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.
Crazy Games
Mary J. Blige Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Once he seen you get so comfortable
Never wantin to commit fo sho
Always lying bout the girl next door
That's how all these things began
You let you guard down and he does you in
All you secrets he's been holdin that in
To throw back at you when it benefits him
[Chorus:]
Tell me where the lyin and the front begun
Why you playin wit me 'cause it ain't fun
How can it be two if I'm your only one
That's how crazy this game is
Workin so hard to complete ourselves
Never thinkin that our love was on the shelf
Livin our life like there was no one else
That's how crazy this game is
[Verse 2:]
Who you messin with 'cause all the games you play
Oh you didn't know my name was Mary J
All the chicks you hear that heard they all look slave
Tryin ta gas me sayin things have changed
Now your like the furthest thing from my brain
Never thought I had to say it to you this way
All these years I been with you boy I feel so played
Now I need to go jump in my blazer
(chorus)
Marys say: "This is one thing I will not tolerate"
I'm not........... for this.......... abusive........relation..........reclusive...
Excuses...........for evolution.
When you play.........with are......love games.......its starts.......possessive.......obsession..........statement.
(chorus)
The lyrics to Mary J. Blige's song "Crazy Games" describe a relationship full of lies and betrayal. The first verse talks about the man in the relationship, who is never willing to commit and constantly lies about other women, taking advantage of the woman's vulnerable state. He uses her secrets against her when it benefits him, and then goes to play with other women. The chorus reveals the frustration and confusion the woman feels, questioning where the lying and pretending started, why he is playing with her, and how can she be the only one when he's cheating. The second verse showcases the woman's anger and disappointment, referring to the man as someone who doesn't even deserve to be remembered or spoken about. She confronts him and tells him that she played herself all these years thinking he was the one, but now she's going to leave him in her Blazer.
The song is an anthem for women who have been betrayed and played by men, who need to realize that they deserve better and not accept abuse in any form. The lyrics can apply to any type of relationship where one partner is taking advantage of the other's love and vulnerability. The song's energetic beat and Mary J. Blige's powerful vocals make the song both uplifting and empowering, encouraging listeners to stand up for themselves and walk away from toxic relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Once he seen you get so comfortable
Once he noticed that you were happy in the relationship
Never wantin to commit fo sho
He never wanted to fully commit to you
Always lying bout the girl next door
He consistently lied about having other women in his life
That's how all these things began
This is how the problems in the relationship started
You let you guard down and he does you in
You became vulnerable and he took advantage of that
All you secrets he's been holdin that in
He's been keeping your secrets to use them against you later
To throw back at you when it benefits him
He'll use your secrets for his own benefit
So he can go and play with all his chickens
So he can go and be with other women
Tell me where the lyin and the front begun
Tell me where the dishonesty started
Why you playin wit me 'cause it ain't fun
Why are you toying with me when it's not enjoyable
How can it be two if I'm your only one
How can you say you're with other women when I'm the only one you should be with
That's how crazy this game is
This is how messed up this relationship is
Workin so hard to complete ourselves
Trying to improve ourselves as individuals
Never thinkin that our love was on the shelf
Not realizing that our love was in danger of failing
Livin our life like there was no one else
Living as if we were the only two people in the world
Who you messin with 'cause all the games you play
Who are you involved with, because of all the dishonesty
Oh you didn't know my name was Mary J
You didn't realize who you were messing with
All the chicks you hear that heard they all look slave
All the other women you've been involved with are controlled by you
Tryin ta gas me sayin things have changed
Trying to convince me that things are different now
Now your like the furthest thing from my brain
Now you're the last thing on my mind
Never thought I had to say it to you this way
I never thought I'd have to say this so bluntly
All these years I been with you boy I feel so played
After all these years together, I feel like you've been playing me
Now I need to go jump in my blazer
Now I need to leave and get away
Marys say: "This is one thing I will not tolerate"
Mary is saying that she will no longer put up with the mistreatment
I'm not........... for this.......... abusive........relation..........reclusive...
I won't stay in this toxic and isolating relationship
Excuses...........for evolution.
There are no excuses for evolving beyond unhealthy relationships
When you play.........with are......love games.......its starts.......possessive.......obsession..........statement.
When you start playing these love games, it turns into possessive obsession
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KENNETH DICKERSON, MARY J. BLIGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind