The Monica vs Brandy Verzuz match-up was one of the first battles that Hip-Hop and R&B fans thought of when the battle series started to get popular. Still, it was one that we didn’t know we would actually get because the two ladies have been surrounded by negativity since they first collaborated way back in 1998 with “The Boy Is Mine” produced by Lashawn Daniels and a team of songwriters and producers. A classic song that helped both artists launch their sophomore albums, the song would bring them career changing success, but at the same time pitting them against each other for the remainder of their careers.
Brandy
Brandy launched her career in 1994, just a young teenage girl that everyone could relate to. Her self-titled debut album spawned the hits, “Baby,” “I Wanna Be Down,” “Brokenhearted,” and “Best Friend”.
By her sophomore album Never Say Never in 1998, Brandy had already been a household name, launching a sitcom, which she starred in titled, ‘Moesha’. Shortly thereafter she starred in a live action version of Roger’s & Hammerstein’s: Cinderella, along with Whitney Houston. She was a star and it was undeniable.
Never Say Never included the hits: “Top of the World” featuring Ma$e, “Have You Ever,” “Almost Doesn’t Count” and “Angel In Disguise,” in addition to the aforementioned “The Boy Is Mine”.
Brandy has released 5 more albums: Full Moon (2002), Afrodisiac (2004), Human (2008), Two Eleven (2012) and most recently, b7 (2020). As she got older her popularity shrunk, but the hits kept coming for those who paid attention.
Monica
Now, if Brandy was the girl next door, than Monica was the hood chick from round the way. And that’s why fans loved her. While Brandy seemed like the perfect daughter and model teen, Monica was Miss Thang! She had a sassiness about her.
Monica was actually a year younger than Brandy, but since she put out her debut album a year after Brandy, they were the same age at the time they released their first projects. You couldn’t tell by Monica’s subject matter! Monica came out the gate with hits like, “Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days,” “Before You Walk Out My Life,” “Why I Love You So Much” and “Like This and Like That”.
Her second album played no games and went with the title, The Boy Is Mine. It was a classic, just like Brandy’s sophomore project. It spawned the hits, “Street Symphony,” “the First Night,” “Angel of Mine,” and “Inside”. Her connection to Atlanta was strong as well. At this point in her career she already had 2 duets with Usher, and songs with Outkast and 112, along with production from Jermaine Dupri and Dallas Austin.
Monica’s third album came five year’s later in 2003. But Missy Elliott screaming NEW MONICA gave it some instant bangers as well. After The Storm included “So Gone,” one of the biggest songs of Monica’s career, and “U Should’ve Known Better”.
Monica released four more albums, also giving her 7 albums in her collection thus far: The Makings of Me (2006), Still Standing (2010), New Life (2012) and Code Red (2015).
Like we have done previously with these Verzuz battles, here’s a round by round break down of the Brandy vs Monica Verzuz battle.
Previous Battles:
Ne-Yo vs. Johnta Austin | Mannie Fresh vs. Scott Storch | T-Pain vs. Lil Jon | Dj Premier vs. RZA | Babyface vs. Teddy Riley | Jill Scott vs. Erykah Badu | Nelly vs. Ludacris | Beenie Man vs. Bounty Killer | 112 vs. Jagged Edge | Kirk Franklin vs. Fred Hammond | Alicia Keys vs. John Legend | Fabolous vs. Jadakiss |
DMX vs. Snoop Dogg | Rick Ross vs. 2 Chainz
Round 1: Brandy vs Monica
Brandy – What About Us? vs. Monica – “Everything To Me”
Winner: Monica
Monica – “Everything To Me”
Round 2: Brandy – “He Is” vs. Monica – “A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me)
Winner: Brandy
“He Is”
Round 3: Brandy – “Full Moon” vs. Monica – “So Gone”
Winner: Monica
Monica – “So Gone”
Round 4: Brandy – “I Wanna Be Down”/Remix vs. Monica – “Just One of Dem Days (Don’t Take It Personal)”
Winner: Brandy
“I Wanna Be Down”/Remix
Round 5: Brandy – “Baby” vs. Monica – “Like This and Like That”
Winner: Brandy
Brandy – “Baby”
Round 6: Brandy – “Angel In Disguise” vs. Monica – “Should’ve Known Better”
Winner: Monica
Monica – “Should’ve Known Better”
Round 7: Tamia, Gladys Knight, Brandy, Chaka Khan – “Missing You” vs. Monica – “For You I Will”
This is the second tie of the night already, but I don’t do ties, so Monica wins this one, and Brandy won the first one in round 4.
Winner: Monica
Monica – “For You I Will”
Round 8: Brandy – “Almost Doesn’t Count” vs. Monica – “Why I Love You So Much”
Winner: Brandy
Brandy – “Almost Doesn’t Count”
Round 9: Brandy featuring Wanya Morris – “Brokenhearted” vs. Monica – “Love All Over Me”
Winner: Brandy
Brandy featuring Wanya Morris – “Brokenhearted”
They took a break and Monica shared her new single, “Trenches” featuring Lil Baby.
When they came back from Break Monica played a mash-up of one of her songs with a C-Murder song. Monica featuring Rick Ross – “Anything (To Find You)”. Don’t think it was meant to be counted in the Verzuz.
Round 10: Brandy featuring Mase – “Sitting on Top of the World” vs Monica featuring Ludacris – “Still Standing”
Winner: Brandy
Brandy featuring Mase – “Sitting on Top of the World”
Readers Might Also Like:
R&B Singers You Should Be Paying Attention To
Equal Parts Southern Comfort and Thug Passion, Singer Damar Jackson Is Smooth As It Gets
Round By Round Break Down of The Ne-Yo vs. Johnta Austin Battle on Instagram
