TopDawg14 Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 (edited) Mary J. Blige has been a fixture in R&B for nearly 15 years. Dubbed at age 19 as the "Queen Of Hip-Hop/Soul" Mary J. has blessed us with some of the best R&B music in recent memory. While she worked mostly with P. Diddy on her early work, she won over new fans with 1997's Share My World and 1999's Mary with a more mature sound. Sadly, Mary regressed with 2003's Love & Life. Ironically, she reunited with P. Diddy to release her weakest album and had many people wondering if she was on the way down. Fear not, Mary fans. She's back and has regained her mature sound that she blessed us with in '99. The Breakthrough is Mary's most complete album since 1994's My Life. It's also ironic that 1994's My Life, hailed by many as a classic album, was when Mary was at rock bottom personally. Here on The Breakthrough Mary has come full circle and it shows. Many have heard the blazing-hot single, Be Without You. I will contend that it may be just the 5th or 6th best single on the album. The stand-out tracks are No One Will Do, Enough Crying, About You(feat. Nina Simone & The Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am), Take Me As I Am, Can't Hide From Love(feat. Jay-Z), Can't Get Enough, I Found My Everything and So Lady, both featuring Tony! Toni! Tone! frontman Raphael Saadiq. The only slipup I could find is MJB Da MVP. It's not the song itself but it's the fact that she samples The Game's Hate It Or Love It chorus(and the fact that 50 Cent sings the chorus on Hate It...). All in all, it is a nearly flawless album from the Queen and I'll go on record saying it's the best R&B album of 2005- period. Grade: 5 out 5 stars Edited December 23, 2005 by TopDawg14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerkot Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 I know it was gonna get a high grade... because everytime someone reviews something on this forum, its gonna get a high grade :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfuqua23 Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 You never know that Jonny. Maybe somebody bought an album that they regret. Perhaps we just know how to make smart decisions in our taste in music. I wouldn't doubt Dawg's review at all. I know I'm gonna hear this cd by one of my friends because he is Mary J. Blige crazy. I definately wanna hear the ones with Raphael Saadiq. "Be Without You", I swear it's sounds like something I've heard before. Is there a sample or interpolation of any kind, or anything like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpinJack AJ Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 I think her new album is dope...but i can't agree that Love & Life waz a weak album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Hero1 Posted December 23, 2005 Admin Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 whats andre and vidal(ex-a touch of jazzers) production on the album like? who is jill scott/willennium quality? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turntable Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 (edited) I only like half of the Album. I think there are to many overprdouced Tracks on it. The best R&b Album this year`s 112-Pleasure and Pain, I would say. Edited December 23, 2005 by Turntable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny 5 Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 You never know that Jonny... Come on fuq. don't confuse me with Lerkot! :paperbag: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnazz Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 It is a great album, much better than Love and Life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfuqua23 Posted December 24, 2005 Report Share Posted December 24, 2005 You never know that Jonny... Come on fuq. don't confuse me with Lerkot! :paperbag: Whoa! I can't believe I really did that. This time I really did do it. It's something about those names and the ages and I don't know. :hmm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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