Mary J. Blige

Artist Image: Mary J. Blige
Attribution
Image Credit: WBLS (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP2ECPySw_I&ab_channel=WBLS), CC BY 3.0

Biography

Mary J. Blige ( /ˈblaɪʒ/; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige started her musical career in 1992, releasing her debut album, What's the 411? on MCA Records and Uptown. With her tenth album, My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1) (2011), she had ten consecutive albums debut in the top 10 on the Billboard 200. Blige's work has defined the course of R&B/Hip-Hop music. My Life, in particular, is considered among the greatest albums ever recorded according to Rolling Stone (279/500), Time, and Vibe. For her part in combining hip hop and soul in the early 1990s and its subsequent commercial success, Blige received the World Music Awards "Legends Award". In 2007 the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awarded her its "Voice of Music" Award. ASCAP official Jeanie Weems stated that " music has been the voice of inspiration to women worldwide in both struggle and triumph." That same year, Time included her in its "Time 100" list, a collection of the year's 100 most influential individuals around the world. In a documentary by BET television, Mary J. Blige said that when she hears music, she sees colors. In other words she has Synesthesia. As of 2011, Blige has sold over 50 million albums and 15 million singles worldwide. Billboard Magazine ranked Blige as the most successful female R&B artist of the past 25 years. The magazine also lists her 2006 song "Be Without You" as the top R&B song of the 2000s, as it spent an unparalleled 15 weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 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 Woman in Music." Blige also earned high remarks for her work in film and fragrance. She starred in the 2009 Tyler Perry box-office hit I Can Do Bad All By Myself and played a role in the film Rock of Ages, which was released to theaters in 2012. She is a recipient of two Golden Globe Awards nominations for her musical contributions to the films Bobby and The Help. She is named to play music icon Nina Simone in the upcoming biopic Nina. 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 prestigious "Fragrance Sales Breakthrough" award.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1989
Number of Albums 63
Record Label Capitol Records
Website mjblige.com
Wikipedia Mary J. Blige on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

What year did Mary J. Blige release her first solo album?

1992

...he company put her under contract immediately. She sang backup until the 1992 release of her first solo album, What's the 411?, a record that redefine...
What was the name of the 1992 album that redefined modern soul?

What's the 411?,

...y. She sang backup until the 1992 release of her first solo album, What's the 411?, a record that redefined modern soul. Blige has had several No. She...
How old was MaryJ.Blige when she first sang at a karaoke booth?

17

...When a recording of 17 yearold Mary J. Blige singing at a karaoke booth came to the attention of Uptown Records, the company put her under contract imm...
What was her mother's occupation prior to becoming a successful singer?

nurse

...ood marred by violence, alcohol and drugs. Her mother, Cora Blige, was a nurse and an alcoholic; her father, Thomas Blige, was a jazz musician who pla...
What was her father's profession?

jazz musician

...Blige, was a nurse and an alcoholic; her father, Thomas Blige, was a jazz musician who played the bass guitar, as well as a Vietnam War veteran who su...
Who was a Vietnam War veteran with severe posttraumatic stress disorder?

Thomas Blige

...s. Her mother, Cora Blige, was a nurse and an alcoholic; her father, Thomas Blige , was a jazz musician who played the bass guitar, as well as a Vietna...
What is the name of the public housing project in Yonkers?

Schlobohm Houses

...me and abuse her some more. Hoping to escape from her father, Blige and her mother moved to the Schlobohm Houses , a public housing project in Yonkers....
What genre of music did Blige instantly become a distinct force in?

R&B

...Blige instantly became a distinct force in R&B , and throughout a threedecade career has put the full power of her voice behind her music, exorcizing h...
What did she exorcize her demons and consequently soften?

her style

...ice behind her music, exorcizing her demons and consequently softening her style , yet never ceding her rank as the Queen of HipHop Soul. As she contin...
What was the name of the first album that was released after the Super Bowl?

Good Morning Gorgeous

...show coincided with the release of her first album of the 2020s, Good Morning Gorgeous (2022). Born in the Bronx, Blige spent the first few years of h...
In what year did Blige release her first album?

1991

...'s voice and signed her to sing backup for local acts like Father MC. In 1991 , however, Sean Puffy Combs took Blige under his wing and began working w...
In what city was she born?

the Bronx

...of her first album of the 2020s, Good Morning Gorgeous (2022). Born in the Bronx , Blige spent the first few years of her life in Savannah, Georgia bef...
Where did she live for the first few years of her life before moving to New York?

Savannah, Georgia

... Born in the Bronx, Blige spent the first few years of her life in Savannah, Georgia before moving with her mother and older sister to the Schlobam ho...
What housing project did Blige live in?

Schlobam

...avannah, Georgia before moving with her mother and older sister to the Schlobam housing projects in Yonkers, New York. Her rough life there produced m...
In what city is the Schlobam housing project?

Yonkers, New York

...th her mother and older sister to the Schlobam housing projects in Yonkers, New York . Her rough life there produced more than a few scars, physical an...
Who was the CEO of Uptown Records?

Andre Harrell

...esulting tape was passed by Blige's stepfather to Uptown Records CEO Andre Harrell . Harrell was impressed with Blige's voice and signed her to sing ba...
How did Uptown capitalize on the success of what album?

What's the 411? My Life

..., her debut album. Uptown capitalized on the success by issuing What's the 411? My Life was full of street pathos, and Blige's personal pain shone thr...
Which album was full of street pathos?

My Life

...but album. Uptown capitalized on the success by issuing What's the 411? My Life was full of street pathos, and Blige's personal pain shone through lik...
Where was Bliges childhood divided between?

Savannah, Georgia, and a housing project in Yonkers, New York

...Bliges childhood was divided between Savannah, Georgia, and a housing project in Yonkers, New York . She sang backup for various artists until the 1992...
Who produced Whats the 411?

Sean (Puffy) Combs

...er first solo album, Whats the 411?, produced primarily by rapper Sean (Puffy) Combs (Diddy). That album revealed the pain of Bliges childhood while p...
Which album redefining soul music?

Whats the 411?,

...for various artists until the 1992 release of her first solo album, Whats the 411?, produced primarily by rapper Sean (Puffy) Combs (Diddy). That albu...
In what year did a documentary about Blige's 1994 album appear?

2021

...spective My Life (1994); a documentary centring on the album appeared in 2021 . Bliges glamorous but streettough image softened over time. However, her...
In what year was Not Gon Cry released?

1996

...mong Bliges host of hit singles were Be Without You (1994), Not Gon Cry ( 1996 ), and Take Me As I Am (2005). Her 2006 release, Reflections (2006), prov...
What was Blige's 2006 release called?

Reflections

...4), Not Gon Cry (1996), and Take Me As I Am (2005). Her 2006 release, Reflections (2006), provided a retrospective of her work. Bliges 2008 tour with ...
What was her ninth career Grammy?

Growing Pains

... contemporary rhythm and blues albumher ninth total career Grammyfor Growing Pains . The following year she released the soundtrack for the comedy Thin...
How many times did she win a Grammy for her album Growing Pains?

ninth

...r she won a Grammy Award for best contemporary rhythm and blues albumher ninth total career Grammyfor Growing Pains. The following year she released t...
How many Grammy Awards has Blige won?

nine

...Often referred to as the Queen of HipHop Soul, Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, and ten Billboard Music Awards. She has b...
What film did BligE star in (2017)?

Mudbound

... two Academy Awards, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its original song Mighty River, becoming the fi...
How many studio albums did Blige release?

14

...g rap as a featuring act. Throughout her career, Blige went on to release 14 studio albums, all of which have reached the top ten on the Billboard 200...
How long did Bligé's song spend at the top of the Hot R&Bip Songs chart?

15 weeks

...he most successful R&BHipHop song of all time, as it spent an unparalleled 15 weeks atop the Hot R&BHipHop Songs chart and over 75 weeks on the chart....
What song did she fall in love with?

Everybody Loves The Sunshine

...w York. She recalls falling in love with music after hearing Everybody Loves The Sunshine by Roy Ayers. I dont know whats in that record, but theres s...
Who wrote Everybody Loves The Sunshine?

Roy Ayers

...lling in love with music after hearing Everybody Loves The Sunshine by Roy Ayers . I dont know whats in that record, but theres something in it that ju...
What label did Mary Blige sign a demo for?

Uptown Records

...ever, Blige got her big break after a demo she recorded was sent to Uptown Records . When Mary opened her mouth and sang, it spoke to a generation of c...
What was the name of Blige's first record?

Whats the 411?

...er Uptown Records artist. Blige then began working with Diddy, who was with the label at the time, and they produced her first record, Whats the 411? ....
When did Mary's parents divorce?

when Mary was just 4 years of age

...t most of their time fighting on petty issues and divorced when Mary was just 4 years of age . Her mother took both the sisters along with her to Georg...
What genre of music did her mother collect for her?

hiphop

...a not so ideal place for little girls. Soon, she grew extremely fond of hiphop music, owing to the collection owned by her mother. Her sister and moth...
Who supported her to take her passion forward?

Her sister and mother

...nd of hiphop music, owing to the collection owned by her mother. Her sister and mother supported her to take her passion forward, which made her win a...
Where did she perform?

church choirs and family gatherings

... taste in music, which continued with her performances at church choirs and family gatherings . As music consumed most of her time, she decided to quit...
Which hairstyle did Mary JBlige have?

blonde

...a variety of genres, including R&B, neo soul and hip hop. Known for her blonde hair and the badgirl image, she earned applause for her soulful, husky ...
What is Blige sometimes called?

queen of hiphop soul

...ssful female R&B artist of all time. Blige, sometimes called the queen of hiphop soul , sold an estimated 75 million records across the world. She has ...
How many records did Blize sell?

75 million

.... Blige, sometimes called the queen of hiphop soul, sold an estimated 75 million records across the world. She has inspired countless singers of the y...
When did her parents divorce?

1980

...took singing lessons from her father as a child. Her parents divorced in 1980 . Blige was then raised by her mother and, under her encouragement, sang ...
In what year did Blige drop out of Roosevelt High School?

1987

... raised by her mother and, under her encouragement, sang in the church choir. She dropped out of Roosevelt High School in 1987 , at the age of sixteen....
At what age did she drop out?

sixteen

... raised by her mother and, under her encouragement, sang in the church choir. She dropped out of Roosevelt High School in 1987, at the age of sixteen ....
Who was Jeff Redd?

an A&R scout for Uptown Records

...ity, he quickly sent it to an acquaintance named Jeff Redd, an A&R scout for Uptown Records , who subsequently brought the tape to the label's presiden...
Who brought the tape to Uptown Records' president?

Jeff Redd

... Sensing her potentiality, he quickly sent it to an acquaintance named Jeff Redd , an A&R scout for Uptown Records, who subsequently brought the tape t...
How many out of its 12 tracks became number one on Billboard Hot R&BHipHop Singles & Tracks?

Two

...ipHop Albums chart while also penetrated the top 10 of The Billboard 200. Two out of its 12 tracks, namely ï½Real Loveï½ and ï½You Remind Meï½, amazin...
What was the name of Diddy's label?

Bad Boy

...d to end their ties to put concentration on establishing his own label, Bad Boy . Already invented what became known as ghetto fabulous music style thr...
Mary's third album, <unk>1<unk>2 Share My World <unk>1, was released in what year?

1997

...ul vocals and glamorous sophistication, Mary strengthened her position in American music industry with her third album, ï½ Share My World ï½, by 1997 ....