Now yall don't kill me here

I recently re-listened to What's The 411 & My Life recently...

And they are both great albums, i forgot how good they where actually!

My mom had No More Drama & i have heard it many times & enjoy a good majority of it, forever no more & testimony are great.

But besides that i can not for the life of me get into Mary J albums... frankly the others ones kind of.... bore me

I really did try recently.. but

Love & Life sounded like early 00's P. Diddy crap.. and low & behold he was one of the producers

Are the other 00's albums worth it?, it just seems after awhile Mary repeats the same stories in every damn song.... listening to hear constantly cry about bad relationships... is like R. Kelly talking about sex & creepin... it's good stuff for a few albums but by the 7th or 8th it's like come on now change it up.

I want to get really into her like Erykah or Lauryn.. but i'm so-so.

Give me opinions or songs from her other albums that you here like

[Edited 11/28/12 22:41pm]

I think Breakthrough was her best '00s album tbh...

ChakaKAnitaB said:

Growing pains & breakthrough are the best albums from her this decade

THIS. Even though No More Drama had alot of great cuts as well. Growing Pains is my favorite 00s album from her though.

alphastreet said:

Breakthrough has solid cuts on it. You may also want to consider Toni Braxton's libra to play alongside this album Just fine is a good dance-funk song, from her 2008 album though I haven't heard it, so check that out.

And The Emancipation of Mimi and 20 Y.O. 2005-2006 was the year of the "comeback" in R&B...

Timmy84 said:

I think Breakthrough was her best '00s album tbh...

silverchild said:

alphastreet said:

Breakthrough has solid cuts on it. You may also want to consider Toni Braxton's libra to play alongside this album Just fine is a good dance-funk song, from her 2008 album though I haven't heard it, so check that out.

And The Emancipation of Mimi and 20 Y.O. 2005-2006 was the year of the "comeback" in R&B...

Yes I was going to suggest Mimi as well, I think it was one of the best albums of the decade, I can listen to it from start to finish. I think that set the tone for Breakthrough actually

I wasn't feeling 20 YO with the exception of a few cuts. It had potential but was not polished like Mimi was, a lot of the tracks sounded incomplete and rushed IMO. Though janet is in my top 3, I ended up loving justin (though I didn't want to), nelly furtado and beyonce's albums way more than hers, and this is from someone who was not usually ranking current artists over janet though I would listen to them. Luckily she bounced back musically with Discipline IMO though now some of the songs are beginning to bother me.

[Edited 11/29/12 6:47am]

Mary's best material came when she was dealing with intense personal drama. Her resolution of that drama and finding personal happiness changed her music.

HonestMan13 said:

Mary's best material came when she was dealing with intense personal drama. Her resolution of that drama and finding personal happiness changed her music.

I agree that she's at her best when sad or ranting and her songs have made me cry at times. Since janet came up, I also feel the same about her, when she's being real she's at her prime.

No.

Gunsnhalen said:

Now yall don't kill me here

I recently re-listened to What's The 411 & My Life recently...

And they are both great albums, i forgot how good they where actually!

My mom had No More Drama & i have heard it many times & enjoy a good majority of it, forever no more & testimony are great.

But besides that i can not for the life of me get into Mary J albums... frankly the others ones kind of.... bore me

I really did try recently.. but

Love & Life sounded like early 00's P. Diddy crap.. and low & behold he was one of the producers

Are the other 00's albums worth it?, it just seems after awhile Mary repeats the same stories in every damn song.... listening to hear constantly cry about bad relationships... is like R. Kelly talking about sex & creepin... it's good stuff for a few albums but by the 7th or 8th it's like come on now change it up.

I want to get really into her like Erykah or Lauryn.. but i'm so-so.

Give me opinions or songs from her other albums that you here like

[Edited 11/28/12 22:41pm]

I LOVE Mary but her best material is her 90s bar none. Ive been listening to My Life recently as well

HonestMan13 said:

Mary's best material came when she was dealing with intense personal drama. Her resolution of that drama and finding personal happiness changed her music.

Yeah. Her last best album was "Mary" from '99. Afterwards, it has been hit and miss with Mary on her Oprah/Ivanya (however you say her name) phase which she hasn't fully gotten off of yet.

AlexdeParis said:

Timmy84 said:

I think Breakthrough was her best '00s album tbh...

I second that head That's the last MJB album I bought.

In the 00's Mary went in another direction with her music and became a more crossover R&B artist. Similiar to Alicia Keys, her name can easily be thrown in a R&B category because of that crossover appeal her music isnt the same to me. I do agree with everyones opinion on Breakthrough though.

Timmy84 said:

HonestMan13 said:

Mary's best material came when she was dealing with intense personal drama. Her resolution of that drama and finding personal happiness changed her music.

Yeah. Her last best album was "Mary" from '99. Afterwards, it has been hit and miss with Mary on her Oprah/Ivanya (however you say her name) phase which she hasn't fully gotten off of yet.

Funny, I was thinking about that Mary album but I wasn't sure if it came out in 1999 or 2000. That one was cool too.

alphastreet said:

silverchild said:

And The Emancipation of Mimi and 20 Y.O. 2005-2006 was the year of the "comeback" in R&B...

Yes I was going to suggest Mimi as well, I think it was one of the best albums of the decade, I can listen to it from start to finish. I think that set the tone for Breakthrough actually

I wasn't feeling 20 YO with the exception of a few cuts. It had potential but was not polished like Mimi was, a lot of the tracks sounded incomplete and rushed IMO. Though janet is in my top 3, I ended up loving justin (though I didn't want to), nelly furtado and beyonce's albums way more than hers, and this is from someone who was not usually ranking current artists over janet though I would listen to them. Luckily she bounced back musically with Discipline IMO though now some of the songs are beginning to bother me.

