Cynthia 'Lil Mo' Loving

Cynthia Karen Loving (born November 19, 1978), best known by her stage name Lil' Mo, is an American R&B singer, actress, radio personality, songwriter, and record producer. She debuted on the music scene as Missy Elliott's protégée and contributed guest vocals to some of Elliott's work, most notably the record-breaking "Hot Boyz". Under the wing of Elliott, Lil' Mo would land a contract deal with Elektra Records and release charting singles of her own, including "Ta Da", "Superwoman Pt. II", "4Ever", "Hot Girls", and her debut single "5 Minutes".In addition to her solo work and collaborative efforts with Missy Elliott, Lil' Mo worked with former associate Ja Rule, with whom she penned chart-topping hits like the Grammy-nominated "Put It on Me" and "I Cry". Thereafter, Lil' Mo would go on to release four studio albums, eleven music videos and over fourteen singles. Mo would also be largely responsible for bringing then-unknown rapper Fabolous to mainstream media attention. Aside from her work as a solo vocalist, Mo has contributed production and backing vocals to numerous artists' records throughout the years including Nicole Wray, Jay-Z, Tamar Braxton, Gerald LeVert, Faith Evans, among many others.

Early life

Born into a military family, Loving was raised primarily on Long Island, New York, but moved about regularly as her family followed her father's military assignments. Along with her parents, Bishop Jacob and First-Lady Cynthia Loving Sr., she lived in Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina before settling in Baltimore, Maryland. Dreams of becoming a famous singer began early and she always persisted towards her goal, performing in talent competitions wherever her family would settle. By her adulthood, Mo set out to reside in New York City's Manhattan borough, in hopes of pursuing a music career there.

Music career

1998–2001: Elektra Records and Based on a True Story

In early 1998, while submitting demo material to future-labelmate Nicole Wray's 1998 debut album, Make It Hot, Lil' Mo received a call-back from Merlin Bobb, who later connected her to Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott. Intrigued by Lil' Mo's voice, Missy Elliott requested Mo to come to the Elektra Recording studios immediately in New Jersey. Upon her arrival, Mo landed a contract deal with Elektra and began working closely with Elliott throughout the early course of her career. Shortly after the release of labelmate Nicole's 1998 debut album, Make It Hot, Mo would begin work on her own debut tentatively titled Based on a True Story. In between recording sessions for the debut, Mo would either collaborate on Elliott's records or perform in Elliott's touring venues. By fall 1998, Elektra Records had serviced Mo's debut single, "5 Minutes" to radio airwaves as the original lead single for both the Why Do Fools Fall in Love soundtrack and Mo's debut. However, because the single underperformed in the US, the song was pulled from the final track-listing of Mo's debut album.

As a scheduled release date for March 1999 approached, Elektra pushed the album multiple times in hopes of revamping Mo's image and sound. By late 1999, Mo would go on to gain further exposure for her appearance on Ol' Dirty Bastard's "Good Morning Heartache" and Missy Elliott's record-breaking "Hot Boyz". Mo's next big exposure came in 2000, when she was granted her own production company, HoneyChild Entertainment, and featured on Ja Rule's single "Put It on Me" alongside Murder Inc. Records signee Vita. The single was a hit on both urban and pop radio, and reached number eight on the US pop charts. More collaborations by Ja Rule and Lil' Mo followed, including "I Cry", which repurposed The O'Jays' 1978 hit "Cry Together".

After years of successful collaborations, Lil' Mo would finally release a successful hit of her own, "Superwoman Pt. II", on March 6, 2001. The single peaked at #11 on Billboard Hot 100 and helped bring underground rapper Fabolous to mainstream attention. On June 26, 2001, Mo's debut album, Based on a True Story was released to generally favorable reviews. Additionally, the album peaked at #14 on Billboard 200 and attained a gold certification from the RIAA, making it Mo's successful album to date. In August 2001, the debut generated a follow-up single titled "Gangsta (Love 4 the Streets)", which failed to match the success of her preceding single.

