Mary J. Blige

American singer (born 1971)

Person · Open Library

Born: 1971-01-11
Works: 9

Top works

The Invisible War
Unti MC! Picture Book – Horry
Jump off; 60 Days to a (Hip Hop) Hard Body
What's the 411?
Grammy nominees 2007

via Open Library + Wikidata

Film & TV

Acting · Yonkers, New York, USA

Mary Jane Blige (/blaɪʒ/; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist. She started her career as a backing singer on Uptown Records in 1989. She has released 13 studio albums, eight of which have achieved multi-platinum worldwide sales. Blige has sold over 80 million records, has won nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music…

Known for

Mary J. Blige: For My Fans — Self2025
Sean Combs: The Reckoning — Self (archive footage)2025
Rob Peace — Jackie Peace2024
TMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy — Self (archive footage)2024
2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony — Self2024
Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped — Self2024

Article

Mary Jane Blige (/blaɪdʒ/ BLYZHE; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to by the honorifics "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B", her accolades include nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, including the Billboard Icon Award.

Blige signed to Uptown Records in 1988. Her debut album, What's the 411? (1992), is credited for introducing the mix of R&B and hip hop into mainstream pop culture. Its 1993 remix album became the first album by a singer to have a rapper on every song, popularizing rap as a featuring act. Both What's the 411? and her 1994 album My Life ranked among Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Throughout her career, Blige has released 15 studio albums, four of which―Share My World (1997), Love & Live (2003), The Breakthrough (2005) and Growing Pains (2007)―have topped the Billboard 200 chart. Her biggest hits include "Real Love", "You Remind Me", "I'm Goin' Down", "Not Gon' Cry", "Everything", "No More Drama", "Be Without You", "One" (with U2), "Just Fine" and the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Family Affair".