
Part of what really made Brandy and Monica's catty 1998 hit "The Boy Is Mine " work (aside from producer Rodney Jerkins' catchy strings n' funk beat) was that most people actually thought that these two R&B/ Pop starlets had some beef with eachother. Throw in the fact that the two ladies were operating on opposite ends of the spectrum persona-wise (with Brandy as the bubbly "America's Sweetheart" and Monica as a sassy, wise-beyond-her-years mini soul diva) and you had this great soapy set-up, helping give their tug-o-war over a two-timing beau a lot more dramatic weight. [...]