2002–2005: Radio work, Meet the Girl Next Door and Syndicated

In 2002, Lil' Mo developed an interest in communications after her work as a part-time anchor for Baltimore urban radio station WXYV-FM. That same year, Mo began work on her second album, Meet the Girl Next Door. Mo revealed to Billboard magazine that she was going to purposely use a different sound for the effort in hopes of convincing the public to overlook her credibility for "Superwoman Pt. II". As early as December 2002, the album generated three singles, "4Ever", "21 Answers" and "Ten Commandments". The former being the only successful, alongside being granted a music video release. On April 29, 2003, Meet the Girl Next Door was released to favorable reviews and mild charting on Billboard 200. Promotion for the album was limited; according to Lil' Mo, this was largely due to the fact that she was pregnant and Elektra did not give her proper support. Despite minimal promotion, Mo went on to perform the album singles on very few shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Soul Train. Shortly after promotion ended, Mo's contract with Elektra expired. She was then shuffled to Cash Money Records to record a follow-up.

In July 2004, Lil' Mo began recording material for her third album, Syndicated: The Lil' Mo Hour. During the course of its recording, four singles were released; half of which ("Hot Girls", "Dem Boyz") saw charting progress via Billboard. After a final scheduled release of October 2005 passed, alongside the destruction of Cash Money's New Orleans studio caused by Hurricane Katrina, Lil' Mo was dropped from the Cash Money roster and Syndicated was shelved.

2006–2012: Pain & Paper and P.S. I Love Me

In 2006, Lil' Mo, alongside Faith Evans, Fantasia, and R&B-turned-gospel singer Coko, appeared on the remake of The Clark Sisters' "Endow Me" from Coko's gospel album Grateful (2006). Under her independent label HoneyChild Entertainment, Lil' Mo released the album Pain & Paper on August 28, 2007 with support from Ike Morris and Morris Management Group. The album featured production from Joey Cutless, Bryan-Michael Cox, Jules "Judah," Mike Moore, Troy Taylor, Adam "Streets" Arwine, Daniel "D-Up" Allen, Wesley "Mister Wes" Toone, among others. The first single from the effort included "Sumtimes I" featuring rapper Jim Jones. Its music video was directed by Gabriel E. Hart of Drew Barrymore's unreleased VH1 program Shoot to Kill. Later in the year, a second and final single, "Lucky Her", was released.

In 2008, under a new label, Global Music Group, Lil' Mo began work a new album, formerly titled Tattoos & Roses: The Rebellion Against My Pain. Initially, the album was to include a double disc set; half of it being a live production. However, plans were scrapped and the album underwent a completely different recording process. The album's title was then revised to P.S. I Love Me with guest appearances from Tweet, Dawn Richard (of Danity Kane, Diddy-Dirty Money), PJ Morton and other performers Mo admired in the music industry. Initial contributors Missy Elliott, MC Lyte and Fabolous did not make the final cut due to undisclosed reasons. Prepping the release of the album, Lil' Mo hosted a radio show in Washington D.C. and insisted the album dives into "everything I have been through on my hiatus." On November 1, 2011, the project was released via HoneyChild Entertainment/Bronx Bridge Entertainment; distributed by Fontana Distribution.

2013–present: R&B Divas: LA and The Scarlet Letter

In 2013, Mo became a cast member of TV One reality show R&B Divas: Los Angeles alongside Chanté Moore, Kelly Price, Claudette Ortiz (of City High), Michel'le and Dawn Robinson. The series premiered in July 2013. The premiere of a reunion special to R&B Divas: LA built on TV One's historic summer ratings success, attaining a total of 834,000 viewers. Additionally, the special's ratings tied with the debut of the original sitcom The Rickey Smiley Show as the network's No. 1 telecast among adults 25–54 in TV One history.

On September 10, 2013, Lil' Mo released the song "I'm a Diva" via iTunes. Another song titled "L's Up" was released the following week. In April 2014, as part of preparation for her fifth album, The Scarlet Letter, Lil' Mo released her second mixtape No Shit Sherlock, which featured contributions by Da Brat and songwriter Tiyon "TC" Mack. On August 20, Lil' Mo announced via Twitter that The SCARlet Letterwould be released on October 28, 2014.

Personal life

In 2001, Lil' Mo met her first husband, Al Stone, at a Washington, D.C. gas station; she initiated a conversation and asked for his number. He proposed to her in May, and they wed on August 29, 2001, after dating for five months. They have two daughters born in 2002 and 2005. In December 2005, she filed for divorce from Al Stone.

