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.
