Brandy & Monica Light Up Nippy’s Hometown

“We did that, 30 years later!” Brandy enthusiastically exclaimed as she and Monica took their final bow at the Prudential Center in Newark over the weekend during the finale performance of their duet “The Boy Is Mine”. 

The ladies have been on a renaissance tour of sorts across the USA for the last month and a half, appropriately titled The Boy Is Mine Tour after their record-breaking 1998 hit. 

@mikecadoch

The boy is mine 🤍 #brandy #monica #theboyisminetour #fyp

♬ original sound - michaelcadoch

The queens raised an entire generation of R&B music lovers and this tour is showing just how influential their presence in the 90s and 2000s was. Everything about the show, from the opening acts, to the interludes, the outfits and the set list of nonstop bangers feels like one big celebration of both their impressive careers, and their relationship to all the fans who grew up alongside them. Both Brandy and Monica were only teenagers when they first burst onto the scene, the same age as many of those who were buying the records – so while the tour may be a trip down memory lane of their musical journeys, it’s also a look back at the soundtrack of OUR lives. 

The show was set up like something of a Verzuz battle, which we all saw back in 2020 except this time it was in real life. The two opened the show going back and forth between their biggest hits like “I Wanna Be Down”, “Knock Knock”, “Best Friend”, “Don’t Take It Personal” and so forth, the perfect set-up to give the audience a chance to get a taste of each of their tunes without one pulling too much focus away from the other. At one point I had to catch my breath because I was singing and dancing so hard and needed to just take in the moment because it felt so surreal to hear and witness the songs that have followed me through every chapter of my life being performed before my very eyes. The girl behind me tapped me on the shoulder to say “you better dance boy, these are some living legends!” 

@mikecadoch

Feel like one of those nights 🌕 #brandy #fullmoon #theboyisminetour #fyp

♬ original sound - michaelcadoch

@mikecadoch

Now I know why they say the best things are free ✨ #monica #angelofmine #theboyisminetour #fyp

♬ original sound - michaelcadoch

Muni Long and Jamal Roberts served as opening acts, but it was Kelly Rowland whose opening set felt almost as impactful as the main event. I’m not the only one who thinks so, just ask Beyoncé who was at the show with Solange, cheering on and singing along from the side. “I love your Beyoncé t-shirt, that’s my sister” Kelly said to a fan in the audience, which was an indication that B was in the audience that night. Kelly’s vocals soared and she gave BODY in a black leather ensemble as she breezed through solo hits like “Motivation”, “Ice” and “Kisses Down Low” before surprising the crowd with an appearance by none other than the legendary Patti Labelle. I’ve been to hundreds of concerts in my life and I’ve never heard screaming so loud, and rightfully so… it’s Patti f-king Labelle. 

It was clear from the start of the evening that this would be a special show on the tour, given that it was taking place in the hometown of the late great Whitney Houston - an artist who made a point to uplift young Black female performers in the industry and served as a guiding light to them all through the hardships of showbiz. 

Monica wasn’t playing when she referred to the Newark show as “extra special” in a new series of social media photos. Whitney Houston, who famously starred alongside Brandy in 1997’s Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, was a mentor to both women throughout their careers so when choosing which show I would see the girls at, the choice was obvious. Whitney’s presence was especially apparent when they covered “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”, preceded by a moving montage of moments each of them had with Nippy; there was not a dry eye in the house. Luckily, the tears didn’t last too long as once “Dance” started playing, it felt like an honouring of Whitney in the grandest way possible. Through the years, both Brandy and Monica have been pitted against each other for many different reasons (which I laid out back in June right here on LG), but seeing them together after all this time was exactly the right away to pay tribute to Ms Houston. Getting to witness that reunion in her hometown was something I know that entire audience will cherish for a lifetime.

@mikecadoch

Brandy & Monica perform “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” during #TheBoyIsMineTour 🤍

♬ original sound - michaelcadoch

Then, we have the one and only Brandy. For those of you who don’t know this about me, Brandy has been a staple in my musical experience since I could speak. I fell in love with the girl on the TV with the beautiful braids, my Cinderella. I’ve had the privilege to see her perform on Broadway and in small theatres across the USA, and while an intimate show is always amazing, this was a whole other level. I’ve always felt like she was not getting the flowers she deserved for all that she has given to pop culture, so to say that seeing her perform all these years later on a stage as big as the Prudental Center is healing, well that’s an understatement. 

And… I told her all of this after the show, which was a moving moment for the both of us! 

The Boy Is Mine Tour continues its run of performances across America through December 14th when the ladies will play their final performance in Jacksonville, FL. There are rumblings of a future residency in Las Vegas, but if I were you, I wouldn’t miss this historic moment in music. The biggest takeaway from the show was how blessed we all are that we have this opportunity to give these R&B legends their flowers while they can still receive them. 

You can stream my Brandy & Monica playlist here, and purchase tickets to the remaining shows here.