Mary Jane Blige (born January 11, 1971 in Bronx, New York, United States), … Read Full Bio ↴Mary Jane Blige (born January 11, 1971 in Bronx, New York, United States), is an American R&B, Soul, and Hip Hop singer, songwriter, rapper and actress. Known as The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul and The Queen of R&B, she has sold over 75 million records worldwide.

In 1992, Blige released her debut album What's The 411?. The album sold 3.4 million copies on the strength of singles You Remind Me, Real Love, Reminisce, Sweet Thing, and Love No Limit. The album pioneered a new genre known as Hip-Hop Soul and is credited with influencing the marriage of Hip-Hop and R&B.

In 1994, Blige released her sophomore album My Life. Blige wrote or co-wrote fourteen of the seventeen album tracks. Supported by singles Be Happy, Mary Jane (All Night Long), I'm Goin' Down, and You Bring Me Joy, the album sold over three million copies and was certified 3x platinum by the RIAA in 1996. It has since been included in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Not Gon' Cry, a 1996 single written and produced by Babyface for Waiting To Exhale soundtrack (1995), peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Blige's highest charting single of the 1990s. The same year, Blige won her first Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for her performance on I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By by Method Man.

On April 22, 1997, Blige released her third album, Share My World on MCA Records. Blige cut ties with producers Sean Combs and Chucky Thompson and worked with the likes of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Rodney Jerkins, Babyface, R. Kelly, and Poke & Tone. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with sales of 240,000 copies, Blige's first to do so. Supported by singles Love Is All We Need, I Can Love You, Everything, Missing You, and Seven Days. Share My World was certified 3x platinum by the RIAA and sold nearly 4 million copies in U.S.

In Summer 1998, Blige embarked on the Share My World Tour, which resulted in a Gold-certified live album released later that year, simply titled The Tour. The album spawned one single, Misty Blue.

On August 17, 1999, Blige's fourth album, titled Mary was released. It marked a departure from her more familiar hip hop-oriented sound; this set featured a more earthy, whimsical, and adult contemporary-tinged collection of songs. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 239,000 copies in its first week. It spent 57 weeks on the chart and produced four charting singles: All That I Can Say, Deep Inside, Give Me You, and Your Child. Though not as successful as prior releases, the album still sold 2.1 million copies in the U.S. and was nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Album.

On August 28, 2001, MCA released Blige's fifth studio album, No More Drama. The album's first single, Family Affair (produced by Dr. Dre) became her first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for six consecutive weeks. Two other singles, Dance For Me and No More Drama were released, with the latter becoming a Top 20 hit. On January 29, 2002, the album re-released and featured three new songs, one being Rainy Dayz, which was released as a single and became another Top 20 hit for Blige. No More Drama has since sold 3.2 million copies in the U.S. and 5 million copies worldwide.

In 2003, Blige won her second Grammy (and first as a lead artist) for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "He Think I Don't Know".

On August 26, 2003, Blige's sixth album Love & Life was released on Geffen Records (which had absorbed MCA Records.) Blige reunited with producer Sean Combs for the album. Despite the album debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and becoming Blige's fourth consecutive UK top ten album, Love & Life became Blige's then lowest selling album selling 1 million copies. Still, it was nominated for Grammy Best Contemporary R&B Album.

Geffen Records released Blige's seventh studio album, The Breakthrough on December 20, 2005. For the album, Blige collaborated with J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Rodney Jerkins, will.i.am, Bryan-Michael Cox, 9th Wonder, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Raphael Saadiq, Cool and Dre, and Dre & Vidal. It debuted at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Selling 727,000 copies in its first week, it became the biggest first-week sales for an R&B solo female artist in SoundScan history. The official lead single, Be Without You peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, while peaking at number one on the R&B chart for a record-setting fifteen consecutive weeks. In March 2017, Billboard Magazine ranked "Be Without You" as the most successful R&B/Hip-Hop Song of all time. The song was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year and won the Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance categories at the 2007 Grammy Awards. Other singles included Top 40 Hit Enough Cryin, Top Five R&B song Take Me As I Am, and UK Top Three Hit One. The Breakthrough won the Grammy for Best R&B Album in 2007.

