culture. ish. page two

In 2006 this singer, songwriter, producer, and actress known as Mary J. Blige had eight Grammy nominations (the most in the year 2006.) The album rightfully called The Breakthrough. So, what is all the hype about the Best R&B Album of 2006? Does she really live up to the title of "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul”?

The song “Be Without You” alone had four nominations. Understandably, it is a song of love and the struggles within that. It is not only a song of that struggle, but more importantly it has the message of dedication to a relationship. Blige gives the clear message that it is not an option. In her words, “I wanna be with you, gotta be with you, need to be with you.” She also pushes the message that love “like this” takes time and is not something to be rushed. Obviously a lot of people connected with this message and the desire for this and in turn are the results of her nominations.

Another notable nomination is the “Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance” for “I Found My Everything”. This song takes the tone back to the roots of the R&B style that Blige has come to know. She also has a definite flow in the album which can be encompassed in the word, “love”. This relationship filled album is definitely a good R&B album, but not a great one.

Blige is a woman who knows how to use her talents. It is an album that can definitely become close to someone’s heart if they connect with it. It does not bring a whole lot of originality though. This is probably why she has a lot of featuring artist in an attempt to bring a spice or a new aspect. Not to say she failed at those attempts, but features are not exactly original even if it is in collaboration with U2.

Labels: jc, mary j blige, music