Home

[Lazarus]

Was there a more seminal Year of the Diva than 1998? That?s when VH1 introduced its popular ?Divas Live? franchise, uber-divas Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston recorded together for the first time, and a fast-rising actress named Jennifer Lopez graced the cover of this very magazine?s own Diva Issue on the eve of her soon-to-be massive music career.
But nothing that year was more inescapable than Brandy & Monica?s ?The Boy Is Mine,? a mega-duet that paired 90s R&B?s two biggest breakout teen sensations for a four-minute riff-off that set a new precedent for pop vocals ? not to mention female collabs. Just two weeks after its release on May 19, the song rocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for a total of 13 weeks, dominating the summer of ?98.  Prior to its chart success, the last female duet to top the charts was Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer?s ?No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)? in 1979, ending a two-decade drought that produced only a handful of diva-on-diva anthems like Aretha Franklin and Annie Lennox?s ?Sisters Are Doin? It For Themselves? or Lil Kim?s classic ?Not Tonight Remix (Ladies Night).?
To celebrate the two decades of divadom since ?The Boy Is Mine,? we?ve put together a ranking of the 20 best diva collabs of the past 20 years ? as well as wag a well-manicured finger at the five worst (sorry, Shakira!). Before we dig in, a few ground rules: no boys allowed, no girl groups, each diva must sing or rap a verse of their own, and the collab must stack up against each participant?s own solo work.
So call your stylist, make sure you didn?t accidentally wear the same dress, and dive into our divine diva rankings.

18. Christina Aguilera feat. Lil Kim ? ?Can?t Hold Us Down? (2002)

Aguilera?s 2002 album Stripped celebrated the complexities of young womanhood ? the ?Beautiful,? the ?Dirrty,? and everything in between. This ?Lady Marmalade? mini-reunion was a musical middle finger to gender double standards that asked the obvious: why can?t ladies be players, too?

17. Mariah Carey feat. Da Brat & Missy Elliott ? ?Heartbreaker Remix? (1999)

The ultimate ?90s diva helped pioneer the pop/hip-hop crossover via her collabs and remixes with rappers like Ol? Dirty Bastard and Jay-Z. This all-girl remix ranks up among Carey?s very best, from the funky Snoop Dogg sample (and music video cameo) to the delightfully horny guest verses from Da Brat and Missy.

15. Britney Spears feat. Madonna ? ?Me Against The Music? (2003)

Though it pales in comparison to their infamous 2003 kiss in overall shock value, Britney and Madonna?s duet holds up for pulling off the difficult feat of capturing a dance battle on record. Plus, you can practically hear the drool spilling from Madonna?s mouth as she enjoys the glare of Spears? spotlight.

12. Keyshia Cole feat. Missy Elliott & Lil? Kim ? ?Let It Go? (2007)

This ?Juicy? summer jam marked Cole?s commercial peak just as the reign of R&B (not to mention Missy) in pop radio was coming to an end. By combining three of the genre?s greatest talents, ?Let It Go? showcases the peak of mid-?00s urban music and its many powers.

11. Nicki Minaj feat. Beyonce ? ?Feelin? Myself? (2014)

Months after unleashing the ?Flawless Remix,? Beyonce and Nicki re-teamed for this ice-cold stunner, which gave Queen B a chance to flex on her surprise album skills (?Changed the game with that digital drop / know where you was when that digital pop?). Also, has anyone ever been more jealous of a cheeseburger?

9. Alicia Keys feat. Beyonc? ? ?Put It In A Love Song? (2009)

No one slept on this excellent R&B diva duet more than Keys herself, who shelved a completed music video for the track. The fact that Bey was simultaneously featured on a pair of singles with Lady Gaga probably didn?t help this banger?s chances of achieving the hit status it still deserves.

8. Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj ? ?Side To Side? (2016)

The only thing more fun than listening to this reggae-lite bop is the giggles that come after you realize what the song and its SoulCycle-themed video are actually about. This duet was the climax of a hat trick for Grande and Minaj, following 2014?s triple-threat ?Bang Bang? and the cunnilingus crooner ?Get On Your Knees.?

7. Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston ? ?When You Believe? (1998)

On the surface, ?When You Believe? could have been just a goopy pseudo-gospel promotional vehicle for a Disney knock-off. But then Carey and Houston engage in an end-of-song riff-off and you remember why it?s so thrilling to hear two divas join forces in the first place.

6. Ciara feat. Missy Elliott ? ?One, Two Step? (2004)

Crunk&B reached its apex when R&B princess Ciara finally teamed up with Missy Elliott for this ?80s electro-inspired banger. Sophisticated fun, indeed. It even inspired an equally euphoric sequel, 2005?s ?Lose Control.?

5. Eve feat. Gwen Stefani ? ?Let Me Blow Ya Mind? (2001)

Just how groundbreaking was this early millennium duet, which marked Stefani?s first crossover into hip-hop? It won the inaugural Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2002, the only all-female track to take home the trophy in the category?s 16-year history.

2. Brandy & Monica ? ?The Boy Is Mine? (1998)

Still the gold standard of ?90s R&B and diva A&R, ?The Boy Is Mine? was so successful it even sparked a pseudo-rivalry between its two singers that their fanbases still like to ignite from time to time. Brandy and Monica?s vocals paired so well together they even tried a follow-up, the just-ok ?It All Belongs To Me.?

1. Christina Aguilera, Mya, Lil? Kim, & P!nk ? ?Lady Marmalade? (2002)

The ultimate embarrassment of diva riches ? four unlikely bedfellows from pop, hip-hop, and R&B, co-produced by Missy Elliott, who did some of her best work supporting other female artists. The only reason this edges out ?The Boy Is Mine? for the top slot is its super-sized ambition ? and showmanship. Each singer gets their own vocal showcase, all leading up to a thunderous verse from Aguilera that nearly sweeps the rug out from all the participants. And with Xtina recently confirming that her first post-?Marmalade? duet with another pop star will be a song with Demi Lovato, the bar is still set impossibly high for other duets to scrape the melismatic heights achieved by this Moulin Rouge masterpiece.

Their full list
http://ew.com/music/2018/05/17/best-worst-diva-duets/amp/

[African Queen]

[Kalifornia.]

That SZA pic

[Kalifornia.]

Not "Put it in a Love Song". Are they serious?

[Kalifornia.]

TBIM should be #1

[XXX.]

B and GaGa at #3! 

Que, we?re kinda perched! 

[RAY7]

Mya at #1

[KING BENTLEY.]

Not "Put it in a Love Song". Are they serious?

sssssssssssssssssssssssss

[RAY7]

They could?ve switched Beautiful Liar with Put It In A Love Song
they?re crazy

[XXX.]

Screaming at both of Shakira?s duets with Beyonc? and Rihanna being tied in the top 5 for Worst.

At least ?Beautiful Liar? was a top 3 on the Hot 100. And #1 in the UK.

Can?t say the same for that other flop.

[Nine]

They fuckin tried it. Not Pretty Girls on the worst list.

[XXX.]

B and GaGa at #3! 

Que, we?re kinda perched! 

BBBBBNNVVBBbbggbbbbnvbb



We?re so rich and above the gorls!

Jdjdjdjjdjdjdjjjdjjdjdjdj

Remember that time we met Ray?



Let?s crop ha out!

[XXX.]

B and GaGa at #3! 

Que, we?re kinda perched! 

BBBBBNNVVBBbbggbbbbnvbb



We?re so rich and above the gorls!

Jdjdjdjjdjdjdjjjdjjdjdjdj

Remember that time we met Ray?



Let?s crop ha out!

Right.

In the mix! Equals! Peers!

Bye. Bumped up self

Cndjfjfjjnjzdndjdjdjhggbbbbzgdbdbndneh

[Pearls Khan]

Not BUMPED

[XXX.]

B and GaGa at #3! 

Que, we?re kinda perched! 

BBBBBNNVVBBbbggbbbbnvbb



We?re so rich and above the gorls!

Jdjdjdjjdjdjdjjjdjjdjdjdj

Remember that time we met Ray?



Let?s crop ha out!

Right.

In the mix! Equals! Peers!

Bye. Bumped up self

Cndjfjfjjnjzdndjdjdjhggbbbbzgdbdbndneh

Im screaming at me being on the other side!



Better safe than sorry

Ack!

#MeToo