Mary J. Blige is already established as one of the most successful musical artists of our time, and she's been establishing herself as a force in the acting world as well. Her movie star started rising after she made history in 2018 as the first performer to be nominated for acting performance and original song Academy Awards for her film Mudbound. The singer is taking another star turn in the new film Body Cam — which was recently released for digital streaming — and also contributes new music to the film's soundtrack with "Can't Be Life."
"Can't Be Life" is a track co-written by MJB alongside a few of her frequent collaborators and some new additions — including Denise Rich, Jimmy Cozier, Stacy Barthe and Chucky Thompson. They provide her with soul-searching lyrics as she counts her blessings and her struggles while looking to achieve a higher understanding. While she's happy with what she's acquired, she's aiming for a higher connection, singing on the chorus, "There's got to be more to life than this / This can't be life / This can't be real." Chucky Thompson, meanwhile, supports Mary's meditation with a mid-tempo groove anchored with a lingering guitar riff and fleshed out with programmed drums.
We're not exactly sure how the track fits in with the mood of Body Cam, which happens to be a supernatural thriller that finds Mary J. Blige playing a cop trying to figure out an unusual case. However, we do know that the song itself is one that many will find encouraging, especially in this day and age. Listen to "Can't Be Life" right here and stick around to watch Body Cam's full trailer as well.
