Tag: Mary J. Blige

My Life: The 25th Anniversary

When we discuss R&B albums during the 90’s decade, this album definitely is one of them. This is an album that set the standard and bar so high for future R&B albums to come later. Ushering in the Jill Scott’s, Erykah Badu’s, D’Angelo’s, and so many more. This album was a huge step up lyrically and creatively coming from an around-the-way ghetto girl who bopped around in baseball jerseys and combat boots to familiar hard hitting block party hip hop cuts and singing so soulfully like an old school church woman with a combination of both pain and joy at the same time that brought the chills up and down your spine. It’s addictive, it’s raw, it’s passionate, it’s REAL! Known as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige gave us a debut in 1992 that represented a girl from the streets with a golden voice who was taking things day by day, trying to find her way and grow as a woman but on her sophomore album, Mary went all out and wore her heart on her sleeve and told her story of heartache and pain. Everything from childhood traumas to bad relationships to wanting to be just simply happy. On November 29th, 1994, The Queen of Hip Hop Soul released her second album “My Life.” With at least 5 singles released, the album showcased Mary’s incredible songwriting ability and more darkened and pained vocals. This album was a storybook from beginning to the end. Heavy 70’s soul samples by Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, Rick James, Mary Jane Girls, and Barry White, to name a few with heavy hip hop beats that reminded you of Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, or even The Notorious B.I.G. (who just released his debut 2 months prior.) Track after track, Mary takes you on journey and tells you a story of a woman whose been hurt and is looking for and longing for happiness and true love. A woman who is literally crying for help, a woman whose had enough while telling others to pick themselves up and get better too. It’s the power of conviction that’s in Mary’s voice and that’s what made Mary J. Blige a legend, an icon. 25 years later, it is Mary’s most celebrated album of all time. She recently did an interview with Elliot Wilson on the music streaming service Tidal and finished off a summer tour with Nas called “The Royalty Tour.” With so many hits and bangers including the heavy bass “Be Happy”, the laid back “Mary Jane” remix with LL Cool J, the classic remake of “I’m Going Down”, the hard hitting “You Bring Me Joy” and “I Love You” remix with Smif-N-Wessun, but of course, nothing beats the actual album track itself. It’s all we needed to hear from Mary to let us know exactly what she felt and where she was coming from then and now. With 11 more albums later, music videos, awards and much more accomplishments and accolades, Mary continues to stay true to herself. Still remaining as the undeniable and undisputed, replicated but never duplicated, The Queen of Hip Hop Soul. Happy 25 years to “My Life.”

Mary J Blige

Mary Jane Blige (born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, model, record producer, and actress. Starting her career as a backing singer on Uptown Records in 1989, Blige released her first album, What’s the 411?, in 1992. She has released 13 studio albums, eight of which have been certified multi-platinum.

Blige is known as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul, and has won 9 Grammy Awards from her 31 nominations. My Life is among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and Time’s All-TIME 100 Albums. She received a Legends Award at the World Music Awards in 2006, and the Voice of Music Award from performance rights organization ASCAP in 2007.

As of 2013, Blige has sold 75 million records worldwide. Billboard ranked Blige as the most successful female R&B/Hip-Hop artist of the past 25 years. In 2017, Billboard magazine also lists her 2006 song “Be Without You” as the most successful R&B/Hip-Hop song of all time, as it spent an unparalleled 15 weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and over 75 weeks on the chart. In 2011, VH1 ranked Blige as the 80th greatest artist of all time. Moreover, she is ranked number 100 on the list of “100 greatest singers of all time” by Rolling Stone magazine. In 2012, VH1 ranked Blige at number 9 in “The 100 Greatest Women in Music.”

Blige starred in the 2009 Tyler Perry box-office hit I Can Do Bad All By Myself and appeared in the film Rock of Ages (2012). She received a Golden Globe Award nomination for her musical contribution to the film The Help. In 2017, she starred in the period-drama film Mudbound, directed by Dee Rees, for which she received Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song nominations.

In partnership with the Home Shopping Network (HSN) and Carol’s Daughter, Blige released her “My Life” perfume. The perfume broke HSN records by selling 65,000 bottles during its premiere. The scent went on to win two FiFi Awards, including the “Fragrance Sales Breakthrough” award.

