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.
Not Today
Mary J. Blige Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why won't you grow up and be a man someday
I can't believe that you're still playing silly games
Now why do I put up with all this child's play
Now if your word is all you have
Then you ain't worth a damn thing
Promises you told me every day
By me I really want to believe
But not today, not today, not today, not today
You're the worst
I can't even depend on you
you say a lot of good things
But something else you always do
Be a man of your word
Try to love something other than you
But now you can be on your way
'Cause I don't want you to stay
Promises bout our house
Bout the kids
Lifestyle we would live
Who the fuck you really is
In my face
All the time
Spittin' line after line
Broke down my wall and you got in my mind
You's a fake shoulda known
All the signs I was wrong
Believed what I saw
And your cover was blown
Breakup, leave
Make up, please
You's a magician all them tricks up your sleeve
Had me for a minute
I was in it
you played good
But I'ma get you
I'ma make moves
And I'ma leave you where you at dog, chill
Go back to square one
Wait for something real
Selfish nigga
Could have helped you nigga
Usually know betta but I felt you nigga
I guess getting in my head was a part of the plan
'Cause in reality the only thing you giving me is
Promises you told me every day
That you made you never ever kept
By me I really want to believe
But not today, not today, not today, not today
Promises you told me every day
That you made you never ever kept
By me I really want to believe
But not today, not today, not today, not today
Don't let him waste your time, girl
He's only telling lies, girl
And when he apologizes (and he will)
Don't be believing that man
'Cause he gon' do it again
Promises you told me every day
That you made you never ever kept
By me I really want to believe
But not today, not today, not today, not today
The song Not Today by Mary J. Blige is about a woman who is fed up with the broken promises and unreliable behavior of her partner. The lyrics express her frustration with the childish games and lack of maturity that her partner exhibits. She cannot understand why she puts up with this treatment and realizes that his words hold no weight if he never follows through with them. She sings about the unfulfilled promises that he made about their future together and how she wants to believe that things will change but not today.
The chorus repeats the phrase "not today" to emphasize the singer's unwillingness to tolerate her partner's behavior any longer. The verse uses metaphorical language to describe how her partner has played her for a fool and how his charming words have penetrated her mind. She chastises him for being fake and leading her on with his deceitful ways. The song has an empowering message for women who are in toxic relationships and encourages them to move on and not be fooled by their partners' empty promises.
Line by Line Meaning
This is another one of those heartbreak hotel joints for the ladies
The song is about dealing with a heartbreak caused by a man who continuously breaks promises and plays games, and it is written for women who are going through the same.
Why won't you grow up & be a man someday
The singer is tired of the man's immaturity and their inability to keep their promises and behave like a man.
I can't believe that you're still playing silly games
The singer is expressing their disbelief that the man is still playing games despite their awareness of what they're doing.
Now why do I put up w/ all this child's play
The singer is questioning why they have been tolerating the man's behavior for so long when all they give is child's play.
Now if your word is all you have
The singer is referring to the man's promises and saying that if that is the only thing they have to offer, it is worthless.
Then you ain't worth a damn thing
The singer is saying that if the man cannot keep their word, they are not worth anything to them.
Don't let him waste your time girl
The singer is advising women not to waste their time on men who continuously break their promises and lie to them.
He's only telling lies girl
The singer is warning women that the man is only going to keep lying to them and not keep their word.
And when he apologizes (and he will)
The singer is acknowledging that the man will apologize at some point, but it will only be empty words.
Don't be believing that man
The singer is again warning women not to believe the man's words because they have shown that they cannot be trusted.
Cause he gon' do it again
The singer is saying that the man will repeat their behavior and break more promises, so it's not worth investing time and energy into them.
Promises you told me every day
The repeated phrase refers to the man's empty promises that he makes to the singer on a regular basis.
That you made you never ever kept
The man continuously makes promises but never follows through with them.
By me I really want to believe
The singer wants to believe in what the man is saying and hoping for something real, but they continue to disappoint.
But not today, not today, not today, not today
The singer is telling the man that they are done believing their lies and empty promises, not today or ever again.
Lyrics © RINCON AVE MUSIC, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andre Young, Michael Elizondo, Theron Feemster, Mary J. Blige, Eve Jeffers, Bruce Miller, Curtis Lee Hudson, Lisa C. Stevens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind