5.01.2005
Hate It or Love It
"Go 'head and envy me, I'm the soul hip-hop queen/ And I ain't going nowhere..." ~Mary J. Blige, Envy Me
Maybe you’ve noticed or maybe you haven’t, but Mary J. Blige is back. Turn on the radio and you’re bound to hear her distinctive voice belting on Cassidy’s track "I’m A Hustla", on the previously unreleased track "Streets Done Raised Me" with JaRule and her own blazing single "Envy Me". It’s Envy Me that has me swooning, and barely able to contain my cool whenever I hear it. Taken from The Game’s "Hate it or Love It", Envy Me finds Mary reminiscing on her life, career and reign as the Queen of hip-hop soul. If you dug the Game’s original version you’re gonna love Mary’s version. Sources say she’s hard at work on another album, and if this new single is an indication of where she is musically I know it’s gonna be sick.
It’s funny though, I wasn’t always this excited about Mary or her music. I remember almost to the day Mary J. Blige’s debut album dropped. I had been out of high school for just over a year and had only weeks before met Peter, and began my first relationship with a guy. And while I was impressed with the lyrics and temperament of her first single You Remind Me, there was another female R&B sensation dropping around the same time as Mary that had me shook.
Toni Braxton had been studying music at Bowie State University to ensure her dream of becoming a music teacher when she took pen to hand and signed a deal with L.A. Reid and Babyface. The contract would make her their first solo female artist on LaFace and usher her quickly into a ready made world of success. Love Shoulda Brought You Home, her first single was originally penned for Anita Baker who at the last minute was unable to contribute her vocals to the cut, was an overnight hit. Add to that the Babyface duet Give You My Heart, and the ultra-successful major motion picture Boomerang from which the tracks originated and you have instant star.
While Mary was rough and rugged, Toni was smooth and tamed. While Toni would approach each song with the grace and ease, Mary seemed to struggle, stumble and barely find her way through her street laced tracks. While Toni was noticeably beautiful and used her femininity to woo her fans, Mary with her high kicks and half-laced Timbs used her hood-rat techniques to stomp her way into our lives. And so there you had it, two different artists with two very different approaches, both eager to find a place in our hearts.
Here in New York a contest on 98.7 Kiss FM would put the two in an all out bout. The host called for the best new female artist: "Who’s better", he asked egging the over-opinionated public on, "Mary J. Blige or Toni Braxton? Give us a call here in the studio and let’s figure this out here and now." Caller after caller registered their vote, many offering detailed justification to back up their choice. As the calls mounted Peter and I were listening intently sending out a yelp every time our choice Toni Braxton doused the underdeveloped Mary. It’s not that I didn’t like Mary, it’s just at the time Toni was the embodiment of what people generally expected of a female star (beautiful, gracious and talented), and so it only made sense that she should be voted the best new artist of late. And by the end of the broadcast she had.
Still, Mary’s debut album did exceptionally well, spawned such classics as: You Remind Me, Reminisce, Love No Limit and Real Love; spent 7 weeks at the top of the Billboard R&B Chart and sold over 3 million copies. Not bad for an artist who was boldly introducing to the world a new type of R&B soul.
But, if What’s the 411? put Mary on the map, My Life re-zoned it. Where her fans had come to love the hip-hop laced R&B tracks she’d made must haves at clubs around the world, her second album would force them to think a little more, and dance a lot less. Some in their haste called for the real Mary—the innovative hip-hop Mary—and denounced the new more subdued Mary & her album My Life as a case of the sophomore jitters gone awry. But a number of hardcore fans and a slew of new ones gravitated to My Life with a new found appreciation for the recently crowned Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. My Life was an open book, yearning to be read. In it were highs, and lows; love and fear; truth, truth, and more truth. To this day I cannot listen to the set and not relate in some way, shape or fashion to the emotions she expressed so clearly on love and life, the pursuit of it, the desire to keep it and the feelings of pure exhaustion (you can’t help but feel) whenever it slips from your grasp. Mary just wasn’t talking about her life, her problems and her fears—but mine and yours as well. And she did it like no one else before her had, and in the process, stole our hearts.
As the clichéd saying goes: Mo’ money, Mo problems. Mary was on top of her game, doing what she did best and somehow suffering because of it. I’m sure like me you heard the comments: "she can’t sing", "her notes are flat and screechy", "her live shows suck", "Chaka hates the fact she re-recorded her song" and a shit load of other damaging characterizations no artist wants to hear. Though the woman was giving us her all, to many, it just wasn’t enough. And for a minute it seemed like it never would be.
