Brandy and Monica announce epic Verzuz battle: 'Get ready for the queens!'

After 22 years, will R&B royalty Brandy and Monica finally decide who "the boy" belongs to?

In 2020, it's more than likely that the famous music video for "The Boy is Mine" would've ended much differently but that is beside the point. Fans will be able to see two powerhouse singers reunite after so many years of back and forth making viewers the real winners.

"#History Thank you @monicadenise @applemusic and @verzuztv for making this happen," Brandy, born Brandy Norwood, said in her Instagram announcement. "Let’s celebrate!!!!"

Monica, born Monica Denise Arnold, also excitedly shared the news on social media, asking fans what songs the pair should perform during the battle.

"What songs would you all like to see us bring to @verzuzonline," she asked via Twitter. "Celebrating these catalogs is for the culture with love! From Young Women to Adult Women we’ve been with y’all! Name the songs you love."

The pair reunited in 2012 to record their follow-up single "It All Belongs to Me," a female empowerment anthem. Three years later, Monica went on record explaining there was never really a feud between her and Brandy, it was all "brilliant marketing" behind the track's drama that has kept fans asking about it for years.

“People are still asking: ‘Who was the boy?’ and ‘Who got the boy?’ There was no boy! It just was a song!” Monica told HuffPost Live. “We played up the dramatics of it all, but I’m like, ‘Guys, we were 16 and 17.’ We’re 35 and 36 now. There was no boy and no beef.”

She added, “It started off as brilliant marketing, and what started to happen was people started creating these skits, and then our fans divided, and it became this really real thing."

Dallas Austin, who produced "The Boy is Mine," openly discussed an incident that led to Monica punching Brandy in the face backstage before their performance at the 1998 Video Music Awards due to what he calls "heavyweight beef" between them. What this means is that even though there wasn't a feud over a man, there definitely was no friendship between the women at the time.

Brandy has been accused of taking jabs at Monica throughout the years. In 2018, Brandy took to the stage at Essence Fest and sung a new version of their hit song called "The Song is Mine," while Monica has mostly taken the high road.

Things seem to have cooled off in recent years and the Verzuz battle is hopefully proof that the queens of .90s R&B have finally left the past where it belongs.

Related links:

• Brandy is still shining
• Monica says 'feud' with Brandy was just 'brilliant marketing'