The Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige was born in the Bronx in 1971. She started her career in 1991 when she signed to Uptown Records where she met Puff Daddy who produced much of her first album, What’s the 411. The nine-time Grammy winner has multiple gold and platinum albums and is one of music’s most beloved artists. Having an MJB feature was a major stamp of approval for major label rappers like Jay-Z, Nas, Method Man, Talib Kweli, Wyclef, Common, Ludacris, and more.
Born the second of four kids, she grew up in Georgia before returning to NYC and settling in the Yonkers neighborhood. She has dabbled in acting and is the subject of a biographical documentary called Mary J. Blige’s My Life released by Amazon Studios. She’s also part of the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show lineup.