Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige has the most bruised heart in contemporary pop and R&B – and the most
resilient. The undisputed queen of hip-hop/R&B, Blige's connection to fans is wired to her
heart condition – the way her spiritual afflictions and hard-won triumphs play out in her
voice. She sings in defiance of the world-weariness that dogs her; that battle is her
"sound." On Share My World, even Blige's harshest critics will have to concede t... More >

Her song sense rooted in slow jams not soul, her soul rooted in radio not the church, Blige is a diva for her own time. As befits her hip hop ethos, she's never soft if often vulnerable, and as befits her hip hop aesthetic, she plays her natural vocal cadences for melodic signature and sometimes hook. Too strong to talk dirty, she leaves not the slightest doubt of her sexual prowess. She redefines the New York accent for the '90s. And she's taken two straight follow-ups to the next level. (Grade: A-)