Search - Mary J Blige :: No More Drama

Drama No More

rmcrae | Houston, Texas | 08/15/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If anyone deserves to be happy, it's Mary J. Blige. The road to becoming the undisputed Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has had many pitfalls with drug abuse, alcoholism, abusive relationships, and self-hatred. Mary's been open about all of it since day one and the suffocating depression surrounding My Life was the real deal. After kicking drugs and her ex K-Ci Hailey to the curb, MJB turned her life around and set off on a quest for serenity.



You would think the same fans who stood with her during her dark days would be thrilled for her when things started looking up, but not everybody did. Some people complained that Mary's music was better when she was depressed and close to ending her own life. It's true that pain is universal, but it's incredibly hurtful and selfish to wish someone would revert back to the painful moments in their life just so you can relate to them. Good for Mary that she left the critics in the dust and continued her journey toward self-peace.



The piano-driven title track with the classic Young & the Restless sample finds her finally purging her demons for good and declaring "Only God knows where the story ends for me/But I know where the story begins/It's up to us to choose/Whether we win or lose/And I choose to win!" The P. Diddy assisted Bad Boy Remix is more celebratory and less emotional than the original. Mary threatens to brush off a no good guy with the explosive opener Love and even raps a bit. I'd like to hear an entire record of her alter ego Brook-Lynn someday. Family Affair is the famous single that's not your humdrum, run of the mill club track. The diva encourages everyone to "leave your situations at the door" and "get crunk cuz Mary's back." "Hataration" and "hollaration" became popular words because of the song.



Despite her man thinking he can cheat and pull the wool over her eyes, Mary already knows the truth on the soulful He Think I Don't Know. "And the thing that blows my mind/Is that he walks around like it's fine", she scoffs to herself. Excellent storytelling in the vein of past songs like Seven Days and Your Child. The blues soaked PMS is pretty self-explanatory. You know those days when you're so sick of it all? You don't care what other people have to say, you don't feel like putting on a fake smile, and you're pissed because your clothes don't fit? Mother Nature's got her monthly gift wrapped up in a bow just for you and you've got an attitude and couldn't care less about anything. Can I get an amen, ladies? Great guitar work from Lenny Kravitz.



Steal Away is a hypnotic anthem to skipping work and gettin' busy with a lover while the whimsical Flying Away calls for a romantic adventure to a place "where the sun is wet and the rainbows fly." So dreamy you'll keep hitting the repeat button. Missy Elliott comes aboard for the retro sounding Never Been and the gorgeous slow jam 2U features some beautiful vocal layering.



I've never cared for the scratchy voiced Ja Rule (whatever happened to him?), but he works well with Mary J. on Rainy Dayz. With clever references to TLC's hit Waterfalls, the song calls for a lover to "smile for me" until the rain (tough times) stops falling. "In the words of Marvin Gaye/War is not the answer!" Speak the truth, girl! The autobiographical Where I've Been tells the story of Blige's struggles with a great rap from Eve and she thanks the Lord for her blessings on the electronic groover Beautiful Day. The heartfelt poem Never No More and Stevie Wonder sounding In The Meantime share more of Mary's experiences, but the closer Testimony puts all of the past negativity to rest. "This is my story/This is my song/This is the day I celebrate/My trouble's are gone!"



For the people who want the "old Mary" back, realize that nothing good will ever come out of wallowing in self-pity and negativity. It's great to find a voice to relate to during the painful times, but know that that same voice has found her way to happiness and she's more than happy (how many times have I used that word?) to bring you along for the ride. Always keep your head up in the struggle, MJB."