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07 Dec

Posted at 23:21h in Music, Reviews
Rather than taking a break after being on the scene for over ten years, Mary J Blige shows no signs of slowing down collaborating with DJ Khaled and Diddy Dirty Money earlier on in the year. The queen of R&B went back into the studio to create a few more tear-jerking ballads and foot-moving jams for her tenth studio album My Life II: The Journey Continues - the sequel to her album My Life released in 1994.

20 Jul

Posted at 13:17h in Music, Reviews
It's become almost mandatory that every rapper, DJ and so forth claim that he or she is the best in their field. But when making it a slogan for your team or set, that's when the naysayers will multiply in abundance. Just ask Miami DJ Khaled, whose continuous hollering of 'We The Best' has put him under the firing line by many. But for every doubter, there's an abundance of supporters, including some heavyweight talent which goes from Miami all the way to NYC. So how will an album fare from a DJ who (fortunately) does very little rapping? This is the question that We The Best Forever will hope to answer.

09 Apr

Posted at 08:10h in Interviews, Music, Return To The Classics
My Life was released on November 28, 1994 and it lived up to expectations set by fans of Mary J. Blige and the larger music community. Coming off the triple platinum success of her debut album, What's the 411? Blige retained her crown as the reigning Queen of Hip Hop-Soul with the release of her follow up album and reestablished her dominance on the R&B landscape. Upon the album's release, Blige was coming off a hectic two years promoting her debut album and remixes album, which became highly successful as well. This album became an introspective masterpiece due to the many complications Blige was dealing with personally. During this juncture, she was battling clinical depression, alcohol and drug related problems and a tenuous, abusive relationship with K-Ci Hailey of Jodeci. All of these factors combined with the production gifts of Carl “Chucky” Thompson and Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs laid the foundation for one of the most legendary albums of the 1990s and in R&B/Soul music history. Mary J. Blige's career began in 1989 when she was signed to Uptown Records by then CEO, Andre Harrell after he listened to her demo of Anita Baker's classic, “Caught Up in the Rapture.” She became the youngest and first female act signed to Uptown Records. Once signed to the label, an up and coming producer named Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs began working with Blige to craft her image and sound for the viewing audience. Her first recording was singing the hook for then popular rapper and label mate Father MC on his song, “I'll Do 4 U,” in the fall of 1990. She sang background vocals for much of the talent on the Uptown Records roster until the recording of her debut album took place in the winter of 1991. Her singing style was refreshing reminder of past R&B songstresses such as her influences Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Anita Baker, but she brought something new to the discussion with her hard girl persona and descriptive lyrical content. These two things made her stand out amongst her R&B/Soul counterparts. Her vocal prowess reigned supreme over Hip Hop infused tracks with sprinkles of hard drum beat patterns and synths. The combination proved to be explosive for the What's the 411? album. My Life would catapult Blige into another realm and showcase her writing and vocal abilities. Thompson and Combs provided the soundtrack of recapturing the essence of 1970s Soul and early 1990s Hip Hop music while Blige wrote soul stirring lyrics and displayed stellar vocals on all 17 songs on the offering. Between the winter of 1993 through August of 1994 the majority of My Life was recorded in The Hit Factory studios in New York, New York. SoulCulture recently sat down with Carl “Chucky” Thompson, co-producer of fifteen songs on Mary J. Blige's second album, My Life to talk about the methodology behind creating such an iconic album.

13 Feb

Posted at 07:35h in Interviews, Music
[Photo by Michele Roux] As Anna Omak arrives at a central London location for our interview, I am struck by how positively statuesque she is. Tall and poised, today she favours the simple elegance of dark denim jeans and a black winter jacket whilst sporting a luscious shiny mane of carefully styled afro hair. Her clear, coffee bean complexion brings out her striking bone structure. No wonder British legend Sting was quite smitten by Anna during a chance encounter, claiming if he wasn’t already taken he would have married her. But it would do a disservice to Anna to let you think she’s just another good-looking chick with vague musical aspirations. A self-taught guitarist, singer-songwriter and vocal coach, she’s the genuine article.

05 Dec

Posted at 10:00h in Features, Interviews, Music, Return To The Classics
What's the 411? was released on July 28, 1992 during a time where New Jack Swing production was dominating the urban radio airwaves. It was hailed as a success by many of the culture writers of the early 1990s for its pioneering combination of Hip Hop and soul music alongside the soulful vocals of Mary J. Blige. Her singing style was refreshing reminder of past R&B songstresses such as her Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Anita Baker, but she brought something new to the table with her rugged girl persona and descriptive lyrical content. These two things made her stand out amongst her R&B/Soul counterparts. Her vocal prowess reigned supreme over Hip Hop infused tracks with sprinkles of hard drum beat patterns and synths. The combination proved to be explosive.

27 Jan

Posted at 13:18h in Reviews

mary-j-blige-stronger-with-each-tear scrate2_5

Mary J. Blige is a modern day music icon; I’m guessing there are few who would disagree with that statement.  With 18 years (and counting) in the game as the reigning queen of Hip Hop Soul, nine studio albums under her belt - plus numerous high profile collaborations - it’s hard to think of a person more deserving of the mantle.

As with most ‘icons’, her discography has its ups and downs. What’s The 411? and My Life are certified classics, as are Share My World and Mary (if to a somewhat lesser degree).  No More Drama and Love & Life were both commercially successful, but saw her fans a little disappointed and can be viewed as blips on an otherwise perfect scorecard.  The Breakthrough (2005) and Growing Pains (2007) were seen by many as a return to form for Mary, and so the recent release of Stronger With Each Tear was highly anticipated by both ride or die Mary fans and those she had picked up on her most recent releases.