|
|
Mz
Monk (Joyce Nicole Davis) was born in St. Louis Missouri on March 24,
1972 to Arnita Davis and Perron Scaife (her father was murdered when she
was 15 months). She gave
birth to her first daughter Sha’Dara Dashay in 1989.
She continued her education and graduated from Sumner High School
in 1990. In 1991 she gave
birth to her second daughter DaShara Janay.
Mz
Monk had dreams of being a star and thanks to her close friend, Hudson
Baxter, who promoted concerts for some of the top rappers like Too
Short, E-40, the Click and Spice 1; she was introduced to the world of
rap. By going to the
concerts and associating with the rappers Mz Monk believed she could do
what they were doing. The
raps were about their life experiences and she believed she was living
the same life. She started
rapping with friends and polished her skills.
She wasn’t serious but knew she could flow with the best.
In
1996, she was preparing to go to the Freak Nik in Atlanta. Because she
drove a flashy car, she was stopped and harassed by the Mobile Reserve
Police. Their job was to keep drugs and guns off the streets and being a
special unit they rode three deep.
They searched her car and retrieved a gun from under a seat. Mz
Monk was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon.
While in jail, all Mz Monk could think about was; three Black
cops took a woman down and left a rapist on the streets.
When she was released, her first stop was to buy cigarettes (she
didn’t smoke before going to jail), a notebook and ink pen.
Mz Monk did go to the Freak Nik and during the ride there she
started writing. Her arrest
was the spark that started the flame of her desire to express what was
deep within her. The police
really gave her something to write about.
When she returned to St. Louis she had a notebook full of songs
and a story to tell. One of
the songs was titled “The Dream” and it’s about what happened with
the police. Before
Mz Monk left, she hustled as a hair stylist on the mean streets of St.
Louis. Her mother worked in a tavern when she was growing up and all
around her were hustlers. This is what she learned to do.
It’s a hard road but it’s the one she chose.
She was very successful but upon returning to St. Louis she gave
it up to pursue rapping. She
knew she had to be serious about rapping because this was going to be
her main source of income. Mz
Monk is very independent. To get money and change her luck she sold her
flashy car. She happened to
sell it to Stoney’s (Alley Roamerz) brother.
Stoney was looking for a female rapper and when he found out that
she could rap they got together. In
1995 Mz Monk collaborated with Stoney and they formed the Alley
Roamerz/Wikked Klan. They
wrote the songs in her living room and went to the studio to record.
Soon they added four members to the Wikked Klan.
Mz Monk was also known as the Black Widow and Lady Doja.
She was called Lady Doja by one of the Wicked Klan because she
always came with the smoke. Stoney always called her Black Widow because she couldn’t
keep a boyfriend. In
1997, with financial backing from her family and friends, Mz Monk
released her first underground CD “If These Streets Could Talk”
under the Morning Breath Records label.
Her release party was at Affirmation East in December 1997.
The first song on the CD was “If These Streets Could Talk”
which featured Mz Monk, Stoney, Jazz and OG Tight produced the beats.
The second song was “Strolling Through the Hood” which featured Mz
Monk, her little sister Rosemary Baby and Freaky Nay (Stoney’s little
sister); Mz Monk did a remix of Easy E’s Boys in the Hood.
The third song “Not Enough For Me” was basically talking
about not being satisfied with her life.
The last song was an “outro” that let everyone know she would
be back. The
CD was sold underground because it wasn’t bar coded. They had 2
thousand CD’s and 1 thousand tapes made.
Mz Monk was more into promoting the CD than selling it.
She would take the CD’s everywhere and used them as her
business card. When she had
money she gave them away but if her money was low she sold them.
Mz Monk got so serious with her music that she moved Atlanta with
her daughters. She felt her
music wasn’t going anywhere in St. Louis. When she left, all she had
were her CD’s, a little money and a rental car.
Things didn’t work out in Atlanta.
Without money and a place to live, she had to move in a shelter.
This is where she met Christina, who let stay in her apartment until Mz
Monk got funds to return to St. Louis.
During this time she found out who supported her efforts.
Mz Monk became a stronger person from this experience.
She has about 30 CD’s and 300 tapes left.
Mz
Monk speaks reality and for the unspoken.
She writes about life and what she and others have gone through.
She once wrote only when she was mad or upset, but now Mz Monk
takes her time and the writing comes with little effort.
She has no set beat in mind when she writes because she is
telling a true story from her experiences.
Some say that she is hardcore but she is just being herself.
You would feel her if it’s your story too.
Since
starting out in 1994, Mz Monk has done numerous shows and openings
locally. In Indiana she performed with Alley Roamers where 36 Mafia
opened for them. She has
slowed down since her being severely injured in a car accident on April
17, 2000. She wasn’t
expected to live but she came through determined to do something with
her life. In
the spring of 2001 she hopes to release the single “Thankful” which
will be featured on the CD “Thankful”.
“Thankful” is about a girl that has gone through a lot of
trials and tribulations and suffered with pain.
But through it all she is thankful.
Another song will be “Shake the Spot” which is about club
hopping. Going from club to
club looking for the spot that’s popping. The
third song will be “When the Deal Goes Down”.
It’s about what Mz Monk has been through to get the deal.
“When the Deal goes down” is a phrase her grandmother always
used. Mz
Monk is always writing and trying to improve herself. “What’s a Girl
To Do” is a movie script she is writing about a rapper and an actress.
It’s based loosely on her life and is a work in progress.
She also has a video that she had made and is titled “It’s
All About Me”. The video
contains footage of some of her performances and from fashion shows
where she modeled. She
watches it to improve her stage presence. 2001 is when Mz Monk is going to get the deal and run. Being independent she speaks for women who can’t speak for themselves, the unspoken, with her music. She believes in “girl power”. First “ God please” “get me paid” with this “Girl Power”. She’s not trying to “game people” but she is a “game player”. “GP” is just everything within her. |
