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| years_active = 1993–present
| years_active = 1993–present
| label = [[Worldwide Entertainment|Worldwide]], [[RCA Records|RCA]], [[J Records|J]], [[Arista Records|Arista]], [[Rowdy Records|Rowdy]]
| label = [[Worldwide Entertainment|Worldwide]], [[RCA Records|RCA]], [[J Records|J]], [[Arista Records|Arista]], [[Rowdy Records|Rowdy]]
| associated_acts = [[Brandy Norwood|Brandy]], [[Mary J. Blige]], [[Keyshia Cole]], [[Kandi Burruss|Kandi]], [[Tameka Cottle|Tiny]], [[Trey Songz]], [[ Jazmine Sullivan]], [[Missy Elliot]], [[Usher Raymond|Usher]], [[Whitney Houston]], [[Lil' Kim]], [[Bryan Michael Cox]], [[Wale (rapper)|Wale]], [[T.I.]], [[Dallas Austin]], [[Tim & Bob]], [[Clive Davis]], [[Ciara]], [[Cee-Lo Green|Cee-Lo]], [[Christina Aguilera]]
| associated_acts = [[Brandy Norwood|Brandy]], [[Mary J. Blige]], [[Keyshia Cole]], [[Kandi Burruss|Kandi]], [[Tameka Cottle|Tiny]], [[Trey Songz]], [[ Jazmine Sullivan]], [[Missy Elliot]], [[Usher Raymond|Usher]], [[Whitney Houston]], [[Lil' Kim]], [[Bryan Michael Cox]], [[Wale (rapper)|Wale]], [[T.I.]], [[Dallas Austin]], [[Tim & Bob]], [[Clive Davis]], [[Ciara]], [[Cee-Lo Green|Cee-Lo]], [[Christina Aguilera]], [[Ne-Yo]], [[Polow Da Don]], [[Ludacris]], [[Darkchild]]
| website = {{URL|http://www.monica.com/}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.monica.com/}}
}}
}}

Revision as of 20:06, 23 May 2012

Monica
Monica performing in 2007
Monica performing in 2007
Background information
Birth nameMonica Denise Arnold
Also known asMo. Miss Thang
Born (1980-10-24) October 24, 1980 (age 44)[1]
College Park, Georgia, U.S.
OriginAtlanta, Georgia, U.S.
GenresR&B, hip hop soul
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, record producer
Years active1993–present
LabelsWorldwide, RCA, J, Arista, Rowdy
SpouseShannon Brown 2010–present
Websitewww.monica.com

Monica Denise Brown (née Arnold; born October 24, 1980) professionally known as Monica, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and occasional 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 number-one hit title track, 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 Scottsdale, Arizona & Atlanta, Georgia, the singer has two sons with her former partner, rapper Rocko.

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]

1995–2000: 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 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... harking 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 the suicide of her boyfriend Jarvis "Knot" Weems, a local drug dealer and her childhood friend.[3] On July 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] "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 and After the Storm

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]

2006–2010: The Makings of Me, Still Standing, 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).[25] 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,"[26] and Entertainment Weekly declaring it "a solid addition" to Monica's discography.[27] 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.[28] 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.[29] 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.[30] 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,[31] 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.[32] 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.[33] In August 2010, Arnold joined Trey Songz on his Passion, Pain & Pleasure Tour, her first North American concert tour in ten years.[34]

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".[35][36] 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.[37][38] 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.[39] The show was given a "B" rating by Entertainment Weekly.[40] 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.

Personal Life

Monica formerly dated rapper C-Murder from 1998 to 1999. Their relationship was rocky and he was arrested for murder conviction, which leaded her to end their 18-month relationship. Shortly after she ended her relationship with C-Murder. She met Rodney "Rocko" Hill in 2000. While the couple began dating in the fall of the same year, they ended their relationship in 2004. However they revived their relationship and the singer soon became pregnant with their first child. On May 21, 2005, she gave birth to a boy, Rodney Ramone Hill |||. She and Rocko became engaged on Christmas Eve of 2007, just two weeks before the birth of their second child on January 8, 2008. The boy was named Romelo Montez Hill, after Monica's younger brother. Monica and Rocko married on June 5, 2008. On July 16, 2009, Monica filed for legal separation from Rocko. Two weeks later on July 30 of the same year, she filed for divorce from Rocko and asked for a restraining order against Rocko. On March 11, 2010, their divorced was finalized, granting her with custody of their two sons leaving Rocko with child support.

