"We Can't Be Friends" is a song by Canadian singer Deborah Cox featuring American singer RL of R&B group Next. It was written by Shep Crawford and Jimmy Russell for Cox's second studio album, One Wish (1998), while production was overseen by Crawford. Selected as the album's third single, the duet was serviced to US urban radio on June 21, 1999, and became Cox's second single to top the Billboard Hot R&B Singles & Tracks chart. It also peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.