Atlanta vocalist Monica debuted in 1995 with the platinum Top Ten singles "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" and "Before You Walk Out of My Life." After appearing on LL Cool J's Mr. Smith later that year, she recorded another killer duet with Brandy, "The Boy Is Mine," which spent several weeks at the top of the singles charts during summer 1998. Her second album, also titled The Boy Is Mine, was released in July 1998. She scored a few more chart successes through the following spring, but a long period of silence marked time between albums. The much-delayed After the Storm finally hit stores in the spring of 2003, while the following Makings of Me took three years to materialize. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide