jjhunsecker said:

I don't think much of her as a singer. She's often off-key (I recall a reviewer who once said that the main person she should thank in her album credits is whoever is in charge of auto-tuning her vocals)

I think she gets by mainly from audience identification- she's the "sista from around the way who's been wronged, and ain't gonna take it no mo' "...

That's the #1 reason I hear from my friend Nikki, and a few others who start defending her when I say I don't like her voice.

As a singer, I'd say overrated. Pitch is all over the show. She gets away with it though, like all singers who have such gravelly voices.

As an artist, I'd say probably rated about right. She's got plenty of fans.

Mary during her PRIME is not overrated.

However, this past decade she has been a bit overrated in terms of her singing and her new songs.

Mary is respected because of her particular singing style and the way she portrayed emotion in her singing/how she sang which to me is more important than singing because anybody can just sing a song.

Also, her songs tend to be more relatable and she captures alot of depair, sadness, pain etc which I feel she probably is one of a VERY few artist who can do that and do it sincerely.

She has alot more classics than filler in her catalogue though which is why her other weak songs and singing is looked over.

I really dig her as an overall artist mainly for her 90s work.

If anything I'd say she is very overrated in the performing department specifically. She doesnt have much stage presence and is not a good live singer.

[Edited 1/20/13 15:32pm]

I've always considered this performance one of her best live....this was K-Ci at his best as well.

missfee said:

I've always considered this performance one of her best live....this was K-Ci at his best as well.

A great example of my point, she has to be on the verge of jumping off the ledge, in order for her to make great music.

shorttrini said:

missfee said:

I've always considered this performance one of her best live....this was K-Ci at his best as well.

A great example of my point, she has to be on the verge of jumping off the ledge, in order for her to make great music.

True. During this time, she and K-Ci were dating obviously (which I'm sure everyone knows already) but the relationship was turbulent which could explain her passion in this particular performance. I think after this MTV Unplugged special, they all did the Arsenio Hall show. There was clearly a difference in Mary's demeanor when she was on the Arsenio Hall show performing versus this one. She was withdrawn and kept her head down nearly the whole time (or she could had been high, who knows). Let me see if I can find the clip....

(side note: damn I loved me some Jodeci! Even though they sung the lyrics out of order RIGHT IN FRONT OF STEVIE )

[Edited 1/20/13 16:40pm]

Hell yes. She's one of those that helped to ruin music. It was already bad enough having a certain little goodie goodie overpopularize adult contemporary in R&B and then Scary J had to come and marry shit hop with it and make it even worse.

avasdad said:

I am sorry....i was listen to VH1 Soul and her song "i'm going down" was on...i have always liked the song...but her vocals are not that good... i am curious what her natrual singing voice would be?? I know when singers scream and the range goes up and down the public is kissing thier ass... I am wondering the same thing about Mary J...

I used to call her the Rich Little of the music business because it sounded like she was trying to do a sound alike impression of the orginal rather than recreate it in a different style. Not only did she remake other people's songs, but it sounded like she used their music from the original record as a sample for her background music. Same thing with Chaka Khan's "Sweet Thing". When the song would come on the radio, it would sound just like Chaka's until the vocals kicked in and then I'd say...."Oh hell, it's HER" and turn the damn station.

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[Edited 1/20/13 18:13pm]

She just had a birthday, I know that (Jan 11), like my mom's.

I love What's The 411 & My Life.

Her other albums are spotty imo and never got into them as a whole.

But i would say she is a tiny bit overrated but i do like her first 2 albums.

Also as rialb said she comes off as an incredibly stuck up, full of herself, uptight hussy.

Her attitude is absolute shit and idk why

Also after her first 2 albums i felt like her songs are constant ''oh woe is me'' content.

Overrated? Not at all...People gotta remember Mary didnt have a REAL taste of Cross-over Fame until Dre gave her "No more Drama". Then the Pop world and Pop-Rock stations started playing her more. Mary was and still is an R&B Sensation that is lucky enough to get played on Pop radio.

Mary's WEAKEST vocal years were during her fist decade on the scene. Then she improved i'd say around 2000 to today. Mary is the first one to tell you she know how limited her vocals are but she's still gonna give you GREAT songs that her fans wanna hear.

Regardless of who The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul signs with she gets the Baddest Producers in the Game. And they FLOCK to work with her and write for her just like Artists break their necks wanting Duets with her..

