Spring 2019 saw Brandy and Monica‘s colossal duet, ‘The Boy is Mine,’ celebrate its 21st birthday. Since its epic chart reign in 1998, the two as adults – jointly and separately in interviews over the years – may have reflected fondly on the song’s impact on the charts and their respective careers, but both acknowledge there was a rivalry between them fueled by outsiders.
As indicated in those numerous chats, the ladies agreed they never actually met before the tune’s creation and upon meeting were instantly at odds due to fan wars, constant pitting against each other, and murmurs from industry insiders. Monica’s longtime producer, Dallas Austin, says that beef came to a head before their first live televised performance of the number at the 1998 MTV VMAs. There, according to the hitmaker, “ghetto” Mo struck Bran in the face.
Ouch! Hear it from his lips:
Hear Mo and Brandy speak on that drama from this 2012 interview (start at the 3:45 mark):
Click here to hear Monica talk about “putting hands” on Brandy, presumably the same episode Austin is referencing above.