Mary nailed it! The band definitely add an extra element to the track and it helps that Mary was on her 'A Game' vocally too. 'Stay Down' is hands-down my favourite Mary track since 'Be Without You', so it's great to see the song get the single/performance treatment.

What do you think of the performance?

Labels: Mary J. Blige

As part of ESSENCE's annual 'Black Music Month', the June issue of the renown magazine features R&B/Soul heavyweights Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige and Jill Scott on special edition covers. Each speaks to the magazine about their storied careers and how they've managed to stay relevant.

What do you think of the covers?

Labels: Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige

R&B star Mary J. Blige performed a string of her hits on the Today Show yesterday to promote her 'Growing Pains album. See the performance of current single 'Stay Down' above as well as 'Just Fine' and 'Real Love'. Great performances.

Just Fine

Labels: Mary J. Blige

After months of next-to-no word on the status of Mary J. Blige's 'Growing Pains' project, the video for the album's 2nd single, 'Stay Down', premiered today. While the song is a personal favourite, I can not defend this mess of a video. The cheap, uninspired vid, which was directed by Hype Williams, has me thinking the budget for the whole project must be drying up fast. Odd, considering she's only released one single from the record prior to this. On a more positive note, Mary looked great.

What do you think of the video?

Labels: Mary J. Blige

A preview of the video for Mary J. Blige's latest single 'Stay Down' aired yesterday on BET's 106 & Park. I'll reserve my judgement for the Hype Williams directed video until seeing it in its entirety. In the meanwhile...

Your thoughts?

Labels: Mary J. Blige

Labels: Jay Z, Mary J. Blige

Urban music heavy-weights Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige kicked off their joint 'Heart of the City' tour in Miami's American Airlines Arena last night (March 22nd). As well as opener The Dream, many other big names were in attendance including Kanye West and Timbaland.

Labels: Jay Z, Mary J. Blige

Labels: Jay Z, Mary J. Blige

Though I still think there are more eligible single tracks on Mary's 'Growing Pains' album, I'm starting to gravitate toward 'Hurt Again' more after seeing this performance. Good stuff.

What do you think of the interview / performance?

Labels: Mary J. Blige

The Recording Academy have announced that R&B superstar Mary J. Blige and Def Jam's Rihanna have been added to the list of performers at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Blige will perform with legend Aretha Franklin, the Clark Sisters, Israel And New Breed, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 in a special gospel segment. Rihanna will take to the stage with reunited group The Time.

Labels: Mary J. Blige, Rihanna

A shocking report, released yesterday, by The Times Union of Albany implies that famed musicians 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Timbaland, Wyclef Jean and renown author/ playwright Tyler Perry may have received or used performance enhancing drugs. Check out the Fox News report below:

Music-big names like Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Timbaland and Wyclef Jean came up in connection with an Albany, N.Y.-based steroid investigation, The Times Union of Albany reported.

Citing unidentified sources, the report alleged that the above-mentioned music stars, along with award-winning author and producer Tyler Perry, may have received or used performance-enhancing drugs.

Grammy-winning singer Blige blasted the report when reached for comment by the New York Daily News.

"Mary J. Blige has never taken any performance-enhancing illegal steroids," the singer's spokeswoman Karynne Tencer told the News.

Ken Sunshine, a spokesman for Perry, declined to comment to the Associated Press.

Law-enforcement officials have said evidence does not indicate the celebrities broke the law. For now, at least, officials are focusing on the doctors, pharmacists and clinics providing the drugs.

Labels: 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Timbaland, Wyclef

It has been confirmed - as per Mary J. Blige's PR team, that the singer will be releasing the Dre & Vidal produced 'Hurt Again' as the next single from her already-Platinum 'Growing Pains' CD. The song replaces 'Work That' (the previously announced follow-up to 'Just Fine') as the LP's 2nd single. Though I really like the song, I'm not so sure about it how it'll do. To be honest, I'm kinda baffled as to Mary's single choices this go round.

Labels: Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige performed her hit single 'Just Fine' on 'The Tonight With Jay Leno Show' last night. I really can't get enough of the song and Mary's live performances of it. Great stuff.

What do you think of the performance?

Labels: Mary J. Blige

Continuing the along the promo trail for her new album 'Growing Pains', Mary J. Blige appears on the cover of VIBE magazine's February issue. She's looking good, which is just as well for the folk over at VIBE. Back in 2005 Mary called the magazine out for not making her right on her cover for them back then.

Labels: Mary J. Blige

On Mary J. Blige's official website, fans have been given the chance to vote for the next single to be lifted from her 'Growing Pains' album. Note that it's the third single and not the follow-up to 'Just Fine' - which has already been confirmed as 'Work That'. Having dropped a solid, versatile CD, I think there's a host of great tracks to choose from. My personal vote goes to 'Stay Down' - IMO the album's standout track, with the most potential for success.

Labels: Mary J. Blige

In a rare chart occurrence, Mary J. Blige has seen her 'Growing Pains' album rise to #1 on the Billboard 200 this week, following it's debut at #2. The LP, Blige's eighth, shifted 204,000 copies - a drop of 68% on her previous week numbers - to clinch the year's first #1 toppling Josh Groban's 'Noel' in the precess (which slid from #1-#3).

Alicia Keys looks set to extend her amazing chart success into 2008, with her album 'As I Am' selling through an impressive 193,000 copies - enough to enable her jump from #3-#2 this week.

After a, somewhat, shaky start with his 'Exclusive' project (see: 'Wall to Wall'), there seems to be no stopping Chris Brown's sophomore set. The already-certified Platinum LP from the 18 year old climbs from #10-#5 with 87, 000 copies sold.

Labels: Mary J. Blige

Fresh off her huge debut on the Billboard 200 with her new album 'Growing Pains', Mary J. Blige stopped by MTV's 'New Year's Eve countdown show live from Times Square, New York last night to perform current single 'Just Fine'. Awesome performance; each time I see Mary perform this song live, I like the track even more. The live instrumentation and Mary's great vocal delivery give the song a new dimension IMO.

What do you think of the performance?

Labels: Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige made a huge impact on the Billboard 200 album chart with her eighth studio album 'Growing Pains'. The Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul sold through an impressive 629,000 copies of the LP - the follow-up to her 2005 multi platinum effort 'The Breakthrough'. Despite this, Blige charted at #2 - unable to oust Josh Groban's 'Noel' album from the top spot (which sold 757,000 in it's third week of release).

Labels: Mary J. Blige

With Mary J. Blige on course to sell over 600,000 copies of her new album 'Growing Pains' in it's first week on sale, there's no denying the 'Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul is onto a smash with her eighth studio effort.

Labels: Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige kicked off her week long stay on BET's 106 & Park yesterday, performing current single 'Just Fine'. Great energy, great vocals, great performance. As reported Mary's eighth studio album 'Growing Pains' hits a store near you today.

What do you think of the performance?

Labels: Mary J. Blige