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| Monie Love | |
|---|---|
| Name | Monie Love |
| Background | solo_singer |
| Birth name | Simone Johnson |
| Birth date | 2 July 1970 |
| Birth place | Streatham, London, United Kingdom |
| Origin | London |
| Genre | Hip hop, R&B, Dance-pop |
| Occupation | rapper, songwriter, radio presenter, actress |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Labels | First Priority Music, Warner Bros., K-tel |
| Associated acts | Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Prince, Salt-N-Pepa, Stereo MCs |
Monie Love
Simone Johnson, known professionally as Monie Love, is a British rapper and songwriter who emerged during the late 1980s hip hop scene. She gained prominence through collaborations with artists from the United Kingdom and United States, work on influential albums and singles, and later transitioned into radio broadcasting and acting. Her career intersects with movements in female hip hop, international music exchanges, and multimedia media projects.
Born in Streatham, London, Johnson grew up in a family that moved between the United Kingdom and the United States, exposing her to cultural scenes in London and New York City. She attended schools in both countries and gravitated toward spoken word and performance influenced by community events, local radio stations such as BBC Radio 1 and Hot 97-style programming, and the burgeoning hip hop cultures in neighborhoods like Harlem and Brixton. During adolescence she connected with peers active in local music collectives and clubs tied to scenes around Notting Hill Carnival and New York block parties.
Monie Love's recording career began with releases on First Priority Music and associations with major labels such as Warner Bros.. Early singles like collaborations with Flavor Unit-affiliated artists and members of De La Soul helped establish her on the charts in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She worked with producers and performers from the Native Tongues collective, appeared on compilations alongside Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, and MC Lyte, and contributed guest verses to albums by Prince, Prince Paul, and Stereo MCs. Her debut album received attention on programs such as MTV and The Arsenio Hall Show, while singles achieved rotation on stations including BBC Radio 1 and Kiss FM.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, she released solo material, toured with acts from the US and UK scenes, and collaborated with DJs and producers connected to labels like K-tel and independent imprints. Monie Love's discography includes guest appearances on recordings by De La Soul, songwriting credits for R&B and dance artists, and remixes circulated in club circuits linked to venues in Manchester and New York City.
Monie Love expanded into acting with roles in television and film productions, participating in projects tied to British and American independent media companies and appearing on entertainment programs such as Top of the Pops and Soul Train. She transitioned to radio presenting, hosting shows that featured interviews with figures from hip hop culture and broader entertainment, booking guests including members of Public Enemy, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill. Her broadcasting career involved work with stations and networks that intersect with BBC Radio 1Xtra, community radio outlets, and syndicated programs that reached audiences in both the United Kingdom and United States.
Johnson has maintained connections with artistic communities across London and New York City and engaged in charitable initiatives tied to youth music education and community arts organizations. She has been associated with advocacy networks focused on representation for women in hip hop and has collaborated with institutions and events such as Notting Hill Carnival and music conferences that convene artists, managers, and label executives.
Her style draws from a range of musicians and cultural figures, including pioneers of hip hop and contemporaries from both sides of the Atlantic. Influences include members of the Native Tongues collective, trailblazers such as Queen Latifah and Salt-N-Pepa, producers like Prince Paul and Nile Rodgers, and crossover artists from R&B and dance-pop scenes. She blends rhythmic spoken delivery with melodic hooks reminiscent of crossover singles heard on MTV, BET, and club playlists in Manchester and Los Angeles.
Monie Love is recognized among the cohort of late-1980s and early-1990s female rappers who helped shape mainstream visibility for women in hip hop. Her collaborations with artists from De La Soul, appearances on influential broadcasts such as The Arsenio Hall Show, and participation in transatlantic music exchanges contributed to dialogues about gender, nationality, and genre. She is cited in retrospectives on female representation alongside MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Salt-N-Pepa, and continues to influence emerging artists and presenters within networks spanning London and New York City.
Category:British rappers Category:Women in hip hop