Monica Arnold became emotional on stage as she shared sad news about her father, M.C. “Billy” Arnold Jr, during the Forever Mine Music Festival in Chicago on Monday.
Before performing her hit song “Angel of Mine,” Monica told the crowd, “The doctor said today that it was nothing else they could do for my dad.”
While fighting back tears, Mo’ said, “We all going through something. Make some noise if you’ve ever been through something.”
Monica added that she didn’t want to disappoint her fans by not showing up. “All I knew is I wasn’t not coming here today, ’cause y’all showed up for all of us.”
To all Monica fans asking about her out of concern. This is the reason, I rather post the clip than put it in my words. Continue to pray for her. She’s a daddy’s girl pic.twitter.com/wCmQIg02LN
— Monica_Access?????? (@monica_access) May 26, 2026
Monica wore a camouflage jacket, a tan top and matching cargo shorts, which she accessorized with black thigh-high boots. Mo’s significant other, Anthony Wilson, and her daughter, Laiyah Brown, 12, watched her performance.
— Monica_Access?????? (@monica_access) May 25, 2026
In 2013, Monica announced her father was admitted to the hospital with kidney failure on the same day that she gave birth to her daughter, Laiyah.
Monica tweeted a touching Instagram photo of her father cradling his granddaughter. In the caption, she wrote: “The same day our daughter was born my father was admitted. Dr’s say Kidney failure. I just stay in prayer because I know God never fails!!! I’m never phased (sic) by the world. The only thing that matters to me is Christ & My Family.”
Monica’s father walked out on the family when she was 4. Her mother, Marilyn Best, raised her and her brother, Montez, as a single mom until 1993 when she married Rev. Edward Best.
Monica also has two sons, Rodney and Romelo, with rapper Rocko Da Don, while former NBA player Shannon Brown is father to Laiyah.