I love the truth, and as such I have always been the first to admit Mary doesn’t have the best voice out there, and while I’ve never seen her in concert, after purchasing and suffering through The Tour I can only imagine what her live audiences endured. But sometimes, and I use sometimes loosely, it’s not always about an artist's vocal ability. Sometimes it’s more, so much more. Like Billie Holiday and Nina Simone before her Mary has a way of styling a song, romanticizing it and ultimately making it her own. Think back to Not Gon’ Cry from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, who else could have sung that song the way Mary sung it? Think No More Drama, Be Happy, I Can Love You, Love No Limit—who but Mary could have sung those songs and made them into the melodies we now groove to every single time we hear them? So while she may not have a classically trained voice with octaves galore, she does have a way of bringing a song to life. And truthfully, isn’t that what an artist is supposed to do anyway? Make us feel the message they’re trying to relay? Shouldn’t they embody, exploit and express that kind of raw emotion we need to move forward in our lives? Shouldn’t their music invoke an almost sudden repeat reflex—a condition that used to warp records, tatter tapes and force words into one’s memory? I’m saying, shouldn’t this above all else be a judging factor as to what makes an ordinary artist great? If so, then indeed Mary is the greatest of them all.
Still despite the bitter opinions of her critics Mary managed to carve a niche for herself. She is without a doubt the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. She is a force to be reckoned with. And unlike the countless other titles being bestowed on less talented copy-cat performers Mary has a track record to back her reigning position as the beginning and end of Hip-Hop Soul. After nearly 13 years in the game she’s still on top. She’s still being sought out for collaborations. She still garners respect every time an album drops—and above all else she’s still doing her. No matter if you like her or not, she’s still just Mary. No pretense. No over-exaggerated dance routines, no overzealous vocal performances or attempts to become the type of star others think she should be. And for this I have always and will always love her.
The message she sends is loud and clear. It’s okay to be you. It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to start over, and hold tight to a piece/peace of mind. No more drama, no more games, no more pain, no more stress. These are her truths, her realizations, and as a result, our blessings. A major portion of my first novel was written while listening to Mary. It was her dedication to her craft that helped me buckle down and dedicate myself to my craft. That’s why throughout the book you’ll find references to her and her music, because I really believe had she not released the wonder that is My Life, I would not have had the gumption to release I’m On My Way. And so, to one of my all-time favorite artists I humbly say, thank you...
Maybe you’ve noticed or maybe you haven’t, but Mary J. Blige is back. Turn on the radio and you’re bound to hear her distinctive voice belting on Cassidy’s track "I’m A Hustla", on the previously unreleased track "Streets Done Raised Me" with JaRule and her own blazing single "Envy Me". It’s Envy Me that has me swooning, and barely able to contain my cool whenever I hear it. Taken from The Game’s "Hate it or Love It", Envy Me finds Mary reminiscing on her life, career and reign as the Queen of hip-hop soul. If you dug the Game’s original version you’re gonna love Mary’s version. Sources say she’s hard at work on another album, and if this new single is an indication of where she is musically I know it’s gonna be sick. It’s funny though, I wasn’t always this excited about Mary or her music. I remember almost to the day Mary J. Blige’s debut album dropped. I had been out of high school for just over a year and had only weeks before met Peter, and began my first relationship with a guy. And while I was impressed with the lyrics and temperament of her first single You Remind Me, there was another female R&B sensation dropping around the same time as Mary that had me shook.
Toni Braxton had been studying music at Bowie State University to ensure her dream of becoming a music teacher when she took pen to hand and signed a deal with L.A. Reid and Babyface. The contract would make her their first solo female artist on LaFace and usher her quickly into a ready made world of success. Love Shoulda Brought You Home, her first single was originally penned for Anita Baker who at the last minute was unable to contribute her vocals to the cut, was an overnight hit. Add to that the Babyface duet Give You My Heart, and the ultra-successful major motion picture Boomerang from which the tracks originated and you have instant star.
While Mary was rough and rugged, Toni was smooth and tamed. While Toni would approach each song with the grace and ease, Mary seemed to struggle, stumble and barely find her way through her street laced tracks. While Toni was noticeably beautiful and used her femininity to woo her fans, Mary with her high kicks and half-laced Timbs used her hood-rat techniques to stomp her way into our lives. And so there you had it, two different artists with two very different approaches, both eager to find a place in our hearts.
