Monica & Whitney Keeping It Reel...

Monica, Whitney keep it reel
MARILYN BECK & STACY JENEL SMITH

12/01/2000
The Star-Ledger Newark, NJ

R&B THRUSH Monica steps back into the spotlight with MTV's "Love Song" movie
tonight - and intends to stay front and center for awhile. She plans to have her next album
out by March. And she reports that she and Whitney Houston are aiming at spring for the
start of production on "Angel of Mine."

''Whitney keeps reminding me of it," notes Monica of the fanciful "Angel" tale that
would have her playing a gal with an unusual guardian angel -a deceased '70s rock star.
Houston's company is producing the picture for Wonderful World of Disney, a la
Brandy's "Cinderella" of 1997.

''Whitney's not acting in it, but because of our relationship, she wants to be on the
set when we shoot it," says Monica.

The young singer, who deliberately slowed down the frantic pace of her professional
life a while back - "I didn't want to become a machine" - is now rarin' to capture fans'
attention anew. She tells us she and record producer Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs have recorded the theme song for Chris Rock's 2001-release big-screen comedy, "Down to Earth." "The song is 'Never Let Go.' It comes out next month, and we're going to do a video and stuff."

Tonight will see "Love Song" ushered onto the air with a pre-movie red carpet premiere
party special. Monica lets us know that "Love Song" was originally written for her to
make with N'Sync's Jus tin Timberlake - which she would have loved, she says. "But due to his scheduling difficulties, he couldn't do it. Christian Kane from 'Angel' handled the role
instead, and he really brought it out."

NEWSFILE: 1 DECEMBER 2000