Mary J. Blige, Style Icon: A Retrospective
The "Month of Mary" on SoulBounce would not be complete without taking a look back on our beloved Mary J. Blige's look in the public eye. As a woman who grew up next to one of the fashion capitals of...
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This page contains 23 entries posted under the "Month of Mary" category.
'My Life' At 15: The Videos
No discussion about Mary J. Blige's My Life would be complete without talking about the videos that accompanied the singles from the album. Although there were only three videos made, they are as iconic as the album itself. Filmed during...
'My Life' At 15: 'Be Happy'
Mary J. Blige's "Be Happy" was the upbeat first single from My Life to the rest of the world of people who hadn't taken the time to delve into this overwrought, thickened with emotion of an album. To outsiders, Mary...
'My Life' At 15: 'No One Else'
Unwavering dedication--at the expense of tears, heartache and sanity--throbs in the core of any true "ride or die" type of love. When My Life dropped, Mary J. Blige had become the poster child for tormented souls battered by incredibly flawed love...
'My Life' At 15: 'I Love You'
I wish you'd change your ways soon enough/ So we can be together/ You just don't understand good love/ But now all we have is memories...Finally, we've reached the point where Mary is just about ready to let go. I...
'My Life' At 15: 'Don't Go'
Words such as "pleading," "longing," "desperation" have been used thus far to describe Mary J. Blige's seminal opus, My Life. You may be tired of reading such descriptions. I'm here to tell you that reading the rest of this post...
'My Life' At 15: 'Mary's Joint'
"Unnecessary pain (pain is pain) / Tell me who would get the blame (you know it hurts) / If we should go astray / What would we do? What could we say?" There comes a time every person's life when...
'My Life' At 15': 'Be With You'
After going down, "Be With You" brings Mary's pining up to a more predictable plane. It's a solid R&B track that's undoubtedly of its time. This is accentuated by the preceding track's wildly popular and masterfully employed anachronism (cheers, Diddy)....
Why 'I Am' Loving The Month Of Mary
We really picked the right month to feature Mary J. Blige. From rocking national anthems to the release of the Precious soundtrack, to the celebration of the 15th anniversary of My Life, Mary is everywhere this month. And even though...
'My Life' At 15: 'I'm Goin' Down'
Though it was first popularized nearly 20 years earlier by Rose Royce, Mary's rendition of "I'm Going Down" is arguably the definitive one. This has everything to do her truth at the time. While she doesn't diverge much from...
'My Life' At 15: 'I Never Wanna Live Without You'
"I never wanna live without you, baby / I wanna be your lady / Love is so amazing"One of the standouts on an already stellar album, "I Never Wanna Live Without You" is amongst a handful of tracks that...
Mary J. Blige Is 'Beautiful.' Isn't She, Blackstar?
Mary J. Blige may be the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul," but many would agree that Mary is the undisputed "Queen of The Remix" as well. Take a moment and think about how many tracks Mary has blessed that resulted...
'See In Color' Through Mary's Eyes
The riveting drama Precious hit theaters this weekend and those who've seen it have proclaimed that it is not to be missed. Strong performances and Oscar talk for its stars aside, something else that has tongues wagging is the soundtrack...
If You 'Don't Love' Mary 'This Way,' Who Will?
The first week into the Month of Mary, you all have been hopefully dazzled with sounds from Mary J. Blige's classic My Life. But as any fan of Mary knows, there are a plethora of bonus cuts that somehow find...
Mary Speaks On Why Life Is 'Precious'
Today, the much buzzed-about film Precious debuts in select theaters across the country. The story, of course, is the story of 16 year-old Claireece 'Precious' Jones, whose life was downright hopeless, and, over time, transformed into not only hopeful, but...
'My Life' At 15: 'You Gotta Believe'
It's no secret that My Life was: (1) an open love letter from Mary J. Blige to K-Ci Hailey; and (2) a cornucopia of '90s R&B drenched in soul instrumentals from the '60s and '70s. Unlike the majority of the...
'My Life' At 15: 'My Life'
"Life can be only what you make it / When you're feeling down, you should never fake it" So begins the haunting title track from the My Life album, arguably one of the most beloved songs Mary J. Blige has...
Mary's 'Star' Shines Bright In The Bronx Night
As a native New Yorker, I'd just like the record to show that the World Champion New York Yankees were undefeated when they had soul superstars represent during their pre-game ceremonies. We all know how Jay-Z & Alicia Keys literally...
Mary Won't Be 'Stronger' Til Later This Year
This Just In: Mary J. Blige's new disc, Stronger, will be out in time for the holidays. Just during Christmas week, and not around Thanksgiving, as originally planned. Speculation has it that either Mary doesn't want to compete with fellow...
'My Life' At 15: 'I'm The Only Woman'
"I'm The Only Woman" was such a perfect fit hot young thangs such as myself who loved it when we first heard it. My Life was full of pleading masterfully disguised as strength and catharsis and this track was no...
'My Life' At 15: 'You Bring Me Joy'
"I don't know what I would do / Do without you / In my life, boy..." Barry White's "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me," laid the foundation, but "You Bring Me Joy" was the house that Mary...
'My Life' At 15: 'Mary Jane (All Night Long)'
"Ooooo, baby / Not tonight / I don't want to fuss and fight / I just want to make it right..." And with those lyrics, it was on. The first track on My Life, "Mary Jane (All Night Long)" set...
Welcome To The Month Of Mary!
Can you believe that it's been fifteen years since Mary J. Blige's sophomore album, My Life, came into our lives? Fifteen years since Mary followed up her debut album with one of the most personal bodies of work that an...
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