When we talk about the vocal greats, we have to talk about Monica.

The ’90s were chock full of powerhouses, and the biggest powerhouses of them all — Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey — were at the height of their powers. As a result, so many outstanding vocalists were never quite appreciated as well as they should’ve been. We were simply spoilt rotten with talent back then.

Monica is one of the powerhouses who — while very successful — wasn’t quite recognized in the way she deserved to be. Miss Thang could blow, and even Whitney thought so too. And when you consider the fact that she was only 14 years old when she debuted, you start to appreciate her as the remarkable talent she really is. In fact, much of her debut album, Miss Thang, was recorded when she was just 13 years old, and at least two of its tracks were recorded when she was 12.

Simply put, Monica is not one of them.

“Before You Walk out of My Life,” the second single from Monica’s debut album, is a fan favorite and for good reason. Written by the late Andrea Martin and Danish duo Soulshock & Karlin, the song is a fine example of how mood can be conveyed through melody. And Monica’s ability to emote at such a young age helped us feel every word of the song like we were living it.

Like many of the greatest songs ever, “Before You Walk out of My Life” was written and recorded by someone else who left it on the cutting room floor. Toni Braxton had recorded it for her sophomore LP, Secrets, but it didn’t make the cut, so it was given to a then-unknown Monica. And now I’m dying to hear that rendition of the song because I’m greedy.

“Before You Walk out of My Life” would go on to peak at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remains one of her signature hits. And them shoes now have a legacy of their own.

Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter was completed on Thursday, and like the true monster he is, he got to firing immediately.

According to multiple reports, the father of who has fired CEO Parag Agrawal; CFO Ned Segal; Legal, Policy and Trust & Safety head Vijaya Gadde; and general counsel Sean Edgett. The CEO and CFO were reportedly escorted off the premises.

Gadde is said to be the one behind the platforms decision to ban Donald Trump permanently.

We’re learning more about Kanye West‘s antisemitic tendencies. A few weeks ago, Van Lathan revealed that the rapper had said he loved Adolf Hitler and Nazis during his infamous 2018 TMZ appearance.

Now, we’re learning that there’s more evidence of this kind of behavior.

According to CNN, sources close to the former billionaire has long been obsessed with Nazi Party leader, and even wanted to name his 2018 album Hitler, but eventually named it Ye.

A former executive who worked for Kanye told CNN, “He would praise Hitler by saying how incredible it was that he was able to accumulate so much power and would talk about all the great things he and the Nazi Party achieved for the German people.” The executive would eventually resign and reach a settlement with the rapper over workplace complaints, and was made to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Once upon a time — before 50 Cent bullied him into obscurity and before he was palling around with criminals — Ja Rule was a bonafide hit-maker. When I think about Ja today, I prefer to remember that time of creative excellence. It’s not always easy, but I’m committed.

In April of 2001, Ja released “I Cry” (featuring Lil’ Mo) as the fourth and final single from his sophomore set, Rule 3:36. They say sampling is an art form in itself, and if I were to argue in favor of that position, I might present this song as Exhibit A. The song makes clever use of different elements of “Cry Together” by The O’Jays, and the result is pure magic.

There was a time when Ja Rule was ridiculed for singing, but the fact of the matter is that his vocal ability is part of what makes him so special. And on the “I Cry” bridge, we get the very best of Ja Rule the singer.

Megan Thee Stallion’s LA home was burglarized last night. According to TMZ, the robbers — described as two men in hoodies and gloves — stole over $300,000 in jewelry, cash and electronics. Authorities are said to be revealing surveillance footage in attempt to identify the suspects.

The rapper is currently in NYC preparing for her upcoming Saturday Night Live appearance, where she’ll be both host and musical guest. Soon after the news of the burglary broke, she tweeted that she’ll be taking a break after the SNL gig, explaining that she’s “physically and emotionally” tired.

This week in 1997, Janet Jackson released her sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope. With this album, she broadened her already broad repertoire with sounds we’d never heard from her while giving us songs that felt familiar. “I Get Lonely,” the album’s third single, falls into the latter category.

Co-written by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Ms. Jackson, and her then-husband, René Elizondo Jr., “I Get Lonely” is a sexy lamentation by a forlorn ex-lover wishing she had that old thing back. Vocally, it is one of Janet’s best performances and has become a fan favorite over the years. A remix would be made with Blackstreet, and while it’s not terrible, we’re rocking with the original.

“I Get Lonely” will extend Janet Jackson’s chart domination, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming her 18th consecutive top 10 hit — a record that still stands.

Remember that TMZ appearance Kanye West made in 2018? The one where he told us he got lipo so we wouldn’t call him fat.

During that appearance, Kanye made headlines for declaring that slavery was a choice, but according to Van Lathan (who worked at TMZ at the time and made headlines of his own when he cleared Ye), the rapper also said he loved Hitler and nazis during that appearance. However, we never got to hear those comments because they were left on the cutting room floor. Lathan made the revelation on his podcast, Higher Learning, which he co-hosts with Rachel Lindsay.

It’s not clear what the rationale was, but it seems someone at TMZ decided that anti-Black hate was safer than antisemitism.

Once upon a time, the pop songs used to really POP. They used to make you wanna jump. They used to make you wanna shout. They used to make you really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig, ah.

I couldn’t help myself.

In July of 1996, Spice Girls made the splashiest of debuts with one of the poppiest pop songs ever. Co-written by Matt Rowe, Richard Stannard and all five members of the group, “Wannabe” is every bit as spicy as its performers, fusing Oldies — the bass line was inspired by “Summer Nights” from Grease — with contemporary styles in a way where no particular element overpowers the others. It’s the ultimate musical gumbo, seasoned to perfection.

“Wannabe” is about the importance of female friendships and how they should take priority over fleeting romances. This pro-woman ideal would become a central theme in the branding of the group, who would become the faces of the Girl Power movement of the late ‘90s.

While “Wannabe” is certainly about prioritizing friends and whatnot, make no mistake: It is also about sex. From top to bottom, the song is garnished with innuendos, most scandalously in the rap verse towards the ends of the song, where Mel B hints that Geri Haliwell and Mel C like to be on ecstasy when they get busy.

“Wannabe” would become an instant classic, topping the charts in 37 countries — including the US and UK — and making the Spice Girls megastars overnight.