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Brandy And Monica Reunite For R&B Ballad 'It All Belongs To Me'

Posted 2/7/12 9:26 am EST by in Brandy, Music, Newsroom Poll


Brandy and Monica

Fourteen years ago, Brandy and Monica made musical magic with "The Boy Is Mine," now the pair have reunited for the slow jam "It All Belongs To Me." Instead of sparring, the fierce twosome are joining forces against to kick the no-good men in their lives to the curb, demanding they return "those clothes, those cars those rings and that Macbook" … because "it all belongs to me."

We learned that Brandy and Monica reunited in early January when the singers began tweeting back and forth about being in the studio together. "We have Both Been Blessed Beyond Measure..14years later.. #TURNTHELIGHTSON,” Monica wrote. “Love @4everBrandy.”

Billboard reports the new track is set to appear on both Monica's latest solo set, New Life, and on Brandy's still-untitled new album, both of which will reportedly drop in March.

What did you think of "It All Belongs To Me"? Let us know in the comments below!

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Monica And Brandy Team Up For Follow-Up Duet To 'The Boy Is Mine'

Posted 1/9/12 1:56 pm EST by in Brandy


Brandy and Monica

Back in 1998, Monica and Brandy fought over Mekhi Pfifer on their diva-licious track “The Boy Is Mine.” The chart-topping single not only became a ubiquitous summer jam that year, but still serves as a choice karaoke tune for frenemies everywhere.

Fourteen years later (yes, 14!!! You read that right), the ladies are back in the studio cooking up another track with one another. They confirmed the highly-anticipated duet on Twitter. “We have Both Been Blessed Beyond Measure..14years later.. #TURNTHELIGHTSON,” Monica wrote. “Love @4everBrandy.”

It seems that whatever rivalry existed on that song never seeped into the real world as Brandy sent back lots of love. She answered, “I love you so much Mo thank u!” Both singers are currently working on new music and little else is known about this particular track or when anyone might get the chance to hear it.

For those who may not have lived through “The Boy Is Mine” zeitgeist, it was next level. The song was everywhere. The video was everywhere. It was inescapable. Not that anyone really wanted to escape it. It was produced by some of the biggest names in music at the time, including Dallas Austin and the still-in-demand Rodney Jerkins.

With a new song in-the-works, we have to say that it doesn’t matter who the boy actually belonged to as long as this new track is just as pitch-perfect as their last collabo. Check out their classic "The Boy is Mine" after the jump. Read More...

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Brandy Talks 'Majors & Minors' And Her Big, In-The-Works Album

Posted 9/23/11 12:42 pm EST by in Brandy, Television


Tonight, a very different kind of reality singing competition debuts on the Hub. On "Majors & Minors," 12 talented young performers get the chance to be mentored by some of the biggest and most established artists in music, including Leona Lewis, Jordin Sparks, Avril Lavigne, Sean Kingston, One Republic's Ryan Tedder, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and will.i.am. The kids range in age kids ages 10-16, and though no one is ever voted off the series, one lucky kid will score a recording deal with RCA/Jive and be featured in a cross-country concert tour.

The series' first mentor is Grammy-winner Brandy, and we were lucky enough to talk to the R&B songbird about the show and even got some early news on her buzzed-about upcoming album.

"I was blown away by the idea and they are celebrating kids and their art and their journey into becoming, you know, the artists they already are within, and it just took me back to my youth, 15-years-old trying to become a great artist and I immediately wanted to get involved," Brandy told MTV News about the show. "When I met the kids I was just completely blown away, just really moved very deeply. And from there, I just wanted to stay as involved as I could because I wanted to be a part of their experience. I actually wanted to see them grow and how far they will go and how far they have come, so far, has been so amazing."

The pop star admitted that, for her, one of the reasons she was so drawn to "Majors & Minors" was because it celebrates the contestants' talent and provides constructive criticism without being overly judgmental, something many other reality competitions thrive on. It's a topic Brandy has plenty of experience with, having been a judge on "America's got Talent" and a contestant on "Dancing With The Stars."

