Bio
When her debut album, What’s the 411?, hit the street in 1992, critics and fans alike were floored by its powerful combination of modern R&B with an edgy rap sound that glanced off of the pain and grit of Mary J. Blige’s Yonkers, NY, childhood. Called alternately the new Chaka Khan or new Aretha Franklin, Blige had little in common stylistically with either of those artists, but like them, she helped adorn soul music with new textures and flavors that inspired a whole generation of musicians. With her blonde hair, self-preserving slouch, and combat boots, Blige was street-tough and beautiful all at once, and the record company execs who profited off of her early releases did little to dispel the bad-girl image that she earned as she stumbled through the dizzying first days of her career.
For Mary J. Blige’s full bio, click here.
The Hype
More On Mary J. Blige
Discography
What’s the 411
My Life
Share My World
Mary
No more drama
Love & Life
Reflections (A Retrospective)
The Breakthrough
Growing Pains
Lovers & Friends
In: Martin Kendu Isaacs, Diddy, Anita Baker, Jay-Z, The-Lox, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder.
Out: Case and K-Ci
Career Highlights
Won 9 Grammy’s and 4 American Music Awards
Mary J. Blige was a spokesperson for the M·A·C AIDS Fund
MJB is an investor and spokesperson for Carol’s Daughter’s beauty products
MJB has also had major endorsements deals with several companies such as Gap, Target, Coca-Cola, American Express, and Chevrolet.
Filmography
2000 Prison Song
Be the First to Add a Shout-out