Music Mondays: So...the Boy is Whose, Exactly?

"The Boy is Mine," is an absolute banger of a song from 1998. It features Brandy and Monica singing a combative duet where they argue about which of them a man loves more. The song has them debating who he really wants to be with and possibly subtly realizing they are both being played. It was a massive hit. Now we are here in 2024 with the song, "The Boy is Mine," by Ariana Grande being popular. It does not sample the original song, but has her singing, "The boy is mine," in reference to her excitement to do intimate things with him. The whole point of the song is different, but it still is a fun lyrical homage. Then it gets even zanier.

You see, "The Boy is Mine," now has a remix where Ariana Grande is joined by none other than Brandy and Monica. It is more a remix of her song than the original, but it slaps too. It isn't an argumentative tune at all, but instead uses the Grande song's focus on being excited to have some sex. It still is a fun mix of new and throwback because all three women are great vocal talents. It is fascinating how songs and our appreciation of them can morph and shift. You've got remixes, covers, homages, and then strange little ditties such as this--a weird mix of paying tribute and being a new thing. Music is a fascinating thing.

"Sittin' On Top of the World," AKA When a New Song Sounds Retro

Music artist Burna Boy has a new song out with a guest verse by 21 Savage titled, "Sittin' on Top of the World." It came out this year but upon hearing it I could've sworn it was some tune from the late 90's or early 2000's. I didn't know why, but it made me think of songs that had a bit of rapping and a bit of singing back then like, "What's Luv," by Fat Joe and Ashanti or the, "I'm Real," remix with Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule. There must have been a reason I thought this so I did some Googling and sure enough, "Sittin' on Top of the World," samples a song from 1998. "Top of the World," is a tune by Brandy featuring Mase. As a child of the '90s I knew the song and it must've implanted itself deeply enough in my brain that a brand-new production by Burna Boy funnily enough evokes my memories of past songs. 

I don't think Burna Boy is engaging in weaponized nostalgia as he isn't trying to outright make us think of that older ditty--he probably just saw the sample worked perfectly for his song. Still, it is a bit of a paradox that a brand-new song made me think of old ones. Younger folks probably didn't have this occur to them as the 90s were decades ago now (I cringed typing that and thinking about how I'm old), but props to Burna Boy for making something new out of something from the past.