"You gotta repeat that question," says Mary J. Blige amid some background chatter that finds its way into this interview. "Oh, no wonder... it's noisy man... it's my husband." There's warmth in her voice—she's got a good man. But those versed in the better part of her six previous platinum-plus albums know that it hasn't always been that way.
Blige's Sean "Puffy" Combs-produced 1992 debut, What's The 411?, had hypsters calling the Yonkers, NY, singer "the new Chaka Khan." More importantly, the record delivered the cross-pollinated goods that would eventually crown Blige The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. Her second album, 1994's My Life, saw her step up as a writer of her own material—and what material it was. The relationships she detailed were bare-knuckle affairs, and as Blige moved closer to '70s-inspired R&B and farther from the asphalt rap of her debut, she made demon-strewn honesty a calling card. A decorated Diva in a time when the word rings all but meaningless, she today counts both soul legends and darling newbies among her fans.
Blige's latest, The Breakthrough, finds her content and confident—and draped in fresh laurels. As of this writing she sits at or near the top of no fewer than four Billboard charts, reads kind words in reviews sections, and savors three nominations for the NAACP Image Awards. In November 2005 she took the VIBE VLegend statue, nibbling at the feeding hand by chastising the magazine's editor for her recent cover photo ("...I really hated the way you guys shaved off my head, pushed my forehead way back behind my ears.")
Content with publicist-approved digital images, Rhino.com caught up with Blige just before the release of The Breakthrough.
The title of your new record would seem to have obvious personal meaning. Can you explain?
The reason why I named the album The Breakthrough is because I never truly got a chance to enjoy my career as Mary J. Blige. I never got a chance to even know what I was worth and who I was in this music business, I was so lost and confused 1991 all the way to 2001. I was just trying to figure it out. So in my time of figuring it out I kinda had to go through an awful lot to get to this place. So this place that I'm at right now is a place of choosing to be happy over being sad and being negative, choosing to believe in myself over believing what everyone else has to say about me. So I believe the positive and not the negative about myself, which for so many years I believed the negative about myself. But The Breakthrough is just getting to a point where I actually truly believe in myself and my ability, and it shows in the work.
How did you choose your production team?
The way the production team for this record was selected was me calling people. I wanted to always work with these people. Some of these people I worked with before, but I always wanted to get with Rodney Jerkins again and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis again. The way I selected the producers was through me always wanting to work with these people and me findin' 'em myself.
Do you consciously strive to make each album different from the last?
From album to album I definitely strive to show my growth.
How do you keep your sound fresh?
The way I keep my sound fresh is I just try to stay true to myself and be honest with myself and understand that it's not always gonna be about me, and that there's a whole 'nother generation speakin' another language out there that we have to tune into to keep it fresh. So it's kinda like you gotta bend but not conform to what's goin' on and just speak that language so they can see where you're comin' from.
There's been a positive advance buzz on the record. Does that add pressure?
The feedback that I've been getting about the album is really phenomenal. It's like, wow, I'm really glad people like it. It's not making me nervous, it's just making me want to work harder and show them exactly what's on the record, just give it to 'em live when it's time.
Your view of men has changed.
Right now the way I view men has definitely changed. I definitely believe that there are some good ones out there. At one time I didn't believe that there was any good ones out there. The reason why my view has changed is because... and growing up, you find out that you have a lot to do with why the relationships didn't work. So you can't blame the whole thing on them.
Is it easier to write from a place of anger, sadness or joy?
It's easier to write from whatever state of mind I'm in, whether it be a happy place, whether it be an angry place or a sad place. It's just easy to write, whatever state of mind you're in.
Outside of music and God, where do you get inspiration?
Outside of other music and outside of my belief in God, I get inspiration just from people walkin' down the street, just from other people that come around me in relationships or single or just from children.
How has your performance style changed over the years?
My performances style has changed over the years drastically, because I'm more confident now. I really am not afraid to meet the crowd eye-to-eye and let them see me for who I am. Vocally, I think I've improved so much... like, a lot.
What kind of visual style are you currently interested in?
The style that I'm interested in right now is called less is more. I'm really into low-maintenance things—less foundation, less makeup, less hair stuff. If I could pull it back in a ponytail and put it in a braid, I wish I could.
Tell us about the first single, "Be Without You."
"Be Without You" is basically about how hard it is for people that are trying to make their relationships work. Everyone wants a good relationship, but it's a lotta work and it's hard. In the chorus I say, "We've been too strong for too long," meaning, like, we've been through an awful lot together and I don't plan to leave you right now unless you did somethin' horrible. It's about trying to make it through no matter how bad it gets, as long as it doesn't get too bad, you can stay through a person's personality traits and stuff like that.
Tell us about your version of U2's "One."
It came about through me doin' a tribute to Bono at Music Cares in 2003 or 2004, and when I was learning the lyrics to the song, I ended up lovin' the song so much—the lyrical content and the music and just the whole thing—I ended up telling Jimmy Iovine that I loved the song so much that I needed to record it for my album. And that's how it ended up on the record, because Jimmy Iovine reminded me when I began to record this album that I told him that I wanted to record "One."
What records are you listening to currently?
Right now I happen to be listening to Kanye West's album and Chris Brown. Those are my two albums right now.
For you, what have been the most exciting creative developments in hip-hop, and how have you been a part of them?
I think the most exciting creative developments have been the fact that there are so many rappers that have took on entrepreneurship as far as clothing lines and becoming CEOs of record companies and the president of record companies. You got Jay-Z, who's the president of Def Jam, and he has Roc-A-Fella, the Rocawear clothing line, and you have Puff who has his clothing line, and Russell is the pioneer that started all that. That's the greatest thing, because now I think the other generation has role models they can follow. How I've been involved in it, I've just been a part of the history, that's it.
What's the greatest honor you could ask for?
The greatest honor that I can ask for is to be able to make music for my fans for a very long time.
What advice do you have for young artists?
If you are in school, stay in school. Get your education, please. You're gonna need it. [laughs]
What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of fame?
My favorite aspect of fame is that you can live comfortably, but my least favorite aspect of fame is that you lose a lot of your privacy.
What's the biggest misconception about Mary J. Blige?
The biggest misconception about Mary J. Blige is that she is this horrible, mean person. And this is somethin' that's been said for years, and it's like, okay c'mon now, you gotta know by now that I'm not that.
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