What’s the 411? The remix was one of the first albums to get that treatment but few were prepared for the sensational direction of My Life, a no-holds-barred account of depression, addiction and living in an abusive relationship in places but also a set that embraces gold standard soul samples (Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Roy Ayers) and covers of tracks by Carole King and Norman Whitfield. Initially compared for vocal power to Chaka Khan and Anita Baker, Mary J proved to be a phenomenon in her own right. Influenced at an early age by the music of Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight, Blige brought her own gritty, urban-rooted style-fusing hip-hop, soul and honest, frank lyrics-to the forefront on her 1992 debut album What’s the 411? The multi-platinum set, executive produced by Sean “Diddy” Combs, quickly spun off several hits, including two R&B No. And that’s the takeaway I want for my fans with My Life II … to please look at what we’ve survived and how strong we are now.”īorn in the Bronx, New York, Blige began moving people with her soulful voice when at 18 she signed with Andre Harrell’s Uptown Records in 1989, becoming the MCA-distributed label’s youngest and first female artist. With each album, it’s just me continuing to grow. “They’re the reason why I am where I am: confident in knowing who I am and what I can do. “Being connected with their lives is what keeps me going,” she says. As she continues her multi-faceted journey, however, one constant remains for Blige: her fans. At time of writing Mary has just joined Taylor Swiftonstage at the Staples Centre, Los Angeles where the two superstars brought the house down with “Doubt” and “Family Affair”, her 2001 chart-topper, Dr Dre produced smash from the confessional No More Drama album. Moving with and ahead of the times, Mary has collaborated with everyone from Puff Daddy and Common to the cream of new British talent – Sam Smith, Disclosure, Emeli Sandé and Naughty Boy, while her collaborations in the rock field include liaisons with Bono and Maroon 5. Writing in the New Statesman Tracey Thorne made MJB a Glasto highlight. Her eleven major tours have taken her around the world and we’re sure you know that her current London Sessions extravaganza included a hit-packed set at the 2015 Glastonbury Festival where her recent assimilation of piano house and dance beats were integrated into the crowd-pleasers – “Love Is All We Need”, “You Bring Me Joy” and “Love No Limit” included. Mary’s soulful and emotive vocals set a blueprint for the genre in the 1990s but her legacy isn’t tied to that decade by any means, nor to any specific musical format.Ĭonsider, she is the only artist to have collected the Grammy Award in the R&B, hip hop, pop and gospel modes. Her classic discs include What’s the 411? My Life and Growing Pains, all of which smashed the notion that hip hop was a male preserve. Given that she has eight multi-platinum albums in her locker the chances are you already own a piece of Mary Jane but if you don’t then discovery is essential. Ranked by Billboard as the best selling R&B female artist in the last 25 years, her open heart confessional style has enabled her to cross over from her earlier ghetto style to the ranks of mass entertainment where she proudly resides at the pinnacle. Blige is the undisputed Queen of Hip Hop. “U + Me (Love Lesson)” would reach No.1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs chart to become one of the defining Mary J Blige songs.Mary J. “In too deep without imperfection/Not always good, but I stayed on my feet,” she sings, proving once again that she’s the master at moving on. Blige doesn’t regret the relationship, but, rather, feels fortunate to have survived it. The album’s staple “U + Me (Love Lesson)” is a sultry break-up anthem. On her 13th studio album, Strength Of A Woman, she bounces back from recent divorce drama with tracks such as “Glow Up,” “Thick Of It,” and “Love Yourself,” which all tap into the trend while maintaining Blige’s personal brand of soul. In 2017, Blige asserted her dominance, going toe-to-toe with trap-tinged R&B and pop music. It’s one of the more downtempo cuts on the album, but Blige still imbues it with the kind of soulful yearning that was usually reversed for the Marvin Gayes of the world. Swapping typical hip-hop breakbeats for samples like Guy’s “Goodbye Love” And DeBarge’s “Stay With Me,” producers Thompson and Puffy create the perfect backdrop for Blige’s hip-hop soul balladry on “Don’t Go,” a My Life classic.
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