2011–present: Marriage and New Life

Monica 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."[41] In October 2010, Monica confirmed her engagement to Brown via Twitter, posting a photo of her massive, rose-cut diamond ring.[42] 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.[43] On July 9, 2011 the couple then held a second wedding in front of close family.[44]

The singer has worked on her seventh studio album New Life.[45][46] According to reports, the project will be executive produced by Polow Da Don.[47] Other producers include Oak,[48] and Missy Elliott.[49] The album's first promotinal single, "Anything (To Find You)", was officially released on August 2, 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.[50] The second promotional single from New Life is "Until It's Gone" which was released on September 27, 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.[51][52] New Life was supposed to be released in late 2011, however, it had been pushed back to April 10, 2012, due to Monica and RCA 'reconstructing the entire plan for the album'.[53] "It All Belongs to Me" featuring Brandy Norwood will serve as the album's lead single, it was released on February 6, 2012.[54] The single will also serve as the first duet by Monica and Brandy in 14 years since The Boy Is Mine (1998).

Discography

Awards and nominations

Filmography

List of television and films credits
Year Title Role Notes
1996 New York Undercover Herself "If This World Were Mine" (Season 2, Episode 26)
1996 Living Single Marissa "Kiss of the Spider Man" (Season 3, Episode 24)
1997—1999 Beverly Hills, 90210 Herself "Mother's Day" (Season 7, Episode 29)
"The End of the World as We Know It" (Season 9, Episode 23)
1999 All That Musical Guest "Monica" (Season 5, Episode 5)
2000 Boys and Girls Katie Film debut
2000 Love Song Camille Livingston TV movie
2001 Felicity Sarah Robinson "Miss Conception" (Season 4, Episode 4)
2003 American Dreams Mary Wells "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" (Season 2, Episode 2)
2005 Daas Punitha
2006 ATL Waffle House Waitress
2009 Pastor Brown Lisa Cross
2009 Monica: Still Standing Herself Reality series

