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Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige

American singer
Dubbed the queen of hip-hop soul, with a multi-platinum career ever since her early-'90s debut.
BornJanuary 11, 1971
HometownNew York City, New York, United States
Net worth$20 million
Height5'9" (1.75m)
SpouseKendu Isaacs
ParentsThomas Blige, Cora Blige
Profile

Photos

Credit: Getty Images, Rotten Tomatoes, Gracenote Media Services

Videos

Mary J. Blige Says She’s ‘Tired’ — But Not Ready to Retire Just Yet: I’m ‘Working Hard’ Till Then

Mary J. Blige has achieved a lot in her decades-long career, but she’s not interested in retiring anytime soon. “I've done pretty much everything that I want to do,” Blige, 53, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of cutting the ribbon at New York City’s Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop. “The boxes have been checked.” Blige went on to say that she might be ready to hang it up in “a couple of years,” but she’s still enjoying herself at the moment. “Sometimes I get fatigued, you know what I'm saying? I'm tired,” the R&B icon said with a laugh. “I've been doing this for 30-something years. So, in a little while, it'll be time. … [But I’ll be] working hard until then.” Mary J. Blige John Nacion/Getty Images But whenever she finally does retire, Blige has some ideas about how she’d like to spend her golden years. “Retirement looks like traveling the world,” she explained. “Going to places I've never been before. Relaxing. Being on yachts and in homes and just enjoying the fruits of my labor.” Blige’s second album, My Life, will turn 30 in November, and she’s already celebrating — the LP is one of her favorites. A Look Back at the Best Billboard Music Awards Looks From the ‘90s to Now “That’s my baby,” she told Us. “Because it shows the difference between where I was and where I am. I was in such a dark state of mind. And life was not something that I wanted to live. When I had to make a choice and when I made the choice to love myself, those are two different dynamics. … I didn't want to live, now I want to live. So I had to make the choice to choose myself and my fans and live. That's what turned it all around. It was pivotal.” After so many decades in the entertainment industry, Blige said she stays grounded in part thanks to her “spiritual life” — and thanks to her fans. Mary J. Blige’s Best Knee-High Boots of All Time: From White Hot Leather to Black Snakeskin  “This has not all happened because of you,” the Grammy winner explained to Us. “This is blood, sweat and tears. This is your family. This is people helping you. There's no ‘I’ in team, there's no ‘I’ in any of this. And that's how I stay grounded, knowing that I need help.” She also knows how to enjoy the little luxuries, which is why opening Ghirardelli’s new NYC store made perfect sense. “I love chocolate, period, but Ghirardelli is one of my favorites,” said Blige, noting that her go-to order is a caramel sundae. “I'll be back and I'll be back and I'll be back.” For more with Blige, watch the video above and pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands now. With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
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MOVIES & TV SHOWS

Body Cam
Body Cam
R
1h 37min
2020
The Violent Heart
The Violent Heart
1h 47min
2020
Betty & Coretta
Betty & Coretta
1h 30min
2013
Prison Song
Prison Song
R
1h 40min
2001
Rob Peace
Rob Peace
R
2h
2024
Lost Ollie
Lost Ollie
0h 45min
2022
Mary J Blige's My Life
Mary J Blige's My Life
R
1h 22min
2021
Power Book II: Ghost
Power Book II: Ghost
1h
2020
Mudbound
Mudbound
R
2h 14min
2017

Albums

Bridge Over Troubled Water
Bridge Over Troubled Water
2010
Live from the House of Blues
Live from the House of Blues
2004
Maximum Mary J. Blige: The Unauthorised Biography of Mary J. Blige
Maximum Mary J. Blige: The Unauthorised Biography of Mary J. Blige
2004
I Can Love You
I Can Love You
1997
Mary Jane (All Night Long)
Mary Jane (All Night Long)
1995
Be Happy
Be Happy
1994
Real Love
Real Love
1992
Love No Limit
Love No Limit
1992
Rent Money
Rent Money
2022
Good Morning Gorgeous
Good Morning Gorgeous
2021
Amazing
Amazing
2021
Hourglass [From the Amazon Original Documentary: Mary J. Blige's My Life]
Hourglass [From the Amazon Original Documentary: Mary J. Blige's My Life]
2021
See What You've Done [From the Film Belly of the Beast]
See What You've Done [From the Film Belly of the Beast]
2020
HERstory, Vol. 1
HERstory, Vol. 1
2019
I Love You
I Love You
2019
Know
Know
2019
Thriving
Thriving
2019
Only Love
Only Love
2018
Strength of a Woman
Strength of a Woman
2017
Love Yourself
Love Yourself
2017
U + Me (Love Lesson)
U + Me (Love Lesson)
2017
Thick of It
Thick of It
2016
World's Gone Crazy
World's Gone Crazy
2016
London Sessions
London Sessions
2014

AWARDS

YearAssociationsCategoryWorkResult
2018Academy AwardActress in a Supporting RoleMudbound (film)Nominated
2018Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureMudbound (film)Nominated
2018Screen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting RoleMudbound (film)Nominated
2018Golden GlobeBest Performance By an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion PictureMudbound (film)Nominated
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