Almost thirty years later, Brandy and Monica are still moving the culture forward. / (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for BPC)
Nearly three decades after the release of their smash hit song, The Boy is Mine was released, Brandy and Monica are still in demand. Last fall, The Boy Is Mine Tour which they headlined was a major commercial success, featuring multiple sold-out shows across the United States. Concert tour stops included high-profile, capacity crowds at venues like the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY and the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Originally announced as a 24-city tour, it expanded to 32 dates, including additional shows in Atlanta and Chicago due to high demand.
Even celebrities ventured out to enjoy the popular show. From Beyoncé and Jay-Z to Rihanna, Lena Waithe and our Forever First Lady Michelle Obama, attendees of all ages and walks of life were thirsty for the nostalgia that the Vocal Bible and Ms. Monica (and occasionally Goonica) were giving to their fans. The Boy Is Mine, the now iconic duet by Brandy and Monica, peaked at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks during its 1998 release year and earned the singers a coveted Grammy award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group in 1999.
ESSENCE sought out the expertise of two of music’s leading experts on soul and R&B music to get their take on the duo’s cultural legacy ahead of their return to the stage at our ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans this summer. Naima Cochrane, #MusicSermon creator, journalist and professor at the Clive Davis School of Recorded Music at New York University, and Ian Von, founder, owner and host of the Can We Talk R&B? podcast, know a thing or two about R&B music and they shared their poignant thoughts on the matter with us.
Here’s what they had to say about the cultural legacy that Brandy and Monica represent, the power of timeless songwriting and why TikTok enthusiasts have embraced these two living legends with such authentic love and gratitude.
On The Boy is Mine still resonating with people today although the song was released in 1998.
NAIMA COCHRANE: It’s simply a hit. It was at the top of the charts for 3 months, the best-selling song of the year in 1998, and still sounds great today, so shout out to Darkchild (Rodney Jerkins) and Dallas Austin for that. The second and maybe deeper reason is that it’s such a part of the zeitgeist of the late ’90s. We’re in a nostalgia renaissance with ’90s R&B and culture in the center, and The Boy is Mine along with the entire Brandy versus Monica narrative is such a marker of that period.
IAN VON: The themes of love, competition, heartbreak, and self-expression never go out of style. The Boy is Mine captured a moment culturally, but it also told a story people could see themselves in. I feel like I grew up alongside them as a fan of their contributions. Their music became part of the soundtrack of our lives. And because of that, we also helped raise a new generation of R&B fans who grew up hearing those sounds in our homes, in our cars, and at family gatherings. That’s why it continues to resonate almost three decades later.
On The Boy is Mine Tour selling out arenas to multi-generational audiences from 60+ year-olds to tweens.
COCHRANE: The Tik Tok generation is driving this ’90s and ’00s renewal! Their fascination with music, artists, tv shows, and fashion that pre-dates their existence seems like a phenomenon, but X’ers and Millennials did it, too. In the ’90s and early ’00s we were deep into the ’70s. Gen Z is experiencing discovery through clip carousels from aggregator accounts and music challenges. Which is fine, as long as the discovery is happening.
VON: That speaks directly to the point that these songs essentially raised millennials and, by proxy, Gen Z R&B lovers. Many younger fans discovered Brandy and Monica through their parents, older siblings, or through streaming and social media.
Another important factor is that both Brandy and Monica have remained culturally relevant. They’ve continued contributing incredible music over the decades and have stayed present within pop culture and, specifically, Black culture. They’re true legends whose stories are still being written. The beautiful part is that audiences across multiple generations are along for the ride.
Brandy and Monica during 1998 MTV Video Music Awards at Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
On younger R&B singers like Kehlani and Ariana Grande giving Brandy and Monica their flowers.
VON: Every generation builds on the work of the one before it. Brandy and Monica themselves paid homage to Whitney Houston and other icons who paved the way for them.
Artists like Kehlani, Ariana Grande, Coco Jones, Muni Long, H.E.R., Jazmine Sullivan and even Beyoncé have all been inspired in some way by what Brandy and Monica contributed to R&B. Whether it’s vocal style, storytelling, harmonies, or emotional delivery, their fingerprints are all over modern R&B.
COCHRANE: Artists who understand and respect their craft understand and respect lineage. I’m very happy to see these women who are now part of the more senior generation in terms of artistic hierarchy getting their due love and acknowledgement.Â
On the power of timeless R&B music.
VON: First, it must resonate across demographics — across generations, cultures, and geographic locations. When a song connects with people emotionally, it transcends time. Second, timeless music captures the spirit of an era while still feeling relevant years later.
Another thing that made that record special was how different Brandy and Monica’s brands were at the time. Their styles contrasted each other, but it felt authentic. That authenticity is what makes records last.
COCHRANE: Music is a time capsule. It’s one of the strongest memory triggers, so when we hear a song that’s closely identified with a specific time or place, it takes us right there. Even if we weren’t there in real time, we feel like we experienced it. That’s the timelessness of good music (and good production). And the rhythm & blues is the jam factor.
Monica and Brandy at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on November 20, 2025. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for BPC)
On Brandy and Monica performing together at the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture.
COCHRANE:  It’s tragic there was not a Boy is Mine Tour in 1998. Some fans have been waiting on this moment almost 30 years! Essence Festival of Culture is historically one of my favorite events, and I’m going to try my best to be in the number this summer.
VON: The run that they’ve been on lately has been amazing to watch. Seeing them headline festivals like ESSENCE in New Orleans is a reminder of their staying power.
They are true torchbearers for the culture of R&B — representing talent, beauty, authenticity, and longevity. A lot of us admire them because they’ve remained true to themselves musically and artistically for decades. Moments like this feel like a celebration not only of their careers but of the era of R&B they helped define.
Brandy and Monica are part of the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture lineup. Don’t miss out—get tickets here: Get Tickets.