Blige was born in Savannah, GA, moving with her mother and older sister to the Schlobam housing projects in Yonkers, NY, as a young girl. Her rough life there produced more than a few scars, physical and otherwise. Blige dropped out of high school in her junior year, spending time doing her friends’ hair in her mother’s apartment and hanging out.

When she was at a local mall in White Plains, NY, she recorded herself singing Anita Baker’s “Caught Up in the Rapture,” into a karaoke machine. Her stepfather passed the recording on to Uptown Records’ CEO Andre Harrell. He was impressed with Blige’s voice and signed her to sing backup for local acts like Father MC. In 1991, Sean “Puffy” Combs took Blige under his wing and began working with her on her debut album, “What’s the 411?” Combs and his stylish touches added to Blige’s unique vocal style, created a stunning album that bridged the gap between R&B and rap in a way that no female singer had before.

Her 1995 follow-up, “My Life,” again featured Combs’ handiwork, stepping back from its urban roots and featuring less of a rap sound and making up for that with its subject matter. “My Life” was full of ghetto pathos and Blige’s own personal pain and rocky relationship with artist K-Ci Hailey, which likely contributed to the raw emotions on the album.

The period following the recording of “My Life” was also a difficult time professionally for Blige as she severed her ties with Combs and Uptown, hired Suge Knight as a financial advisor, and signed with MCA. 1997’s “Share My World” marked the beginning of Blige’s creative partnerships with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The album was another hit for Blige and debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. Critics soured somewhat on its more conventional soul sound, but Blige’s fans seemed undaunted.

By 1999, the fullness and elegance of her new sound appeared more developed, as Blige displayed a classic soul style aided by material from Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Stevie Wonder, and Lauryn Hill. She made it obvious that the ghetto and harsh aspects of her music were gone, while the sensitive power remained. That power also helped carry the more modern-sounding 2001 release, “No More Drama,” a deeply personal collective effort musically with more of Blige’s songwriting than anything before. “No More Drama” allowed listeners to see her musical path that produced an older, wiser, but still expressive artist.

Currently Blige is touring and acting. She started her own label, MJB Records. To many, Blige is more than the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. Through all of her life, she was determined to find and maintain her own musical voice. By doing so, she has become one of the most successful R&B/hip hop writer/performers in the country, and has paved the way for many others who have followed her course.

Blige has received notable awards and achievements. In 2010, she was ranked 80th on VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Artist of All Time. Blige was listed as one of the 50 most influential R&B singers by Essence. Rolling Stone magazine ranked My Life at number 279 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album was also included on Time’s list of the 100 Greatest albums of All Time. Alternately called the “Queen of R&B” for her success in the realm of R&B, Blige has amassed ten number one albums on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Blige is also the only artist to have won Grammys in the R&B, hip hop, pop, and gospel fields.

As an actress, Blige received the Breakthrough Performance Award at the 2018 Palm Springs International Film Festival for her role in Mudbound.

Written by Dianne Washington

Erykah Badu

Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), better known by her stage name Erykah Badu is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, record producer, activist and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre. She is known as the “First Lady of Neo-Soul” or the “Queen of Neo-Soul”.

Early in her career, Badu was recognizable for wearing very large and colorful headwraps. For her musical sensibilities, she has often been compared to jazz great Billie Holiday. She was a core member of the Soulquarians, and is also an actress having appeared in a number of films playing a range of supporting roles in movies such as Blues Brothers 2000, The Cider House Rules and House of D. She also speaks at length in the documentaries Before the Music Dies and “The Black Power Mixtapes”

Erykah Badu was born Erica Abi Wright in Dallas, Texas on February 26, 1971. Her mother raised her, her brother (Jabbada), and her sister (Nayrok) alone after their father, William Wright Jr., deserted the family early in their lives. To provide for her family, the children’s grandmother often helped looking after them while Erykah’s mother, Kolleen Maria Gipson (Wright), performed as an actress in theatrical productions. Influenced by her mother, Erykah had her first taste of show business at the age of 4, singing and dancing with her mother at the Dallas Theatre Centre. Erykah Badu was the owner of Focal point in Dallas, Texas.