Here in New York a contest on 98.7 Kiss FM would put the two in an all out bout. The host called for the best new female artist: "Who’s better", he asked egging the over-opinionated public on, "Mary J. Blige or Toni Braxton? Give us a call here in the studio and let’s figure this out here and now." Caller after caller registered their vote, many offering detailed justification to back up their choice. As the calls mounted Peter and I were listening intently sending out a yelp every time our choice Toni Braxton doused the underdeveloped Mary. It’s not that I didn’t like Mary, it’s just at the time Toni was the embodiment of what people generally expected of a female star (beautiful, gracious and talented), and so it only made sense that she should be voted the best new artist of late. And by the end of the broadcast she had.Still, Mary’s debut album did exceptionally well, spawned such classics as: You Remind Me, Reminisce, Love No Limit and Real Love; spent 7 weeks at the top of the Billboard R&B Chart and sold over 3 million copies. Not bad for an artist who was boldly introducing to the world a new type of R&B soul.
But, if What’s the 411? put Mary on the map, My Life re-zoned it. Where her fans had come to love the hip-hop laced R&B tracks she’d made must haves at clubs around the world, her second album would force them to think a little more, and dance a lot less. Some in their haste called for the real Mary—the innovative hip-hop Mary—and denounced the new more subdued Mary & her album My Life as a case of the sophomore jitters gone awry. But a number of hardcore fans and a slew of new ones gravitated to My Life with a new found appreciation for the recently crowned Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. My Life was an open book, yearning to be read. In it were highs, and lows; love and fear; truth, truth, and more truth. To this day I cannot listen to the set and not relate in some way, shape or fashion to the emotions she expressed so clearly on love and life, the pursuit of it, the desire to keep it and the feelings of pure exhaustion (you can’t help but feel) whenever it slips from your grasp. Mary just wasn’t talking about her life, her problems and her fears—but mine and yours as well. And she did it like no one else before her had, and in the process, stole our hearts.
As the clichéd saying goes: Mo’ money, Mo problems. Mary was on top of her game, doing what she did best and somehow suffering because of it. I’m sure like me you heard the comments: "she can’t sing", "her notes are flat and screechy", "her live shows suck", "Chaka hates the fact she re-recorded her song" and a shit load of other damaging characterizations no artist wants to hear. Though the woman was giving us her all, to many, it just wasn’t enough. And for a minute it seemed like it never would be.
I love the truth, and as such I have always been the first to admit Mary doesn’t have the best voice out there, and while I’ve never seen her in concert, after purchasing and suffering through The Tour I can only imagine what her live audiences endured. But sometimes, and I use sometimes loosely, it’s not always about an artist's vocal ability. Sometimes it’s more, so much more. Like Billie Holiday and Nina Simone before her Mary has a way of styling a song, romanticizing it and ultimately making it her own. Think back to Not Gon’ Cry from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, who else could have sung that song the way Mary sung it? Think No More Drama, Be Happy, I Can Love You, Love No Limit—who but Mary could have sung those songs and made them into the melodies we now groove to every single time we hear them? So while she may not have a classically trained voice with octaves galore, she does have a way of bringing a song to life. And truthfully, isn’t that what an artist is supposed to do anyway? Make us feel the message they’re trying to relay? Shouldn’t they embody, exploit and express that kind of raw emotion we need to move forward in our lives? Shouldn’t their music invoke an almost sudden repeat reflex—a condition that used to warp records, tatter tapes and force words into one’s memory? I’m saying, shouldn’t this above all else be a judging factor as to what makes an ordinary artist great? If so, then indeed Mary is the greatest of them all.Still despite the bitter opinions of her critics Mary managed to carve a niche for herself. She is without a doubt the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. She is a force to be reckoned with. And unlike the countless other titles being bestowed on less talented copy-cat performers Mary has a track record to back her reigning position as the beginning and end of Hip-Hop Soul. After nearly 13 years in the game she’s still on top. She’s still being sought out for collaborations. She still garners respect every time an album drops—and above all else she’s still doing her. No matter if you like her or not, she’s still just Mary. No pretense. No over-exaggerated dance routines, no overzealous vocal performances or attempts to become the type of star others think she should be. And for this I have always and will always love her.
The message she sends is loud and clear. It’s okay to be you. It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to start over, and hold tight to a piece/peace of mind. No more drama, no more games, no more pain, no more stress. These are her truths, her realizations, and as a result, our blessings. A major portion of my first novel was written while listening to Mary. It was her dedication to her craft that helped me buckle down and dedicate myself to my craft. That’s why throughout the book you’ll find references to her and her music, because I really believe had she not released the wonder that is My Life, I would not have had the gumption to release I’m On My Way. And so, to one of my all-time favorite artists I humbly say, thank you...