She's royalty and she earned her status not by being a Belter or possessing a "Whitney" like voice. She became the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul by putting out great Music consistently with her own unique voice. Mary didnt have to sing "Come get my Booty" music to become the Queen either. But the Sista Queen know she can shake that thang on the stage any time she want to like she just don't care...

Chancellor said:

Overrated? Not at all...People gotta remember Mary didnt have a REAL taste of Cross-over Fame until Dre gave her "No more Drama". Then the Pop world and Pop-Rock stations started playing her more. Mary was and still is an R&B Sensation that is lucky enough to get played on Pop radio.

Mary's WEAKEST vocal years were during her fist decade on the scene. Then she improved i'd say around 2000 to today. Mary is the first one to tell you she know how limited her vocals are but she's still gonna give you GREAT songs that her fans wanna hear.

Regardless of who The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul signs with she gets the Baddest Producers in the Game. And they FLOCK to work with her and write for her just like Artists break their necks wanting Duets with her..

She's royalty and she earned her status not by being a Belter or possessing a "Whitney" like voice. She became the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul by putting out great Music consistently with her own unique voice. Mary didnt have to sing "Come get my Booty" music to become the Queen either. But the Sista Queen know she can shake that thang on the stage any time she want to like she just don't care...

Trevor Nelson - a highly influential UK DJ/ presenter here asked her 'When did she realise she made it' - her reply was:

'Hearing Family Affair being played on a country radio station' – he (and most people listening) was so surprised she recognised her success so late in her career.

YES.

She's a good singer but she doesn't have a special voice at all, and also her songs are not that great.

Not much voice per se`, but vibe, swag and attitude has given us ghetto fabulous. Over the years she has gotten better, but as a live performer, pitch is not in the formula, as was the case in her early recordings.

Chancellor said:

Overrated? Not at all...People gotta remember Mary didnt have a REAL taste of Cross-over Fame until Dre gave her "No more Drama". Then the Pop world and Pop-Rock stations started playing her more. Mary was and still is an R&B Sensation that is lucky enough to get played on Pop radio.

Mary's WEAKEST vocal years were during her fist decade on the scene. Then she improved i'd say around 2000 to today. Mary is the first one to tell you she know how limited her vocals are but she's still gonna give you GREAT songs that her fans wanna hear.

Regardless of who The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul signs with she gets the Baddest Producers in the Game. And they FLOCK to work with her and write for her just like Artists break their necks wanting Duets with her..

She's royalty and she earned her status not by being a Belter or possessing a "Whitney" like voice. She became the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul by putting out great Music consistently with her own unique voice. Mary didnt have to sing "Come get my Booty" music to become the Queen either. But the Sista Queen know she can shake that thang on the stage any time she want to like she just don't care...

^I disagree. I think Mary's vocals were best pre 2003. Then her voice changed and became clearer, and less raspy and just...different ever since the Breakthrough in 2005. I prefer the old Mary voice. Her voice these days is not that great and I am a big fan of her.

Mary's voice back in the mid 1990's...

Mary J "trying" to sing the national anthem at the 2012 NBA all star game...

http://thelavalizard.com/2012/02/mary-j-blige-squeals-national-anthem-at-nba-all-star-match/

[Edited 1/22/13 15:12pm]

I can see why Mary grates on some and why people feel she is overrated. To me, she is not. When women look Mary, they see themselves, their sister, their auntie, their bestie, their mom. Angie Stone has that as well. Mary is 100% relatable. She is talking about-especially her 90s stuff-shit they have all been through, are going through, situations they all know too well.

Plus, Mary lived out her drama in public-people could feel her pain and relate. Mary is like that girl down the street that could sing. There is nothing special really about her vocally, but she was the first to really articulate a woman's experience for the 90s generation. Having grown up on Mary, I love her and normally, I am not one for ratchet (bless Mary, but she is).

Mary is an icon and it's interesting that she is one of the last few standing of her peers and especially one of the few that had a sucessful career that dealt with Puffy-how did she get away from him anyhow?

You may not like Mary, but I dare you to go into a hair salon and diss her on a Saturday. You will get your ass kicked.

Another thing-Mary gets love from the black community that say, Bouncy does not.

Miss fee, what is the name of that song KCi And Mary Sang and what cd is it on? Also, who produced her "My Life" cd?

