Jerzee Monet

Jerzee Monet, an R&B vocalist, pursued an ambitious route into the music business that originated along the eastern seaboard. Childhood years spent moving among several New Jersey towns, alternating between her divorced parents, exposed her to wide-ranging cultural and racial perspectives. Those experiences supplied the assurance and insight she needed to develop her singing skills. After working briefly as a hairstylist in Trenton, she acknowledged that music demanded her full attention. A position as a chef at a Virginia restaurant followed. In 1999 the full Ruff Ryders roster and staff arrived unexpectedly for dinner, where DMX, the label’s leading artist at the time, formed an immediate connection with Monet. The company supplied several contact numbers and urged her to continue. She returned to New Jersey, juggling three jobs to finance her aspirations. A deal with Dreamworks eventually materialized, leading to sessions with producer Tyrice Jones in 2001. The resulting album, Love & War, appeared in summer 2002.