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.
Doubt
Mary J. Blige Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You said I'd never wear a crown
If I wanted to be someone
I should learn to settle down
(You should know better) I tell myself
(You'll never go further) I warn myself
(You'll never be better) Don't know me that well
I made it to the end
I nearly paid the cost
I lost a lot of friends
I sacrificed a lot
I'd do it all again
'Cause I made it to the top
But I can't keep doubting myself anymore
No! No
I can't keep doubting myself no
Now you're looking at a leader
Now you're staring at a queen
You said I'll never be someone
But now I'm pulling all the strings
(You should know better) Won't let me back down
(You'll never go further) Can't turn me around
(You'll never be better) So no-one's stopping me now
I made it to the end
I nearly paid the cost
I lost a lot of friends
I sacrificed a lot
I'd do it all again
'Cause I made it to the top
I can't keep doubting myself anymore
No! No, no, no, no, oh no no, oh no
You think you know
But you don't know the half
You think you beat me down
But I'll have the last laugh
I'll keep getting up
'Cause that's what I'm gonna do yea
I'm gonna be the best me
Sorry if it kills you
I made it to the end
I nearly paid the cost
I lost a lot of friends
I sacrificed a lot
I'd do it all again
'Cause I made it to the top
But I can't keep doubting myself anymore
No, oh no no no no,
I can't keep doubting myself no, no no oh no oh no oh no
The lyrics to Mary J. Blige's song Doubt express the struggles and self-doubt she faced on her journey to success. The first verse talks about how someone told her she would never be a leader or wear a crown and that she should settle down if she wanted to be someone. Mary J. Blige tells herself that she should know better, that she will never go further, and that they don't know her well enough to say that she'll never be better.
The chorus talks about how she made it to the end and almost paid the cost. She lost friends and sacrificed a lot, but she would do it all again because she made it to the top. However, she can't continue doubting herself anymore. The second verse talks about how now people are looking at her as a leader and a queen. The same people who once said she would never be someone are now seeing her success, and she won't let them turn her around. Again, she won't let herself doubt herself anymore.
The bridge talks about how people think they know her story, but they only know half of it. They think they beat her down, but she'll have the last laugh. She will keep getting up and being the best version of herself, even if it kills them. The song ends with the chorus, emphasizing the idea that she can no longer doubt herself.
Overall, the lyrics to Doubt are empowering and inspirational for those facing self-doubt or struggling to achieve their goals. Mary J. Blige acknowledges how hard the journey can be and how much one may have to sacrifice, but she also shows that it can be worth it in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
You said I'd never be a leader
You tried to discourage me by implying that I was not capable of leading.
You said I'd never wear a crown
You told me that I was not good enough to achieve greatness and received no reward for my hard work.
If I wanted to be someone
I should learn to settle down
You suggested that in order to become someone of importance, I needed to conform and adjust to society's expectations even if it meant giving up my dreams.
(You should know better) I tell myself
(You'll never go further) I warn myself
(You'll never be better) Don't know me that well
I remind myself that you do not know my full potential and attempting to bring me down will only make me stronger.
I made it to the end
I nearly paid the cost
I lost a lot of friends
I sacrificed a lot
I'd do it all again
'Cause I made it to the top
But I can't keep doubting myself anymore
I have successfully reached my goals, but it has not come without a cost. Although I am proud of my accomplishments, I cannot continue to doubt my abilities going forward.
Now you're looking at a leader
Now you're staring at a queen
You said I'll never be someone
But now I'm pulling all the strings
Despite your negativity, I have become a leader and an influencer. I have taken control of my life and I am now the one calling the shots.
(You should know better) Won't let me back down
(You'll never go further) Can't turn me around
(You'll never be better) So no-one's stopping me now
I will not allow you or anyone else to hinder my progress, and nothing can convince me to give up on my goals, because I know I am capable of achieving more than you ever thought.
You think you know
But you don't know the half
You think you beat me down
But I'll have the last laugh
You may have underestimated me and tried to bring me down, but I will prove you wrong and have the final say in my success.
I'll keep getting up
'Cause that's what I'm gonna do yea
I'm gonna be the best me
Sorry if it kills you
I will continue to persevere in the face of adversity, and I am committed to being the best version of myself no matter how much it may challenge or upset you.
No! No, no, no, no, oh no no, oh no
I am putting an end to the self-doubt and the thoughts that I am not good enough. The time has come for me to trust in my abilities and believe in myself.
I can't keep doubting myself no, no no oh no oh no oh no
I am done with doubting myself, and I will no longer allow anyone to make me feel small. I am ready to embrace my full potential and become the best version of myself.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: . ROMANS, MARY J. BLIGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Here's the lyrics:
You said I'd never be a leader
You said I'd never wear a crown
If I wanted to be someone
I should learn to settle down
I tell myself
(You'll never go further) I warn myself
(You'll never be better) You don't know me that well
I made it to the end
I nearly paid the cost
I lost a lot of friends
I sacrificed a lot
I'd do it all again
'Cause I made it to the top
But I can't keep doubting myself anymore
No, no
I can't keep doubting myself, no
Now you're looking at a leader
Now you're staring at a queen
You said I'll never be someone
But now I'm pulling all the strings
Won't let me back down
(You'll never go further) Can't turn me around
(You'll never be better) So no-one's stopping me now
I made it to the end
I nearly paid the cost
I lost a lot of friends
I sacrificed a lot
I'd do it all again
'Cause I made it to the top
I can't keep doubting myself anymore
No, no, no, no, no, no
Oh, no, no
Oh, no
You think you know
But you don't know the half
You think you beat me down
But I'll have the last laugh
I'll keep getting up
'Cause that's what I'm gonna do, yeah
I'm gonna be the best me
I'm sorry if it kills you
I made it to the end
I nearly paid the cost
I lost a lot of friends
I sacrificed a lot
I'd do it all again
'Cause I made it to the top
But I can't keep doubting myself anymore
No, oh no, no, no, no
I can't keep doubting myself, no
I remember holding her breakthrough album
Holding in my hands, in my car, listening to it on repeat
To me, she was this untouchable goddess
And, and when I met her, I really really wasn't expecting her
To just be... like me, I feel like we're so similar
M M
Really needed to hear this song tonight....going through the same, thank you Mary for this uplifting song
TaRoya Hollis
You can do it. If you have any ambition and heart to do something for yourself, use do it.❤
Steven Baker
I don't understand why she isn't the biggest star on the planet! I've been listening to her since the 90's and she never ceases to amaze me.
Xhairra Resuello
I do believe marketing is the key to make someone recognize. I think that’s the problem why she isn’t the biggest star of her generation. I just knew her biggest of one of the celebrity in our country. But she’s good and the song is really motivating 😊
Malaika S Durbin
Mary is the biggest! She is a household name & the queen 👸🏾 oh hip hop!
Keba C
I am a old Mary j blige fan, however I like when the young ones are introduced through another artist. A whole other generation can now enjoy beautiful music from a talented artist. This song is newer and if you like this check out her older music.
Demetrio’s YouTube
Natasha C so true! I will learn and hear from her more!
Amnuet Ma'at
Natasha C from 1994 until now and I really think this album is going to do great. She really had some hits on here. I listen to the whole album and I love about just the whole thing.
Steve Neely
Natasha C I love Mary j Blige for who she is excuse my expression, but (f..k the material things) just to wake up and see her beautiful smile is enough for me, I don't care about material things, cause I came in this world with nothing and I'm gonna leave with nothing (for real)..
Marissa Altes
Yes!!!! I was raised on some MJ!