Aretha Franklin, Mary J Blige Headline 2012 Essence Music Festival : January 13, 2012

The initial portion of the lineup for the 2012 Essence Music Festival has been announced, and Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige the headliners. Other performers confirmed [...]

Mary J. Blige Welcomes ‘My Life II’ with Teaser Tour : October 22, 2011

With a music career that’s less than a year shy of the two-decade mark, Mary J. Blige has been consistently prolific throughout that time, averaging an album every two [...]

Kanye West, Mary J Blige Join Essence Music Festival in New Orleans : April 13, 2011

Jennifer Hudson, the Grammy award-winning superstar, is scheduled to appear at the Essence Musical Festival for the first time along with Chaka Khan, the R&B/Funk icon, i [...]

Mary J Blige Zimbabwe Tour Scrapped : December 19, 2010

Last Friday Mary J. Blige canceled her Zimbabwe trip because the promoters didn't pay her in time. Last Friday night thousands of Blige fans were disappointed when the s [...]

Mary J Blige Book Fall Concert Tour Dates : September 02, 2010

R&B and Soul icon Mary J. Blige is trekking the road this fall to continue support for her new release, “Stronger with Each Tear” which came out late last year.  [...]

Wyclef Joins Mary J Blige for Haitian Benefit : February 02, 2010

BET Networks is hosting a Haitian telethon and benefit concert on February 5.  Performances from Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Mary J. Blige, Justin Bieber and Ludracris, among ot [...]

Mary J Blige Performs with Andrea Bocelli for Haiti Relief : January 28, 2010

Andrea Bocelli and Mary J. Blige will be performing “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” the Simon & Garfunkel song, in a special fund raising performance during the Gra [...]

Mary J Blige Eyes World Tour Starting in February : January 19, 2010

On Tuesday Mary J. Blige, the R&B star, announced she is planning a major tour for Europe, Japan and the United States. The outing will kick off in Poughkeepsie, NY [...]

Erykah Badu, Mary J Blige Join Artists for Resurrected Lilith Fair : December 11, 2009

Lilith Fair, the Sarah McLachlan-led music fest which celebrates femininity through music, is back after a ten-year break from the touring scene. The 18-city road show [...]

Mary J Blige Piles on More Love Soul Tour Dates : August 29, 2008

Several more dates have been added to the upcoming Mary J. Blige “Love Soul Tour.”  The trek will be visiting cities across the US. The tour will launch in North Ch [...]

Jay-Z Pairs with Mary J Blige for 'Heart of the City Tour' : February 20, 2008

“Heart of the City,” the highly anticipated tour starring Mary J Blige and Jay-Z, already has had several shows sell out ahead of the launch in late March.  Addition [...]

Mary J Blige Books Summer Tour Dates to Support Latest Album : June 09, 2006

Mary J. Blige is set to support “The Breakthrough, her latest album from last year, with a tour this summer.  The soul/R&B singer will visit approximately 30 citie [...]

Destiny's Child, Mary J Blige Duke it Out as Soul Train's Lady of Soul : August 04, 2000

On Tuesday Mary J. Blige, Eve and Destiny's Child led the field and picked up three nominations for Soul Train's Lady of Soul Award.  On September 2 in a ceremony held i [...]

mary j blige Biography

The American singer-songwriter, actress and record producer Mary J. Blige was born in New York City on January 11, 1971. She has won numerous awards, including 4 American Music Awards and 10 Grammy Awards. Eight of Blige's albums have been certified multi-platinum. During the early 1990s she combined soul and hip hop and was honored with a World Music Legends Award to recognize her accomplishment.

Blige released “What's the 411?,” her debut, multi-platinum selling album, in 1992. It was also her first top ten Billboard 200 set. She has released seven albums in a row that have debuted at No. 1 or Number 2 on Billboard's 200 chart, with the latest being her 2009 release “Stronger with Each Tear.” Blige has sold, as of 2010, more than 15 million singles and 50 million albums.

Blige has also pursued an acting career. Her acting debut came in 1998 when she portrayed Ola Mae on television's “The Jamie Foxx Show.” In 2001, she starred in “Prison Song” opposite Q-Tip, the rapper, and also made a cameo appearance in “Strong Medicine” on Lifetime. In 2004, Blige appeared in “The Exonerated,” a play on Off-Broadway. Other television guest appearances include “Mean Ghost” (February 2007), “Entourage” (August 2007) , “America's Next Top Model” (October 2007), and “30 Rock” (May 2009). In September 2009, Blige appeared in the film “I Can Do Bad All By Myself.” Blige is also signed on to play Justice Charlier in the film adaption of “Rock of Ages.”