After topping the charts 14 years ago, R&B singers Brandy and Monica have teamed up once again for the highly anticipated follow-up single “It All Belongs to Me,” produced by Rico Love, who describes the song as a “very soulful R&B song with pop sensibilities.”

“It is not anything like ‘The Boy Is Mine,’” explains Monica. “At this point, this is where you’re taking your power back and we gon’ come together. This is totally different than that era and I hope it speaks to all the people who are making diss tracks and going hard on each other. Come together and watch the numbers move.”

Brandy adds, “This business is all about competition. They forgot about what is the most important, which is two talents coming together. It’s just great to come back and do something with [Monica]. This is definitely a blessing.”

According to Rap-Up, two different versions of the song will appear on Monica’s new album “New Life” (due in stores Apr 10) and Brandy’s next album, also due sometime in the spring, while a video for the single will be shot by director Chris Robinson on February 13th.

Listen to “It All Belongs to Me” below:

[See post to listen to audio]

Brandy and Monica recently went back into the studio together 14 years after topping the charts with their smash hit “The Boy is Mine.”

The R&B singers flew down to Miami last week to record a new song called “Turn the Lights On” with hit-maker Rico Love.

Brandy and Monica pictured with producer Rico Love (center)

“We have Both Been Blessed Beyond Measure..14years later,” tweeted Monica, followed by Brandy who tweeted, “I love you so much Mo, thank u!”

“The Boy Is Mine,” originally released in 1998, spent 13 weeks at No. 1 before going on to sell over 2.5 million copies in the United States, making it the best-selling song of that year.

Co-produced by Rodney Jerkins, Dallas Austin and Brandy, the uptempo ballad served as the lead single off both Brandy’s “Never Say Never” and Monica’s “The Boy is Mine” albums in 1998.

The song won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal in 1999.

Monica and Brandy are both working on new albums due for release in the spring, and the new duet will most likely appear on both projects.

Are you looking forward to a new collaboration single from Brandy and Monica?

BET aired their “A Very BET Christmas” holiday special on TV last night, featuring performances from Monica, Mindless Behavior, Robin Thicke, Lloyd, Elle Varner, Jacob Latimore and Kurtis Blow.

Watch all of the performances below:

Monica – “Oh Holy Night”

Robin Thicke – “White Christmas” / “Merry Christmas Baby”

Lloyd – “She’s All I Want For Christmas”

Mindless Behavior – “Christmas With My Girl”

Jacob Latimore – “The First Noel”

Elle Varner – “This Christmas”

Kurtis Blow – “Christmas Rappin”

R&B singer Monica stopped by “The Wendy Williams” show yesterday and talked about a number of topics, including her family life and how she met her husband Shannon Brown, her upcoming album “New Life” and more.

Mo even touched on those pregnancy rumors that have been swirling for weeks. “I don’t even know where that came from and we would love to be and we practice regularly. So it’s not a big deal,” she said.

Watch the full interview below:

We have pictures of Beyonce, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Gwen Stefani, T.I., Usher, Ice T & Coco, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Amber Rose, Monica, Vinny and Snooki from “Jersey Shore,” Keri Hilson, and TONS of other celebs decked out in Halloween gear.

Check out over 50+ pics below!!

Monica gets deep in her new music video “Until It’s Gone.”

The R&B singer touches on cheating and taking things for granted in the visual for her second single, co-starring Malinda Williams and Brian White.

Monica’s new album “New Life” is due in stores on December 13th.

Check out her new video above!

What are your thoughts on the video?

Tell us below in the comments!!!

Newlyweds Monica and Shannon Brown, who got married for the second time in one year in front of friends and family over the past summer (following their original private ceremony in L.A. last November), recently sat down with Essence.com for a short interview where they (mainly Monica) talked about keeping the passion alive in their relationship, making time for each other, the blogs and much more.

See what the happily married couple shared with Essence below:

ESSENCE.COM: We can just see the sparks fly between you and Shannon. How do you two keep things passionate?
MONICA: That’s so easy for us, I don’t know where to start. The best lingerie I have, Vanessa Bryant gave it to me. She is the biggest fan of La Perla and she goes into those stores a lot. Every time I would open one of her gifts, Shannon was like “yeah” and he’d start clapping for that gift. Sometimes he likes when I’m just in his t-shirt or his jersey.

ESSENCE.COM: Despite your busy schedules, you and Shannon make a lot of time for each other and family. How?
MONICA: We’re together a lot because I think you make time for the things that are important and our marriage is important to us. So we make time, all the time. At a video shoot Shannon and I go in my dressing room and order the food we want and just spend time talking to each other and getting to know each other even more. Every day is a new day, so it never stops. You never stop learning each other. Sometimes the best moments are just the quiet ones.

My husband is my part of my greatest joys, so it doesn’t feel like work or like I’m balancing anything. My husband and my kids absolutely come first, so work is just something where I figure out where it will fit. I just think there’s no comparison of the two so it makes it a lot easier. The boys are at the age now where they can travel with us and they love doing it. Of course, they’re never hesitant to go to a game or two. Shannon’s work is way more exciting than mom’s. We find ways to make it all happen, but family is first.

I cook for him. He can cook, but I don’t think he should have to. I’m a traditional wife in every sense. I like the fact that he cleans his plate. That’s a southern thing. I’m from Georgia. When we grew up, our uncles finished off your plate and theirs, you know. I love the fact that he likes to talk to me while I cook. It’s not like I have these lonely hours where I’m in the kitchen. We talk while I’m cooking and he’ll ask for things a particular way. He’s a big fan of garlic and different seasonings so I had to learn to use the ones that he likes. I like it because it’s just another chance for us to communicate and to talk about what’s happened in our day. We talk about what practice was like or what my day was like.

ESSENCE.COM: Are you close with your new mother-in-law?
MONICA: Oh yeah! [Shannon interrupts with a big smile, “yes they are!”] He says we’re sickening. He’s always like, “you’ve been on the phone with her for two hours?” And then, our mothers are close too. We were looking for them for a whole two days before the wedding. They stayed gone and off shopping and doing their own things for two days.

