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Mary J. Blige Moves Forward Gracefully On My Life II…The Journey Continues (A CherryOnTop Review)

  • We can’t help but salute a Queen when one crosses our path. She is due the respect and honor she commands, especially when she wears the crown with dignity. Say what you will, Mary J. Blidge is the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. Her battle scars have become the beautiful markings of royalty, her career has established her as a legend, and her music has the integrity of any artist who deserves such respect. My Life was an album that defined not only a new genre, but a generation of hip-hop heads who needed a little “soul” in their life, and on My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act I), Queen Mary still wears the crown, and the jams are still what they were.

    The album starts off great, with an amazing feature from the legendary Nas on the track, “Feel Inside.” It’s a hard beat with a distinct Mary melody. The next track, “Midnight Drive,” gives Mary a more jazzy feel. It shows a bit of the old Mary we’ve come to love with an updated twist. “Next Level” is a dope track. The production is fantastic, and Busta Rhymes (one of my favorite emcees) does the track justice. This is certainly a winner. “Ain’t Nobody” is one of those remakes that might be better than the original. The genius of Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and the effortless ability of Mary are a great combination. Then we move on to the roots of Mary – heartbreak and struggle – with the track “Mr. Wrong.” This track is reminiscent of the Mary we knew, the Mary who always understood a bad relationship and could capture the pain of it in a single note. “Why,” a superb track featuring Rick Ross, asks the question, “why can’t we get it right?”, and only on this song does it seem legit to ask. Beyoncé offers an interesting perspective on the track, “Love a Woman.” She and Mary blend harmoniously on smooth and well instrumented production. “Empty Prayers” is the ballad we all expect – almost sanctified in its honesty and emotion.

    Am I a Mary J. Blige fan? No question about that. This album isn’t so much a part II as it is another defining moment in one of the treasured entertainer’s career. It’s beautiful and raw. It’s profound and “hood.” It’s everything we expect from our reigning Queen. It’s undeniably… Mary J. Blige.

    My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act 1) is available for sale in music stores everywhere.

    - Digo RockZtar

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    November 24th, 2011 | Mara | Comments Off |

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