Sultry R&B singer Chante Moore told NPR's Tony Cox that her biggest professional regret was not going toe-to-toe with Jennifer Lopez back in 1999 when her junior album, 'This Moment Is Mine' came out one week prior to J.Lo's 'On The 6.'
The San Francisco-bred singer recalled how when she realized that über-producer Rodney Jerkins (Michael Jackson/Brandy) had basically created the same song for her and J.Lo, she wanted to "sock [him] in the head."
The song
But plans to release 'If I Gave Love' as a second single were compromised when the 'Love's Taken Over' singer's record company realized Jerk
in's eerily similar adaptation of the song created for J.Lo was being rolled out as the Latin star's first single.
"We should have been aggressive instead of backing off our single," vented
According to the 41-year-old singer, Jerkins' similar version of 'If I Gave Love' that was re-titled 'If You Had My Love' for Lopez was created because Sean 'P.Diddy' Combs specifically requested the song.
"I heard that it was because Puff Daddy walked in and heard my song and said, 'I want that song.' [Rodney] was like, 'Yeah, it's already taken. We wrote that for 
Chante.' And [Puffy] was like, 'Yeah, mmm hmm, I want that song.' So Rodney wrote really the same song," the singer explained, before adding: "Hers, I can't even remember. It's so close I can't even sing it right now. Same song!"
During that time, Lopez was dating Combs and the two were one of the music industry's hottest couples.
Now Moore, who is married to R&B crooner Kenny Lattimore, has released a new album 'Love The Woman' on Peak Records/Concord.
The first single from that offering is 'It Aint Supposed To Be This Way,' a song that has a title that accurately describes how
J. Lo Pictures
* EXCLUSIVE * .Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and Lin-Manuel - Marc Anthony takes J-Lo to celebrate her 39th birthday to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC on July 24, 2008.Jennifer Lopez Celebrates Birthday At "In The Heights" on Broadway.Richard Rodgers Theatre.New York, NY United States.July 24, 2008.Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com..To license this image (15928341), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and Lin-Manuel - Marc Anthony takes J-Lo to celebrate her 39th birthday to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC on July 24, 2008.Jennifer Lopez Celebrates Birthday At "In The Heights" on Broadway.Richard Rodgers Theatre.New York, NY United States.July 24, 2008.Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com..To license this image (15928340), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Jennifer Lopez and Lin-Manuel Miranda - Marc Anthony takes J-Lo to celebrate her 39th birthday to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC on July 24, 2008.Jennifer Lopez Celebrates Birthday At "In The Heights" on Broadway.Richard Rodgers Theatre.New York, NY United States.July 24, 2008.Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com..To license this image (15928338), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Jennifer Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Marc Anthony - Marc Anthony takes J-Lo to celebrate her 39th birthday to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC on July 24, 2008.Jennifer Lopez Celebrates Birthday At "In The Heights" on Broadway.Richard Rodgers Theatre.New York, NY United States.July 24, 2008.Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com..To license this image (15928337), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .The cast of "In The Heights" sings Happy Birthday to Jennifer Lopez - Marc Anthony takes J-Lo to celebrate her 39th birthday to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC on July 24, 2008.Jennifer Lopez Celebrates Birthday At "In The Heights" on Broadway.Richard Rodgers Theatre.New York, NY United States.July 24, 2008.Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com..To license this image (15928325), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Jennifer Lopez - Marc Anthony takes J-Lo to celebrate her 39th birthday to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC on July 24, 2008.Jennifer Lopez Celebrates Birthday At "In The Heights" on Broadway.Richard Rodgers Theatre.New York, NY United States.July 24, 2008.Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com..To license this image (15928324), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Jennifer Lopez - Marc Anthony takes J-Lo to celebrate her 39th birthday to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC on July 24, 2008.Jennifer Lopez Celebrates Birthday At "In The Heights" on Broadway.Richard Rodgers Theatre.New York, NY United States.July 24, 2008.Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com..To license this image (15928323), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Jennifer Lopez - Marc Anthony takes J-Lo to celebrate her 39th birthday to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC on July 24, 2008.Jennifer Lopez Celebrates Birthday At "In The Heights" on Broadway.Richard Rodgers Theatre.New York, NY United States.July 24, 2008.Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com..To license this image (15928322), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
* EXCLUSIVE * .Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony with cast of "In The Heights"- Marc Anthony takes J-Lo to celebrate her 39th birthday to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers Theatre in NYC on July 24, 2008.Jennifer Lopez Celebrates Birthday At "In The Heights" on Broadway.Richard Rodgers Theatre.New York, NY United States.July 24, 2008.Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage.com..To license this image (15928321), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
MILAN, ITALY - JULY 01: Marc Anthony (L) and Jennifer Lopez attends the press conference where Marc Anthony received the Honorary Award from Milan Town Council held at Palazzo Marino on July 01, 2008 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)
Getty Images
*****
Flashback Memory: Chante Moore's frustration over what R 
odney Jerkins did with 'If I Gave Love' was the very first story I broke at the beginning of my career in June 1999.