When we really got very, very serious in our dating we took both our families to Cabo. We wanted to take them away from everyone and all the busy places and just really get to know each other. That was everybody’s first meeting. I’ve never gone more than 48 hours without talking to his mother since then. His mom loves her baby, but what’s so amazing about my mother-in-law is that she says I wanted someone to love my baby the way I love him, for him, whether he’s playing ball or doing something else; I want someone to love my son through and through and she met me and she said, “you’re the real deal.” We’re a lot alike. We like the same things. We go to a lot of the same places. We get lost together.

ESSENCE.COM: The blogs always have something to say about your relationship with Shannon — both good and bad. Do you have a response?
MONICA: Well, you know the way that I am now I have nothing to say, no response. The truth needs no support. I love my husband and he loves me and I think if you sit back and you watch and you pay attention you’ll see it yourself. I think that in the blogosphere the idea is to have the most controversial stuff up. They’re not saying anything about us that they’re not saying about other couples. There aren’t just stories about us up there. There are stories about lots of couples. I thank God for the fact that they’re not true and I have peace of mind.

It took me awhile to come to this reality because I feel like my fans don’t deserve to be told any type of lies. If I do something silly and there’s a police report or something – not saying that’s true or anything – that’s the thing you can’t be mad about. So I used to make a point of saying that’s not true. But I learned it’s really just people talking until I validate it and I respond. For us, we know the truth and we walk in our own truth and we don’t allow anything to come between that.

I think that you are what you speak a lot of times and there’s power in the tongue. I feel sorry for the people who always have something negative to say. If something happens bad in my day I don’t tweet about it, I pray about it, or talk to my husband about it or my mother about it and get it off of me and move on. I find the positive in the negative all the time. Any time you give something power it wins and it can continuously happen so I just let negative people know they have no place in my life. They have no place around my children. With that, I’m able to dust stuff off. Things do happen to me, I just shake ‘em off.

ESSENCE.COM: Is there a reality show in you and Shannon’s future?
MONICA: No, we’re not looking to do any reality TV. I’ve done it before and I did it because I wanted people to know that there is life – great life – after children. Children should be your motivation. People in the music industry try to tell you that you’re old after 30. With the age comes the experience. For us, I think if we did a show we would love to do something that would really reach people like ourselves who are motivated and striving for success. If we could do something like that yes, but something where you just follow us around, no.

I think the foundation in our marriage is strong and we don’t want to leave room for anything to tear up the foundation or create cracks in the wall. I do like reality TV like “The Voice.” I enjoyed working there every single day. It was amazing.

There have been different networks who’ve called and asked about Shannon doing something about young guys trying to make it in the league and stuff like that, and that would be great too, but nothing about just our relationship, no.

Monica is currently gearing up for the release of her next album “New Life” (preceded by the lead single “Until It’s Gone”), due in stores on November 29th, while Shannon (who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers) is currently dealing with the NBA Lockout situation.

If we didn’t know any better … we’d think that Monica and her hubby Shannon Brown were hiding a little somethin’ somethin’ under their arms in this photo!

The happily married couple, along with Monica’s sons Lil Rocko and Romelo, showed up oat the For Sisters Only event in Atlanta over the weekend, and it looks like Monica is trying to tell us something. For one, she was fully-clothed (head-to-toe, long sleeves and all), and in some of the photos, she looks like she’s covering up a baby bump.

So … Is she pregnant?

Judge for yourself by looking at the pics below:

Monica sings about the ups and downs of love, Nick Cannon remixes Drake’s “Headlines,” and Diggy Simmons has “Just Begin.”

This is your Monday Morning Music Mix! (That’s 4 M’s … in case you didn’t notice.)

Monica – “Until It’s Gone”

[See post to listen to audio]

Monica shows off her vulnerable side in “Until It’s Gone,” the latest offering from her upcoming album “New Life,” due in stores November 29th. The songs lyrics stay true to the old saying, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”

“One thing that I know for sure is you gon’ miss me when I go / And it’s gon’ hurt when you’re all alone,” Monica sings on the heartfelt ballad. “I guess it’s true what people say that you never know what you have until it’s gone.”

Nick Cannon – “Deadlines” (Headlines Remix)

[See post to listen to audio]

Nick Cannon flexes his rapping chops in “Deadlines,” a remix to Drake’s “Headlines.” Dubbing himself “Mr. Hojangles,” (we’re not joking!) the TV personality and husband to Mariah Carey raps about “lapdancing on them bitches” while name dropping names like Sideshow Bob, Lindsay Lohan and Sammy Davis Jr.

“Drake said Nick and Will ain’t never did it this ill, but Nick and Will still worth about a bill,” Cannon raps over Drake’s ‘Headlines’ beat.

Diggy Simmons – “Just Begun”

[See post to listen to audio]

This is only the beginning for rap newcomer Diggy Simmons, as he expresses in his latest music offering “Just Begun.”

“Not the next single,” Diggy said on Twitter. “Just something I made on my trip to LA this past week, while working on the album. I wanted my JetSetters to have this one in advance. A taste of what’s to come.”

Diggy Simmons’ debut album is coming soon…

Monica has released the visuals for her new music video “Anything (To Find You)” featuring Rick Ross. (Lil Kim unfortunately doesn’t make an appearance)

Mo’s new album “New Life” is due in stores November 8th.

Check out her new video!

Today marks a sad day in the music industry: the 10th anniversary of Aaliyah’s tragic death.

10 years ago today, Aaliyah Dana Haughton, the young R&B singer known worldwide as Aaliyah, was tragically killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas, putting a sad end to a promising career.

Just before her untimely passing, Aaliyah (born in Brooklyn, and raised in Detroit) had just released her third, self-titled album and had filmed the music video for the project’s second single “Rock the Boat.”

She was also in the middle of filming a new movie “Queen of the Damned,” following her blockbuster debut in “Romeo Must Die.” (FYI: Aaliyah was also in negotiations to star in the “Matrix” as well as “Honey” and a re-make of “Sparkle.”)

But all of that was cut short on August 25th 2001 when Aaliyah, who was 22 at the time, and members of her entourage died after their plane crashed shortly after take-off from the Bahamas following the “Rock the Boat” video shoot.

Though Aaliyah was only able to release three albums during her short time here with us, each one left a significant impact on the music scene then, and still shows its influences today.

