Mary J. Blige

MJBlige.com

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January 11, 1971

Mary Jane Blige

Kendu Isaacs (7 December 2003 - present)

Did we miss one?

1992: What's the 411?

1994: My Life

1997: Share My World

1999: Mary

2001: No More Drama

2003: Love & Life

2005: The Breakthrough

2006: Reflections - A Retrospective

2007: Growing Pains

2009: Stronger with Each Tear

2011: My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1)

Actress

2012 Nina

2012 Rock of Ages

2009 I Can Do Bad All by Myself

1995-2008 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV series)

2007 Entourage (TV series)

2007 Ghost Whisperer (TV series)

2001 Strong Medicine (TV series)

2001 Prison Song

2001 Angel: One More Road to Cross (video)

1998 The Jamie Foxx Show (TV series)

Composer

2001 America the Beautiful (TV special)

Appearances

2012 The Wendy Williams Show (TV series)

2006-2012 LIVE! with Kelly (TV series)

2012 The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards (TV special)

2011 The 13th Annual 'A Home for the Holidays' (TV special)

2011 VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul (TV special)

2011 WWE Tribute to the Troops (TV special)

2011 The X Factor (TV series)

2011 Today (TV series)

2011 American Music Awards 2011 (TV special)

2011 Countdown to the American Music Awards (TV special)

2010-2011 Alan Carr: Chatty Man (TV series)

2011 TeenNick Halo Awards (TV special)

2011 Daybreak (TV series)

2011 TV One Night Only: Live from the Essence Music Festival (TV special)

2011 Good Morning America (TV series)

2011 Made in Hollywood (TV series)

2011 The Marriage Ref (TV series)

2011 BET Awards 2011 (TV special)

2011 The 2011 Billboard Music Awards (TV special)

2003-2011 The Oprah Winfrey Show (TV series)

2011 An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Chaka Khan (TV special)

2011 Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest (documentary)

2010 ES.TV HD (TV series)

2010 MTV Video Music Awards 2010 (TV special)

2010 TV One Night Only: Live from the Essence Music Festival (TV special)

2010 Justin Lee Collins: Good Times (TV series)

2008-2010 Entertainment Tonight (TV series)

2006-2010 American Idol (TV series)

2010 41st NAACP Image Awards (TV special)

1997-2010 Late Show with David Letterman (TV series)

2010 SOS Saving OurSelves: Help for Haiti (TV special)

2010 The BET Honors (TV special)

2010 The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

2010 Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief (TV special)

2010 Teenage Paparazzo (documentary) (uncredited)

2010 The 36th Annual People's Choice Awards (TV special)

2010 2010 Soul Train Awards (TV special)

2005-2009 The View (TV series)

2005-2009 Tavis Smiley (TV series)

2009 Christmas in Washington (TV special)

2006-2009 Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV series)

2009 The Jay Leno Show (TV series)

2009 So You Think You Can Dance (TV series)

2009 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (TV series)

2009 2009 American Music Awards (TV special)

2009 The Shooter Series: Vol. 1 (video)

2009 TV One on One (TV series)

2009 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (TV series)

2009 30 Rock (TV series)

2009 Rachael Ray (TV series)

2009 Beyond Recognition: The BET Honors Post Show (TV special)

2009 The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration (TV special)

2009 We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial (TV special)

2009 The BET Honors (TV special)

2006-2008 Dancing with the Stars (TV series)

2008 Fashion Rocks (TV special)

2008 Stand Up to Cancer (TV special)

2008 Live from Abbey Road (TV series)

2008 What Perez Sez (TV series)

2008 One Life to Live (TV series)

2008 Pepsi Smash Superbowl Bash (TV special)

2002-2008 Later with Jools Holland (TV series)

2008 Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (TV series)

2004-2008 Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show (TV series)

2008 Tila Tequila's New Year's Eve Masquerade 2008 (TV special)

2008 Top 40 Videos of 2008 (TV special)

2007 Movies Rock (TV special)

2007 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute (TV special)

2007 America's Next Top Model (TV series)

2007 MTV Video Music Awards 2007 (TV special)

2007 MTV VMA Pre Show Royale (TV special)

2007 Fashion Rocks (TV special)

2007 Building a Dream: The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy (TV documentary)

2007 The 49th Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

2007 My Night at the Grammys (TV special)

2006 The 2006 Billboard Music Awards (TV special)

2006 2006 American Music Awards (TV special)

1993-2006 Saturday Night Live (TV series)

2006 Diddy Makes an Album (TV special)

2006 2006 Women's World Awards (TV special)

2005-2006 Corazón de... (TV series)

2006 JCPenney Jam: The Concert for America's Kids (TV special)

2006 Legends Ball (TV documentary)

2006 The Life & Rhymes of... (TV series)

2006 GMTV (TV series)

2006 Le grand journal de Canal+ (TV series)

2002-2006 Top of the Pops (TV series)

