By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
R&B singer Monica is currently pregnant with her first child with husband Shannon Brown, but as always, Monica’s love for music makes it hard for her to walk away from the music industry. She recently made an appearance on Jermaine Durpi’s YouTube series, “The Life,” and not only did she confirm she is currently working with the producer on her next album, but she also got pretty raw about the baby momma label, why she won’t be asking for child support ever, and why she’s decided to let Shannon be the boss in their marriage.
On the baby momma term, Monica says she refuses to wear the label:
“I don’t think I like the term baby momma. Let’s be clear, I have two sons. I had an 11-year relationship with two sons that came from that. I am now married with another child on the way. So I don’t really know where the baby momma term fits.”
Monica coparents with her ex, rapper Rocko, but she says she won’t ever let things get to the point where she’ll need the court’s assistance:
“People always ask me, ‘How do you make a blended family work?’ It is what you make it. First order of business is as parents we have to respect each other. I don’t believe in the court system, I’m not stepping in no courthouse. I’m not calling no people. Let me explain. This is my thing…I’m sure every situation may require something different, but I feel for me, I feel like a real man would be man enough to assess the needs of his child and make sure that happens. I don’t need to call you and I don’t need to call the people for you. So, since I feel that way, I’ve never had any discrepancies with the father of my oldest children. At all. Period, point-blank. When it’s time for it to get done, he can assess their needs, come in and see what they need. And it gets done.”
And when it comes to her marriage, Monica explains her marriage works because she’s decided to let her husband be the boss:
“I’m the boss at my job, so I don’t want to be the boss at home. Shannon’s the boss. That’s just it. You got some women…some high society women that will argue me down. I’m not looking for an argument, I just know what will and won’t work in my house.”
Check out the clip below:
I agree with her a real man when step up and take care of his kids without 3rd parties being involved but you have some situations that have to take these measures. There are some deadbeats out here….I also like how she speaks of her marriage and how it works for her household. I want a man to be the head of my household as well, put his foot down sometimes because I will run circles around you if you let me!
That picture is gourgeous! She has some handsome boys!
But she is a baby momma. She’s Rocko’s baby momma. They were not married…
Monica is letting being a wife get to her head. Now she thinks she’s too good to be called a baby momma. But she is a baby momma to one man and a wife to another. It’s not that big of a deal.
I like Monica, but I disagree with most of what she said. One, she is a baby momma. She’s Shannon’s wife and Rocko’s baby momma. If she hated the term so badly, she shouldn’t have had two babies out of wedlock.
Secondly, the whole “a husband is the boss of me” thing is just old and tired. A good marriage is a partnership. I hate that women are still okay with being bossed around by their spouses. But to each its own.
And the whole child support thing is silly to me. Every situation is different. A man won’t pay if he doesn’t want to or can’t. It doesn’t matter what you say you won’t tolerate.
Whatever you say Monica. Just put out some more music boo.
She’s still talking about cheating a-s Shannon like he’s some god. Girl please.
LMAO!!!!!
So people are still on that whole “men are the head of the household” crap. Oh…
What does she mean she’s not a baby momma? Who cares if they were together for 11 years. They still never got married and that’s what she is. It’s amazing how some women get married and start feeling themselves too much.
I don’t know…the whole head of the household thing is hard for me! I don’t want another father, I want a partner! An equal…I just don’t like that mentality at all.
I love Monica and I understand where she is coming from but if you don’t want to be called a baby mama then don’t have kids out of wedlock point blank period.
This.
Marriage isn’t supposed to be one way. People have to figure out what works for their situation.
While she said some great things, the baby momma part pretty much negated everything else for me. How is she not a BM? She had two kids out of wedlock…I mean, if you’re too good for it don’t do it boo. Your new man doesn’t erase your past with Rocko.
I’ll always support her but she sounds like she has her nose stuck in the air because she’s married now.
Baby momma means you had babies out of wedlock. Sorry Mo…
She’s pretty delusional about the baby momma thing.
Monica girl…just stop. You are a baby momma, but that doesn’t make you any less of a wife. It’s what you are to Rocko. If it bothered you so much, you probably should have thought about that years ago.
*blank stare* Well alright Monica.
She’s definitely a baby momma. And as far as child support goes, she’s just lucky it all worked out. No need to be cocky about it.
I guess…
I don’t like the term baby mama/baby daddy either I feel that the term “baby mama” diminishes all the important things a women does when she has children whether in a marriage or out of wedlock. I prefer the mother/father of my child/children or my child’s mother/father. I like Monica she seems like she keeps it real and always stays true to herself. The situation with her husband being the boss and making all of the decisions may work for her household, but I believe marriage is a partnership and about compromise. I understand that some men cannot deal with a strong women because they feel like it emasculates their manhood and must control everything to make them feel like a man and then there are some women who have to be the head of the household by default because their men are not stepping up to the plate. The one thing I hate is when some women get married or in a relationship and they change by loosing their identity and they can’t function without their mans input and they loose all sense of self. I understand where Monica is coming from about the child support, because a real man takes care of his child/children without being told. Little boys have to be made to take care of their seeds. So many women have went to court especially in the state of Georgia where Monica is from to get child support for their children from their absentee fathers, but they were treated so unfairly. Kandi the singer and Sheree from RHOA have spoke on this. They treated Kandi so bad that she vowed to never go back for child support again. That is why she hustles so hard and has many business ventures so her child will never have to do without. I am glad that Monica’s childrens father takes care of them without having to be told, but sometimes that is not the case in other situations. Sometimes that is their only option or let their child go without. If a man makes a baby he should have to provide for that child until he is of age. Monica is truly blessed that she seems to have two stand-up men in her life who take care of their children not only financially, but also by spending quality time with them. I applaud all of the men and women who take care of their children and are involved in their life so that they may have a fighting chance in this world.
i so agree with you on that.
i agree with her i dont like the trem babymomma either.
typo: term