Read below to see what her follow musicians and colleagues (some who knew her personally, some who didn’t) had to say about Aaliyah:

Brandy

“I met Aaliyah when I was about 15 [yrs old]. It was I think at a rehearsal for the Soul Train Awards and someone introduced us. I was so excited to meet her because she was the first girl on the scene. She came out before Monica and I did, she was our inspiration. At the time, record companies did not believe in kid acts and it was just inspiring to see someone that was winning and winning being themselves. When I met her I embraced her, I was so happy to meet her. I told her how much I loved her. She said the same thing about me and we connected. It was a great moment I’ll never forget.

“We [later] performed at a radio event together. I remember going on before her and I could see her in a section where they kept the artists and she was just bobbing her head, really being supportive. It felt like [there] was no competition, or any of that. She was just very, very supportive. Then when she got on to perform, the entire place was singing her songs word for word, and so I was I. I was trying to sing louder than everybody else so she can hear that I knew her stuff and that I was being just as supportive as she was to me.

“There was a moment when I won at, I think, [Soul Train] Lady of Soul [Music Awards]. She sent me flowers saying how proud she was and ‘congratulations.’ I just thought that was so angelic and sweet of her. People say that Aaliyah is angelic and that just made me feel like ‘wow, that’s a moment.’ Other artists supporting another artist when everybody’s trying to put you against each other, which was very special. I was like ‘whoa, that’s really big of her.’”

Monica

“The first time I met her, she was extremely quiet. You [weren't] going to get a lot of words out of Aaliyah in a first meeting. It takes a lot of time for her to warm up to people because she had this shyness… I’ve never seen [Missy Elliott] in the type of turmoil and pain that she was in after Aaliyah passed because there’s no replacing the type of friendship that her and Missy had.”

Ciara

“She was true to who she was and she didn’t seem to care about it. The core of her art is to me, heavily, heavily, urban based… It never felt like she was trying to reach across or do anything more than just keep that cool, soulful, heavy, urban core about it… I really respect that and I appreciate that.”

Estelle

“Her purity of voice was incredible… Her vocals and style is what had her stand out above and beyond everyone. When I listen to her voice now, I think, ‘She was killing it. She was a beast.’”

Keyshia Cole

“When I found out that she [had] passed that night, I just cried [while] on the tour bus. That’s amazing for someone to have that affect on other people’s lives. I think why it affected me so much without me knowing her is because she seemed to have a beautiful soul.

“[There was] something about her spirit. She connected before reality TV, before any of that happened in our era. It was something about her that made you connect to her. She seemed like she had a beautiful soul.”

Missy Elliott (via Twitter)

“Aaliyah til this very day u r still in your own lane! Ure music is timeless! We miss u!”

Drake (via Twitter)

“Rip baby girl… In my ear at every show letting me know the next move I should make. Love you.”

Damon Dash

“She was always working and shooting movies. She was always gone for like four months at a time, then come back and be gone for another month. She had to rehearse and I was doing my own thing, so it was really hard for us to get long stretches of time together. When you’re with someone like that you buy into a life of being separate, but again, I couldn’t help my feelings.

“The energy we created together for people to observe was kind of crazy. We’d be in a room full of people talking to each other and it felt like everyone was listening but it would be just us. It would be like we were the only ones in the room. It was like something was going down in history every time I was with her. Every time I was around her I felt it was the place to be.

“Our time together meant so much that when we got more time, we felt like that [engagement] would be next. She was one of the best people I ever met. Even with the pain I felt, I would do it all over again.”

Ginuwine

“The state of R&B in the ’90s, where she stood, she was second to none. She was pretty much the top female. It was a new sound, the production from Timbaland. Everyone had to pay attention. That was just a time I would love to go back to you. Everything was all about us, and it was all about Aaliyah. It would just set her apart from everyone in the ’90s…we came at a great time.”

DMX

“When I was on tour her and Joel Silver came to my dressing room to see if I wanted to be a part of the movie. Most people would have their people call, but she came herself.

“I’m like, ‘Is this a trick question? You have to ask me if I want to be in a movie with Aaliyah? Hell yeah.’ We [then] met up in Vancouver to [do] Romeo Must Die. She had a presence on TV that was incredible. It was sexy but kind of gangster.

“We did the [Back in One Piece] video in Mount Vernon and Yonkers. I got to bring Aaliyah to the hood. Not many people can say that. She was easy to talk to and down to earth. Aaliyah made you feel comfortable, with her and with yourself. That’s one hell of a combination.”

“Half these chicks that are doing it right now wouldn’t be doing it [if she were still here]. Aaliyah would be on top. As far as I’m concerned she’s still on top.

“Thank you,” DMX says she would tell Aaliyah if still here. “Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you for memories. They’re all priceless.”

It’s a big momma thang, and apparently Biggie’s mom won’t clear the sample on Monica’s new single “Anything (To Find You).” The track which features Rick Ross, Missy Elliot and Lil Kim contains samples from the Notorious B.I.G.’s 1995 track “Who Shot Ya” and according to Monica’s Twitter Ms. Wallace cleared the sample, but denied Kim’s contribution.

“I am just finding out what has happened to my single and myself & Missy are beyond hurt that @LilKim was removed. She’s our friend, a legend & @LilKim will get the respect she deserves at all cost. The clearance was revoked & I’m fighting to get it reinstated by the Biggie Estate.” the R&B singer wrote on Thursday (July 14).

“I am as through as they come and I LOVE @LilKim bottom line is Ms Wallace has the final say and she said No. If we put it out we get SUED,” she added.

READ MORE @ RAPFIX.MTV.COM

Monica and Shannon Brown made headlines over the weekend after they tied the knot for a second time in Los Angeles. The couple secretly married in a private ceremony in L.A. last fall … but decided to hold an “official” wedding in front and family and friends this time around.

Among the celebrity guests who attended the weekend ceremony and reception were Shannon’s Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa, “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star NeNe Leakes, rapper/actor LL Cool J, NBA player Carmelo Anthony and his wife Lala Vazquez and more.

Look below for more on Monica’s wedding and to watch never-before-seen video footage from inside the ceremony:

The event’s planner, Mindy Weiss, created a blue-themed wedding wonderland at the renovated cathedral Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles.

Monica said the wedding exceeded her expectations and fulfilled her dream of being spectacular but also something their familes could enjoy. “I was just overwhelmed. I’m glad because I didn’t think about this 50 lb train that I was dragging behind me. I just had to take a deep breath, because I was really trying not to cry.”

