In the summer of 1998, there was scarcely anywhere one could go without hearing the contentious yet mellifluous lyrics of Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine.” An updated musical take on a tried-and-true source of conflict—the love triangle—the idea to bring Monica onto the track was Brandy’s, along with the storyline. In large part thanks to her continually coming across similar dramas on the then-ubiquitous Jerry Springer Show. In fact, as a nod to her “inspiration,” the Joseph Kahn-directed video opens on Brandy gleefully watching an episode with the title written underneath the Jerry Springer Show logo being, “The Boy Is Mine!”
Of course, such excitement over schadenfreude-oriented spectacle and exploitation is only “fun and games” when it’s happening to someone else. Which is why Brandy switches her tune once she starts to realize she’s not just in competition over the airwaves that Monica appears to be causing interference with as she watches her own “story” (something in black and white that looks like some kind of 60s-era interview, perhaps a precursor to trash TV like Jerry Springer). She’s also competing for “sole use” of the eponymous boy of the song. Played, incidentally, by Mekhi Phifer—as though to make the audience truly understand how important it is to each of these women to secure her boo.
As the narrative goes on, however, the duo gradually starts to belie their possessive assertions in the lyrics as they come together at the end to catch “The Boy” red-handed in the act of two-timing. Having concluded on that note of joining forces to essentially say, “No more” to this himbo, the song and video could easily transmogrify into what Ciara has presented us with Summer Walker in the form of “Better Thangs.” In the levity-drenched follow-up to “Jump” (an obvious “homage” to Janet Jackson in every way), which will also appear on Ciara’s eighth album, there’s nothing but talk of “doin’ better thangs with my time, yeah/Elevated to a new height/Never do the same thing twice/Puttin’ all the lames on ice, yeah.” One such “lame,” obviously, would have been “The Boy” Brandy and Monica were fighting over. And, after teaming up to stave off his fuckery, it’s likely the two would have become the best of friends, just as Ciara and Walker appear to be in the Mia Barnes-directed video for their latest collaboration (having previously worked together via “Ciara’s Prayer,” which appears on Walker’s Still Over It album).
In truth, there are also many moments that mirror the scenes and aesthetics of Saweetie and Doja Cat’s “Best Friend” video (which goes full-tilt Thelma and Louise by the end), especially with Ciara and Summer splayed out on chaise lounges in color-coordinating swimwear and robes, rounded out by 00s-inspired sunglasses and towels on their heads like it’s a spa day. Which every day can feel like when a girl does not bother herself about some unworthy fuckboy. Something CiCi and Summer are clearly determined to achieve as they sing in harmony, “Better thangs, better thangs/Ain’t got time for petty things, I’m on better thangs, yeah,” then adding, “When you level up, they don’t like that/See a fake friend, what I call that/Say they still love you, but it’s all cap/Don’t even trip, I just fall back I been busy lovin’ me/Protectin’ all my energy/I don’t need your company/All I need is loyalty.”
And that’s what they’ve found in each other—at least for the purposes of this “protect your energy” bop. For the message isn’t just about finding freedom from a man who adores wasting your time and turning instead to the genuine love of a platonic best friend, but rather, being at peace with the notion of solitude. Being “alone” a.k.a. comfortable with yourself, as it were.
More difficult still, trusting in the “karmic justice” of the universe to do for you what you wish you could have done without the curse of being deemed “petty” or “vindictive.” But, as Walker remarks, “Ain’t got nothin’ else to say/‘Cause I know karma comes around/So I pray, never waste mental space/Or my energy on the things I can’t control…/Turn away from all bad presence/Out of sight, out of mind, you won’t ever ruin my vibe.” Though one might still be able to ruin/kill Kendrick’s.
The “matchy-matchy” aesthetic shared by the two throughout the video continues as Ciara and Walker dress in the same denim shorts and white tank top, with the only thing separating their look being a different-colored wig. The “Best Friend” correlation comes back into play when they’re approached by two men while lying out on their chaise lounges, both looking at one another like, “What the fuck does this asshole want?” The answer is, to quote the meme, “Baby, I just wanna waste your time.”
Fortunately, Ciara and Walker have learned their lesson well enough never to allow that to happen again. Just as Brandy and Monica did by the end of “The Boy Is Mine” video, for which “Better Thangs” could easily serve as a sequel to if we were to see where that unlikely friendship had landed in the wake of said duo chucking the dead weight.