Read on for more of our interview and for an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip from "Majors & Minors." Read More...

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Brandy Hopes Kyle Massey Wins 'Dancing With The Stars': The MTV News Quote Of The Day

Posted 11/18/10 4:00 pm EST by in Music


"I was sad. I was very sad because we worked so hard and when you come into competition you want to go as far as you can. But it's completely changed my life. I feel like I've tapped back into my confidence and my power. This show has brought the best out in me [and] thanks to Maks. I don't know who's going to win but I know who I want to win ... Kyle Massey."

-Singer and recently dismissed "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Brandy, telling the hosts of "The View" about her experience on the show. She appeared on Thursday morning's (November 17) edition of the show alongside professional dance partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy to discuss the fallout of her exit from the show, which was something of an upset. While Brandy was a strong competitor throughout the show, she was ousted in favor of clearly inferior dancers Massey and Bristol Palin.

But Brandy didn't hold any ill will toward Palin. "Well, I think Bristol did a great job. She has improved [and] one of the great things about 'Dancing With the Stars' is the fans can get behind you and vote," she explained to the panel of hosts.

Chmerkovskiy expressed a similar sentiment. "I'm not ticked off," Chmerkovskiy said. "I'm not ticked off because I feel everyone has the right to be on. We had a lot of controversial eliminations this season. I feel like we should stay true to who we are now."

The finals of "Dancing With the Stars" will air next week with a three-way competition between Massey, Palin and favorite Jennifer Grey.


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The 'Dancing With The Stars' Situation: Brandy Dominates, Kurt Warner Makes Big Moves

Posted 11/9/10 8:00 am EST by in Television


Every season of "Dancing With the Stars" seems to ebb and flow the same way. It always seems like there are too many contestants in the beginning, and while the middle part of the season sometimes feels like a slow slog that deals in little more than obvious eliminations, the move toward the end game always seems to come out of nowhere. All of a sudden, we are down to a mere five couples competing for the championship on "Dancing With the Stars," which means that we're only two weeks away from the three-way finale. That means that by now, everybody should have found another gear for their performances and those who had been lagging behind need to put up or shut up.

Former St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner certainly did the former, delivering a sick pair of performances that were by far his best of the season (and though the judges agreed, they still sort of shorted him on points). Jennifer Grey also went the "put up" route, delivering a spry, intense quickstep that earned her and her partner a perfect 30 (despite the fact that knee problems and intense pain during rehearsals are threatening to derail her entire run on the show). Something must have also finally clicked for Kyle Massey, as he finally looked like a contender and not just like a hanger-on (his jive was thrilling partially because it was so entertaining and partially because it was so unexpected). And Brandy continued to dominate, rolling over a pair of performances that were technically sharp and skillfully entertaining.

Of course, that leaves Bristol Palin, who is clearly trying her best but obviously just can't get it. She has been on borrowed time for weeks now, and neither of her dances were particularly well-executed (her second one, a samba, looked positively Hasselhoffian). The rest of the field is light years ahead of her, and it's finally time for her to shuffle off and let the grown-ups compete for the big prize.

Who do you think will end up in the final three on "Dancing With the Stars"? Let us know in the comments!

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The 'Dancing With The Stars' Situation: Audrina Patridge Eliminated In A Shocker

Posted 10/27/10 7:45 am EST by in Television


Well, that was certainly unexpected. In a twist that seemed to come from nowhere, former "The Hills" star Audrina Patridge was eliminated from Tuesday night's (October 26) episode of "Dancing With the Stars." Though she has been struggling all season long with infusing her technically sharp moves with energy and personality, it seemed as though her technique would carry her through at least a few more weeks. But clearly the viewing audience decided that they had seen enough, and despite the fact that several contestants had lower scores (including former Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner and former accidental political talking point Bristol Palin), Patridge was shown the door.

Apparently, the show narrowly missed what would have been a truly staggering upset, as judges' favorite and front-runner Jennifer Grey was also declared to be in danger of elimination on Tuesday night's show. Though her momentum has cooled a bit in the past two weeks, Grey remains the most elite competitor on the show this season, and with the fundamentally sound Patridge out, it is now a two horse race between Grey and Brandy for the grand prize. (As an aside: As a competitor who has solid technical skills but lacked flair, isn't Audrina sort of like the Chuck Knoblauch of "Dancing With the Stars"?)

With the twist of Patridge's exit and the uncertainty of Grey's status, Tuesday night's results show was lively and tense, so the addition of the musical guests was (for once) a welcome respite and not just a way to fill time. Kylie Minogue brought an incredible amount of heat to the stage, and the cameos by rock legends (including Brett Michaels and Alice Cooper) were refreshing and fun. But now that the entire MTV contingent is gone (Patridge follows "Jersey Shore" star Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, who was eliminated two weeks ago), the favorite around the MTV Newsroom is now Brandy, if only because everybody here still knows all the words to "I Wanna Be Down."

Did you agree with Audrina's elimination on "Dancing With the Stars"? Let us know in the comments!

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The 'Dancing With The Stars' Situation: Brandy Dominates, Bristol Palin Steps Her Game Up

Posted 10/26/10 8:00 am EST by in Television


Over the course of most seasons of "Dancing With the Stars," this is the point in the season where the competition really gets serious. Theoretically, every cast member left should have a fighting chance at competing in the finale, with a handful of people truly capable of winning the whole thing. But though plenty of dead weight has been shed so far this season, there is still at least one contestant who is just treading water until her inevitable dismissal (probably as soon as this week). We're looking at you, Bristol Palin, and your strange "teen activist" title and your inability to move your feet properly. Palin was saved from the chopping block last week in favor of Florence Henderson, and she was going to really need a stellar showing on Monday night's (October 25) episode of "Dancing With the Stars" in order to continue shaking her tailfeather on national television.

She may have actually bought herself another week with her tango last night, a relatively lively performance during an extremely strange rock-themed episode of the show that also featured a strange "dance marathon" that was confusing and not particularly noteworthy (except for the fact that Brandy won it somehow). Palin began to emerge from her shell last night, and her footwork was the strongest it has been all season (that being said, she still could use a lot of polish). Her confident performance — combined with Kurt Warner's relatively disastrous night on the dance floor — should give Palin a reprieve and could start her on the path to becoming this season's Kelly Osbourne (as in the contestant who starts as a mess and eventually challenges for the title).

However, she'll have to overcome some stiff competition from Brandy (who is getting exponentially better every week), Jennifer Grey (who has been judged a little more harshly if only because she's sort of a ringer) and former "The Hills" star Audrina Patridge (whose paso doble still lacked personality but showed an impressive range of technical skills). Rick Fox also continues to come on strong, which gives the top tier some much-needed testosterone.

Who do you think will be eliminated from "Dancing With the Stars" this week? Let us know in the comments!

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Brandy Tells Monica The Boy Is Hers: Wake-Up Video

Posted 6/9/10 8:30 am EST by in Wake-Up Video


It seems like every musical generation has its own diva duet that brings together two huge stars for a tag-team event that elevates both of their statuses. Recently, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé got together for a pair of tunes that helped establish them both as dominant stars. But before Gaga and B, there was Brandy and Monica, two youthful R&B vixens who dominated pop radio with their smash single "The Boy Is Mine." It appeared on Brandy's second album Never Say Never, which hit stores on this day in 1998.

Brandy had already scored big with her 1994 self-titled debut, which gave birth to hits like "I Wanna Be Down" and "Brokenhearted." But since that album hit the streets when she was only 15 years old and because of her clear commitment to acting roles (the space between her first and second albums exists because she starred on the successful sitcom "Moesha"), there was doubt about Brandy's ability to still deliver modern, mature R&B tunes.

