UB Preview: Monica Launches ‘MoTalk Radio’ on Apple Music

One of our favorites, Grammy Award-winning singer, actress, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Monica has announced “MoTalk Radio,” a limited radio series airing exclusively on Apple Music‘s global live-streaming radio station Apple Music Hits.

Debut episode to air this Saturday, June 24th at 3pm PT featuring special guest Basketball Hall of Famer & Entrepreneur Shaquille O’Neal; Episode 2 to feature country music star Mickey Guyton airing Saturday, July 1 at 3pm PT.

Monica states, “MoTalk is an outlet for artists, entertainers, musicians, politicians, athletes, and others to share their story, their way! Being interviewed over the years has given me insight that allows me to tell the story respectfully, our truths are often diluted and distorted for the gain of others. MoTalk brings that to an end, and gives creatives back their stories. Discussing hard topics, creating change, and highlighting the greats is key for me.”

On MoTalk Radio, Monica will focus on R&B of the ’90s and ’00s with mixes curated by DJ Baby Yu. Monica bring this music to life with her commentary and insight, and will include candid interview segments with various personalities, touching on music and trending cultural topics.

Episode Descriptions

Episode 1 – Shaquille O’Neal joins MoTalk Radio to share his favorite records, how to treat the “perfect woman,” and his philosophy on giving back. DJ Baby Yu spins classic 90’s R&B jams with a new twist.

Monica on her iconic song The Boy Is Mine…

“I’ve realized over the years that some people actually believed the record was true, shout out to Brandy, one of the greatest voices of our time, mine and Brandy’s taste are complete polar opposites, so there was never really a boy for this song to be over.”

“People believed there was a lot of history prior but there was not. A lot of the narrative that you saw was formulated based on the song and then it spewed into our real lives, but it never existed prior to.”

Shaq on losing the perfect woman (ex-wife Shaunie O’Neal)…

Shaq: I met Shaunie. Shaunie was also a perfect one and I messed it up.

Monica: Really?

Shaq: Yeah. We were young and I was just doing dumb stuff, but the good thing about our relationship is that she forgave me. I tell my sons all the time, “A man has three jobs when it comes to a woman: protect, provide, and love. Some men can only offer two for whatever reason, but I’m going to teach you how to offer all three.” And that’s what I try to do. And even though I don’t have a relationship with the women that I let get away, I will always PPL, protect, provide, and love. Whatever they need, they get it from me.

Shaunie’s married. I’m happy for her. I hope this gentleman treats her the way she’s supposed to be treated, and I’m going to still love her and she’s still my wife. I will always protect, provide, and love for her, married or not.

Episode 2 – Mickey Guyton joins Monica for a deep conversation about being a black woman in country music, what she wants her legacy to be, and her album Remember Her Name. DJ Baby Yu also provides a mix of throwback R&B favorites.

Mickey Guyton on “Remember Her Name”…

Mickey: I wrote that song inspired by Breonna Taylor. Anytime you would see a horrible death, an injustice death, you would always see someone say, “Remember her name. Say her name.”

Monica: Yes.

Mickey: And so when I wrote, Remember Her Name, I was really singing about Breonna Taylor. And then, as I was writing the song and remembering her, then it also turned into me too. We as women, as Black women in the entertainment industry, so often, for lack of better words, we get the shit end of the stick so often.

Monica: Right.

Mickey: We lose ourselves, we forget ourselves, and so often we feel forgotten.

Monica: Right.

Mickey: And when you feel forgotten, you forget yourself. And so, even at your lowest points, it’s like, look at yourself. Remember that little girl before all the hurt and the pain, and you were so excited about your existence in this world and your existence in music. Remember that person then, she’s still in there.

Mickey on Finding Herself in Country Music…

Mickey: I had a conversation with my husband about why I wasn’t making it in country music, and he told me that it was because I was running away from everything that makes me different. And he said, you need to be writing about your experiences as a Black woman in America, that is your country music. And I remember it took my breath away. I felt so called out in the best way.

I remember laying in my bed that night and just thinking, and the first title that came up in my head was Black Like Me, because I read that book in Black history in college. And then the next one, I remember being in this industry and never having anybody that understood my makeup and nobody ever understood how to do my hair, the things that we go through. And those were the songs that brought me to me.

Mickey on Her Musical Inspirations…

Mickey: I loved Dolly Parton. She was someone that my grandma grew up really loving. I loved Whitney Houston, because of I Will Always Love You. Dolly Parton. I loved LeAnn Rimes. When I heard LeAnn Rimes sing the national anthem, I heard her sing the National Anthem when I was 10 at a Texas Rangers baseball game, and I just thought her voice was so incredible. I loved you. Literally, you were one of the first CDs I bought.

Monica: Oh, wow.

Mickey: I saved up my money and I listened to that record over and over and over again, because you were so young and I was like, “That’s me.” I listened to Brandy. I listened to CeCe Winans. I just heard her in the car and she still blows me away, even with the new songs that she sings. Just big voices.

“MoTalk Radio” will air live on Apple Music Radio Saturday June 24th at 3:00pm PT.

All episodes can be Streamed at Here!