Hanging with Mary J Blige

Meleased just two months ago, No More Drama”, the latest album from Mary J Blige (dubbed the queen of hip-hop soul), has already sold platinum.

The album, which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 album chart, is her sixth outing to date.

It is being distributed locally through Tuff Gong International.

The first single, Family Affair is now the top single on both Billboard’s Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks charts.

It is a rare feat for any solo female singer to have hit the top of both charts simultaneously, but for Blige, it’s the very first time she has reached the top of the Hot 100, considered the most prestigious of all the Billboard charts.

Now after scoring platinum success with albums such as What’s the 411 (1992); My Life (1994); Share My World (1997); The Out Tour (a 1999 live album); and Mary (2000), Blige has hit pay dirt with No More Drama, a collection of songs which depicts a new Mary sporting a look and attitude.

All Woman touched base with the high-riding diva who has the island on of her stops when she performed at the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival last year.

“Well I chose the title No More Drama because basically everybody knows me for everything that I live, I sing about. And you know, just things that go on in my life, are what I sing about,” Blige explained.

She added, “I’ve like had enough of the negativity in my life. I have had enough of the drama, of the extra things that don’t belong. And it’s drama to me. And, I wanted to give a breath of fresh air with people that have stayed my fans, and listened to my music with me, cried with me, and were sad and were happy with me.

“This time around you know, I feel better. I feel good about myself. And, I have affected so many lives with my pain. Maybe its time to really just be appreciative for the good times, also even though we still have a bunch of drama going on. But that’s not the focus. The focal point right now is enjoying life while we can,” she told All Woman.

With a new outlook on her career, Blige is ready to take things to the next level.

And after more than 10 years in the business, it’s ppropriate to say that nothing happens before the right time. “I feel really good about myself. I feel really good about all of the trends that I have set through the years. And, I understand what and who I am. I wanted people to say “Gosh Mary looks good, she feels good.” You know whether they are happy for me or not, I just want them to understand that this is how I feel,” she told All Woman.

“I guess my secret is just being myself and not wanting to be anybody but me. You cant be a trendsetter of you’re copying off everybody else,” she added.

Blige serves as executive producer on No More Drama. Her sister Latonya Blige-DaCosta and Kirk Burrowes are associate executive producers.

Beat Factory Productions, Dr Dre, the Neptunes, Kenny Flav for Wayne Kounty Inc, Chucky Thompson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Rockwilder, Kiyamma Griffin and Bryan Peguero, Swizz Beatz for Ruff Ryders, Dame Grease for Vacant Lot Productions and Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott are among those listed as producers for various tracks on the 17-song album.

Elliott, Eve, Ahkim Miller and Lenny Kravitz are among those making guest appearances.

Family Affair, the first single from the album, was co-written along with her brother.

“We wrote this song together. My mother was there when we did the recording. And when you go to a club, you really want to look at everybody as “family” or if you’re at a party, or if you’re partying together, if there’s more than one person, it’s a “family”. Its like a bunch of people you know getting together to do something as a family. And we got together as a family affair to celebrate No More Drama, she said.

Asked how Dr. Dre got involved in the project, she said, “Well the way Dre came about for this project, I did something for him a while ago for his album, and he kind of owed me a favour. And we wanted to use it on something constructive because Dr. Dre is a really excellent producer. Well known, and we didn’t want to just waste it on a re-mix”.

Where I’ve Been with Eve, Never Been with Missy Elliott, Steal Away, No More Drama (which samples the theme from the television soap, The Young & The Restless), Beautiful Day and Dance For Me are among the better picks on the album, which merit some attention.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with Missy. She is family. And I enjoyed working with Eve too. She writes her own stuff and then it was fun,” Blige added.

Based on the reviews, the material and the contents on No More Drama, it’s obvious that Blige has let go some of the stress that she had been through. She sounds relaxed and confident, and just having fun.

“The Mary that did the What’s the 411 album was different from the Mary on the My Life album. The Mary from the What’s the 411 was just singing and having a little bit of fun.

“But the My Life Mary wasn’t having no fun at all. Like she was down, and really not doing well. But she was steady writing and she was very confused, and very sad and very insecure and very mad and very down. Now this Mary on No More Drama is the opposite. Now she’s very sure, and she’s very secure and very clear. She’s not afraid of anything and she’s just clear,” she explained.

Her family (business and personal) are who assist in keeping her positive and focused.

“They keep me understanding and that I’m doing something good and even when, you know, I feel most of the time, gosh, you know, I’m not really doing anything. They kind of remind me that I’m doing well and it’s family. Business family and my blood family,” said the sultry voiced singer.

Blige works out three times each week to keep her body in shape. And she also avoids carbohydrates. “I go to the gym, I do cardio, and arms. I also do my legs and back. My new fitness level has affected my confidence in a major way. It makes me feel good inside, even better about myself. And it also made me feel very pleased at the fact that I can even get results like I have gotten. It’s like my new fitness look or whatever you want to call it. My healthy look, my workout look. It has boosted my confidence in my performance and it has made me want to give my fans more,” Blige told All Woman.

Blige has been involved with a number of charities over the years. Among them are the McAIDS Fund and the Battered Women’s Home in Yonkers.

Her reasons for getting involved in these charities are out of genuine concerns.

“These are the most common you know, things that are going on every single day. Every minute of the hour in the world, you know, people just look over. People look over the fact that AIDS is a real situation. And people look over the fact that women are being abused and children are being abused. There’s just a lot of abuse going on. There are a lot of women who don’t have homes because of abuse. I am not perfect, but to kind of walk my talk, you know. The things I speak about, the things I sing about. I try to make sure that they have taken place or they will take place. I make sure that they understand I understand their struggle. I have been there. I know how it feels to want to say something, and everybody makes you feel like you can’t. Life is not terrible, but it can be better,” Blige concluded.