Never Say Never — and especially "The Boy Is Mine" — made Brandy into a superstar. The funky, groovy production provided by Rodney Jerkins, Dallas Austin and a parade of others was a perfect fit for Brandy's buttery-smooth vocal chops. It became a massive juggernaut, scoring half a dozen singles (including "Have You Ever?" and "Almost Doesn't Count") that carried Brandy into the new millennium.

It all kicked off with "The Boy Is Mine," a stunning, shimmery four minutes of blissful pop that has a wicked beat and two young divas at the top of their game. If aliens ever want to know what R&B sounded like at the end of the 1990s, this is the song (and the video, with its references to Jerry Springer and a guest appearance by Mekhi Phifer) we should play for them.

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Lady Gaga, Brandy And Shakira: Three To See

Posted 4/12/10 1:30 pm EST by in Music


Every morning, MTV News delivers the top news stories in music, movies and pop culture hot and fresh for your reading and watching pleasure. We then bring together a trio of the biggest headlines for "Three to See," the daily digest of the top stories making noise on our site and across the Internet.

Lady Gaga Talks About Celibacy
Though Lady Gaga sings about carnal pleasures and has a hyper-sexual image, she isn't currently indulging in any sort of hanky panky. During a visit to London, she said that she is currently celibate. "I can't believe I'm saying this: Don't have sex," she said. "I'm single right now and I've chosen to be single because I don't have the time to get to know anybody. So it's OK not to have sex, it's OK to get to know people. I'm celibate, celibacy's fine."

Brandy Talks About Relationship With Flo Rida
Singer and star of "Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business" Brandy took to her blog to talk about her possible relationship with rapper Flo Rida. "I've seen the photos of me and Flo Rida," she wrote, referencing the pictures that have surfaced of the two of them at parties. "It doesn't matter how we met. We met. I don't want to say that we're a couple. I can definitely say that he's somebody in my life, and I'm definitely interested but I'm not serious with anybody."

Shakira Visits Haiti, Looks For Land To Build School
The "She Wolf" singer made a trip to the earthquake-ravaged island of Haiti over the weekend to meet with survivors and search for a suitable site in Port-au-Prince for a school that her Pies Descalzos (Barefoot) Foundation plans to build. "We think we can employ what we've learned [in Colombia] here, apply it in this country which needs it so much at the moment," Shakira told reporters.

What do you think of Lady Gaga's self-imposed celibacy? Let us know in the comments!

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Brandy (AKA Bran' Nu) Raps With Timbaland Live In Miami

Posted 12/10/09 9:00 am EST by in Music


Timbaland's new album Shock Value II is an excellent mix of styles that features a veritable who's who of hip-hop, R&B, pop and rock stars lending their voices to Tim's futuristic funk. Justin Timberlake, Drake, Keri Hilson, Miley Cyrus, Nelly Furtado, Daughtry and Chad Kroeger from Nickelback all make appearances on the eclectic record. But perhaps the most intriguing guest spots come from Bran' Nu, the rap persona of singer Brandy, who has traded in her silky-smooth coo for a tougher rap sound on Shock Value II's "Meet in tha Middle" and "Symphony."

The new persona — even the name — was created and nurtured by Tim himself. "What I'm doing on the album is a little bit different than what everybody knows me for," Brandy said. "I'm rapping on the album. Timbaland endorsed that. He changed my name to Bran' Nu. He really gave me a shot to be different and be versatile. I can't thank him enough for that. This is a wonderful opportunity. I'm blessed to be here."

Timbaland told MTV News that he hopes that Brandy's new album — which he is producing — will feature an equal balance of singing and rapping. In any case, Bran' Nu acquitted herself nicely at Timbaland's Verizon- and Blackberry-sponsored album release party in Miami Beach last Saturday (December 5). But you don't have to take Tim's word for it — check out her spitting for yourself in the clip below.

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