When you think of Mary J. Blige, a myriad of songs probably come to mind, whether it’s her 1992 hit song “Real Love,” or her 2001 song “Family Affair,” or even her most recent “Good morning Gorgeous,” the Bronx born soulful singer has been breaking ground for decades with iconic songs that are timeless.
The Grammy-winning soul singer has collaborated with Diddy, Notorious B.I.G., Method Man, H.E.R. and many more. Blige has been gracing the Soul Train Awards for decades, from taking home the “R&B /Soul Album of the Year-Female” at the 1994 ceremony to winning the Certified Soul Award at “Soul Train Awards 2022.”
In honor of the upcoming “Soul Train Awards 2023,” let’s reflect on some of the songs that have been the soundtrack of our lives for generations.
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“Real Love”
With the help of producers Mark Morales and Cory Rooney, the catchy smash song became one of her most beloved and was released from Mary’s 1992 debut album, What’s the 411? Diddy produced the timeless album alongside songwriters and producers like DeVante Swing and Dave “Jam” Hall. “Real Love” was also her first top-10 hit, peaking at number seven on the Billboard 100 chart.
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“Family Affair”
Making a club banger comes easy to Mary, and just like the song title, this was most definitely a family affair. The 52-year-old hitmaker wrote the song with her brother, Bruce Miller. The track was produced by Dre Dre for her fifth album, “No More Drama.” The record peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks.
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“My Life”
In the vulnerable and iconic title track, “My Life,” from her 1994 album, Mary gives fans a glimpse of her struggles while assuring whoever’s listening that they will come out on the other side just as she did. The track samples Roy Ayers Ubiquity’s 1976 record “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” giving the song an uplifting feel to a slow-tempo song. Like many songs on this deeply personal album, Mary pulls the curtains on some of her deepest thoughts and suffering, turning them into art.
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“I Can Love You”
Once again, Mary proves the importance of keeping her family close in the studio. She co-wrote the 1997 track with her sister LaTonya Blige-Acosta, which she released from her third album Share My World. She also co-wrote the song with Rodney Jerkins and Lil Kim. The song features a sample of “Queen Bitch” from Lil Kim’s debut 1996 album “Hard Core.” The song peaked at number two on the Hot R&B /Hip-Hop Songs chart.
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“No More Drama”
In this vulnerable hit title track from her fifth album, Mary again gives a glimpse of the drama she’s endured, vowing to rid the drama from her life. Mary worked with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for the emotional record. It also peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also features the theme music from the hit soap opera The Young and the Restless.
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“Be Without You”
This 2x Grammy-winning hit is one of Mary’s most successful singles to date and was ranked one of the most played songs on radio in 2006. The song released from her seventh album, The Breakthrough, is allegedly about her marriage to former husband Kendu Isaacs, whom she was married to for over a decade. The highly successful track was a solo female artist’s longest-running No.1 single for nearly 20 years.
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“Not Gon Cry”
Once again, Mary got us in our feels. Babyface wrote this emotional Grammy-nominated track released from her album Share My World and peaked at number one and two on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles and Hot 100 charts. The record was certified platinum and featured on the soundtrack for the 1995 blockbuster hit Waiting to Exhale.
