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Mary Jane Blige (born January 11, 1971) is an American R&B and soul singer and record producer. She was born in Savannah, Georgia but grew up in the housing projects of Yonkers, New York, eventually dropping out of school before graduating.Blige's musical career began after she recorded "Caught Up in the Rapture" ( Anita Baker) with a mall karaoke machine. The tape found its way to Uptown Records, who signed her as a back-up singer. Up-and-coming producer Sean "Puffy" Combs took an interest, however, and helped her with her critically acclaimed debut, What's the 411? ( 1991, 1991 in music). The album's mix of hip hop and soul music is sometimes called the beginning of nu soul.
The follow-up, My Life, was much less successful, and Blige soon left Uptown for MCA Records, hiring Suge Knightcom/shared/media/news/images/k/Knight,_Suge/sq-suge-knight-studio-tr2. jpg Suge Knight born Marion Knight in Compton to a custodian father and schoolteacher mother, is an entrepreneur in the hip hop music industry and co-founder of Death Row Records with as a financial advisor. In 19961996 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty''. Events January January 5 Hamas operative Yahya Ayyash is killed by an Israeli-planted booby-trapped cell phone Jan Blige scored a modest hit with "Not Gon' Cry," a song she contributed to the soundtrack for the movie Waiting To Exhale. With Share My World ( 19971997 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year of the Reef''. Events January January 3 NBC's Today Show Bryant Gumbel signs off for the last time January 8 Mister Rogers receives a star on t, 1997 in musicSee also 1996 in music, other events of 1997, 1998 in music, 1990s in music and the list of 'years in music' Events January 9 David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert (the day after his birthday) at Madison Square Garden, with guests Frank Blac), Blige began working with Jimmy JamJimmy Jam is an R & B writer/producer who works with partner Terry Lewis as Jam and Lewis . See article. and Terry LewisTerence Lewis (born December 29 1935) is a politician in the United Kingdom. He is Labour Member of Parliament for Worsley, Lancashire, and was first elected in 1983. He has been slightly rebellious, and has voted against the privatisation of NATS. Terry; the album was a commercial success, though reviews were mixed. Mary ( 1999For the album by Prince, see 1999 (album 1999 is a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the UN. Events Kosovo War Former child star Gary Coleman files for bankruptcy Y2K prep, 1999 in music) also received mixed reviews, though the album still sold well.
Her latest album is 2001's No More Drama (see 2001 in music). The first single, "Family Affair," shot straight to number one on Billboard's pop charts in the fall of 2001, becoming Blige's biggest hit single to date. The title track and "Rainy Dayz" featuring Ja Rule, one of the most popular rappers of the time, also became two of Blige's biggest pop hits to date in 2002. The title song on this album borrows the piano melody from the theme song to the soap opera The Young and the Restless.
Blige, Mary J.