2006 Davina (TV series)

2006 MTV News Presents: Growing Up Black in America (TV documentary)

2006 The 48th Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

2006 Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable (TV special documentary)

1992-2006 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV series)

2006 BET Awards 2006 (TV special)

2005 New Year's Eve with Carson Daly (TV special)

2005 The Tyra Banks Show (TV series)

2005 2005 Radio Music Awards (TV special)

2005 A Home for the Holidays (TV special)

2005 The Record of the Year 2005 (TV special)

2005 The 8th Annual Soul Train Christmas Starfest (TV special)

2005 The 3rd Annual Vibe Awards (TV special)

2005 The Music of Shark Tale (video documentary short)

2005 25 Strong: The BET Silver Anniversary Special (TV special)

2005 Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast (TV special)

2001-2005 Access Granted (TV series)

2005 BET Awards 2005 (TV special)

2005 All We Are Saying (TV documentary)

2005 Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope (TV special)

2004 The 2004 Billboard Music Awards (TV special)

2004 Wyclef Jean: All Star Jam at Carnegie Hall (TV special)


2004 Fade to Black (documentary)

2004 Fahrenheit 9/11: A Movement in Time (TV documentary)

2004 Genius: A Night for Ray Charles (TV special)

2004 Shark Tale: Gettin' Fishy with It (TV special)

2004 And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop (TV mini-series documentary)

2004 MOBO Awards 2004 (TV special)

2004 Fashion Rocks (TV special)

2004 Zulu Rocks 2004 (TV special documentary)

2004 The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready to Die - The Remaster (video short) (segments "Big Poppa" and "One More Chance")

2004 Mary J. Blige: Queen of Hip Hop Soul (video documentary)

2004 The 58th Annual Tony Awards (TV special)

2001-2004 Intimate Portrait (TV series documentary)

2004 Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me (TV documentary) (voice)

2004 The 46th Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

2004 Urban Soul: The Making of Modern R&B (TV documentary)

2004 Michael Jackson: The One (TV documentary)

2004 HBO First Look (TV series documentary)

2003 The 9th Annual Walk of Fame Honoring Aretha Franklin (TV special)

2003 MTV Movie Special: Tupac Resurrection (TV special documentary short)

2003 2003 NFL Kickoff Concert (TV special)

2003 VH1 Divas Duets (TV special documentary)

2003 Elvis Lives (TV special)

2003 VH1: All Access (TV series)

2003 Essence Awards (TV documentary)

2002 MTV Video Music Awards 2002 (TV special)

2002 VH1 Divas Las Vegas (TV special)

2002 Leute heute (TV series documentary)

2002 TV total (TV series)

2002 The 44th Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

2002 The Nick Cannon Show (TV series)

2002 Exclusive (TV series documentary)

2001 My VH1 Music Awards (TV special)

2001 The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (TV special)

2001 MTV Europe Music Awards 2001 (TV special documentary)

2001 The 2nd Annual Women Rock! Girls and Guitars (TV special)

2001 L.A. Pool Party (TV series)

2001 Behind the Music (TV series documentary)

2001 America the Beautiful (TV special)

1997-2001 The Rosie O'Donnell Show (TV series)

2001 Source Awards 2001 (TV special)

2001 MTV 20: Live & Almost Legal (TV documentary)

2001 MTV 20: Jams (video) (segment "You're All I Need")

2001 1st Annual BET Awards (TV special)

2001 All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live! (documentary)

2001 VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin (TV special)

2001 Super Bowl XXXV (TV special)

2001 Super Bowl XXXV Halftime Show (TV special)

2001 NFL World Trade Center Tribute (TV special)

2001 Elton John: One Night Only - Greatest Hits Live (TV documentary)

2000 Dale's All Stars (TV series)

2000 It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (video documentary)

1999 Radio City Music Hall's Grand Re-Opening Gala (TV special)

1999 The 1999 Billboard Music Awards (TV special)

1999 MTV Europe Music Awards 1999 (TV special)

1999 Eric Clapton & Friends in Concert: A Benefit for the Crossroads Centre at Antigua (TV documentary)

1999 MTV Video Music Awards 1999 (TV special)

1999 Moesha (TV series)

1999 The 41st Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

1999 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (TV special)

1999 VH1 Divas Live 2 (TV documentary)

1998 A Very Special Christmas from Washington, D.C. (TV special)

1997 All That (TV series)

1997 The Chris Rock Show (TV series)

1997 Songs & Visions (TV specail)

1997 10th Anniversary Essence Awards (TV special)

1997 The 39th Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

1996 The 38th Annual Grammy Awards (TV special)

1995 1995 Billboard Music Awards (TV special)

1995 New York Undercover (TV series)

1995 It's Showtime at the Apollo (TV series)

1995 The 1995 Source Hip-Hop Music Awards (TV special)

1994 The Word (TV series)

1994 The 8th Annual Soul Train Music Awards (TV special)

1993 1993 Essence Awards (TV special)

