Finding music to listen to in the car with your kids is a struggle. On one hand, you don't want to listen to the radio play the same four songs over and over again. On the other, the music you like may not be appropriate for little ears. Monica Morong has been there.
Monica believes that people in positions of fame and popularity have a social and moral responsibility to be role models that inspire and uplift children. She believes we need more artists who make clean, appropriate music, especially when their target demographic is kids.
A '90s kid who grew up with a love of rap and hip-hop, Monica believed she could do better. She decided to dedicate time to her childhood hobby of writing rhymes. In 2012, she became Mommy Rapper, with the goal of becoming a clean, commercial alternative to music with mature language and themes. She's put out some singles of her own while also covering some major hits.
Monica Morong grew up in the '90s with an interest in hip-hop. At 12 years old, she performed Run DMC's "Christmas in Hollis" in a school talent show. Today, she's still a fan of the genre, although she has her frustrations.
Music and performing took a back seat to Monica's education and career. In 2007, after being married to her husband Sean for a few years, Monica had her first child. She welcomed a second child in 2008, a third in 2013, and a fourth in 2019. She's now the mom of four beautiful girls between the ages of 1 and 13.
It was in 2012 when Monica returned to performing. She decided to become Mommy Rapper. Her goal was to create clean, family-friendly rap music that she felt was missing among commercial artists. Instead of complaining alongside countless other parents, she decided to make a change.
In 2013, she crowdfunded her first two singles on Kickstarter. She raised $8,000 to release "Day Away" and "Face the Music." The first was about the perfect day off with no responsibilities. The second was about the effects of song lyrics on young people.
Mommy Rapper and her family relocated from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Sacramento, California, in 2014. That year, she made her first US track, "Beauty Queen." Later, she worked on singles "This Life," "Favorite Fam," "Doin' My Own Thing," "TEAM," and "I'm Boss."
Aside from her original singles, Mommy Rapper has also covered popular songs. Her most popular is her cover of Nicki Minaj's "Pound the Alarm." She's also done covers of Cardi B's "I Like It" and Lil Pump's "Be Like Me."
Mommy Rapper found a fun way to celebrate her new single. In an effort to celebrate all the work moms are doing for their families, especially right now, she's released the first single off her EP titled Clean Rap Songs Vol. 1. The single is called "Mutha."
Instead of shooting a video for the single, Mommy Rapper created a compilation of all the best moms dancing on TikTok. Time at home has led many families to try the platform's viral dance challenges. The clips used, which include both regular moms and celebrity moms, are heartwarming.
"My lead single 'Mutha' illustrates the life of mothers, the many hats we wear, our value in society and that we are wise and intelligent," Mommy Rapper explains. "The song breaks some of the stereotypes associated with moms that we wear sweats and don’t have much to say.”
Three other tracks are featured on the EP. "Little Girl" sends an inspirational message to young listeners over a TikTok-style beat. "No More" is for people who want to change their life but find themselves stuck in old ways. "I’m Boss" empowers mothers to build their dreams and make sure their kids know mommy’s boss.
Speaking of TikTok, Mommy Rapper is cautiously wading her way onto the platform. She previously shared her feelings about the app with The Sun.
"In hindsight, I definitely should have spent more time auditing the app on my own before agreeing to let them download it," she admitted.
"I discovered the app is a portal into explicit, profane and sexually suggestive content by kids who seem to crave likes, views and comments on their posts," she continued.
"The choreographed dance moves that go viral and everyone's parents try to replicate are harmless. [But] the majority of TikTok's content has no artistic merit and exposes kids to profanity."
Still, Mommy Rapper met her kids in the middle. She made an account for the family, which she is in control of.
"First family #tiktok! Still not letting the kids have an account cuz of all the cussing on there but mommy can post for us," she announced.
Mommy Rapper is just at the beginning of her mission to provide clean commercial rap. Her dream is to write and record music with companies like Disney and Nickelodeon, whom she believes share her vision of providing family-friendly content. She's grateful to Sean and her girls for playing their roles in her chasing her dreams.