LL Cool J said he tought the ceremony was “romantic,” with just the right music to set the mood. Monica’s good friend Lala Anthony said love was definitely “in the air” and revealed that the very next day was her one-year anniversary with husband Carmelo Anthony.

Monica said she’ll auction off her reception dress to benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation, the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists.

When asked on her wedding night where she would honeymoon, Monica responded that she didn’t know yet. She explained that her friend Ludacris couldn’t make the ceremony due to a scheduling conflict, but he sent his plane to whisk her and Shannon off to an exotic location. Kevin later found out the newlyweds flew to the Caribbean island of Anguilla.

[Insider]

R&B singer Monica and Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Shannon Brown walked down the aisle for the second time Saturday (Jul 9).

The couple secretly married back in November of last year … and decided to have a much bigger wedding in front of their close  friends and family last night at Vibiana, a renovated 19th century cathedral in downtown Los Angeles.

People reports:

The bride, 30, wore a gown by Stephan Roland for the 30-minute ceremony, which was attended by guests including Lala Vazquez, Carmelo Anthony and teammates Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher.

The newlyweds then planned to join their guests, who had been asked to wear shades of blue to the event, for cocktails and a lavish reception planned by event planner Mindy Weiss.

The purple and blue-themed reception featured a three-course sit-down dinner at tables decorated with centerpieces of hydrangea and roses by Mark’s Garden. Afterwards, hamburgers from Fatburger were grilled for guests under a tent.

The couple met last summer when Brown appeared in Monica’s video “Love All Over Me.” They were engaged in October and married in a secret ceremony at their Los Angeles home a month later.

Monica has two sons, Rodney Jr., 6, and Romelo, 3, with ex-fiancé Rodney “Rocko” Hill. Brown, 25, also has a son from a previous relationship. The children arrived at the ceremony by horse and carriage.

Check out a few pics of Monica, Shannon Brown, Ciara and Trina outside Boa Steakhouse in Los Angeles following Monica and Shannon’s pre-wedding dinner Friday evening (Jul 8) below:

Monica has released the first single from her upcoming seventh studio album “New Life” due in stores later this year.

The track, titled “Anything (To Find You),” samples Notorious B.I.G.’s “Who Shot Yah?” and features Rick Ross and Lil Kim.

Take a listen!

[See post to listen to audio]

Monica’s new album will hit stores October 4th!

Along with newly added advisers Sia, Reba McIntire and Adam Blackstone, Monica will help to guide the contestants along with judges Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine.

Aguilera will team up with Sia (singer/songwriter), Levine will work with Adam Blackstone (music director for Maroon 5), Blake Shelton has Reba McEntire (country legend), and Cee-Lo Green has chosen Monica.

“The Voice” astoundingly opened with a staggering 11.8 million viewers on its first night last week. Be sure to check it out tonight at 9pm, and during its new time slot next Tuesday night (May 10) at 10pm.

Aww, look at the basketball wives. No, not those slutty whores from VH1. We’re talking about ACTUAL basketball wives Khloe Kardashian (wife of Lakers superstar Lamar Odom) and R&B sensation Monica (wife of Lamar’s teammate Shannon Brown).

The two ladies watched courtside as their respective men hooped it up (April 17) during Game 1 of their NBA playoff series against New Orleans. (L.A. lost 109-100 by the way).

Can’t wait to see what happens in Game 2!

The 2011 Cartoon Network Hall of Game Awards were held Monday (Feb 21) in Santa Monica, CA.

Some of the celebrities who walked the red carpet before entering the Barker Hangar to catch Cartoon Network’s first-ever sports awards show were R&B diva Monica, tennis phenom Venus Williams, pro skateboarder Tony Hawk, NFL player Terrell Owens, rapper Nelly, R&B newcomer Miguel, WNBA player Lisa Leslie and others. The show airs tomorrow (Fri. Feb 25) at 7 PM on Cartoon Network.

Check out 10+ from the red carpet pics below!!

Your thoughts on the pics?

Here is the first photo of the new Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Brown!

The couple reportedly exchanged vows in front of two witnesses in their Los Angeles home on November 22nd, and Hip Hollywood got their hands on the exclusive photo of Monica, Shannon Brown and the minister that married them.

“This is a very special time in my life,” Monica told Hip Hollywood. “I am blessed to have married the man that God sent me. He’s loving, compassionate, strong and supportive of my children, family and career. I look forward to our lives together.”

Congrats guys!!!

Mr. and Mrs. Brown are expected to invite their friends and family to a much bigger wedding ceremony this summer. Meanwhile, Monica also announced that she will be hitting the studio soon to get to work on her next album, titled New Life, due for release sometime this summer as well.

Your thoughts on the pic?

After announcing her marriage last week, Monica followed up with another big announcement. The R&B singer shared with her Twitter followers that she is preparing to release her 7th studio album, titled New Life.

“Can’t wait until you guys hear New Life,” she wrote on Twitter. “This album speaks volumes about my WHOLE life. Hurt, happiness, pain, love, joy, my kids & redemption. The pain I’ve experienced makes me appreciate the love I have” she continued “So 2nite we taking it back. I’m singing about heartbreak on a mid tempo. Luv it.”

Monica’s new album “New Life” will serve as the follow-up for her 2010 gold-selling album Still Standing, and is due to hit stores sometime this summer. In addition, the singer/songwriter is also planning to release a Christmas album near the end of the year.

Are you looking forward to new music from Monica? Thoughts?

We guess Monica and Shannon Brown really DID get married!

Monica officially confirmed the news that she secretly married her basketball player boyfriend Shannon Brown of the Los Angeles Lakers in November of 2010. The R&B diva tells HipHollywood.com:

“This is a very special time in my life. I am blessed to have married the man that God sent me. He’s loving, compassionate, strong and supportive of my children, family and career. I look forward to our lives together.”

The secret wedding reportedly took place in Monica’s Los Angeles home. A full-blown ceremony with family/friends is expected to go down sometime this summer.

Meanwhile, yesterday, Shannon Brown also confirmed the news that he and Monica were officially married. Check out that video below!

Did Monica and her fiance Shannon Brown secretly get married?

According to recent reports, the R&B singer and the Los Angeles Lakers basketball player got married in a VERY private ceremony in front of their parents late last year. An official with the NBA also confirmed news of the secret marriage, which they say occurred on November 22nd 2010 (the week of Thanksgiving).

