(By Raymond Fiore)

From Entertainment Weekly

Mary J. Blige is on a mission to educate the world about one of her favorite singers. "It bugs me that 1 out of 20 people knows about Teena Marie", laments Blige. In fact, Queen Mary constantly invokes the funk singer-songwriter's name in interviews, hoping that "maybe young people will go seek out her records." Apparently, Blige's publicity crusade is paying off: Marie's new CD, La Dona--her first major-label effort in 14 years--just debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard chart.

Though she's widely considered the best White soul singer of all time, Marie--who unleashed her piercing soprano on a steady stream of radio staples in the '80s (including "Lovergirl")--never achieved the same commercial success as her R&B peers. She slipped even further off the public's radar after the release of 1990's Ivory, when her priorities shifted to raising her daughter. But ever since Lauryn Hill cooed the hook to Marie's hit "Ooo La La La" on the Fugees' 1996 song "Fu-Gee-La", there's been an ever-increasing crop of prominent Black artists--from Common and Gerald Levert (who appear on Dona) to Alicia Keys and Beyonce'--giving her props.

The star-filled fan club even extends to the Dirty South rap clique Cash Money, who signed the songstress to their Classics label. "At first, I thought it was kinda strange because our music is so different", admits Marie. "But I was one of the first female rappers [on 1981's "Square Biz"] so it's kinda cool that I ended up here." {NOTE FROM TIM: No, Teena does NOT rap on the new record}

Teena's triumphant return even has some using the L-word: legend. "The first time I heard that expression [in reference to me] was in 1990 on BET, and I was stunned", recalls the singer. But that high praise comes as no surprise to Blige, who places the 48-year-old in the pantheon of R&B greats alongside Aretha and Chaka. "[When I was] a little girl growing up in the projects, she was like the queen of every Black person's home", says Blige. "She was just the most amazing voice I had ever heard...and still is."

Blige even predicts a rush to cover one of Marie's signature ballads, though she'd like to go one better: "I would love to do a duet." So how about it, Teena? "That would be fabulous." Maybe even legendary.

Wonder what Chaka thinks about this.

VoicesCarry said:

Huh?

Teena Marie does deserve far more credit than she gets. Countless songs have sampled from hers. Especially the "Ooh la,la,la". It's cool that Mary J. Blige is giving credit where credit is do, however I can't see her doing a duet or covering a song by Teena. I think she'd ruin it.

I've got to get "La Doña". This album sounds hot!

Harlepolis said:

About Mary (with whom Chaka has had spats before) placing Teena Marie in her league.

VoicesCarry said:

You're making it seems like Mary is considering Chaka the superior diva, not true. she has placed every broad out there in her league, from Meli'sa Morgan to Teena Marie, from Anita Baker to Millie Jackson.

She's just showing mad love 2 her influences thats all!

Im glad Mary is showing love for her influences and letting the youngsters know about them....Thats pretty cool I wish more would do that....

That is very cool of Mary. I like when artists that are still "viable" (whatever that means) give props to those that helped influence them, ecspecially when the people they give props to aren't names that roll off the tongue all the time (aka Aretha, Chaka, Prince, Clapton, etc.). You go Mary but you really go Miss Teena Marie with your first ever Top 10 album despite not having radio pump you up!

VinnyM27 said:

hell yeah, no video either? hell yeah

I'm glad that Teena is finally getting the props she deserves.Her CD is superb and it's doing better than anyone could have imagined.I think they should quickly release "Honey Call" as the next single,and make a video.That song sounds like a HUGE summer R&B smash!