Mekhi Phifer Talks Starring In Brandy & Monica's "The Boy Is Mine" & Sensing Tension

BY Erika Marie 4.0K Views
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Mekhi Phifer, The Boy Is Mine, Verzuz, Brandy Monica
He suggested that because Brandy was an established artist and Monica was on the rise, "there was little stuff there."

The main attraction of Brandy and Monica's Verzuz was "The Boy is Mine." The ladies broke records for Verzuz as over 4 million people tuned in to watch them revisit some of their classic jams, but everyone waited on pins and needles for them to highlight the feuding duet. The 1998 track was a chart-topping earner for both women, but not many people remember who portrayed the "boy" the singers were fighting over in the music video. Actor Mehki Phifer played that role, and he recently reflected on how he came to landing the gig.

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“I had just moved to California from New York, and I was meeting with the people involved with I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and Brandy had already been cast in the film as my love interest,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “We were getting ready to shoot the movie in a few weeks, and in between all that, she was working on the music video for ‘The Boy Is Mine.’ They asked me if I wanted to be the boy in ‘The Boy is Mine,’ and I thought it would be a cool little prequel to the film, so I said, ‘For sure!’ The rest is history.”

Mekhi Phifer added that "The Boy is Mine" was the first time he met either Brandy or Monica and he could sense the tension. "There was little stuff there. I think Brandy and her camp were used to having all the attention on her, in some respects," Phifer added. "At this point, Brandy had played Moesha and had hit singles and had already released an album. And Monica was up-and-coming and doing her thing. So, there may have been some tension there but I didn't really see it there until maybe a little bit later." Check out the music for "The Boy is Mine" below.

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.