The Boy Is Mine

On July 14, 1998, Monica released her second studio album, The Boy Is Mine, through Arista and LaFace Records. The 13-track set marked a deliberate shift from her debut, with Monica co-executive producing alongside Clive Davis and Dallas Austin. She enlisted a core production team: Dallas Austin handled six tracks, Rodney Jerkins produced five, and Babyface contributed the ballad "Angel of Mine." Songwriter Diane Warren also lent her pen to that track, while Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting" received a cover.

The album's sound blended smooth R&B with hip-hop and soul, showcasing Monica's vocal range on uptempo cuts like "Ring da Bell" and vulnerable ballads such as "Inside." Critics praised the cohesive production and Monica's confident delivery, with AllMusic calling it "a first-rate urban soul album." Commercially, it debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and peaked at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, spending 71 weeks on the former. The RIAA certified it triple platinum in November 1999, and it sold over four million copies worldwide.

The title track, a duet with Brandy, became a cultural flashpoint. Released in May 1998, it spent 13 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, winning the Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. Two subsequent singles, "The First Night" and "Angel of Mine", also reached number one, making Monica one of the few artists to score three chart-toppers from a single album. The album earned a nomination for Favorite Soul/R&B Album at the 1999 American Music Awards.[edit]