PS, I don't think there was a black woman alive, esp under the age of 35, who didn't own a cd by Mary in the 90s. I rest my case.

scriptgirl said:

I can see why Mary grates on some and why people feel she is overrated. To me, she is not. When women look Mary, they see themselves, their sister, their auntie, their bestie, their mom. Angie Stone has that as well. Mary is 100% relatable. She is talking about-especially her 90s stuff-shit they have all been through, are going through, situations they all know too well.

Plus, Mary lived out her drama in public-people could feel her pain and relate. Mary is like that girl down the street that could sing. There is nothing special really about her vocally, but she was the first to really articulate a woman's experience for the 90s generation. Having grown up on Mary, I love her and normally, I am not one for ratchet (bless Mary, but she is).

Mary is an icon and it's interesting that she is one of the last few standing of her peers and especially one of the few that had a sucessful career that dealt with Puffy-how did she get away from him anyhow?

You may not like Mary, but I dare you to go into a hair salon and diss her on a Saturday. You will get your ass kicked.

Another thing-Mary gets love from the black community that say, Bouncy does not.

I HAVE dissed her in the salon... and my ass is fine.

HER VOICE MAKES MY TEETH HURT!

What she's been thru has nothing to do with that off-key hot mess, IMO.

If it's that serious, write it down and do a poetry slam...

To me, she's that girl down the street who THINKS she can sing... the one you just roll your eyes at when she belts out randomly and doesn't get why you asked her to stop.

scriptgirl said:

Miss fee, what is the name of that song KCi And Mary Sang and what cd is it on? Also, who produced her "My Life" cd?

The song she sung with KC is called, "If Lovin You Is All That I Have To Do". It's on her debut, "What's The 411" & "Uptown Unplugged". As for who produced, "My Life", it was executive produced by, Puffy.

shorttrini said:

scriptgirl said:

Miss fee, what is the name of that song KCi And Mary Sang and what cd is it on? Also, who produced her "My Life" cd?

The song she sung with KC is called, "If Lovin You Is All That I Have To Do". It's on her debut, "What's The 411" & "Uptown Unplugged". As for who produced, "My Life", it was executive produced by, Puffy.

Actually it's "I Don't Wanna Do Anything".

chocolate was this salon in the hood?

scriptgirl said:

I can see why Mary grates on some and why people feel she is overrated. To me, she is not. When women look Mary, they see themselves, their sister, their auntie, their bestie, their mom. Angie Stone has that as well. Mary is 100% relatable. She is talking about-especially her 90s stuff-shit they have all been through, are going through, situations they all know too well.

Plus, Mary lived out her drama in public-people could feel her pain and relate. Mary is like that girl down the street that could sing. There is nothing special really about her vocally, but she was the first to really articulate a woman's experience for the 90s generation. Having grown up on Mary, I love her and normally, I am not one for ratchet (bless Mary, but she is).

Mary is an icon and it's interesting that she is one of the last few standing of her peers and especially one of the few that had a sucessful career that dealt with Puffy-how did she get away from him anyhow?

You may not like Mary, but I dare you to go into a hair salon and diss her on a Saturday. You will get your ass kicked.

Another thing-Mary gets love from the black community that say, Bouncy does not.

Because once Puff got with Faith, she decided she didn't really need any drama since Puffy was trying to work with her and Faith at the same time. Mary did help Faith on her debut though (just like Faith did with her on My Life).

Thanks, Timmy. Mary left puff just like that? I thought Faith and Mary hated each other?

scriptgirl said:

Thanks, Timmy. Mary left puff just like that? I thought Faith and Mary hated each other?

That's farthest from the truth. Plus, I don't think Mary had a contract with him like BIG did since Mary was still at Uptown. She was an established artist with Uptown like Jodeci so leaving Uptown at that time wouldn't have been a smart move compared to BIG.

scriptgirl said:

chocolate was this salon in the hood?

scriptgirl said:

chocolate was this salon in the hood?

chocolate1 said:

She reminds me of the lady in the church choir who grabs every solo, knowing Damn Well she can't sing.

She sweats, jumps up and down, and takes "emoting" to ridiculous lengths... people say, "Mary sang!!" but all she did was put on an off-key show...

[Edited 1/22/13 19:46pm]

Timmy84 said:

shorttrini said:

The song she sung with KC is called, "If Lovin You Is All That I Have To Do". It's on her debut, "What's The 411" & "Uptown Unplugged". As for who produced, "My Life", it was executive produced by, Puffy.

Actually it's "I Don't Wanna Do Anything".

Indeed Timmy....