Monica Denise Arnold (formerly Brown; born October 24, 1980)[1] is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and actress. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, she began performing as a child and joined a traveling gospel choir by the age of ten. Monica signed with record producer Dallas Austin through his label Rowdy Records in 1993, and gained prominence following the release of her debut studio album, Miss Thang (1995). Her follow-up albums were met with continued success; her second, The Boy Is Mine (1998) remains her best-selling album and spawned three Billboard Hot 100-number one singles: "The Boy Is Mine" (with Brandy), "The First Night" and "Angel of Mine".
She then parted ways with Arista and Rowdy Records in favor of Clive Davis' J Records upon the label's launch in 2000.[2] Her Japan-exclusive third album, All Eyez on Me (2002) was met with a steep critical and commercial decline, although its partial re-issue, After the Storm (2003), served as her fourth album and became her first to debut atop the US Billboard 200. Executively produced by rapper Missy Elliott, it was led by the single "So Gone", which peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Her fifth and sixth albums, The Makings of Me (2006) and Still Standing (2010), debuted at numbers eight and two on the Billboard 200, respectively; the latter received two Grammy Award nominations. Her seventh, New Life (2012) debuted at number four on the chart despite unfavorable critical response; her eighth album, Code Red (2015) marked her final release with RCA.
Monica Denise Arnold was born in College Park, Georgia, the only daughter of Marilyn Best, a Delta Air Lines customer service representative and former church singer, and M.C. "Billy" Arnold Jr, who was a mechanic for an Atlanta freight company. Arnold's mother is of African American descent and her father is African American with Indian and Irish ancestry.[5] She has a younger brother, Montez (born in 1983), and a half brother, Jermond Grant, on her father's side.[6] Monica is also a cousin of record producer Polow da Don,[7] and is related to rapper Ludacris through her mother's second marriage to Reverend Edward Best, a Methodist minister.[8]
At the age of 2, Monica followed in her mother's footsteps with regular performances at the Jones Hill Chapel United Methodist Church in Marilyn's hometown Newnan, Georgia.[8] 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.[9] When she was 10 years old, she became the youngest member of "Charles Thompson and the Majestics", a traveling 12-person gospel choir.[6] She attended North Clayton High School with rapper 2 Chainz. She graduated from high school in 1997 at age 16, having skipped ahead scholastically by studying year-round with a private tutor.[10]
Career
1991–2000: Miss Thang and The Boy Is Mine
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 label Rowdy Records, and consulted rapper Queen Latifah to work as Monica's first manager.[11] 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 released in July 1995 and peaked at number 36 on the Billboard 200 (and number seven on the Top R&B Albums chart).[11] To date the album has sold 1.5 million copies in the United States.[12] By January 2000, it received triple platinum certification by the RIAA for three million units.[13] The album yielded three singles, including her debut "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)", and its follow-up "Before You Walk Out of My Life", which made Monica the youngest artist to have two consecutive chart-topping songs on the U.S. BillboardHot R&B Singles chart.[14][15]Miss Thang earned Monica an American Music Award nomination for Favorite New Soul/R&B Artist.[16] The video for "Don't Take it Personal" , directed by Rich Murray, was nominated for a Billboard Award for best video by a new artist.
In 2000, Monica made her film debut 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, in Love Song, the third drama produced by MTV Films. Love Song was released on December 1, 2000, and debuted the song "What My Heart Says" along with promotion for the singer's third studio album All Eyez on Me (2002). Monica has also acted in Felicity (2001) and American Dreams (2003), playing Mary Wells and singing "My Guy".
A year later, Monica channeled much of her heavily media-discussed experiences into the production of her third studio album, All Eyez on Me, her first release on her mentor, Clive Davis' newly established label, J Records. "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 regarding the issues worked into the tracks.[23] 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.[23] 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.[23] "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.[23]
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 she re-entered recording studios to start work with songwriters Kanye West, Jazze Pha, Andre "mrDEYO" Deyo, Bam & Ryan and Dupri – replacing executive producerMissy Elliott.[24] Released in June 2003, After the Storm debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 185,500 copies.[25] This was Monica's first and only time reaching number-one on the chart.[25] It eventually received a gold certification, and has sold 1,023,000 copies to date.[19] Media reception of the CD was generally enthusiastic, with 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."[26] 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.[27] 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.[28]
2006–2010: The Makings of Me, Still Standing, and reality television
Towards the end of 2006, Monica released her next studio album The Makings of Me. Titled after Curtis Mayfield's recording "The Makings of You", it saw her particularly reuniting with producers Elliott, Dupri, and Bryan Michael Cox; they had previously contributed to After the Storm.[29] The album received a positive reception from most professional music critics, with AllMusic calling it a "concise and mostly sweet set of songs",[30] and Entertainment Weekly declaring it "a solid addition" to Monica's discography.[31] 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 widely failed to revive the success of its predecessors.[32] 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.[33] Also in 2006, she made a cameo appearance in the American comedy-drama film ATL, playing the Waffle House waitress.
