Monica: Matriarchs

Apple Music

Editors’ Notes For Black History Month, as we honor family in its many forms, we’re celebrating Black women, the matriarchal torchbearers of so much rich cultural beauty. To help soundtrack the month, Monica—who carries the DNA of icons past and has become a giant in her own right—has curated a playlist of her inspirations young and old. Her selections are a contemporary look at some of pop and R&B’s most prestigious singers and the tracks that have embedded themselves in the fabric of the music that followed. Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All” stands out as a song that became a bridge between one towering matriarch and the generations she would inspire. “Whitney reached all, and this stellar performance touched me deeply,” Monica tells Apple Music. “I began singing this song at nine years old and was signed at 11 years old singing it. The lyrics, the melody, and the message made this record a stand-alone that pushed me vocally and reminded us all that our children are definitely our future.” In her handpicked playlist, she looks to both the past and the present to include not only the towering women on whose shoulders so many stand but the artists who carry on their legacy. If you hear something you like, be sure to save it to your library.
Monica
Miss Thang
4:18
 
Usher
My Way
4:43
 
Brandy, Monica
Never Say Never
4:54
 
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston: The Deluxe Anniversary Edition
3:57
 
Mary J. Blige
What's the 411?
4:19
 
Missy Elliott
Supa Dupa Fly
4:11
 
H.E.R.
H.E.R.
3:29
 
Summer Walker, London On Da Track, Chris Brown
Something Real - Single
3:03
 
Jazmine Sullivan
Fearless
4:26
 
Beyoncé
Dangerously in Love
4:04
 
Jhené Aiko
Chilombo
3:32
 
Monica
The Boy Is Mine
3:55
 
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston: The Deluxe Anniversary Edition
4:33
 
Mary J. Blige
What's the 411?
4:32
 
Missy Elliott, Da Brat
Supa Dupa Fly
4:17
 
Summer Walker
Over It
2:56
 
H.E.R.
Damage - Single
3:43
 
Jazmine Sullivan, Bryson Tiller
Insecure (Music from the HBO Original Series), Season 2
3:38
 
Beyoncé
Dangerously in Love
5:01
 
Monica
Miss Thang
4:52
 
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston: The Deluxe Anniversary Edition
4:56
 
Mary J. Blige
What's the 411?
5:01
 
Missy Elliott
Under Construction
4:32
 
Beyoncé
Dangerously in Love
3:56
 
H.E.R.
Slide (feat. YG) - Single
3:58
 
Jazmine Sullivan
Fearless
4:17
 
Summer Walker
Over It
2:23
 
Monica
Miss Thang
4:30
 
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston: The Deluxe Anniversary Edition
4:35
 
Mary J. Blige
My Life
4:39
 
Missy Elliott
Miss E...So Addictive
4:12
 
Beyoncé
I Am... Sasha Fierce
3:13
 
H.E.R.
H.E.R.
3:20
 
Jazmine Sullivan
Reality Show
3:31
 
Summer Walker
Session 32 - Single
1:38
 
Monica
The Boy Is Mine
4:10
 
Whitney Houston
Whitney
5:07
 
Mary J. Blige
Share My World
5:07
 
Missy Elliott
Under Construction
3:54
 
Beyoncé
4 (Expanded Edition)
4:27
 
H.E.R.
I Used to Know Her
4:12
 
Jazmine Sullivan
Love Me Back
3:36
 
Summer Walker, Drake
Girls Need Love (Remix) - Single
3:42
 
Monica
The Boy Is Mine
4:54
 
Whitney Houston
Whitney
4:38
 
Mary J. Blige
My Life
4:17
 
Missy Elliott featuring Ciara & Fat Man Scoop
The Cookbook
3:46
 
Beyoncé
4 (Expanded Edition)
3:58
 
H.E.R.
Hard Place - Single
4:31
 
Jazmine Sullivan
Reality Show
3:43
 
Summer Walker, Usher
Over It
3:01
 
Monica
After the Storm
4:02
 
Whitney Houston
Whitney
4:52
 
Mary J. Blige
My Life
3:42
 
Missy Elliott
Miss E...So Addictive
3:56
 
Beyoncé, Shatta Wale, Major Lazer
The Lion King: The Gift [Deluxe Edition]
3:43
 
H.E.R.
Comfortable - Single
4:15
 
Jazmine Sullivan
Reality Show
4:05
 
Summer Walker
Over It
2:59
 
Monica
After the Storm
4:17
 
Whitney Houston
Whitney
4:37
 
Mary J. Blige
Share My World
4:54
 
Missy Elliott
Under Construction
4:21
 
Beyoncé
BEYONCÉ
3:35
 
H.E.R.
H.E.R.
3:34
 
Jazmine Sullivan
Heaux Tales
3:49
 
Monica
After the Storm
4:19
 
Whitney Houston
I'm Your Baby Tonight
4:59
 
Mary J. Blige
Share My World
4:46
 
Missy Elliott
ICONOLOGY - EP
3:12
 
Beyoncé
BEYONCÉ
5:19
 
Skip Marley, H.E.R.
Slow Down - Single
3:15
 
Jazmine Sullivan
Heaux Tales
3:44
 
Monica
After the Storm
4:17
 
Whitney Houston
I'm Your Baby Tonight
4:11
 
Mary J. Blige
Share My World
4:59
 
Missy Elliott
WTF (Where They From) [feat. Pharrell Williams] - Single
3:12
 
Beyoncé
BEYONCÉ
5:23
 
H.E.R.
H.E.R.
3:33
 
Monica
The Makings of Me (Deluxe)
3:43
 
Whitney Houston
The Bodyguard (Original Soundtrack Album)
4:31
 
Mary J. Blige
No More Drama (Deluxe)
4:25
 
Missy Elliott
This Is Not a Test!
3:30
 
Beyoncé
I Am... Sasha Fierce (Deluxe Version)
3:28
 
Monica
Still Standing
3:49
 
Whitney Houston
The Bodyguard (Original Soundtrack Album)
4:49
 
Mary J. Blige
No More Drama (Deluxe)
5:26
 
Missy Elliott
Da Real World
4:00
 
Beyoncé
Dangerously in Love
4:53
 
Monica
New Life (Deluxe Version)
3:42
 
Whitney Houston
The Bodyguard (Original Soundtrack Album)
4:45
 
Mary J. Blige
No More Drama (Deluxe)
4:36
 
Missy Elliott
Pep Rally - Single
4:22
 
Nija, Beyoncé, Busiswa, Yemi Alade, Tierra Whack, Moonchild Sanelly, DJ Lag
The Lion King: The Gift [Deluxe Edition]
4:20
 
Monica
New Life (Deluxe Version)
4:09
 
Whitney Houston
My Love Is Your Love
4:52
 
Mary J. Blige
The Breakthrough (Deluxe)
4:06
 
Missy Elliott
Miss E...So Addictive
4:49
 
Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, Beyoncé, Wizkid
The Lion King: The Gift [Deluxe Edition]
4:08
 
Monica
New Life (Deluxe Version)
3:07
 

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