Cynthia Karen Loving (born November 19, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, television, and radio personality known professionally as Lil’ Mo. She is most known for her 2001 track “Superwoman Pt. II,” which featured the then-unknown rapper Fabolous and is credited with launching his career. She first achieved prominence as Missy Elliott’s protégé, having been featured on her record-breaking smash single “Hot Boys”, as well as through her collaborations with Ja Rule, with whom she penned the Grammy-nominated “Put It on Me” and “I Cry”.
Mo began her career as a studio musician, backing vocalist, and songwriter. While submitting demo tracks to Elektra Records for Nicole Wray’s debut album, Make It Hot, in early 1998, Mo got the notice of Missy Elliott, who helped her gain a contract with Elektra. Mo released her debut single “5 Minutes” from the soundtrack of the Frankie Lymon biographical film Why Do Fools Fall in Love on June 29, 1998. The song was supposed to be on Mo’s debut album, but due to poor sales in the United States, it was dropped from the final track listing. Mo’s debut album was supposed to be released in March 1999, but it was pushed back several times due to Elektra’s efforts to remodel Mo’s image and sound.
Mo released her first solo song, “Ta Da,” on April 10, 2000. Mo would eventually unleash a huge hit of her own, “Superwoman Part. II,” her second single from her upcoming album, after years of successful collaborations and features. The song was released on March 6, 2001, and peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, propelling then-unknown rapper Fabolous into the spotlight. Mo’s debut album, Based on a Real Story, was released on June 26, 2001, to generally positive reviews. The album debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA, making it Mo’s most successful album to date.