1993 The 7th Annual Soul Train Music Awards (TV special)

1992 Out All Night (TV series)

1992 In Living Color (TV series)

1992 Soul Train (TV series documentary)

American Music Awards

2009 Favorite Female R&B/Soul Artist Nominated

2009 Favorite Soul/R&B Album Growing Pains Nominated

2006 Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist Won

2006 Favorite Soul/R&B Album The Breakthrough Won

2006 Artist of the Year Nominated

2003 Favorite Hip-Hop/R&B Female Artist Won

2002 Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist Nominated

1998 Favorite Soul/R&B Album Share My World Won

ASCAP Awards

2007 The Voice of Music Award Won

2007 Songwriter of the Year Won

2007 Song of the Year Be Without You Won

2007 Pop Music Award Be Without You Won

BET Awards

2010 Best Female R&B Artist Nominated

2008 Video of the Year Just Fine Nominated

2008 Best Female R&B Artist Nominated

2007 Best Female R&B Artist Nominated

2007 Best Collaboration "Runaway Love" Won

2006 Video of the Year Be Without You Won

2006 Touch It (Remix) Nominated

2006 Best Female R&B Artist Won

2006 Best Collaboration Touch It (Remix) Nominated

2004 Best Female R&B Artist Nominated

2002 Best Female R&B Artist Nominated

2001 Best Female R&B Artist Won

Black Reel Awards

2012 Won Black Reel Best Song for: The Help (2011).
For the song "Living Proof"

2010 Nominated Black Reel Best Song for: I Can Do Bad All by Myself (2009). For the song "I Can Do Bad"

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

2012 Nominated Critics Choice Award Best Song for: The Help (2011). For the song "Living Proof"

2007 Nominated Critics Choice Award Best Song for: Bobby (2006). For the song "Never Gonna Break My Faith".

Golden Globes

2007 "Never Gonna Break My Faith" (with Aretha Franklin) Best Original Song Nominated

2012 Nominated Golden Globe Best Original Song - Motion Picture for: The Help (2011). For the song "The Living Proof"

Grammy Awards

1996 "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Won

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Mary Jane Blige (born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and occasional rapper and actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B.
Blige started her musical career in 1992, releasing her debut album, What's the 411? on MCA Records and Uptown. With her tenth album, My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1) (2011), she had ten consecutive albums debut in the top 10 on the Billboard 200. Blige's work has defined the course of R&B/Hip-Hop music. My Life, in particular, is considered among the greatest albums ever recorded according to Rolling Stone, Time, and Vibe. For her part in combining hip hop and soul in the early 1990s and its subsequent commercial success, Blige received the World Music Awards "Legends Award". In 2007 the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awarded her its "Voice of Music" Award. ASCAP official Jeanie Weems stated that "[Blige's] music has been the voice of inspiration to women worldwide in both struggle and triumph." That same year, Time included her in its "Time 100" list, a collection of the year's 100 most influential individuals around the world. In a documentary by BET television, Mary J. Blige said that when she hears music, she sees colors. In other words she has Synesthesia.
As of 2011, Blige has sold over 50 million albums and 15 million singles worldwide. Billboard Magazine ranked Blige as the most successful female R&B artist of the past 25 years. The magazine also lists her 2006 song "Be Without You" as the top R&B song of the 2000s, as it spent an unparalleled 15 weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In 2011, VH1 ranked Blige as the 80th greatest artist of all time. Moreover, she is ranked number 100 on the list of "100 greatest singers of all time" by Rolling Stone magazine. In 2012, VH1 ranked Blige at number 9 in "The 100 Greatest Woman in Music."
Blige also earned high remarks for her work in film and fragrance. She starred in the 2009 Tyler Perry box-office hit I Can Do Bad All By Myself and will play a lead role in the film Rock of Ages, which is set to be released to theaters in 2012. She is a recipient of two Golden Globe Awards nominations for her musical contributions to the films Bobby and The Help. She is named to play music icon Nina Simone in the upcoming biopic Nina. In partnership with the Home Shopping Network (HSN) and Carol's Daughter, Blige released her "My Life" perfume. The perfume broke HSN records by selling 65,000 bottles during its premiere. The scent went on to win two FiFi Awards, including the prestigious "Fragrance Sales Breakthrough" award.

Submit Biography

Never graduated from high school.

Her job before she became a singer was a Directory Assistance operator, thus the title of her debut album "What's the 411?"

Her mother, Cora Blige, survived a stabbing in 1987 by a neighbor.

Blige earned her GED in 2010

Submit Interesting Facts

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Who do you recommend?

Family Affair Released in 2001

Real Love Released in 1992

No More Drama Released in 2002

Not Gon' Cry Released in 1996

Mr. Wrong Released in 2011