In December 2006, a compilation called Reflections (A Retrospective) was released. It contained many of Blige's greatest hits and four new songs, including the worldwide lead single We Ride (I See the Future). The album peaked at number nine in the U.S, selling over 170,000 copies in its first week, while reaching number forty in the UK. It has sold more than 1.6 million copies.

Blige's eighth studio album, Growing Pains, was released on December 18, 2007, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 and at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It sold 629,000 copies in its week and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. The album won Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2009. It spawned the Top 40 Hit Just Fine.

Blige's ninth studio album, Stronger with Each Tear, was released on December 21, 2009, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 and at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 332,000 units in its first week of release. The album had sold 726,100 copies in the United States by April 2010, and was certified Gold by the RIAA on January 6, 2011.

Blige was honored at the 2009 BET Honors Ceremony and was paid tribute by Anita Baker and Monica.

Blige's tenth studio album, My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1), was released in November 2011. The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200, selling 156,000 copies in the first week; it was eventually certified Gold in 2012 and has sold 763,000 in the US.

A Mary Christmas, Blige's first holiday album, was released on October 15, 2013 through Matriarch and Verve Records. In early December, A Mary Christmas became Blige's 12th top ten album after it rose to #10 in its eighth week and was certified Gold by the RIAA.

Think Like A Man Too, which serves as Blige's 12th studio album, was released on June 17, 2014. On Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, the soundtrack album charted at number six, marking Blige's 16th top ten entry on the chart, tying her with Mariah Carey for the second-most top tens by a female artist.

Following her concert date at the Essence Festival, on July 9, 2014 it was announced Blige would move to London to experiment with a new sound for her new album. Blige spent a month in London recording her album in RAK Studios with a host of young British acts, including Disclosure, Naughty Boy, Emeli Sandé and Sam Smith. Twelve new songs, co-written and recorded by the singer, were released on November 24, 2014 on an album entitled The London Sessions. The album received acclaim and was included on many Best Albums of 2014 lists. The album debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 and number one on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, with 55,000 albums sold and 2,000 shifted in album-equivalent units. It became her 13th top ten entry on the Billboard 200 and her tenth number one entry on Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums.

Following a heavily publicized divorce from her husband and manager Kendu Isaacs, Blige released her thirteenth studio album Strength of a Woman on April 28, 2017. Supported by Urban AC hit singles Thick of It and U + Me (Love Lesson), Strength of a Woman debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 on the issue dated ending May 20, 2017, with 78,000 album-equivalent units, selling 72,000 standard copies in its first week. It became Blige's highest-charting album since 2009's Stronger with Each Tear, and her tenth top five entry on the chart.

In 2017, Blige starred in the period drama film Mudbound directed by Dee Rees. Playing Florence Jackson, the matriarch of her family. For her performance in Mudbound, Blige was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received nominations for Best Original Song for Mighty River, becoming the first person nominated for an Academy Award for acting and original song in the same year.

On July 12, 2018, Blige released a new single, titled Only Love.

COLOR
Mary J. Blige Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It took a long time to get to this place
And now that I'm here, no one can ever erase-
The joy that I feel way down deep inside
The love that I have for me will never never die ie ie

I can see in color
The first sign of spring, the rose buds are blooming
I got a new song new song to sing

Life looks so amazing I never knew that it could open my eyes
And for the very very first time I can see in color
Mmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm

Everything looks beautiful sky so baby blue
I'm anxious to know where the rest of this road will gooo
If April showers bring flowers then I need I need more rain
To quench the drought in me so rain on me rain on me

I can see in color
The first sign of spring the rose buds are blooming
I got a new song a new song to sing hey-ey life looks so amazing I never knew that it could open my open my eyes
And for the very very first time I can see

I can see in color yes the first sign the first signs of spring
It looks so beautiful to me I can see I can see I can see I can see in color
Sky so baby blue so baby blue
I can see I can see
I can see in color the first sign of spring and now the rose buds are blooming I can touch them I can feel them Ima hold them forever and ever and ever and ever
And ever Ima hold em ever Ima be forever

I can see I can see I can see I can see I can see I can seeeeeeeee yeah

I can see see in color, color color color
Its clear

Overall Meaning

Mary J. Blige's song "Color" speaks about how it took her a long time to find happiness and love for herself, but now that she has, she can see the world in color. She says that she can see the first sign of spring, the rose buds blooming, and everything looks beautiful. The rain that once represented darkness and despair now represents hope and growth, as it can quench the drought in her soul. Mary J. Blige also talks about how life looks amazing now and she will hold onto this feeling of color and joy forever.

This song holds a deep meaning. Mary J. Blige has always been open about her struggles with drugs, alcohol, and depression. She has faced many challenges in her personal and professional life, but has managed to rise above them with her undeniable talent. In this song, she talks about how it took her a long time to find happiness, but now that she has, she sees the world differently. It's like she's seeing color for the first time. It represents hope, love, and growth.

In conclusion, "Color" is a powerful song that speaks about beauty, hope, and inner peace. Mary J. Blige's soulful voice adds to the emotion behind the lyrics, making it a moving and inspiring song. It's all about finding love for yourself, and once you do that, nothing in the world can dim your light.

Line by Line Meaning

It took a long time to get to this place
After a journey of struggles, I made it to a better place.

And now that I'm here, no one can ever erase-
This newfound joy of mine is unbreakable; no one can take it away from me.

The joy that I feel way down deep inside
I'm filled with an inner joy that's so strong, it radiates from within me.

The love that I have for me will never never die ie ie
I've learned to love and appreciate myself, and that self-love will never fade away.

I can see in color
My world has become more vivid and beautiful, and I'm more aware of its colors.

The first sign of spring, the rose buds are blooming
I'm noticing and appreciating the beauty of the natural world around me, which I had been blind to before.

I got a new song new song to sing
My renewed joy and appreciation for life have inspired me to create and share new music.

Life looks so amazing I never knew that it could open my eyes
I'm amazed by how wonderful and vibrant life can be, and I'm grateful for having a new perspective.

And for the very very first time I can see in color
This new perspective is allowing me to see things in a way that I never have before.

Everything looks beautiful sky so baby blue
Even mundane things like the sky and its color look more beautiful to me.

I'm anxious to know where the rest of this road will gooo
I'm excited and curious to discover where this newfound perspective and joy will take me.

If April showers bring flowers then I need I need more rain
I welcome challenges and hardships, as they help me grow and blossom.

To quench the drought in me so rain on me rain on me
I need the challenges to help me overcome my past struggles and become a better person.

I can see in color yes the first sign the first signs of spring
I'm continuing to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the natural world around me.

It looks so beautiful to me I can see I can see I can see I can see in color
My newfound perspective allows me to see the world in all its beauty.

Sky so baby blue so baby blue
Even the simplest things, like the sky's color, seem more magical and special.

I can see I can see I can see in color the first sign of spring and now the rose buds are blooming
I continue to appreciate the natural beauty around me, which now includes blooming flower buds.

I can touch them I can feel them Ima hold them forever and ever and ever and ever
I'm cherishing and savoring every beautiful moment around me.

And ever Ima hold em ever Ima be forever
I'm committed to continuing to appreciate and cherish all the beautiful things in my life.

I can see I can see I can see I can see I can see I can seeeeeeeee yeah
My newfound perspective continues to bring me joy and wonder.

I can see see in color, color color color Its clear
I'm seeing the world more clearly and vibrantly than ever before.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LANEAH T. MENZIES, MARY J. BLIGE, RAPHAEL SAADIQ

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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