By the age of 14, Erykah was free-styling for a local radio station alongside such talent as Roy Hargrove. In her early youth, she decided to change the spelling of her name from Erica to Erykah, as she firmly believed her original name to be her slave name. The term ‘kah’ signifies the inner self. Badu is her favorite jazz scat sound and is also an African name for the 10th born child used for the Akan people in Ghana.

Upon graduating from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Badu went on to study theater at the historically black college Grambling State University. Concentrating on music full-time, she left the university in 1993 before graduating and took on several minimum wage jobs to support herself. She taught drama and dance to children at the South Dallas Cultural Center. Working and touring with her cousin, Robert “Free” Bradford, she recorded a 19-song demo, Country Cousins, which attracted the attention of Kedar Massenburg, who set Badu up to record a duet with D’Angelo, “Your Precious Love,” and eventually signed her to a record deal with Universal Imperial Records.

After 10 years as a vegetarian, Badu became a vegan in 2006: “Vegan food is soul food in its truest form. Soul food means to feed the soul. And to me, your soul is your intent. If your intent is pure, you are pure.” Badu splits her time between Dallas, Texas and Fort Greene, New York.

In 1995, Badu became involved with rapper André 3000 of OutKast, with whom she had her first child, a son named Seven Sirius Benjamin, on November 18, 1997. Their relationship ended sometime in 1999. Their relationship inspired André 3000 to write the song “Ms. Jackson”.

In 2000, Badu was in a romantic relationship with fellow Soulquarian Common; their relationship ended in 2002. On July 5, 2004, Badu gave birth to a daughter, Puma Sabti Curry; Puma’s father is West Coast rapper The D.O.C., originally from Dallas. On February 1, 2009, Badu gave birth to her third child, a girl named Mars Merkaba Thedford, with her boyfriend of five years, rapper Jay Electronica.

Written by Dianne Washington

Jalen Hemphill

Jalen Hemphill is an aspiring singer/songwriter, dancer, DJ, actor,  hip hop enthusiast, and blogger. He has been entertaining his whole life but didn’t decide to want to do it professionally until he was 14 years old. He is currently a student at Hostos Community College working towards his associates degree in Liberal Arts and after graduating, he will be working towards his dreams of becoming a professional entertainer. 

One of Jalens’ attributes is his clothing line. A true Hip Hop Fan, Jalen aka Jay-Doggz wardrobe represent true 80s and 90s hip hop. Look out for this young aspiring talent actor/singer/songwriter. With many hats on his head theres no telling what he has to offer. He is a brilliant individual with an amazing, headstrong attitude. His fashion style and just the way he promotes himself as a person reveals how socially structured he is. He sticks to his own style, he doesn’t care for opinions against it because it makes up who he is. His charm when speaking brings many in, as he is generally a nice guy and is always willing to help whenever possible. He’s a down to earth young man and to be within his circle of friends would be the best choice anyone has ever made.

His motivation will drive you, just as much as it drives him to become the best version of himself.

He will be great.

 

Hip Hop and…… Me

I fell in Love with Hip Hop in 1985. I was only six years old. My mother took me and my brother to see the movie Krush Groove. The person who has inspired me the most in Hip Hop is Mr. Shawn Corey Carter better known as Jay Z. Jay Z makes music that I as well as others that live in urban communities can relate to. I hear verses and be like oh hell yeah. He’s talking to or about me. Jay Z raps about the struggle, about loyalty, family, hurt, pain and fears and those are things that all human beings can identify with. Hov raps about hustling but kept it real about the negative aspect of the game. He didn’t glorify it. He admitted that he did it. He also made it clear to the world that this was something that he felt he had to do. He proved to society how poverty is directly correlated with crime. He also proved given the right opportunity that anyone can change. Jay Z encourages through his music. He advises his listeners to educate themselves and stay informed. Jay Z really is dope. He brought Michael Jackson out in Summer Jam. He had Oprah Winfrey come to Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, New York. He also has a close personal relationship with former president Barak Obama. He is a musical genius. He fused Hip Hop and Broadway with his hit Hard Knock Life. Today Hip Hop is changing. These mumble rappers are popping mollys, perks and Xanz. They’re drinking lean and partying like rock stars. Everybody is wearing designer clothes, chasing bags, hustling and bagging hotties and thotties. It’s sad because I think about how young and impressionable I was at six years old and fell in love with Hip Hop. I pray for Hip Hop every single day. I ask God to send some really dope artist that will bring substance back to Hip Hop. Bring back artist that are active in the communities. Give us artist that will give back by helping others. Let there be more teachers, leaders, advocates, and activist in Hip Hop.  Let all of Hip Hop unite and become a mighty driving force in the world. People tend to forget that Hip Hop is the biggest and strongest culture in the world. It us the only culture the units every race, color and religion. I thank my mom for introducing me to hip hop. I love hip hop and I always will.

Written by Regina Alston

 

Reflections of Hip Hop

When Hip Hop was born I was only 6 years old living in Marlboro projects in Brooklyn New York. As I got older, I would write rhymes and perform at the skating rink. When I was feeling down I could always count on Hip Hop to lift me up. I would go to all the shows and sneak backstage to meet my favorite artists. In Brooklyn, In the 70’s we we’re listening to James Brown, MFSB, Chic, and other soulful artists before Rappers Delight hit the world by storm in 79′. After that it quickly became a “Domino effect“, everybody wanted in. The rest is history. The first Hip Hop song I fell in love with was Planet Rock, I got lost in those drums. I played it over and over and my mom use to scream at me “Iris, turn that sh** down!!!!” I remember like it was yesterday. The first years of Hip Hop were the best years of my life with park jams, skate jams and parties. Hip Hop brought everyone together and formed a bond that can never be broken. After 44 years Hip Hop is still in my blood and always will be. I can go on and on but I’ll leave it as “Long Live Hip Hop!!!!”

 

What’s The 411?: The 25th Anniversary

25 years ago, the woman we all know and love today was once a girl who was straight from the projects in Yonkers, New York, also known as the Schlobahm Projects. She signed her deal with Uptown Records at the age of 18 when she recorded a demo tape at a shopping mall after her stepfather overheard the tape. Her stepfather heard the tape and handed the tape to another artist named Jeff Redd who was also signed to Uptown Records and the tape landed in the hands of André Harrell who was the CEO of the label. After being blown away and amazed with this young girl’s voice that was full of joy, pain, grit and soul, she was signed. She goes by the name Mary J. Blige aka The Queen of Hip Hop Soul. Mary started on the label as a backup singer for Father MC in the early 1990’s until she got in the studio with a guy who called “Puffy” who we all know today as Sean “Diddy” Combs, one of hip hop’s biggest moguls, and together both Mary and Puffy created something magical that made history in Black music. On July 28th, 1992, Mary released her debut album “What’s The 411?” Before the album was released, her very first single, which was an underground hit at hip hop clubs and events, was on the 1991 soundtrack to the movie “Strictly Business.” That song was the infamous debut single “You Remind Me.” “You Remind Me” was a song with soulful vocals and a Biz Markie sampled beat. Then the music video came with a remixed version that featured Greg Nice of the hip hop duo, Nice & Smooth. The rest of the album has the same kinda energy, hip hop and soul, combining the best of both worlds to create a whole new genre of music that changed the sound of music forever and influencing a whole new roster of artists for future generations. Other singles like “Real Love”, “Reminisce”, “Love No Limit” and radio only singles like “Sweet Thing” and the remix of “My Love” featuring the late great Heavy D in 1994 were all a success which lead up to the album’s success of selling 3 million copies and a remix album released in late 1993 including a new remix of “You Don’t Have to Worry” from the soundtrack to “Who’s The Man?” Mary’s impact on the industry is still very obvious in many ways. Her street style fashion and attitude mixed with a soulful 1970’s style singing was something convincing to the people and it made Mary into a overnight sensation and legend and she wasn’t ready for it. 25 years later, “You Remind Me” and “Real Love” still captures people’s hearts on the dance floor like it did in 1992. Mary is still touring and still putting out music and staying consistent and still sitting high on her throne. She’s far from her days as the 21 year old home girl with the baggy baseball jerseys, backwards caps and kneepads with the boots and is now strutting her stuff as the woman with the strength to keep winning and keep fighting. She is the strength of a woman. Now THAT IS the 411.

What A Good Look. Kim Goodlook Seabrook

*ALERT*MEDIA*BLOG
It is said that laughter is good for the soul, so when I was invited to a comedy show to hear a Spoken Word Artist, I thought, hmmm this will be different. I had know idea how different…

The Black National Theatre of Harlem housed What To Do Ent. comedy show hosted by JC Best in conjunction with comedians OC the Bus Driver and Kenny Woo.

The opening act was a Spoken Word artist by the name of Kim Goodlook Seabrook. Seabrook is a Bronx native Spoken Word artist and radio personality. You can find her weekly on one of  New York City’s budding internet radio stations, I AXIS Radio. With her show Keepin’ it 100 with Kim and Della.

As the night got on its way and following her introduction from JC Best, Kim seemed to float out onto the stage, very poised and confident. She immediately surveyed the crowd and attached with the audience. Kim performed three pieces that night, Cocaine, A Woman’s Identity and Got Dam. The three pieces were very different in content but the same in rawness and reality.

The first piece, cocaine, as u would guest was creative writing about the opioid drug. It spoke of how it seems to be your friend in a time of despair however, just like all fairweather friends it let’s you down in the end. The twist and metephores GoodLook used was so vivid, at one time I literally felt chills as she performed. The second piece was dedicated to all woman kind. Kim relayed the message of don’t lose yourself being a wife, a mother an employee or whatever capacity it is you’re in day to day. The message was always remember to keep your identity as a woman first.
Ms.Seabrook did not forget about the men who was in attendance, she delivered a bold piece titled Got Damn, which focused on the struggle of the Black Man. Seabrook spewed so many truths and nuances about being a Black Man in America it received a standing ovation when it was over. This piece touched on nagging baby mothers, police harassment and much more, not to give too much away, this piece touches and goes into the depths of trying to survive in Amerikkka as a Black Man. Got Damn!
Once Kim bowed out from her performance, there were murmurs in the audience of wows and she’s deep along with she was a show all by herself. Sitting in the audience and to hear and see people’s genuine reaction to her tells a truth I couldn’t make up. Kim Goodlook Seabrook is a force to be reckoned with in the spoken word realm. Her sensual voice her command of tje stage and her piuse and cadence is unmatched. She is a humble person who exudes great energy. I recommend everyone see her live performance, you will not be disappointed. Until you get a chance to hear her live, listen to her pieces on SoundCloud…

Written by Sugarhill Sky.
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Share My World: The 20th Anniversary

“…And the most innovative female singer of our decade…. Many have describe her as the paramount, the most soulful, the most prolific…. Who else is accepted in the streets as well as by their peers?” says the man of the voice that is being played in the beginning of this classic album. Behind the masterminds of Trackmasters’ very own Tone & Poke, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis have also put this magic into creating this hip hop/R&B masterpiece that we all know and love today. After the street girl persona on “What’s the 411?” and the personal, heartfelt, dark and depressing but deeply loved and appreciated “My Life”, Mary steps out on her own, away from Diddy to share her world in a totally different and new light that showed a more positive, uplifting and hopeful Mary with an attitude that was still looking forward to more positive things in life. 20 years ago on April 22nd, 1997, Mary J. Blige released her third album, “Share My World.” With an opening statement that best describes Mary’s impact and contribution to music, the intro further goes on with previous hit songs and award show appearances in which she won in her career at the time leading up to a perfect current new moment in her career that starts off with a Mobb Deep sample loop and “I Can Love You” comes in. “I Can Love You” is the second song on the album and the second single released in July 1997. The song features Lil’ Kim and it’s a song about convincing a man how she’s a better lover for him than the current woman he’s with. The music video takes place in a random woods in a abandoned little house and there’s a party going on. In the middle of the party, Mary notices the man she was with hanging out with another woman. She walks away mad in the end. The next song “Love Is All We Need” is the first single released from the album but the third track on the album. An inspirational and uplifting song about loving one another and being in peace with each other. It samples Rick James’ “Moonchild.” It goes both ways though, one as lovers and the other as a people. The song features Nas. There’s a hidden version without Nas but the music video takes place in a downtown office in NY where Mary plays as fashion designer, then as an important woman on the job or an executive and then as models ripping the runway and the video ends with her on the roof of a building rocking a fly fur coat. “Round and Round” is a top 5 joint on this album to me personally. Thanks to DJ Premier, it has the same sample loop as Jay-Z’s “D’evils” on his 1996 debut, “Reasonable Doubt.” The song definitely has that underground NYC hip hop sound with a dark like scary tone like a villain’s theme song but with a heavy bass hip hop beat and Mary’s raw and raspy vocals. It’s in true Mary style. “Share My World” starts with an interlude about appreciating Mary’s beautiful blackness. An interlude that turns into a song about appreciating Mary for who she is as a black woman. Being the man who loves and appreciates her for her natural beauty and features and not for what she’s not. Mary has stated herself that during this album, she wanted to touch on subjects that talked about appreciation for her looks because she was in a relationship with someone who complained she was “dark or light enough” and that she had hair that was either not “straight, long, or nappy enough.” “Seven Days”, the fourth single released from the album and ironically, the seventh joint on the album about a friend who turns into a lover. Guest appearance from George Benson who appears in the music video playing guitar and singing at the end. “It’s On”, which was written, produced, and featured by R. Kelly is a love making song. “Thank You Lord (Interlude)” a lovely short ballad skit that was written by Kelly Price. So soothing and beautiful. “Missing You”, a slow ballad about missing someone’s presence but she’s not “in love” with him. “I’m not in love, it’s just some kinda thing I’m going thru, goin’ thru, goin’ thru and it’s not infatuation, ain’t nothing goin’ on between me and you, me and you, me and you but I dream about it every night baby, wanting you here with me and making love to me….” The first verse says it all. “Everything”, the third single released but the eleventh joint. One of Mary’s signature songs. Samples The Stylistic’s 1971 hit song “You Are Everything” but has a whole new twist to it. The music video takes place in Hawaii where Mary is looking beautiful in different hairstyles and looks and can’t forget to mention the very underrated So So Def Remix featuring Jermaine Dupri and Roc. The remix got inspiration from D-Nice’s “My Name Is D-Nice.” In the beginning, Mary says “I’m Mary J. Blige, I’m, I’m, I’m Mary J. Blige.” The music video was similar except she’s not in Hawaii, it’s just her, JD and Roc dancing all over and a bunch of Mary’s faces are all over the place repeatedly. The hip hop soul queen’s crown sits more comfortably on her head for that one… big time! “Keep Your Head”, another personal favorite of mine off the album. This song has a similar beat to Nas’ remix to “Street Dreams.” It also has that hip hop vibe like “Round and Round” and “I Can Love You.” Another song about staying positive and trying to stay positive. Mary almost goes into storytelling style like Slick Rick about how she tries to be a more positive individual herself. “Can’t Get You Off My Mind” is another dope hip hop song that features The LOX. Mary gave them their first taste of success when she introduced them to Diddy back then. “Get To Know You Better” is my top favorite on the album. This song gives me Neo Soul vibes. I love everything about this song. The bass, the beat, the vocals, it’s easily the best one. Mary goes into her positive spirituality mode again on this joint. “Why do we go thru things unnecessary, why can’t we understand that our love is the key….”, my favorite line in the song. The chorus puts me in a trance and I get lost in the stacking smooth vocals. I love it. “Searching” is my second favorite on the album just for the sick hip hop beat and the clever way Mary basically remade the Roy Ayers song with the same name and she even got into her 1970’s soul singing Ways by scatting the same way Roy’s song sounds. Mary’s ability to bring hip hop and soul together, this song is the perfect example of that, in fact, it’s a top 3 example of Mary’s songs with the perfect combination of hip hop and soul to me. “Our Love”, a beautiful Natalie Cole remake and the album ends with “Not Gon’ Cry”, which was originally on the “Waiting to Exhale” soundtrack back in 1995. “Share My World” is my second favorite Mary J. Blige album because I loved it’s positive attitude, emotional honesty, underground NYC hip hop/Neo soul sound that to me was far more interesting to me than “My Life.” Everything about this album is absolutely perfect and the beginning of a new and improved Mary. 20 years later, Mary is still sitting very high on her throne and has a new album releasing in 6 days. This album is definitely on the list of a lot of people’s top Mary J. Blige albums. Definitely a classic right here. From start to finish. Mary, Mary, Mary…. live ya life girl!

All Hail the Queen: The Legacy of Mary J. Blige

This woman’s music helped raised me. She’s the reason why I love music so much. She made me become a singer. I grew up watching her music videos, sitting in the front of the radio making tapes with all of her greatest hits, listening to her albums from start to finish, trying to get every word right in a verse, and with every song, every emotion, every note, high or flat, she continues to be herself and never gave up or changed who she was or where she comes from. She inspired so many people with her music. She’s not a spectacular singer but it’s that real emotion from her heart and soul that keeps the people in love with her. She’s the pioneer of bringing together both hip hop and R&B music in a way that wasn’t done before. She brought Anita Baker style singing, Big Daddy Kane attitude and the raw hip hop production together with a style that represented the around-the-way girls from the hood who grew up without a father in the home. Almost 25 Years since the release of her debut album, this woman continues to bring the hits. Album after album, music video after music video, she’s untouchable, unstoppable, and they definitely don’t call her the Queen for nothing. Her name is Mary J. Blige aka The Queen of Hip Hop Soul. Mary’s story begins back in Yonkers, 1988. She recorded a demo that was done in a shopping mall in Westchester. She sang Anita Baker’s “Caught Up In a Rapture.” Her stepfather at the time, over heard it and gave it to Jeff Redd. Jeff Redd was an artist on the Uptown Records label himself and he had the joint “You Called and Told Me”, which is one of my favorites. Jeff then gave the tape to Andre Harrell who was the chairman at Uptown. He was impressed with Mary’s voice and said she made the song her own. He then went to go visit Mary at her home in Yonkers. She lived in the Schlobahm Projects aka “Slow Bomb”, where she lived in Building 5 on the third floor. Andre met Mary at her home and heard her sing, she then officially became an official new artist on Uptown. Before her debut album, Mary sang backup for Father MC and even did a song with Christopher Williams and Super Cat. It was her very first single that caught the attention of street DJ’s who played it at block parties and even Kool DJ Red Alert and Kid Capri played it as well. “You Remind Me” was Mary’s very first single but it was an underground hit. Everybody was requesting the song but it was found on the 1991 soundtrack “Strictly Business” for the movie starring Tommy Davidson and Halle Berry. It wasn’t until July 28th, 1992 when Mary finally came out with “What’s the 411?” This album changed the sound of both hip hop and R&B forever. Before 411, hip hop was hip hop, R&B was R&B. Hip Hop had hooks but that was it and R&B was softer and smoother but Mary changed all that. R&B became more rough with hard beats and hip hop just had soulful singing the entire song through. Hits like “Real Love”, “Reminisce”, “Love No Limit”, “My Love” all were released between ’92 and ’93. My personal favorite on the album is “Changes I’ve Been Going Through.” It Was the same formula as “Real Love.” Mary singing over a hip hop beat from the 80’s. Biz Markie’s “Nobody Beats the Biz” and Audio Two’s “Top Billin’.” Then she came with the remix album, which was way more hip hop than the original. I ran that joint to death! I woke up listening to it and went to sleep listening to it. The illest remix joints to me are “You Don’t Have to Worry” and “Love No Limit.” “You Don’t Have to Worry” is my all time favorite Mary J. Blige song and the remix to “Love No Limit” over that Keni Burke sample loop to his joint “Risin’ to the Top” is my all time favorite Mary J. Blige remix. I can’t get over how she captured the b-girl look in the “You Don’t Have to Worry” video either. That video is the perfect video to describe her personality at the time. She was on the top of that stoop in front of a brownstone in Brooklyn with a fresh jersey, baggy jeans and a pair of boots with a baseball cap on backwards but singing so soulfully. I get goosebumps just talking about it. Mary was so original, she brought something to the game that couldn’t be touched. It’s definitely copied but it just doesn’t have the same effect. Mary was herself. Then in late 1994 she came back harder with the “My Life” album and “Be Happy” was the first single released. The video premiered on BET in October, the album released on November 29th, 1994. Now “My Life” was more dark, more intense, more sad, more real, more emotional, more vulnerable. Mary took it all the way there on this one. The album was like a movie that told the story of a battered and hurt woman who fought to get out of a bad relationship, tried to find peace and happiness and doing it in a way that people all over can relate to. “Be Happy” is my top favorite