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Mary J. Blige

mary j blige share my world

Mary J. Blige’s “Share My World”: Mary’s Next Step at 20

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April 22, 2017
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In 1997, Mary J. Blige was on top of the world professionally. Her sophomore album, 1994’s My Life was a smash. Mary was at the forefront of the hip hop-soul revolution in music, garnering her the undisputed title “Queen of Hip Hop Soul”. She changed course with 1997’s Share My World, drifting musically towards contemporary R&B. The results still hold up
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The Reigning Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul: Mary J. Blige

The Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul While Hip-Hop saw during the 90s a handful of women who gave the genre a breath of fresh air with their fierceness, the R&B world welcomed a different kind of Queen, one that was able to merge two worlds. Mary J. Blige was the woman to
aretha franklin so damn happy

So Damn Happy: Aretha Franklin Brightens Up

September 23, 2018
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In the final decades of her career, Aretha Franklin released a modest amount of music compared to her early years. Gone were the days of releasing an album or two every year. So Damn Happy is one of Aretha’s final bodies of work, despite being released 15 years before her passing
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aretha franklin

Playlist: Aretha Franklin’s Deep Cuts

March 25, 2017
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Aretha Franklin: The Queen Turns 75 In celebration of Aretha Franklin’s 75th birthday, I dug into her catalog for some deep cuts. Everyone knows “Respect“, “Think”, and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, but what about the songs that didn’t receive single treatment/attention? Let me take you back… Digesting Aretha
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Journey to Freedom, Week 5: Time

September 18, 2014
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1.  “Time” by Mary J. Blige is essentially about the flaws of the world and how counterproductively people use their time.  Mary expresses people for their judgmental nature.  She also touches on the issues of jealousy, murder, and madness.  She sings about how “people nowadays so shady” and “always wanna
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Journey to Freedom, Week 3: Love

August 28, 2014
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For this week’s Journey to Freedom challenge, Michelle Williams challenges us to “celebrate a mindful moment of self-love.”  Self-love, Michelle says, is an essential precursor to being able to obtain romantic love.  After all, if you don’t love yourself… how can you expect someone else to love you?  This is
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THE 97 is a music and culture magazine that curates deeply researched retrospectives, reviews, and original commentary on iconic artists, albums, and moments in music. Blending reflective nostalgia with a fresh perspective, we offer readers a way to “relive the splendor” of music’s most memorable moments and enduring legacies.

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