At the time, I was interning at the station but doing some stringer work (that's writer-speak for being a contributor) for a few nationally renowned entertainment news reporters and gave the story to them.
Hearing
Comments: (36)
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By: DanteM on 8/27/2008 11:43AM
Chante should put that behind her because what comes around goes around. It's a new era and JLO's music career is Pfft!! Her computer-enhanced voice, lip-syncing and using backing tracks at every performance has played out. Her last two albums flopped and a non-talented older singer like JLO can't compete with the younger generation of singers we have now. Chante can sing so she can make a comeback, so its no need for her to even care about what happened in the past with someone who once suceeded by faking it in the music industry.
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By: neddieboo on 8/27/2008 2:19PM
i can agree with her frustration. I heard her song first and then to my amazement when j-lo's song broke i was like"OMG" that's Chante's song. I couldn't believe a producer could be so under-handed. Chante's album has many more hits on it than what were played but i truly believe "If I gave" would have launched her to higher heights with the sale of that project. I lost total respect for Rodney. I'm not interested at all in anything he puts his hands on. He owes her an apology and more. Puffy Combs has also lost my respect even more after learning that he basically demanded the song be J-Lo's. Chante is great and she's got the goods because she's a real woman with a heart and soul and she's got GOD on her side. She'll be just fine. that's my girl!
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By: Tiffany on 8/27/2008 2:13PM
Hearing Moore talk about it almost nine years later brings me full circle to the beginning of my career!
Well, she needs to get over it! 9 more years!
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By: neddieboo on 8/28/2008 2:34AM
well okay, i can agree with dantem. i also want to say it's okay for chante to express her regret. she's not saying it's holding her back but it's definitely not doing that. i don't even know if before this interview the story of this happening was ever told. i'm glad she spoke on it.
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By: BeyondBeautiful on 8/27/2008 5:56PM
Chante...MOVE ON! lol Just cuz you had the same song that landed Jennifer Lopez in the pop/r&b music scene don't mean you would have had the same success.
MOVE ON...focus on getting your career back.
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By: K on 8/28/2008 3:58PM
Well-BeyondBeautiful. I question the context in which this regret is currently documented. Mr. Murray made it clear that the initial story had been handed off. The "... full circle to the beginning of my career..." suggests that an opportunity to reminisce and make good on presenting this story may have occurred.
Chante has clearly moved on; she's beautiful inside and out, voice-supherb, hubby-hunk, kids-adorable.
Perhaps you've never created something worthwhile and had it snatched from under your nose and been a bit too passive at the time to make it known. It will make you go "hmmm".
Chante has every right to view that event as a regret. The fact that the integrity of the other parties named in this story were never questioned are challenged in your statement-moves me.
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By: JAZZMAN11 on 8/28/2008 10:57AM
Chante Moore is a REAL singer! Would like to say the same for J Lo.Chante is a beautiful woman, inside and out. She should move on though. However I can understand how she is hurting. Betrayal is betrayal. Brotha Jerkins caved in to pressure. But as they say, what goes around...
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By: dswife on 8/29/2008 9:20AM
It doesn't surprise me that this happened. Chante is an African American woman who appeals to the R&B crowd. Jennifer Lopez is someone who appeals to the pop crowd. The pop crowd doesn't require you to have a great voice. It only requires you to keep doing crazy things to stay in the spotlight and then your records will sell. We who love R&B, however, require that you can sing. And Chante can sing!!! Sean Combs has done WHATEVER and the expense of WHOMEVER to stay in the public's eye. And Rodney Jerkins, well he seems like he will go wherever the money is. The only who seems to have any integrity here is Chante'. Sort of reminds me of DREAMGIRLS. Effie sang the song, Curtis stole it, and Deena sang another version and made it big. BUT in the end, Effie was able to come back and have respect because she was the only honest one in the bunch. Keep yur head up, Chante. I know that your new album will be a hit to all us true R&B fans.
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By: alicia on 8/28/2008 4:57PM
Girl let it go.
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By: Tina E on 8/28/2008 10:14PM
JLO is history. She has to hang w/the latinos now. Her Ghetto Pass was revoked when she and Diddy split.
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