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.
Forever No More
Mary J. Blige Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You go your way, I go my way (no more, no more)
I want to be free
Broken heart again
Another lesson learned
Better know your friends
Or else you will get burnt
Cause I can guarantee that I'll be fine
No more pain (no more pain)
No more pain (no more pain)
No drama (no more drama in my life)
No one's gonna make me hurt again
Why'd I play the fool
Go through ups and downs
Knowing all the time
You wouldn't be around
Or maybe I like the stress
Cause I was young and restless
But that was long ago
I don't wanna cry no more
No more pain (no more pain)
No more game (no more game, messin' with my mind)
No drama, no more in my life (no more drama in my life, no one's gonna make me hurt again)
No more tears (no more tears, I'm tired of cryin every night)
No more fears (no more fears, I really don't wanna cry)
No drama, no more in my life (no more drama in my life, I don't ever wanna hurt again)
Wanna speak my mind, wanna speak my mind
Ouh, it feels so good
When you let go of all the drama in your life
Now you're free from all the pain (free from all the pain)
Free from all the game (free from all the game)
Free from all the stress (free from all the stress)
So find your happiness
I don't know
Only God knows where the story ends for me
But I know where the story begins
It's up to us to choose
Whether we win or lose
And I choose to win
No more pain (no more pain)
No more game (no more games, I'm tired, I'm so tired)
No drama (no more, no more)
No more in my life (no more, no more, no more)
No more drama (I'm tired of all this drama)
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
No more drama
Oh no, oh no, no more, no more, no more drama, no more drama
In my, in my
Life
I'm so tired
I'm so tired (so tired of all this drama)
Mary J. Blige's No More Drama lyrics talk about being tired of all the drama in her life, and wanting to move on and be free from the pain caused by others. She acknowledges that she has been through many ups and downs, but has learned valuable lessons along the way. Blige emphasizes the importance of knowing who your true friends are and not letting others bring you down. She speaks about the struggles of being young and restless, but ultimately ending up hurt and alone.
Blige makes it clear that she is done with the pain caused by others and chooses to be free from the stress and drama. The lyrics highlight the importance of choosing to win in life and finding happiness. Blige encourages listeners to let go of the drama in their lives and strive for a stress-free future.
Overall, the lyrics of No More Drama are empowering and serve as a reminder that it's possible to move on from past trials and find peace and happiness in life.
Line by Line Meaning
So tired, tired of all this drama
I am exhausted and fed up with all the negativity and conflict in my life.
You go your way, I go my way (no more, no more)
I am ready to cut ties with anyone who brings drama into my life and move forward in a positive direction.
I want to be free
I desire to be liberated from the pain and stress that comes with drama and conflict.
Broken heart again
My heart has been hurt and broken due to the drama and turmoil in my life.
Another lesson learned
I have gained knowledge and wisdom from my experiences with drama and conflict.
Better know your friends
It is essential to understand who your true friends are in order to avoid getting burned by the wrong people.
Or else you will get burnt
If you trust the wrong people, you will end up getting hurt and suffering the consequences.
Gotta count on me
I have to depend on myself to get out of the drama and make positive changes in my life.
Cause I can guarantee that I'll be fine
I am confident that I will overcome the drama and emerge stronger and better than before.
No more pain (no more pain)
I am determined to eliminate the emotional pain that comes from drama and conflict.
No more drama (no more drama in my life)
I refuse to let drama and negativity have a place in my life anymore.
No one's gonna make me hurt again
I am taking control of my life and refusing to allow anyone to hurt me again.
Why'd I play the fool
I regret being naive and foolish in the past, allowing drama to take over my life.
Go through ups and downs
I have experienced highs and lows in my life due to the drama and conflict I have faced.
Knowing all the time you wouldn't be around
I was aware that certain people were not going to be there for me, yet I still allowed them to bring drama into my life.
Or maybe I like the stress
I admit that I may have enjoyed the excitement and adrenaline rush that came with drama and conflict.
Cause I was young and restless
My youthful energy and desire for adventure led me down a path of drama and turmoil.
But that was long ago
I recognize that my old ways of seeking out drama are no longer productive or healthy for me.
I don't wanna cry no more
I am tired of shedding tears and feeling emotional pain due to the drama in my life.
No more game (no more game, messin' with my mind)
I am putting an end to the mind games and manipulation that often come with drama and conflict.
No more tears (no more tears, I'm tired of cryin every night)
I am no longer going to allow drama to bring me to tears and affect my mental and emotional well-being.
No more fears (no more fears, I really don't wanna cry)
I am letting go of my fears and anxieties surrounding drama and choosing to live a more positive and fulfilling life.
Wanna speak my mind, wanna speak my mind
I am ready to speak up and assert myself in situations where drama is present and take control of my own life.
It feels so good
I am experiencing a sense of relief and liberation after freeing myself from the drama in my life.
When you let go of all the drama in your life
By removing drama from my life, I am experiencing a newfound sense of peace and happiness.
Now you're free from all the pain (free from all the pain)
I have achieved the freedom and liberation from the emotional pain and stress brought about by drama.
Free from all the game (free from all the game)
I am no longer playing the games and engaging in the manipulation and mind games that often come with drama.
Free from all the stress (free from all the stress)
I am experiencing a sense of relief from the stress and pressure that comes with drama and conflict.
So find your happiness
I am encouraging others to seek out their own happiness and choose to live a drama-free life.
Only God knows where the story ends for me
I am acknowledging that my future is uncertain and ultimately in God's hands.
But I know where the story begins
I am taking control of the present moment and embarking on a new chapter in my life free from drama.
It's up to us to choose
I am recognizing that we have the power to choose the path we take in life and whether we will allow drama to control us.
Whether we win or lose
The outcome of our lives is determined by the choices we make and how we react to the drama and conflict that comes our way.
And I choose to win
I am making a conscious decision to rise above the drama and choose a life of positivity and success.
No more drama (no more drama)
I am reiterating my stance on eliminating drama and conflict from my life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Perry L. Botkin, Barry De Vorzon, James Samuel III Harris, Terry Lewis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind