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.”