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.
Mary
mary j. blige Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rock on!
Black shades
Three-quarter leathers and medallions
Honeys lined up ready to ride like stallions
Since good love is hard to find
I snatch up the real hot ones and make 'em mine
On a level that the halfway players will never see
Uhh, wave your drinks in the air
Shorty turn around keep the ass right there
Focus your attention, let your eyes
Get paralyzed, by the size of my rocks
Just remember that members of my click carry Glocks (that's right)
We got it locked down
Mo' flowin', click rollin'
Still smokin' (L get 'em open)
Team rough scoop the cream with the puff
You oughtta stop sleepin', you don't dream enough
Ooh baby, not tonight
I don't wanna fuss and fight
I just wanna make it right
Ooh, there's work to do
I wanna get real close to you
I wanna get you in the mood
All the things, you want to do
Just relax
And I'll take care of you
And anytime you want me
I'm sayin' that I love you everyday
And I know that you love me, baby admit it
Gimme all your love and don't stop
My love's waiting when you reach the top
All night long
Come into my bedroom honey
What I got will make you spend money
All night long
You know, that I know that you love me
So if you just give me a chance
I can still show you romance
I know, that you still savor for my flavor babe
So stop playin' hard to get
Let's make love like we first met
All the things, you want to do
Just relax, and I'll take care of you
And anytime you want me
I'm sayin' that I love you everyday
And I know that you love me, baby admit it
Gimme all your love and don't stop
My love's waiting when you reach the top
All night long
Come into my bedroom honey
What I got will make you spend money
All night long (come on)
Girlfriend you get me open like Moet
Cherry goes pop when my love drops (that's right)
Two G's in my pockets for tricks
So tell your girlfriends warm up and mingle with my click
You're only a customer
When you're walking in the presence of hustlers
I did it just right
Spent money all night
Magnums of Moet
Get your lips wet
Gimme all your love and don't stop
My love's waiting when you reach the top
All night long
Come into my bedroom honey
What I got will make you spend money
All night long
Gimme all your love and don't stop
My love's waiting when you reach the top
All night long
Come into my bedroom honey
What I got will make you spend money
All night long
Gimme all your love and don't stop
My love's waiting when you reach the top
All night long
Come into my bedroom honey
What I got will make you spend money
All night long
Gimme all your love and don't stop
My love's waiting when you reach the top
All night long
Come into my bedroom honey
What I got will make you spend money
All night long
The song "Mary Jane" by Mary J. Blige is a seductive R&B track that contains lyrics about living the high life and enjoying the company of women. The song starts with a description of the singer's luxurious lifestyle, wearing black shades, three-quarter leathers, and medallions while being surrounded by honeys ready to ride like stallions. She claims to snatch up real hot ones and make them hers, letting her track record speak for itself. The singer then invites the listener to focus their attention and get paralyzed by the size of her rocks, while warning that members of her click carry Glocks.
The second verse of the song is more intimate, with the singer promising to make things right and get real close to her lover. She invites them to relax and let her take care of things. The chorus is repeated several times, with the singer urging her lover to give her all their love and promising that her love is waiting when they reach the top. The song ends by repeating the chorus several times, with the singer inviting her lover to come to her bedroom and enjoy what she's got. Overall, the song is a celebration of luxury, sensuality, and indulgence.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm so high
I'm feeling really good right now
Rock on!
Keep the good vibes going
Black shades
Wearing sunglasses to look cool
Three-quarter leathers and medallions
Dressed in trendy clothing and jewelry
Honeys lined up ready to ride like stallions
Girls are waiting eagerly to spend time with me
Since good love is hard to find
It's difficult to find a true and loyal partner
I snatch up the real hot ones and make 'em mine
I date the most attractive people and make them my own
I let my track record speak instead of me
My actions and past relationships speak louder than my words
On a level that the halfway players will never see
I'm on a different level than less successful people
Uhh, wave your drinks in the air
Raise your glasses to celebrate
Shorty turn around keep the ass right there
I like the way you look and want to admire you
Focus your attention, let your eyes
Pay attention and look closely
Get paralyzed, by the size of my rocks
Be amazed by the size and value of my jewelry
Just remember that members of my click carry Glocks (that's right)
My crew carries guns, so don't mess with us
We got it locked down
We're in control
Mo' flowin', click rollin'
Having a good time with my friends
Still smokin' (L get 'em open)
Still smoking weed and getting high
Team rough scoop the cream with the puff
My friends and I pick up the best girls
You oughtta stop sleepin', you don't dream enough
Wake up and do more with your life
Ooh baby, not tonight
Let's not argue or fight tonight
I don't wanna fuss and fight
I want peace and harmony in our relationship
I just wanna make it right
Let's fix our issues and be happy together
Ooh, there's work to do
We have to put in effort to make this work
I wanna get real close to you
I want to be intimate and close with you
I wanna get you in the mood
I want to make you feel sexy and passionate
All the things, you want to do
I'm open to doing whatever you want
Just relax
Don't worry or stress out
And I'll take care of you
I'll take care of you emotionally and physically
And anytime you want me
I'm always here for you
I'm sayin' that I love you everyday
I express my love for you daily
And I know that you love me, baby admit it
I know you love me, so just admit it
Gimme all your love and don't stop
Give me all your love without holding back
My love's waiting when you reach the top
I'll be waiting for you with open arms
All night long
All night, until the morning
Come into my bedroom honey
Let's be intimate together
What I got will make you spend money
I'm worth the investment
Girlfriend you get me open like Moet
You excite me like champagne
Cherry goes pop when my love drops (that's right)
My love is explosive and exciting
Two G's in my pockets for tricks
I have money to spend to impress you
So tell your girlfriends warm up and mingle with my click
Tell your friends to hang out with us
You're only a customer
You're just another girl I'm dating
When you're walking in the presence of hustlers
When you're with me and my crew, you're with successful people
I did it just right
I did everything perfectly
Spent money all night
I spent a lot of money to impress you
Magnums of Moet
Expensive champagne bottles
Get your lips wet
Drink champagne and get intoxicated
My love's waiting when you reach the top
I'm waiting for you to succeed
Come into my bedroom honey
Let's be intimate together
What I got will make you spend money
I'm worth the investment
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Mary Blige, Rick James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind