Monifah Carter on Brunch In The Basement With JaVonne

I first heard about Monifah in 1997. I ordered her album Moods...Moments which was released that year. The late great Heavy D. produced "I Still Love You" on Uptown Records and I was all about it. I loved her music videos, her voice, and she was fine! Monifah's second album was Mo'hogany. Released in the last quarter of 1998, it featured "Touch It". The track peaked at #29 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1999. Monifah's third album Home, released in 2000 contained "I Can Tell", "Brown Eyes" and "Fairytales." In 2003, she played a supporting role in Michael Baisden's Men Cry In the Dark stage play.

I can't remember what year it was (Well over 10 years ago), but I was at a NY Liberty Baseketball Game and Monifah walked by. I called out her name and asked to take her picture. She smiled, was delightful and warm. I never forgot that. So years later, when my partner and I made a marriage equality music video, I sent it to Monifah on facebook. I guess, I never forgot that warmth and genuine spirit. Well, her reply was so encouraging and exciting that I knew we were on to something, but more important, she touched me with her enthusiasm and genuine spirit again. This was in 2010. Again, she left me with a good feeling and when the idea came to me to produce a concert in support of marriage equality, Monifah was the first artist to come to my mind. In some ways, she inspired the idea and I'm so happy she was among the first to perform in that show, April, 2012.

In August 2012, Monifah and R&B singers Syleena Johnson, Faith Evans, KeKe Wyatt, LaTocha Scott, Angie Stone, and Nicci Gilbert appeared in a reality show for TV One called R&B Divas. It was later retitled R&B Divas: Atlanta and Monifah has appeared on the subsequent second and third seasons. In 2012, she appeared on Faith Evans' compilation album "R&B Divas" on the single "Lovin' Me" in addition to her solo track "She's Me." The album was later nominated for a Grammy. She released a new single "The Other Side" which premiered in June 2014. She made history when she married her wife Terez on national television and for that she will always be a hero in the LGBT community. She is a sweetheart and I will always support her work and never forget how she's made me feel each time I'm in her presence. And don't let me get started on how cool Terez is...can't help but smile when I think of her :-)

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