Mary J. Blige

b. Mary Jane Blige, 11 January 1971, the Bronx, Ne

Blige was signed to Uptown Records by their head of A&R, Sean "Puffy" Combs. After being promoted by her record company as "The original queen of hip-hop and soul", Mary J. Blige's 1992 debut album sold over two million copies (many of the best songs being written for her by POV). The hip-hop quotient was represented by bass-driven rhythms, the soul stylings including her affecting voice. Guest appearances from rappers Grand Puba and Busta Rhymes were merely a bonus on this accomplished piece of work. When she journeyed to England for live shows in 1993 she was widely criticised for overpricing a set that was merely six songs long, but quality rather than quantity remains the keynote to Blige's career. My Life was an edgy, raw set that dealt with the break-up of her relationship with K-Ci Hailey of Jodeci. According to her publicity handout, Share My World, her first album away from mentor Combs, marked "her personal and musical rebirth"; rebirth or not, it was certainly another excellent album and reached the top of the US album charts. Mary featured guest appearances from artists including, Lauryn Hill, Eric Clapton, George Michael, Elton John and, on the tense personal drama of "Not Lookin'", her ex-lover Hailey. Blige maintained her impressive series of releases with 2001's No More Drama, featuring the US chart-topping single "Family Affair". The follow-up Love & Life, released in September 2003, provided the singer with her second US chart-topping album.

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