In August 2008, Monica appeared in the Peachtree TV reality show special Monica: The Single, which tracked the recording of the song "Still Standing" for her same-titled sixth studio album.[34] The following year, she 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, and joined the cast of Rockmond Dunbar's drama film Pastor Brown.[35] In 2010, with the success of the 2008 one-hour special, Monica joined the production of the BET network for her own series Monica: Still Standing, producing a spin-off her Peachtree show, containing the same concept. It focused on finding a hit single for the album's release while balancing her personal life as a full-time mother and dealing with her 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,[36] and was given a B rating by Entertainment Weekly.[37]
Featuring production by Stargate, Ne-Yo, and Polow da Don, Still Standing was released in March 2010 and garnered a generally positive response by critics, who perceived its sound as "a return to the mid-'1990s heyday" of contemporary R&B,[38] The album debuted atop on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, and number two on the Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 184,000 copies, becoming her highest-charting album in years. Lead 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.[39] With it success, the album and "Everything to Me" were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, presented at the 53rd Grammy Awards.[40] Monica met future husband and NBA player Shannon Brown in June 2010 when they shot the music video for her second single "Love All Over Me".[41][42][43] Also in 2010, Monica joined Trey Songz on his Passion, Pain & Pleasure Tour, her first North American concert tour in ten years.[44]
In October 2013, Monica appeared on the soundtrack of Malcolm D. Lee's Christmas comedy-drama The Best Man Holiday with her Jermaine Dupri-produced rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".[54] In December 2015, her eighth studio album Code Red was released.[55] Upon its release, the album received generally mixed reviews from most music critics, and debuted at number 27 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[56] Leading single "Just Right for Me", a collaboration with Lil Wayne, reached number twelve on the BillboardAdult R&B Songs chart but failed to impact elsewhere, resulting in lackluster sales in general and the release of no further singles. In support of the album, Monica embarked on her first solo concert tour in years, The Code Red Experience to promote Code Red. In November 2016, Monica announced her departure from RCA Records after only four years with the label.[57]
2018–present: New music and Verzuz
In December 2018, Monica released the ballad "Be Human" to introduce The Be Human Foundation, a non profit organization founded by herself.[58] The same month, she previewed music from her ninth studio album Trenches when she appeared on the seventh season of the VH1 reality series T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle.[59][60] In January 2019, she released "Commitment," the first single on her own label, Mondeenise Music.[61] A sleeper hit, "Commitment" reached number one on the US BillboardAdult R&B Songs in the week ending July 21, 2019, becoming her first chart topper in nine years.[62] This was followed by the release of "Me + You" in April 2019 and title track "Trenches" featuring Lil Baby in August 2020.[59] The release of "Trenches" coincided with Monica and Brandy's appearances on the webcast battle series Verzuz which took place on August 31, at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta.[63][64] At least 1.2 million people tuned in for the battle.[65]
On July 15, 2022,[69] Monica released the single, "Friends," featuring Ty Dolla $ign. The song became her first top forty hit on the US BillboardR&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in three years.[70][71] In 2023, she reteamed with singer James Fortune on the duet "Trusting God." Released as a single by Fortune's FIYA World Entertainment on March 3, 2023, it reached the top 30 on the US BillboardHot Gospel Songs chart.[72] "Letters," another single, was released through Mondeenise Music on June 30, 2023. The song was co-written by Ciara and the video, released the same day and directed by Richard Selvi, features The Game as Monica's love interest.[73][74][75] In December 2023, Monica appeared alongside Nicki Minaj and Keyshia Cole on the song "Love Me Enough" from the "Gag City" deluxe version of Minaj's album Pink Friday 2.[76][77][78]
On June 21, 2024, Ariana Grande released "The Boy Is Mine (Remix)", which features both Monica and Brandy.[79][80] In late July, the singer resigned with WMA agency in partnership with her production company MonDeenise Productions. Formerly titled Trenches, her R&B album MDA as well as her country album Open Road executive produced by country singer Brandi Carlile are set for release later this year.[81]
Artistry and influences
Monica possesses an alto vocal range,[82][83] which Billboard's Erika Ramirez described as "impeccable".[84] Elysa Gardner of the Los Angeles Times likened her "husky, dramatic alto" to that of singer Toni Braxton.[85] Writing that the singer arguably possesses "the best alto of her generation", PopMatters contributor Tyler Lewis said Monica has "always been able to elevate even the most generic material ... with conviction and the sheer beauty of her voice", despite believing she uses "a little too much vibrato at times".[86]
Monica's career slowed down in 1999 due to problems in her relationship with ex-boyfriend Jarvis Weems.[23] In July 2000, the couple were together at the gravesite of Weems's brother, who had died in an automobile accident at age 25 in 1998. Weems then, without warning, put a gun to his head and committed suicide.[23] "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,'" Monica said in an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer the following year. "It's just something that it's never possible for me to go back and change."[23] Monica briefly dated rapper, C-Murder, until he was incarcerated for a murder in 2003.[89]
Monica met rapper Rodney "Rocko" Hill, a former SWA officer and real estate manager, shortly after Weems's suicide, a time which she described as her "weakest".[90] While the pair soon began dating in the fall of the same year, they ended their relationship in 2004. A few months later, Monica and Hill reunited and she became pregnant with their first child. On May 21, 2005, she gave birth to their son, Rodney, who performs under "Rodneyy" as a SoundCloud rapper.[90][91] Monica and Hill
then became engaged on Christmas Eve 2007, shortly before the birth of their second child, named Romelo Montez Hill after Monica's younger brother, on January 8, 2008.[92] The couple split in early 2010.[93]
In June 2010, Monica met NBA player Shannon Brown while she was looking for someone to play the love interest in her video for the song "Love All Over Me".[41] In October 2010, she announced her engagement to Brown via her Twitter account, posting a photo of a rose-cut diamond ring.[94] On November 22, 2010, the couple married in a secret ceremony at their Los Angeles home. Their wedding, however, did not become a matter of public record until January 21, 2011, when Brown told the Hip-Hop Non-Stop TV-Show.[95] A second wedding ceremony was held for family and friends to attend in July 2011.[96] On September 3, 2013, Monica gave birth to her third child, Laiyah Shannon Brown.[97] After eight years of marriage, Monica filed for divorce from Brown in March 2019.[98] In October 2019, their divorce was finalized.[99]
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