One thing that everyone loves about Monica is that she will always speak her mind. Another thing that everyone loves about Monica is that she is real, and despite her nickname, Goonica, she is also refined and classy. But let’s break down how she got her nickname in the first place. The R&B singer joined “Sistas” stars KJ Smith, Crystal Hayslett, and TV personality Ari Fletcher to chat about how she got the name in the first place.

As the name suggests, she has a reputation for being a firecracker. When she first came out, she wasn’t polished, always spoke her mind, and wasn’t afraid to throw hands, but that was then.

“I’m still mastering my delivery because when i’m saying it, it’s coming from my heart. It doesn’t always mean that I'm angry. But the way it comes out I mean,  I was given nicknames based off that same aggression,” she explains. “I don’t refer to myself as Goonica at all, ever. I don’t have a problem with people saying it because I know where it derives from. I’m clear, and here’s the thing, it’s weird now because it started before the internet, but the thing is now the younger [people] that are on the internet want to know where it came from.”

Monica is referring to the fact that there’s a lot of commentary from younger people about how they’ve never seen her throwing hands. But that’s due to growth and maturity.

“You won’t see me throw hands at 42. Now, if you go back to those who maybe knew me at 22, 18, maybe even 32, but 42? I’m not doing anything,” she says. “So there’s a difference in how I handle things now vs then, but I don’t refer to myself by the nickname. I’m just not offended by it. I pretend that I don’t know where it came from because that’s funny to me, but I’m well aware.”

Monica comes from a time when it wasn’t encouraged to be rough around the edges, but she always figured out how to stay true to herself, which has always worked.

“The authenticity is really what keeps me around. I haven't released a record in years.”

And she is still performing the classics that people love.