More below:

The rumors have been swirling for two months that Mo and Shannon got married prior to her moving in with her fiance in LA in November. The marriage took place in front of the couple’s parents.

Over the weekend, a reader emailed me to say that Monica went into the Clayton County office 2 weeks ago to change her last name to Brown. Loyal reader Sheena wrote:

“I heard recently thru a friend that Monica is married and keeping things hush! She had her name change recently @ the dmv in clayton county. My friend states since November. Congrats to Monica if this is true.”

Normally, I would call my good friend, Monica, and ask her to confirm the rumors myself, but I decided to do what other bloggers stopped doing — research the rumors myself. The rumors are true: Monica and Shannon Brown are indeed married. An official with the NBA also confirmed the marriage, which took place in Los Angeles on November 22, 2010.

A friend of Shannon Brown’s says he is relieved that the news is out because he respects his wife and he has been wearing his wedding band recently. The friend said Shannon and Monica plan to wed officially in front of family and friends (again) in Los Angeles in June.

Source: Sandra Rose

None of this has yet to be confirmed by either Monica, Shannon or the couple’s reps. But if this is true …. CONGRATS GUYS!!!

Thoughts?

Now that the buzz surrounding her Still Standing album (released earlier this year) has died down, Monica is already looking ahead for the next one!

Having earned two Grammy nominations for next year’s ceremony, the R&B songstress tells our friends over at Rap-Up.com that fans can expect to hear new music as early as March 2011, with the (currently untitled) album to follow shortly thereafter. And guess what comes after that? A Christmas album!

Full details are below:

According to Rap-Up.com:

Monica has been logging studio time with her cousin Polow Da Don, creating the follow-up to this year’s Still Standing. “I’ve only worked with Polow so far, but I try to get with one or two producers and pretty much create the meat, and then you pretty much get the rest of it done around the center of the album,” she explained.

While an album title has yet to be determined, she’s mapped out a recording schedule. “I really want to come up with the album title very soon, so that it will have direction like Still Standing did,” she said. “I hope to at least have the title in January and a single in maybe March and an album in maybe July. It would have to be something pretty drastic to take me off my path. But if nothing changes, that’s the plan.”

After she finishes this album, a collection of Christmas songs could be next. “I’m looking forward to something like that, something that’s kinda mixed with a little bit of Christian inspirational things with some of the older songs that we all know,” she previously told Rap-Up.com.

Thoughts?

Monica and her fiance Shannon Brown invited their closest friends to help celebrate Shannon’s 25th birthday Sunday night (Dec 5) at The Colony in Hollywood. The guestlist included Brown’s Los Angeles Lakers teammates Derek Fisher and Ron Artest, along with DeRay Davis and Steph Jones. Shannon was presented with a #12 Lakers Jersey cake during the latter part of the festivities.

Check out a few pics from Shannon Brown’s birthday party below!

The 2011 Grammy Awards will be here before you know it (February 13th 2011 to be exact), and today, the nominations were announced with Eminem receiving the most nods! The Detroit born rapper has an impressive 10 nominations, while R&B newcomer Bruno Mars scored 7, and Jay-Z and Lady Gaga each snagged 6.

Other acts nominated include Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, B.o.B., Drake, Beyonce, John Mayer, Susan Boyle, Rihanna, Fantasia, Monica, Usher and tons more. Michael Jackson was even on the list, receiving a nomination in the “Best Male Pop Vocal Performance” category for “This Is It.”

Check out the full list of nominees when you continue reading below!!

Song of the Year
‘Beg, Steal or Borrow’ — Ray LaMontagne
‘Forget You’ — Cee-Lo
‘The House That Built Me’ — Miranda Lambert
‘Love the Way You Lie’ — Eminem Feat. Rihanna
‘Need You Now’ — Lady Antebellum

Album of the Year
‘The Suburbs’ — Arcade Fire
‘Recovery’ — Eminem
‘Need You Now’ — Lady Antebellum
‘The Fame Monster’ — Lady Gaga
‘Teenage Dream’ — Katy Perry

Best New Artist
Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence and the Machine
Mumford and Sons
Esperanza Spalding

Record of the Year
‘Nothing on You’ — B.o.B. Feat. Bruno Mars
‘Love the Way You Lie’ — Eminem Feat. Rihanna
‘Forget You’ — Cee-Lo
‘Empire State of Mind — Jay-Z Feat. Alicia Keys
‘Need You Now’ — Lady Antebellum

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
‘King of Anything’ — Sara Bareilles
‘Halo (Live)’ — Beyoncé
‘Chasing Pirates’ — Norah Jones
‘Bad Romance’ — Lady Gaga
‘Teenage Dream’ — Katy Perry

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
‘Haven’t Met You Yet’ — Michael Bublé
‘This is It’ — Michael Jackson
‘Whataya Want from Me’ — Adam Lambert
‘Just the Way You Are’ — Bruno Mars
‘Half of My Heart’ — John Mayer

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
‘Satisfied’ — Jewel
‘The House That Built Me’ — Miranda Lambert
‘Swingin” — LeAnn Rimes
‘Temporary Home’ — Carrie Underwood
‘I’d Love to Be Your Last’ — Gretchen Wilson

Best Pop Performance By a Group or Duo with Vocals
‘Don’t Stop Believin’ (Regionals Version)’ — ‘Glee’ cast
‘The Only Exception’ — Paramore
‘Babyfather’ — Sade
‘Hey, Soul Sister (Live)’ — Train

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
‘Airplanes, Part II’ — B.o.B., Eminem & Hayley Williams
‘Imagine’ — Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare
‘If it Wasn’t for Bad’ — Elton John & Leon Russell
‘Telephone’ — Lady Gaga & Beyoncé
‘California Gurls’ — Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg

Best Pop Vocal Album
‘My World 2.0′ — Justin Bieber
‘I Dreamed a Dream’ — Susan Boyle
‘The Fame Monster’ — Lady Gaga
‘Battle Studies’ — John Mayer
‘Teenage Dream’ — Katy Perry

Best Country Song
‘The Breath You Take’ — George Strait
‘Free’ — Zac Brown Band
‘The House That Built Me’ — Miranda Lambert
‘I’d Love to Be Your Last’ — Gretchen Wilson
‘If I Die Young’ — The Band Perry
‘Need You Now’ — Lady Antebellum

