Houston rapper Monaleo sees her work as ‘music therapy’
Performer and mental health advocate’s new song inspired by friends she’s lost
Monaleo, the rising Houston rapper and mental health advocate, sees her work as music therapy.
“I wanted to bridge that gap between real-life emotions and music, she says of her songs. “And kind of make music therapy.”
Much of her catalog, including viral hits “We Not Humping” and “Beating Down Yo Block,” has a raw, explicit edge. But things take a turn on the just-released “Miss U Already.” It's an emotional ballad about losing someone and dealing with the aftermath.
" I just got a call that my dog got shot/ No matter who I meet they won't take my spot/ Forever on my mind, forever on my heart ...“
Monaleo's vocal is beautifully restrained and exudes just the right amount of emotion. Her delivery doesn't oversell the lyrics, which could have been an easy way to wring emotion. A live performance version and video features a chorus of local singers. Monaleo put out a call a few months ago on social media for voices and chose nine to accompany her. Each one gets a solo spotlight. According to an Instagram post, she is splitting the song's percentages with the singers.
“Miss U Already” was inspired by friends Monaleo has lost over the last few years. Despite the somber tone, she felt December was a perfect time to release it.
“The seasonal depression starts, and spending holidays without loved ones is always really difficult. I wanted to share just something intimate, something personal, something that I struggle with, that I know a lot of other people also struggle with, so we can share this experience together,” she says.
A lantern release, planned last week in conjunction with the song's drop on streaming platforms, was scrapped because of high winds. Boxes of lanterns from Amazon sat unopened on a table and inside a truck. Monaleo and her team improvised, inviting people to sign a mural created for the event near the corner of Austin and Leeland in downtown Houston.
A dozen or so fans, mostly women, wrote dedications to lost loved ones on the pink wall, decorated with hearts, wings and the song title.
Latisha Flanders was in town from Albuquerque, N.M., for a friend's birthday and stopped by the event. Flanders is the co-founder of Tomorrow Needs You, a nonprofit focused on mental health.
“She actually wore our hoodie and promoted it a few times. That was really cool,” Flanders says.
Tobi Erinle, a Houston fan who accompanied Flanders, feels connected to Monaleo's authenticity.
“She's just very raw. She's very just herself. If you've watched her rise to fame, she hasn't really changed,” Erinle says. “She said she was going to do a lot for mental health, and it's just really amazing to be able to watch her do that.”
Monaleo has been a longtime mental health advocate for Black women and girls. She's been candid about her lifelong struggles with anxiety, depression and multiple suicide attempts. Her earliest attempt was in fourth grade.
“I've always struggled with just feeling like I belong in the world, period. With that comes a lot of identity issues, self-esteem issues. I always want to advocate for people delving into their mental health journey and taking care of their mental health as best as they can,” she says. “It's something I've struggled with since I was a very weird little girl.”
The sun was beginning to vanish behind the downtown skyline when Monaleo showed up at the mural location. She jumped out of a car and began writing on the wall, sharing the names of people she's lost over the past few years.
“Thank y'all so much for watching over me,” she wrote. “Gone but never forgotten.”
The event was a savvy tie-in with the song, of course. But it was more than that for an artist who has consistently worked to stay close to her fans.
“I really just wanted to get up close and personal with a few people here in Houston. Just to continue celebrating the people we lost. Not make it sad or somber, but just to uplift them and celebrate them and just share this experience together. Hug each other, talk about it,” Monaleo says.
That connection has become more of a challenge as Monaleo's star rises. Earlier this year, she teamed up with Flo Milli, another female rapper, for the “We Not Humping Remix.” She got a co-sign from Lil Nas X, who uploaded a clip of himself singing along to her song “Beating Down Yo
Block.” She was a featured player on “Wild ‘N Out,” Nick Cannon's long-running improv comedy show.
Monaleo was selected to be part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Music Class of 2022, a list of creatives who received career support from the platform. Last summer, she was featured in Beyoncé's Ivy Park campaign for summer 2021.
“Miss U Already,” then, is just another hallmark for the rapper who hopes to take Houston to new heights — and remember those she's lost along the way.
“It's bittersweet to continue to accomplish things and have different accolades and also feel like you're missing a piece of yourself,” she says. “This is my ode to them, saying that I still remember them, I still miss them and I hope that they can still see and hear all of the things that are going on here on Earth.”