By: Melgie Claire
There isn’t a devoted Hip Hop fan alive who doesn’t recollect the standout guest vocals from Mary J. Blige on Method Man’s 1995 raving success “I’ll Be There For You/You’re All I Need To Get By.” The unquestionable demeanor of cool she oozed as she sang close by one of Wu-Tang Clan’s most scandalous individuals was extraordinary.
Twenty-three years later, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has a reiteration of exemplary collections under her belt, including “What’s The 411”, “My Life”, “Share My World” and “Mary”. Each venture played like a profoundly enthusiastic, sonic journal she used to cleanse each crude feeling she was encountering. From substance mishandle and sadness to a string of failed relationships, her life conditions gave enough fuel to maintain her genuinely reliable artistic yield.
While she may have subdued her drug addiction and liquor abuse, the Bronx local’s thirteenth studio collection, “Strength of a Woman”, discovers her handling a well-known subject — the disintegration of another relationship. This time, be that as it may, the stakes are significantly higher.