits she has are bigger than her. Clive was gonna make her huge, and she was well on her way in 1998 but she wanted to stay back in College Park and chase behind C Murda and Young Buck. By the way never quite understood her “so hood” persona when she grew up in a middle class household and has been in the music industry since she was 12 years old…. Mama Marilyn had a good job and her stepdad was a minister. 🙄