Your thoughts??

I believe she has potential to do better.

I still check her out when she releases new music but old Mary J. Blige is the best. Post Drama Mary J. Bilge albums The Breakthrough and Growing Pains are good .

For me, the best thing about Mary J. Blige is that awesomely hilarious rabid internet fan CDiorGirl/OLovely/HEREFORMARY, a great big NYC tranny who trolls various message boards reppin' for the bitch.

http://twitter.com/hereformary

Second best thing about her is the way Debra Wilson says "Mary J. Bliggeeeeeeeee-uh!" on MTV Icon: Whitney Houston.

Now, as for her music, well, I bought What's the 411, Share My World and Mary, and then I stopped.

Everything she's released since then is average. Never understood the fascination with Family Affair, which has some of the dumbest lyrics in the history of music.

Songwise, she sure does love the he-done-me-wrong motif. So. Do. Not. Connect. With. After. 1500th. Song. About. Her. Man. Troubles.

Vocally, she can sound wonderful or she can sound harsh and abysmal.

[Edited 1/7/11 19:27pm]

Timmy84 said:

I believe she has potential to do better.

People prefer her when she's sad.

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

I believe she has potential to do better.

People prefer her when she's sad.

For some reason this always bothered me. Like Harlepolis point out, it wasn't the point that she was "sad" that made her earlier music shine, it was what she put in that music (mixing pain with beauty) that made her stand out. Now it seems she just want to release material just for the heck of it even if there are concepts behind it.

I didn't buy 2007's Growing Pains when the only song that got my interest was a bonus iTunes track. I skipped 2009's Stronger With Each Tear as well. This is a result of being underwhelmed with 2003's Love & Life, and disappointment with 2005's The Breakthrough.

Basically I like her first ten years of music.

I'm assuming we are only focusing on her work from 2000-now, post-Mary era???

Here's how I break it down:

No More Drama: Solid LP that seemed to be a more modern and comtemporary sequel to What's the 411?, but it just was too overlong, guests were drowning her out on many cuts, and same ole stuff about her getting her heart broken, women intuition, falling in and out of love, etc... The singles that were released from this album were annoying too.

Love & Life: One of her worst, same ole shit she was talking about since she first came out. The crazy part about it is her and Diddy were trying to recapture the spirit of My Life, but it fell apart as it first came in. I did like "It's A Wrap" and "When We," but I was tired of it by that point.

The Breakthrough: I gotta admit that this was one of her better records, but I couldn't help but wonder when this lady was gonna start talking about something new. Definitely one of her best production-wise, but I was still underwhelmed that the same stuff she has been talking about since '91. I also felt she was just coasting during this time.

Growing Pains: This was the last thing I ever brought by her and probably the last thing I will ever purchase by her. I have to say that this was the best overall record she has done post-Mary era for the simple fact I wasn't getting just drama-filled songs, there was actually getting some variety for the first time since...well, I don't know. Oh, and remember this came out 4 years ago.

Final Verdict: Her selling point for all her music has always been about talking about the heartbreaks and drama. I have gotten tired of it a long time ago. Her recent stuff is just...let's just say her finest stuff was in the 90's, peaking with the Mary LP. After that, she's simply been coasting on the same stuff and hell even after My Life, she was coasting and focusing on the same shit.

silverchild said:

I'm assuming we are only focusing on her work from 2000-now, post-Mary era???

The funny thing is everyone knows what the topic means because we're in agreement on No More Drama being the point at which something changed (or stayed the same with diminishing returns).

[Edited 1/7/11 20:15pm]

In a nutshell - I'm tired of hearing her wail about her drama and shit.

[Edited 1/7/11 20:17pm]

She needs to stop chasing the latest sounds and be confident in the sound she helped make popular. I don't want to hear Mary's voice backed by a song that should be sung by Ciara or Rhiana or whatever third rate Beyonce act is around.

And I don't care if she is drama or drama free...just be u.

sosgemini said:

She needs to stop chasing the latest sounds and be confident in the sound she helped make popular. I don't want to hear Mary's voice backed by a song that should be sung by Ciara or Rhiana or whatever third rate Beyonce act is around.

And I don't care if she is drama or drama free...just be u.

Short, sweet and straight no chaser.

sosgemini said:

She needs to stop chasing the latest sounds and be confident in the sound she helped make popular. I don't want to hear Mary's voice backed by a song that should be sung by Ciara or Rhiana or whatever third rate Beyonce act is around.

And I don't care if she is drama or drama free...just be u.

Okay, but there in lies the problem, Mary does not know who she is? When she first appeared in the scene, she was this "rough around the edges, girl from the hood"; a personally that I think she created as way of protecting herself, from the years of abuse that she suffered as a kid. I don't think that she was born, with that hard exterior that we saw when she first came on the scene. However, some of her best music was created, because of this personality. Fortunately, or unfortunately, she went through "spiritual awakening", and her music changed. Me personally, I love the old Mary, the own who sang about love and the pain that it can bring. However, because of the business that she is and complexion of her boss's skin color, I doubt if we will ever see that Mary again.

midiscover said:

In a nutshell - I'm tired of hearing her wail about her drama and shit.

[Edited 1/7/11 20:17pm]

Me 2.

VoicesCarry said:

Songwise, she sure does love the he-done-me-wrong motif. So. Do. Not. Connect. With. After. 1500th. Song. About. Her. Man. Troubles.

