Jennifer Hudson released her self-titled debut on Tuesday, and while it features some bright points (“Spotlight,” “Pocketbook,” “My Heart”), there are a few clunkers. “I’m His Only Woman,” a duet with Fantasia, falls into the second category.

I’ve always got high hopes for such dueling-diva ditties. Two powerhouse females fighting a lyrical feud over some guy is a gay man’s musical wet dream. But Clive Davis, J-Hud’s executive producer, has already been there and done that, and neither of his previous pairings — Aretha and Whitney’s “It Isn’t, It Wasn’t, It Ain’t Never Gonna Be” (1986) and Whitney Houston and Deborah Cox’s “Same Script, Different Cast” (2000) — was received well. Except in the clubs, where, again, such tracks are ready-made catnip for remix-loving gay men. And we sure do love us some Whitney.

So despite the talents of Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia, “I’m His Only Woman” never really catches fire. But just ten years ago, a similarly younger wronged-women match-up did come out on top. “The Boy Is Mine,” which paired Brandy and Monica, spent a whopping 13 weeks at #1 in the fall of 1998:

When “The Boy is Mine” was released, there was talk about whether Brandy and Monica were at odds in real life. Though the two singers denied any rivalry existed, a recent issue of Billboard celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Hot 100 reported that “Boy” co-producer Rodney Jerkins remixed the track seven times to keep the back-and-forth even-steven.

Putting such rumored differences aside, Brandy and Monica had something to celebrate together on Grammy night, taking home the trophy for “Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.”

Purchase Brandy & Monica – “The Boy Is Mine” via iTunes.