[Edited 11/29/12 6:47am]

For me, those few cuts were "Enjoy" and "Take Care". Those two songs were worthy additions to her catalog if you ask me.

1990's mary is the only stuff is classic. beyond that.....i can't stand her music. It's sad to say her music is only good when her life was messed up.

silverchild said:

mjscarousal said:

In the 00's Mary went in another direction with her music and became a more crossover R&B artist. Similiar to Alicia Keys, her name can easily be thrown in a R&B category because of that crossover appeal her music isnt the same to me. I do agree with everyones opinion on Breakthrough though.

Her music definitely got more pop-oriented. 1992-99 Mary was the real R&B Mary IMHO.

mjscarousal said:

In the 00's Mary went in another direction with her music and became a more crossover R&B artist. Similiar to Alicia Keys, her name can easily be thrown in a R&B category because of that crossover appeal her music isnt the same to me. I do agree with everyones opinion on Breakthrough though.

THIS

although i will give Breakthrough a try

But honestly once Mary started working with Puffy her stuff & she did become crossover which i don't mind... but she was up on everyones remixes & all that crap.

Honestly when i think of this... i would rather Lauryn only have her one big album & Erykah only have there few albums....

Cause if they went down the get on everyones remixes route i would be like

Timmy84 said:

mjscarousal said:

In the 00's Mary went in another direction with her music and became a more crossover R&B artist. Similiar to Alicia Keys, her name can easily be thrown in a R&B category because of that crossover appeal her music isnt the same to me. I do agree with everyones opinion on Breakthrough though.

Her music definitely got more pop-oriented. 1992-99 Mary was the real R&B Mary IMHO.

I really feel what the girl is singing in the 90s! she went through some shit... and her music expressed that.

But by the time No More Drama came out.... she sounded like a broken record.

I think of it as like a T.V Show where someone has a dark past like Xena, Angel or The Sopranos

The first 3,4,5 seasons are fine with dealing with your issues & coming to terms etc.

But by that 6th season.. or album you are redeemed & need to bring in new fucking storylines

Musicslave said:

Gunsnhalen said:

controversy99 said:

Gunsnhalen said:

THIS

although i will give Breakthrough a try

But honestly once Mary started working with Puffy her stuff & she did become crossover which i don't mind... but she was up on everyones remixes & all that crap.

Honestly when i think of this... i would rather Lauryn only have her one big album & Erykah only have there few albums....

Cause if they went down the get on everyones remixes route i would be like

Is this supposed to read "once Mary stopped working with Puffy"? He produced her first two albums. It's some of his best work and her best as well.

He helped produce it & i can admire that.

But in the 00's he had a strong hand on her albums, it started sounding very P. Diddy ealr 00s bullshit.

Puffy was an ok producer in the 90s... but once the late 90s & early 00s hit....

controversy99 said:

Gunsnhalen said:

THIS

although i will give Breakthrough a try

But honestly once Mary started working with Puffy her stuff & she did become crossover which i don't mind... but she was up on everyones remixes & all that crap.

Honestly when i think of this... i would rather Lauryn only have her one big album & Erykah only have there few albums....

Cause if they went down the get on everyones remixes route i would be like

Is this supposed to read "once Mary stopped working with Puffy"? He produced her first two albums. It's some of his best work and her best as well.

Puffy wasn't actually much of a producer. Chucky Thompson produced much of My Life and Tony Dofat, Pete Rock, Dave Hall and DeVante Swing of Jodeci did much of What's the 411. Maybe his credit was more executive producer than actual producer. It's like him taking credit for BIG's albums and Faith's albums when the Hitmen (which included Stevie J and Chucky) were behind those albums as well.

Gunsnhalen said:

^ That's all he was involved in and it's a question about how much production he put into it. And Puffy don't get no love other than the fact that he DID help MJB and Jodeci with their ascent to stardom, same with BIG. Can't say the same with Bad Boy lol

controversy99 said:

Gunsnhalen said:

He helped produce it & i can admire that.

But in the 00's he had a strong hand on her albums, it started sounding very P. Diddy ealr 00s bullshit.

Puffy was an ok producer in the 90s... but once the late 90s & early 00s hit....

This might be my ignorance, but I believe the only MJB albums that Puffy produced/co-produced are What's the 411?, My Life, and Love & Life. Which other ones did he work on? I know some folks like to hate on Puffy (I'm not sure if you're one of them), but sometimes you have to give the man his due. He was involved in some of the best music of the 90s: MJB, Biggie, Faith, his own first "family" album, and a bit of TLC. Yes, he fell off later, and yes, he often put a lot of gloss on the music (kind of like the audio equivalent of Hype Williams' videos). But in the early and mid 90s, he had a great ear and a good touch and helped birth some great music.

Love & Life is the main one i am speakin of

I actually don't totally dislike Puff, i admit to liking a good majority of No Way Out, it's well produced & has some good tracks.

But after Satisfy You with Kells Puff became a parody of himself, all his music sounded like wanna be gangster rap music & it was all about hoes, being the shit & partying.

And the early 00s i just can't with his material Love & life sounds more like a puff album then MJB.

Timmy84 said:

^ That's all he was involved in and it's a question about how much production he put into it. And Puffy don't get no love other than the fact that he DID help MJB and Jodeci with their ascent to stardom, same with BIG. Can't say the same with Bad Boy lol

Well he discovered them but I think he gets a little to much credit in the producing department individually. He probably did have a hand but he had some assistantance