The career and influence of Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige released her first album in 1992, and the awards rained down. That first album topped the Billboard charts, went platinum three times, and earned her the nickname the “Queen of Hip Hop Soul.” Now, nearly 30 years later, Blige has released more than a dozen albums, most of which have gone platinum. 

She has also received multiple Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations, and is about to star in an Amazon documentary about her life. People took notice of her acting chops in 2017 after her appearance in “Mudbound.” The film earned two Academy Award nominations. 

Credits

Guest:

  • Jay Connor - staff writer at The Root, contributing writer at Huffington Post, founder and co-host of The Extraordinary Negroes podcast