Best Country Album
‘Up on the Ridge’ — Dierks Bentley
‘You Get What You Give’ — Zac Brown Band
‘The Guitar Song’ — Jamey Johnson
‘Need You Now’ — Lady Antebellum
‘Revolution’ — Miranda Lambert

Best Rock Song
‘Angry World’ — Neil Young
‘Little Lion Man’ — Mumford & Sons
‘Radioactive’ — Kings Of Leon
‘Resistance’ — Muse
‘Tighten Up’ — The Black Keys

Best Rock Album
‘Emotion & Commotion’ — Jeff Beck
‘The Resistance’ — Muse
‘Backspacer’ — Pearl Jam
‘Mojo’ — Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
‘Le Noise’ — Neil Young

Best R&B Song
‘Bittersweet’ — Fantasia
‘Finding My Way Back’ — Jaheim
‘Second Chance’ — El DeBarge
‘Shine’ — John Legend & The Roots
‘Why Would You Stay’ — Kem

Best R&B Album
‘The Love & War Masterpeace’ — Raheem DeVaughn
‘Back To Me’ — Fantasia
‘Another Round’ — Jaheim
‘Wake Up!’ — John Legend & The Roots
‘Still Standing’ — Monica

Best Contemporary R&B Album
‘Graffiti’ — Chris Brown
‘Untitled’ — R. Kelly
‘Transition’ — Ryan Leslie
‘The ArchAndroid’ — Janelle Monáe
‘Raymond V Raymond’ — Usher

Best Rap Song
‘Empire State Of Mind — Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
‘Love the Way You Lie’ — Eminem & Rihanna
‘Not Afraid — Eminem
‘Nothin’ On You’ — B.o.B & Bruno Mars
‘On To The Next One’ –Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz

Best Rap Album
‘The Adventures of Bobby Ray’ — B.o.B
‘Thank Me Later’ — Drake
‘Recovery’ — Eminem
‘The Blueprint 3′ — Jay-Z
‘How I Got Over’ — The Roots

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
‘Crazy Heart’ — Various Artists
‘Glee: The Music, Volume 1′ — ‘Glee’ Cast
‘Treme’ — Various Artists
‘True Blood-Volume 2′ — Various Artists
‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’ — Various Artists.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL LIST! >>

Monica unexpectedly “quit” Twitter last month but never actually “deleted” her page which left people a tad confused. Usually when you leave a social site, you completely delete the page to remove all traces of everything. But that was far from the case when it came to Monica, who is now revealing why she temporarily left the site.

Initially, everyone thought she dropped Twitter because all of the haters and cyber-bullies who have too much free time on their hands, but Monica says that’s not true and the reason is “way deeper.” Find out her real reason below:

“I quit Twitter for a way deeper reason,” Monica said during an interview with The Big Tigger Morning Show on Washington D.C.’s WPGC 95.5. “At first we couldn’t really talk about it, but we had a way more serious situation than just somebody saying something on Twitter, and legally we couldn’t really talk about it at the time. It was just suggested. OK, come off Twitter, find out who some of these people are. It was not anybody on Twitter. It was someone keeping up with me through Twitter. It’s been going on for years, way before Twitter, but they were using Twitter to keep up with me.

“Some people thought it was something that someone said to me on Twitter,” she continued. “It was absolutely nothing like that. People have talked about and been cruel toward me, and every other artist, long before Twitter came about, so it would never be something as simple as something that somebody said.”

Source

Since the incident, Monica has come back to Twitter full force and we’re sure her 400,000+ followers are happy to have her back. And we’re glad to know that the “haters” didn’t run her off and that crazy stalker dude has been taken care of!

Monica kicked it with her newly announced fiance Shannon Brown at her 30th birthday party, held Sunday night (Oct 24) at Phillipe Chow in Los Angeles. The party also doubled as a benefit for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and was sponsored by “Pink Purpose” and Monica’s “Still Standing” foundation in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Other celebs at the shindig were Khloe Kardashian & her husband Lamar Odom, Trina, Angela & Vanessa Simmons, Ludacris and more. Check out 10+ pics below!!

Ciara, Keri Hilson, Keyshia Cole, Estelle and more were in attendance for the 5th Annual Black Girls Rock! Awards, held Saturday night (Oct 16) at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx borough of New York City. Keyshia Cole, Fantasia, Keri Hilson, Monica and Shontelle were featured performers for the evening.

Other celebs on hand for the event were Raven Symone, Jill Scott, Nia Long, Keke Palmer and more. The 5th Annual Black Girls Rock! Awards will air on BET next month (Nov 7).

Check out 15+ pics from the red carpet and the show below!!

R&B singer Monica is now engaged to her boyfriend NBA star Shannon Brown.

The two met back in June on the set of her music video “Love All Over Me” and since then have been hitting it off pretty well. Mo broke the news over the weekend by tweeting a pic of herself wearing a huge rock. She also sent out a message to all her fans thanking them for their support. Read what she wrote below:

“We realize people will have their opinions. That’s the way of the world. But we know who we are m& who’s we are.We pray 2 an awesome God 2gether. And that is what keeps us strong. So for all my real supporters who are happy for me. I thank u, I love u, & I’m realistic enough about life To know my journey has just begun. I don’t have anything else to say about it.2 people who judge. If u worked on self u wouldn’t even see me.”

Congrats guys!!!!

[See post to listen to audio]
Monica & Trey Songz recently wrapped their nationwide joint tour together, and now the R&B singers are teaming up again…..this time, for the remix to a song from Monica’s latest album called “Here I Am.”

The track, produced by Polow Da Don (Mo’s cousin) and written by singer/songwriter Ester Dean, serves as the third single from Monica’s platinum-selling sixth studio album Still Standing.

Check it out above (download link is below)!!

D/L: MONICA & TREY SONGZ – HERE I AM (REMIX)

R&B singer Monica is featured on the cover of Essence Magazine’s “Hot Hair Special Issue,” which we hear focuses on “the unique relationship between African-American women and their hair.”

Lookin’ good Mo!!

What do you think about the pic?

SPOTTED @ TOYAZ WORLD

Rapper Jay-Z poses with singer Monica and music industry exec. (and Trey Songz‘ manager) Kevin Liles backstage at Madison Square Garden last night (Fri. Sep 17) during the final concert for Trey Songz & Monica’s “Passion Pain & Pleasure” Tour in New York City. Trey Songz’ new album, also titled Passion Pain & Pleasure, just hit stores this week.

