Mo’Nique’s career downfall has been attributed to a lot of things. However, many seem to feel her husband, Sydney Hicks, bears a lot of the blame. He stepped in to manage his wife with no experience during the height of her career, and shortly after, everything derailed. Mo’Nique does not seem to think so and actually credits Sydney for helping her achieve new heights in her life. While many are only familiar with Sydney, Mo’Nique was married two times before him.
In 1990, well before her career took off, Mo’Nique met and married a man named Shalon Watkins. The pair relocated to Atlanta to help Mo’Nique jump-start her career. They had a son, Shalon Watkins Jr. The marriage began to dissolve after two years, and Mo’Nique decided to take her son and head back to her hometown of Baltimore.
She then began dating Mark Jackson. Jackson and Mo’Nique married in 1997, and he was in her life when she landed the role of Nikki Parker on UPN’s Moesha spin-off, The Parkers. While together, Mo’Nique and Mark adopted a child they named Mark Jackson Jr. Mo’Nique began to realize the toll that putting her career before her kids was starting to take on her family. She admitted to Jet magazine that she was “dying inside” and called her marriage “a lie.” Her relationship with her son’s was strained. She and Mark would eventually divorce and she would try to refocus on her kids.
Mo’Nique would meet and fall in love with an accountant named Marvin Dawson after Jackson. Mo was 35 at the time while Dawson was only 23. The age gap and her two recent divorces did not bother Mo’Nique, but she did find out some things about Dawson before their wedding that she did not like. He had a criminal past that included weapons charges and jail time. Mo’Nique decided to call the wedding off as a result.
Mo’Nique and Sidney Hicks were childhood friends who found love in each other after years of just being buddies. Mo’Nique says they were best friends as teens, and she eventually decided to give their relationship a shot. They share twin boys and tied the knot in 2006. Sydney quickly became a part of Mo’Nique’s career, appearing in interviews and by her side on red carpets. Their relationship has been controversial for several reasons. They have an open relationship and enjoy being intimate with people outside of their marriage. Sydney is also very involved, and Mo’Nique makes sure that all decisions regarding her career go through him.
In several interviews, she’s also opened up on how Sydney has “raised her.” Mo’Nique says that for a long time, she felt that because she earned the money, she could set the rules in a relationship. However, Mo’Nique claims Hicks taught her how to compromise and be an equal partner. Because of how much she has learned through their union, she calls him Daddy. Hicks has been very vocal about telling Mo’Nique to turn down deals and stand up for herself during pay disputes and business dealings that he deems to be shady or beneath her.
Mo’Nique Wants Black Women To Let Their Guard Down
Mo’Nique thinks women can learn a thing or two from their relationship. She feels that too many women have their guard up and not allow good men to help “raise” them as she allowed Sydney. She thinks this is even more prominent in women of color. Speaking directly to black women, the comedian stated, “if you have a good one, let your guard down and let it happen.” Mo’Nique claims “when you got a king, he’s gotta prepare you to be the queen. So many of us ain’t got the queen training, so when we get the king, we don’t know what to do with it,” Mo’Nique shared in discussion with Tamar Braxton.
Do you agree with Mo’Nique and Tamar?
