I have been listening 2 these albums by Mary J Blige for some time now. They are both brilliant albums and I really do find What's The 411 groundbreaking like it was back in '92. My Life doesn't even sound dated at all, and I consider this as Mary's finest album and P. Diddy's best production. So, which one do you find very groundbreaking: My Life or What's The 411?

Both solidify her impact, and I think she really defined "hip hop soul" with her debut even though other artists had blended the sounds before.

My Life is Mary's finest, Puffy's finest, Chucky Thompson's finest, one of the best in the decade/genre..

I like "My life".....however her debut was nice also...

MY LIFE!!!! This is one of my all time favourite albums and songs - Bring me Joy

My Life... not just the album, the song itself is just

CalhounSq said:

What exactly is groundbreaking about "My Life" when all it is, is a rip off of an old Roy Ayers song? Most of Mary J. Blah's "music" is other people's songs with bad vocal's!I'm sorry if I'm offending anyone. My nephew tells me that she speaks to people's emotions and sings with feeling. Well maybe, but if you can't hit a note, have no vocal range and a majority of your songs are other people's rehashed music, I just can't get with it...Gimmie Teena Marie any day!

sdekm1 said:

You should listen to your nephew. Mary can touch chords that speak to the heart of people - sour notes and bad technique included. Gotta give you love for mentioning and prefering Teena's music and vocal abilities 'cause ain't nobody better than Teena in my eyes. Just to play devil's advocate though, I don't care how much technique or how perfect your pitch is if I don't feel anything when you sing. The purpose of singing is to touch others and express your emotions. Mary used to be one the best emotional singers, just as the like of people like Janis Joplin. There is nothing more beautiful than hearing the freedom and feeling the emotions of a singer. That is the meaning of interpreting a song in my eyes and Teena just so happens to be the combination of both solid technique and pure emotion. Shit. Even Teena makes her sour notes convincing. Listen to Cassanova Brown and tell me she doesn't hold a flat note for 15 seconds. But listen to her HEARTACHE. That woman has passion, as Mary did when she was on crack.

I have heard so many "singers" who have great technique and studied their craft for years but still sound disconnected to the spirituality of singning. Maybe they just think too much about how this mechanism works in order to be project a certain something.

Touching on "rehashed" music: at least Mary has done it right. Pretty much everything that is out now has been done before and has no life or thought put into it. I'm coming across as a Mary maniac which I am not at all. Just the prinicipal about what it means to sing that has me heated.

If we are so damn critical of others let's be honest to everyone who tries to sing. There so many people here on the org who are so nit picky and disect all of everyone else's musical capabilities but seem to mind no attention when it comes to their own craft. So much of what I heard from org artists pays little attention to either singing on pitch and conveys no emotion. Harsh but true people. I guess it is true that everyone has their little something to offer.

I guess, for me, I need a more rounded artist... Skilled singing ability, passionate, interesting songwriting, and good musicianship... at least 2 out of 3. Sade is a good example... While she is not the greatest singer out there... She is an excellent songwriter whose voice sounds good with HER music.. not 10 or 15 year old samples... And no one can deny the emotion in her songs. I guess I can understand if some people can relate to how MJB puts across a song, but "brilliant"? "Groundbreaking"? I don't see it.

I think the reason why many people love mary is that she is 'Real' she sings it like you feel it and that makes you feel it.. get it?