Man, you are preaching to the choir. I've been saying that forever, and people look at me like I'm crazy. Okay Mary, WE GET IT. Chill ho.

for me:

what's the 411? (1992) - classic.

my life (1994) - classic.

share my world (1997) - very very good album (personal classic).

mary (1999) - good album. strong, and a different "sound" compared to her older albums, that actually worked.

no more drama (2001) - wasn't feeling this one too much. singles were nice, but the album was average.

love & life (2003) - had some okay hip-hop-ish singles, but the album was a letdown. her worst.

the breaktrhough (2005) - solid comback album. good singles, good album cuts, great production.

growing pains (2007) - wasn't feeling this one....singles were weak, and the album had a lot of filler.

stronger witheach tear (2009) - (see "growing pains")

mrjun18 said:

for me:

what's the 411? (1992) - classic.

my life (1994) - classic.

share my world (1997) - very very good album (personal classic).

mary (1999) - good album. strong, and a different "sound" compared to her older albums, that actually worked.

no more drama (2001) - wasn't feeling this one too much. singles were nice, but the album was average.

love & life (2003) - had some okay hip-hop-ish singles, but the album was a letdown. her worst.

the breaktrhough (2005) - solid comback album. good singles, good album cuts, great production.

growing pains (2007) - wasn't feeling this one....singles were weak, and the album had a lot of filler.

stronger witheach tear (2009) - (see "growing pains")

Lol that looks like a downward spiral.

mrjun18 said:

for me:

what's the 411? (1992) - classic.

my life (1994) - classic.

share my world (1997) - very very good album (personal classic).

mary (1999) - good album. strong, and a different "sound" compared to her older albums, that actually worked.

no more drama (2001) - wasn't feeling this one too much. singles were nice, but the album was average.

love & life (2003) - had some okay hip-hop-ish singles, but the album was a letdown. her worst.

the breaktrhough (2005) - solid comback album. good singles, good album cuts, great production.

growing pains (2007) - wasn't feeling this one....singles were weak, and the album had a lot of filler.

stronger witheach tear (2009) - (see "growing pains")

I agree with your review 10000% (even on "Share My World"). I think Mary needs to stop trying to come up with a theme for each album and just do a solid and good album (like she did with The Breakthrough).

Do you think Kendu has anything to do with the downward spiral after Breakthrough?

daPrettyman said:

mrjun18 said:

for me:

what's the 411? (1992) - classic.

my life (1994) - classic.

share my world (1997) - very very good album (personal classic).

mary (1999) - good album. strong, and a different "sound" compared to her older albums, that actually worked.

no more drama (2001) - wasn't feeling this one too much. singles were nice, but the album was average.

love & life (2003) - had some okay hip-hop-ish singles, but the album was a letdown. her worst.

the breaktrhough (2005) - solid comback album. good singles, good album cuts, great production.

growing pains (2007) - wasn't feeling this one....singles were weak, and the album had a lot of filler.

stronger witheach tear (2009) - (see "growing pains")

I agree with your review 10000% (even on "Share My World"). I think Mary needs to stop trying to come up with a theme for each album and just do a solid and good album (like she did with The Breakthrough).

Do you think Kendu has anything to do with the downward spiral after Breakthrough?

YEP!

Timmy84 said:

daPrettyman said:

I agree with your review 10000% (even on "Share My World"). I think Mary needs to stop trying to come up with a theme for each album and just do a solid and good album (like she did with The Breakthrough).

Do you think Kendu has anything to do with the downward spiral after Breakthrough?

YEP!

I kinda do, but Kendu is supposedly the brains behind the Breakthrough. I have a feeling that some of it is Geffen (the label).

daPrettyman said:

Timmy84 said:

YEP!

I kinda do, but Kendu is supposedly the brains behind the Breakthrough. I have a feeling that some of it is Geffen (the label).

Kendu, Geffen & Mary herself.

For me, Mary fell off when new jack swing style disappeared and I realized I didn't care for her voice. On those first three albums the styling, production and vibe were so good that I was able to overlook her wailing. As those elements dissolved, I became less tolerant of her voice and tuned out. Its really just unpleasant to me at this point.

Despite not caring for her newer work, I am very happy that she seems to have remained productive and become happier over the years. And I do tip my hat to her and the uptown folks for her debut album. It is quintissential 90s r&b that still feels good.

[Edited 1/8/11 16:14pm]

Man The Breakthrough might be better than Love & Life but I have to still consider it a disappointment.

[Snip - luv4u]

thanks for the quotes!! I needed them for another study

The Mary project was her last attempt 2 be creative. Since then, she has been going thru the motions and making music because she was obligated 2 do so. Much like the rest of the R&b world.

Graycap23 said:

The Mary project was her last attempt 2 be creative. Since then, she has been going thru the motions and making music because she was obligated 2 do so. Much like the rest of the R&b world.

When you pose for your cover with no makeup, u defintely are trying to be creative. That was some scary stuff.

sosgemini said:

She needs to stop chasing the latest sounds and be confident in the sound she helped make popular. I don't want to hear Mary's voice backed by a song that should be sung by Ciara or Rhiana or whatever third rate Beyonce act is around.

And I don't care if she is drama or drama free...just be u.

Except that the sound MJB & Sean Combs helped make popular is also THE same sound that killed r&b/soul.

THAT sound was hip-hop soul, also known these days as hip-hop/r&b (or shit-hop, as Vainandy & Black.Dot calls it).

Now I don't want all of my fellow orgers to get it twisted. What The 411? is still a classic album. But all of you know damn good an well that the flood of hip-hop soul wannabes that came after MJB's debut year did NOT help improved r&b music at all.