What do you think about the pic?

Ever since Shannon Brown, a Guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, portrayed R&B singer Monica‘s love interest in her latest music video, “Love All Over Me,” folks have been speculating on the two’s status as a couple.

Well, speculate no more! Shannon officially confirmed his relationship with Monica over the weekend after he defended her from folks who were calling her a “home-wrecker” via a message posted to Twitter.

Just last week, a report from a certain website who is known for spreading lies and propaganda labeled Mo as a home-wrecker, accusing her of “stealing” Shannon from his girlfriend/baby mama. But according to Brown himself, he and his now ex girlfriend were already broken up before he and his new girlfriend Monica started dating.

So in an effort to set the record straight, Brown posted the following message to his Twitter early Saturday afternoon (Aug 21):

I write this to set the record straight. Media deception makes unfair and false reports of the truth, and it does not bring out the best in ANYONE. Monica is my girlfriend, confidant and a strong successful women that has been though a lot herself but she is in no way, a home wrecker. As a parent, I understand that parenting requires a partnership with my sons mother however the relationship between us fizzled a long time ago. Thus, never leading up to seven years, engagement or even talks of marriage. As parents, we have to continue to raise our son, and as individuals we both deserve happiness. Thank you for the support and God Bless!

Shannon seems like a real stand-up guy and we’re definitely happy for our friend Monica. Looks like she’s got love all over her for real now!!

The homie FreddyO was on the scene Friday night (Aug 13) as R&B singers Monica and Trey Songz performed in concert at the Fox Theater in Atlanta for their “Passion, Pain & Pleasure” Tour, with special guest Dondria and a surprise appearance from Ciara!

Peep Fred’s account of the show along with his pics (and video footage) below and when you continue reading…

“My girl Monica killed it as usual, doing some of her best hits along with a few Whitney Houston tunes. Trey Songz was doing…well, classic Trey…he brought the lovely Ms. Ciara to the stage and tried to turn her out like all the other chics he seduces on stage. C C wasn’t having it…although her body wanted to give in.”

Yesterday (Mon. Aug 2) a rumor began to spread claiming that R&B singer Monica and rapper Maino were an item after an Atlantic Records employee hinted that the two were dating when she sent out this picture of them at T.I. and Tiny’s wedding over the weekend in Miami. Maino starred as 1 of 2 leading guys in Monica’s “Love All Over Me” music video (Los Angeles Laker Shannon Brown was “the other guy” who Mo eventually picked to be her husband in the end).

However Monica and her people quickly diffused the story and sent out statements denying that Monica and Maino were a couple. Read on for the statement:

Monica hasn’t been addressing any rumors but feels it necessary to make it clear that she is not in a relationship with Maino at all and apologizes to him his mate and loved ones for any pain this may cause. They in my opinion are both great people and them and their families are all friends but that is all.

The funny part is this photo was taken as they saw each other and said hello. Monica was flown in with myself, other staff and Melinda just in time to be in the wedding. She left her performance and caught two planes to be there. She would never have missed it because she loves and adores her friendship with Tiny. Just wanted you to have the facts.

Via: Sandra Rose

Singer Monica has a hard choice to make in her newest music video release “Love All Over Me.” In the video, Mo has two options: rapper Maino or NBA star Shannon Brown, and it appears that she is quite caught up in between the two!

Check out the official video for “Love All Over Me,” the latest single from her new album Still Standing below:

R&B singer Monica performed a 45-minute set over the weekend (Fri. Jul 2) at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans as she opened the main stage the 2010 Essence Music Festival. Mo’s set included her old hits from the 90′s and early 2000′s and she also performed her new songs including her latest album’s title track “Still Standing,” “Everything to Me” and her latest single “Love All Over Me” as well as the fan favorite “Here I Am.”

The Atlanta native also treated the crowd with flawless covers of her idol Whitney Houston‘s “I Will Always Love You” and “You Give Good Love.” Check out a few pics of our friend Monica at the 2010 Essence Music Festival in Louisiana below…

Here are some more photos from this year’s BET Awards, which were held in Los Angeles this past Sunday (Jun 27) . Check out 20+ pictures below of celebs like Trina, Gucci Mane, Toccara Jones, Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys, Soulja Boy, Gabourey Sidibe, Ciara, T.I. and many more arriving on the red carpet before making their way into the Shrine Auditorium to check out the show…

MORE PICS @ FREDDYO.COM

Rapper Nicki Minaj was the female Drake of the 2010 BET Awards (minus the knee injury and the “sitting on a stool” thing lol). We say this because even with no album and just ONE solo single out, homegirl was all over the stage at this year’s show (like Drake was in ’09) and was seen being catered to by none other than Puffy himself!

We hear that Sean “Diddy” Combs was quite the gentleman Sunday as he made sure Nicki was alright throughout the evening and even held the train of her dress as she made her way around the backstage area. Usually it’s the other way around (we’ve all seen those “Making the Band” episodes lol) so this is definitely one for the books.

Check out a few pics of Nicki backstage at the 2010 BET Awards below…

MORE PICS @ FREDDYO.COM

R&B singers Monica and Deniece Williams shared the stage Sunday night (Jun 27) at the 2010 BET Awards. Mo opened the performance with a short but sweet rendition of her hit single “Everything to Me” before bringing out Ms. Williams to sing a few lines from her own song, the R&B classic “Silly of Me.”. And shortly after the performance, the ladies presented the award for “Best Collaboration” together.

Check out a few pics below and continue reading for the video footage…

The 15th Annual Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash went down in a major way last weekend in Atlanta, GA at the Philips Arena. This year’s Birthday Bash featured performances from recording artists Monica, Ludacris, Gucci Mane, Plies, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy and many more.

There was also a lot of backstage action going on and we managed to grab pics of folks like Trina, Ciara (who came out during Luda’s set and performed “Ride”), Lance Gross, Shawty Lo, Waka Flocka Flame, and more hanging out between sets. Check out over 20+ pics of everyone enjoying themselves and having a good time at the annual Birthday Bash last Saturday (Jun 19) in Atlanta below…

Photos: Getty Images / FreddyO

R&B singers Monica and Trey Songz have announced the dates for their upcoming co-headlining fall tour, scheduled to kick off in Los Angeles on August 8th and wrap up on September 16th in New York City. In addition, the tour’s stop at Club Nokia on September 12th in Los Angeles will be filmed by MTV for broadcast later this year.