References

  1. ^ Bush, John. "Monica: Biography". Allmusic. MSN. Retrieved July 18, 2008.
  2. ^ a b Trust, Gary (January 28, 2010). "Ask Billboard: How Popular Is Country Music?". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Mumbi Moody, Nekesa (June 27, 2003). "Monica Triumphs Over Tragedy After the Storm". Enquirer. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
  4. ^ "Monica @ Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
  5. ^ "Monica: Still Standing Cast – Melinda Dancil". BET.com. October 15, 2009. Retrieved November 25, 2010.
  6. ^ Trust, Gary (February 19, 2010). "Ask Billboard: Olympics, Monica, Smokey Robinson". Billboard. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
  7. ^ "The Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years". Billboard. November 18, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
  8. ^ Seymour, Craig (October 1, 2002). "Monica – Pain Is Love". Vibe. Google Books. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  9. ^ a b Dougherty, Steve (July 14, 2003). "Life After Death". People. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  10. ^ a b Starling, Kelly (August 1, 2000). "Monica On Growing Up & The Pregnancy Rumors". Ebony. FindArticles.com. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  11. ^ "Polow Da Don's Surprise Gift for Monica". Rap-Up. April 9, 2010. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  12. ^ a b "Exclusive Interview With Monica". ConcreteLoop.com. September 5, 2006. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  13. ^ a b Ewey, Melissa (September 1, 1998). "Monica: Miss Thang Grows Up". Ebony. FindArticles.com. Retrieved October 22, 2010.
  14. ^ a b Basham, David (March 14, 2002). "Got Charts? The Long Road To #1 — And Those Who Rocked It". MTV News. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
  15. ^ Bland, Bridget (October 25, 2009). "Monica: Still Standing With New BET Reality Show And Forthcoming Music". Entertainment Newsire. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  16. ^ a b "Monica Proves She Has Staying Power With Hit Album, `The Boy Is Mine'". Jet. FindArticles.com. 1999-17-19. Retrieved 2010-10-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ a b Nero, Mark Edward. "Artist Bio: R&B Singer Monica". About.com Guide. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
  18. ^ a b "RIAA – Gold & Platinum – Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  19. ^ "The Boy Is Mine album review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
  20. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: The Boy Is Mine – Monica". Allmusic. Retrieved June 2, 2007.
  21. ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (March 31, 2003). "Missy, DMX, Tyrese To Give Monica's New LP Extra Oomph". MTV News. VH1.com. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  22. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Review: After the Storm – Monica". Allmusic. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
  23. ^ "Chart Beat Bonus: Gone Good to Go". Billboard. June 20, 2003. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  24. ^ "U Should've Known Better". A-Charts. Retrieved August 10, 2008.
  25. ^ Rodriguez, Jayson (September 8, 2006). "Monica Overcomes Pregnancy Rumors, Ex-Boyfriend's Suicide To Form Makings of Me". MTV News. VH1.com. Retrieved May 28, 2007.
  26. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Rewview: The Makings of Me – Monica". Allmusic. Retrieved May 28, 2007.
  27. ^ Dombal, Ryan (September 29, 2008). "The Makings of Me review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 28, 2007.
  28. ^ Trust, Gary (August 10, 2010). "Ask Billboard: As Years Go By". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  29. ^ St. Fleur, Patrick (March 16, 2010). "Monica Interview: Still Living, Still Strong, Still Standing". WordofSouth.com. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  30. ^ "Artist Chart History – Keyshia Cole". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved May 8, 2009.
  31. ^ Wood, Mikael (March 17, 2010). "Still Standing review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  32. ^ "Monica's Still Standing Certified Gold". ThatGrapeJuice. April 22, 2010. Retrieved June 19, 2010.
  33. ^ "Exclusive Q&A: Monica Reacts to Grammy Nominations". Rap-Up.com. December 1, 2010. Retrieved December 3, 2010.
  34. ^ Thomas, Rebecca (September 17, 2010). "Trey Songz Makes Audience Swoon On NYC Tour Stop". MTV News. MTV.com. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  35. ^ Crosley, Hillary (December 15, 2008). "Monica Gets Busy On Sixth Album". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2008.
  36. ^ "Monica Shouts Out Fans & AT&T Appearance". MySpace. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
  37. ^ "MonicaMusic: To My Fans". SayNow.com. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
  38. ^ Rose, Sandra (November 23, 2007). "JD Signs Monica's Fiancé Rocko To Island Urban". SandraRose.com. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  39. ^ Seidman, Robert (October 28, 2009). "2009 BET Hip Hop Awards And The Series Premiere Of Monica: Still Standing Bring In Big Numbers". TVByTheNumbers.com. Retrieved November 25, 2010.
  40. ^ "Tonight's Best On TV". Entertainment Weekly. EW.com. November 21, 2010. Retrieved November 25, 2010.
  41. ^ "Video: Monica – Love All Over Me". Rap-Up. Retrieved July 15, 2010. {{cite web}}: Text "2011-01-29" ignored (help)
  42. ^ Hensel, Amanda. "Monica Engaged to Shannon Brown". AOL Music. Retrieved October 18, 2010. {{cite web}}: Text "2011-01-29" ignored (help)
  43. ^ "LA Lakers Shannon Brown Secretly Weds R&B Singer Monica". New York Post. Retrieved January 21, 2011. {{cite web}}: Text "2011-01-29" ignored (help)
  44. ^ Eggenberger, Nicole. "Monica Shares Shannon Brown Engagement News?". OK!. Retrieved January 21, 2011. {{cite web}}: Text "2011-01-29" ignored (help)
  45. ^ "Rap-Up TV Interviews Monica: Part I". Rap-Up.com. September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  46. ^ Scarpa, Gina (December 15, 2010). "The Voice: Exclusive Interview With Monica". RealityWanted.com. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
  47. ^ "Monica Readies Single, Album for New Year". Rap-Up.com. December 17, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
  48. ^ "In the studio working on an incredible song with Oak..." Twitter. January 22, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  49. ^ "Yes to both... I'm soooooo excited @MissyElliott is truly..." Twitter. January 22, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
  50. ^ "New Music: Monica f/ Lil' Kim & Rick Ross – 'Anything (To Find You)'". Rap Up. RapUp.com. July 7, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2011.
  51. ^ "RCA's New Executive Team Named Under CEO Peter Edge Amid Layoffs (Update)". Billboard.biz. August 23, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  52. ^ "Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  53. ^ Monica Pushes Back ‘New Life’
  54. ^ "Brandy and Monica Duet 'It All Belongs to Me' Due Next Month". Rap-Up.com. January 17, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.

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