along with “Mary Jane (All Night Long)” and “You Bring Me Joy.” “All Night Long” had that Mary Jane Girls and Big Daddy Kane combination that brilliantly done. Nobody had a sound like that. Mary does it once again. Throughout ’95 and ’96, Mary Does soundtrack joints like “Not Gon’ Cry”, “Everyday It Rains” and a remake of Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman.” She also collaborated with more hip hop artists like Jay-Z and Ghostface Killah on “Can’t Knock the Hustle” and “All That I Got Is You” and we can’t forget the ultimate hood love anthem “You’re All I Need to Get By” with Method Man. Then on April 22nd, 1997, she comes back with “Share My World.” This album is my second favorite after 411 Remix. This album, Mary has a lot more confidence in herself to be a better person. She has a new attitude that was reminded me of Rocky after his workout. Standing on top of a mountain with her hands in the air and being thankful, in her case, it was on the roof of a building with a fur coat at the end of the “Love Is All We Need” music video. “I Can Love You”, “Keep Your Head”, “Round and Round”, “Can’t Get You Off My Mind” and my top favorite “Searching” are the best songs to me. I liked this album better than “My Life.” This album went harder to me and it was still had that New York hip hop vibe that I love so much. 1998 was a more calmer year for Mary, things are different now and then it transitions into 1999 when she released her self titled album on August 17th. When “Mary” came out, I was 5 years old in Virginia for the summer at my auntie’s house. “All That I Can Say” was on heavy rotation on MTV Hits all day. Every time the video came on, I was glued to the screen. It’s one of my favorite Mary videos too. This album is Mary’s most organic album. Meaning that she didn’t do the same formula like she did on the previous three. It’s a more soulful album than it is hip hop. It’s more on the Neo Soul side of town. This is the point in Mary’s career where she at the top and is getting the most promotion ever in her career. “Mary” was heavily promoted and her tour in 2000 was absolutely bananas. The infamous burgundy Farrah Fawcette hairstyle, white pants, white gloves, with a fresh pair of white kicks and a shimmery bra and matching belt. Mary keeps the ghetto fabulous look while strutting across the stage and giving daps to the fans in the audience. August 28th, 2001, Mary comes back with “No More Drama.” I remember my mom buying the bootleg version when this album came out and I also ran this album to death. This is my third favorite Mary J. Blige album. “Steal Away”, “2U”, “In the Meantime” and “Testimony” are my favorites. This album gives me the same vibe vocally as “Share My World” which is why I love this album. Mary re released the album in January 2002 and got rid of some songs to add “He Think I Don’t Know”, “Rainy Dayz” a newer version of “Dance For Me” featuring Common and the remix to “No More Drama” featuring Diddy but this album and era’s vibes continues on 2003’s “Love & Life.” This is the album that Mary fans claim to don’t like but I love the production. It’s Mary’s most hip hop joint since 411. “Love @ 1st Sight” she sang over A Tribe Called Quest’s “Hot Sex” and on “All My Love” she sang over Grand Puba’s “I Like It.” Now, Mary takes the biggest turn around of her career. This is where everything in her career was different for the rest of her career. As much I love Mary, things weren’t the same for me. On December 20th, 2005, Mary released “The Breakthrough.” This is the album that officially stamped Mary as a legend. She was the biggest than she ever was in her career before. Awards, more collaborations, more videos, her legacy continues. Fast forward to today. On January 11th, 2017, we celebrate the queen’s birthday. Fans all over are posting about her and celebrating her legacy. She’s responsible for what we hear on the radio today. A lot of R&B singers are claiming to be hip hop just because their beats are “hard”, it’s a carbon copy but what Mary did back in 1992 was real and that’s why we love her so much. She can sing with so much raw emotion and power and can still strut and drag across the street like she was your homie from the hood and dap your hand at the same time. Today she’s a woman whose overcome so much. She recently been through a divorce with her then husband Martin “Kendu” Isaacs. Mary is now telling the world that’s she been through the “Thick of It” which is her latest single. Her new album “Strength of a Woman” is said to be in stores in February. This will be her 14th or 15th album. Mary’s contribution to both hip hop and R&B has had a tremendous influence and impact on a lot of artists. Can’t wait until her new album drops. We may or may not get another “My Life” or a “Share My World”, either way she’s still just plain ol’ Mary.