Speaking on the upcoming tour, dubbed the “Passion, Pain & Pleasure” Tour, Trey Songz said (via press release):

“This has been an amazing year for me. I have toured with Jay-Z, performed with Stevie Wonder, shot a 10 episode docu-series for BET called ‘My Moment,’ and now I’m preparing to perform at the 2010 BET Awards. This summer I would like to celebrate my success with all my fans, especially my fan club, Trey’s Angels.” The ‘Passion, Pain, & Pleasure Tour’ is not just another show; it will be an up close and personal experience for everyone. Come see me perform your favorite songs live and hear new music from my upcoming album, ‘Passion, Pain, & Pleasure’ for the first time. With the help of one of the best R&B female vocalists out today, my sister Monica, we promise you a night to remember.”

And Monica said:

“I am ecstatic to be a part of a real R&B tour. Trey and I are dedicated to making sure that each night is an experience that is fulfilling to the heart and soul.”

Check out the tour dates below…

AUGUST
6 Shreveport, LA Municipal Auditorium
7 Dallas, TX Nokia Theatre
8 Kansas City, MO Midland Theatre
12 Savannah, GA Johnny Mercer Theatre
13 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
14 Birmingham, AL BJCC Concert Hall
15 Memphis, TN Orpheum Theater
19 Louisville, KY Palace Theatre
20 St. Louis, MO Fox Theater
21 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Theater
22 Indianapolis, IN Murat Theater
25 Philadelphia, PA Tower Theater
26 Cleveland, OH State Theatre
27 Baltimore, MD Pier 6
28 Norfolk, VA nTelos Wireless Pavilion
29 Richmond, VA Landmark Theater

SEPTEMBER
2 Cincinatti, OH Aronoff P&G
3 Greensboro, NC War Memorial
4 Washington, DC DAR Constitution Hall
5 Mashantucket, CT MGM Grand @ Foxwoods
9 San Francisco, CA Warfield
10 Las Vegas, NV The Pearl
11, 12 Los Angeles, CA Club Nokia
16, 17 New York, NY Beacon Theatre

R&B singer Monica did her thing last night (Tues. Jun 8) as she performed the National Anthem before Game 3 of the 2010 NBA Finals match up between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers in Boston, MA at the TD Bank North Garden (Check out our recap of the game here).

The performance was great, though we could have done without the surprise appearance from the back-up singers. Mo could have taken on that whole song by herself. The background singers kind of threw us off a bit, but still a great performance never-the-less.

Check a few out pics of Monica at Game 3 of the NBA Finals 2010 Game in Boston below and continue reading for video footage of her flawless performance of the “Star Spangled Banner”…

Rapper Gucci Mane celebrated his status as a newly free man (for the umpteenth time) with a private dinner in Atlanta Wednesday night (May 12) amongst his close industry friends, including his artist Waka Flocka Flame, Shawty Lo, Monica, Kandi, Sean Garrett and more. Check out the pictures from the get-together below…

MORE PICS @ FREDDYO.COM

Still on the promotional rounds for her latest album Still Standing, R&B singer Monica dropped by “Chelsea Lately” last night (Wed. May 4) and took part in a hilarious interview! We love Chelsea Handler and the way she conducts her interviews. She always brings out everyone’s sense of humor so easily.

Check out Monica’s interview with Chelsea below:

R&B singer Monica performed for an intimate crowd last night (Thurs. Apr 29) at the Midtown W Hotel in Atlanta for V-103 Soul Sessions. The 29-year-old entertainer’s set included her classics “Don’t Take It Personal,” “Before You Walk out of My Life” and “Angel of Mine” and her new songs “Still Standing” and “Everything to Me.” Mo also paid tribute to music legend Whitney Houston by performing “I Will Always Love You” and “You Give Good Love.”

Celebrity attendees for the concert included Kandi Burruss, Jazze Pha, Shawty Lo and V-103 radio personality Frank Ski. Monica’s mother Marilyn, her father M.C. Arnold Jr., her younger brother Montez and her two sons Lil’ Rocko and Romelo also were in attendance, along with Monica’s manager Melinda Dancil.

Check out 10+ pictures below and video footage of her performance when you continue reading…

MORE PICS @ FREDDYO.COM

Our friends over at Hip Hollywood sat down with Monica recently for an interview and Mo discussed the possibility of her and her friend Brandy reuniting for a new track as a follow-up to their 1998 smash hit single “The Boy Is Mine.” The R&B singer also touched on she and Brandy’s old beef, how much they’ve grown since the 90′s and how they support each other today. Continue reading to check out the video…

Monica wore a pair of DSquared heels inspired by rocker Gene Simmons, who the R&B singer says she’s a fan of, on her recent appearance on George Lopez late-night talk show “Lopez Tonight.” She talked to George about her kids Lil Rocko (4) and Romelo (2) in addition to how thankful she is to be back on top after taking a hiatus to spend time with her children. Monica also mentioned something that we never knew before: she’s been in the industry since she was 12 years old!

Check out the interview and yet another flawless performance of her latest single “Everything to Me” below…

INTERVIEW

“EVERYTHING TO ME” PERFORMANCE

Our girl Monica recently sat down with FOX 5 in her hometown of Atlanta (via satellite in LA) and discussed her new album Still Standing, her kids Rodney “Rocko” Jr. (4) and Romelo (2) and talked about how grateful she is at the reception of her coming back to the music scene after a 4-year hiatus. The R&B singer also announced that she and Trey Songz will be going on tour together this coming August. No details of the tour, as far as other supporting acts and dates, have been released just yet. But in the meantime, peep the video of her interview below…

With an opening week of 329,000 copies sold (as predicted) of his new album Raymond v. Raymond, R&B singer Usher has bumped his protege Justin Bieber down one notch and has taken over the top spot on the Billboard 200 with his third straight No. 1 album. His last album, 2008′s “Here I Stand” opened at No. 1 as did his 2004 album “Confessions.” And according to Billboard, Usher’s debut is the third-best sales week so far in the year.

Justin Bieber’s “My World 2.0″ has moved down to No. 2 with nearly 300,000 units moved for the week (he almost beat his mentor Usher!) and our girl Monica moved down to No. 6 with 87,000 copies sold of her latest album “Still Standing.”