She then married Gospel recording artist Phillip Bryant; the couple have a son born in 2009. She currently lives in Odenton, Maryland. She gave birth to their second son, Jonah Maddox-Phillip Bryant, on July 10, 2012. In 2014, Lil' Mo and Phillip Bryant separated.

The same year, Lil' Mo revealed on Philly's Hot 107.9 that she's in a current relationship with professional boxer Karl Dargan. In June 2014, Lil' Mo revealed via Instagram that she had an estranged stepson nicknamed Kidd Cole, who infamously appeared on an episode of MTV's television series Catfish: The TV Show. In March 2015, Lil' Mo revealed that her and husband Karl Dargan were expecting their first child together. On August 28, 2015, Mo gave birth to a baby boy Karl Dargan Jr.

 On June 22, 2001, while being escorted to a limousine, Lil' Mo was assaulted by a male at a San Francisco concert venue. She was bludgeoned in the head by the man's champagne bottle and was immediately hospitalized at California Pacific Medical Center, where she received 20 stitches. The incident traumatized Mo and left her suspicious of the attack, in which she felt it may have been a potential "set up". Mo confirmed to MTV News that she had to cancel many shows and cease a double-music video shoot for her single "Gangsta" so she could recover from the incident. A reward ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 was issued in hopes of catching the assailant. Though the alleged male attacker was never found, local San Francisco police received anonymous tips that the attacker boasted about his actions at a Hunters Point housing project near San Francisco, California.

In 2004, Lil' Mo referenced the incident in her mixtape song, "Why". In 2003, Lil' Mo revealed to Vibe magazine that she struggled with an eating disorder since 2000, just two years after she was signed to Elektra Records. She wanted her weight to be at 102 pounds so she could "be like everybody else" and "look good." However, Mo grew depressed and felt that she "looked a mess" and resembled a lollipop. She was suggested to do Weight Watchers for a healthier lifestyle.

Feuds

Ja Rule

A feud between Mo and former associate Ja Rule embroiled in late 2001, when Mo was dismissed by Murder Inc. executives and replaced by newcomer Ashanti. The feud would later be brought to public attention in early 2003. In January 2003, while co-hosting 106 & Park: Prime, Mo sent a shout-out to 50 Cent, just seconds after she premiered a Ja Rule video. The incident angered Ja Rule and the Murder Inc. label. Mo had told the press she assumed BET was going to edit out the shout, and did not think the gesture would cause an uproar. Ja Rule released the diss track "Loose Change," which targeted Eminem, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Chris Lighty and Lil' Mo. Rule credited himself as the reason why she had any hits. In May 2003, Mo released a freestyle diss to Ja Rule.

In April 2003, controversy arose regarding payment for Lil' Mo's contributions on the records "I Cry" and "Put It on Me". In 2005, Lil' Mo filed a lawsuit against Ja Rule, Murder Inc. and Def Jam Recordings for over $15 million. In 2010, the two reconciled. In 2011, the two reunited and recorded a track together titled, "U & Me".

Keyshia Cole

A rumored feud between Lil' Mo and R&B singer Keyshia Cole originated in August 2005 via radio series Star and Buc Wild Morning Show. Mo was reported to have dismissed the vocal talent of a new crop of R&B performers who rely on dancing. Cole took offense and went to Dream Hotel in New York City, where she encountered Lil' Mo's manager Phil Thornton and a stylist. Cole said to them, "You all are traitors. [Lil' Mo] is the enemy.". Lil' Mo said she was told that Cole was drunk, so she shrugged off the incident. Cole challenged Lil' Mo's take on the event.

In March 2013, Cole was criticized by urban media outlets for her Twitter critique of Beyoncé's "Bow Down/I Been On". Mo and Cole exchanged hostile tweets over the next few days. Despite the exchanges, in May 2013, Mo said there was no beef between her and Cole. Cole and Mo again exchanged hostile messages via Instagram and Twitter.

Discography

• Based on a True Story (2001)
• Meet the Girl Next Door (2003)
• Pain & Paper (2007)
• P.S. I Love Me (2011)
• The Scarlet Letter (2014)

Tours

• Lilith Fair (with Missy Elliott) (1998)
• Missy Elliott: Live in Hamburg/Germany (1998-1999)
• Sprite Simon Dtour Live (with 3LW) (2003)
• Rock the Mic Tour (with Jay-Z and 50 Cent) (2003)
• Seagram's Gin Live Tour (with Xscape) (2005)