“Grown Woman” – Mary J. Blige’s Growing Pains
GENERAL By TSSCrew on December 19, 2007 at 11:53 amWords By Jada G.
I popped three cassette tapes as a kid: Ready To Die, Janet, and What’s the 411? Mary’ J. Blige’s debut was the soundtrack of summer camp in 1992. “You/you remind me of a love that I once knew/ Is it a dream or is it déjà vu?” Of course, I was only ten at the time without the slightest clue about love, but I nodded along to the insatiable sounds of 90s hip hop/r&b, singing along to Mary’s lyrics with an all-knowing expression beyond my years that read “Sing, Mary, sing.” Her sound is fueled by the pain etched in her voice. But as she overcame her battles, the hip hop swagger I loved seemed to be replaced by a demure presence with crossover appeal. Alas, “What’s the 411? Mary” and “No More Drama Mary” find a medium on Growing Pains, and the result is…well…happy.
The album opens with “Work That,” a three minute self-love message you can dance to: “I just wanna be myself. No sweat girl, be yourself. Follow me, follow me.” Ludacris accompanies the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul on “Grown Woman,” with a tinge of funk that calls to mind the Godfather of Soul. “I wear them 7 jeans, but honey they don’t wear me. I keep it covered up, cause I’m a lady.” The perky “Just Fine” has already burst onto the airwaves and provides just enough pep for the treadmill.
Sugary sweet is indulging, but the rush is fleeting without substance. Mary strikes the balance between joy and pain effortlessly. She’s in love, and isn’t afraid to “Feel Like A Woman:” “On your way home from work, buy me something/ It’s just a part of me I’m trying to get you used to.” But she lets us know love is not just a bed of “Roses.” “It ain’t candy. This love stuff is demanding.” Mary steps out of the track to tell her man she will not stay in her place, and steps right back in to bring the blues to a dark heavy drum beat. Mary’s voice soars on the goosebump-inducing “Fade Away.” “Sometimes I wish that I could stand here and fade away, so that no one could see the tears running down my face.” It’s almost impossible not to relate to the strength built on past sadness. The gorgeous Neyo-penned ballad “Work in Progress,” provides a sweet melody so therapeutic for Mary to bare her soul. The Coldplay-inspired “Smoke,” offers Mary another point of self-reflection: “Give me something to spark the flame, take the pain away. I could feel the heat on my face.” The beat falls like raindrops; the result is refreshing.
Since What’s the 411? Mary has evolved into a woman who isn’t afraid to admit that she’s going through Growing Pains. Above all, Mary’s real, and that rare yet endearing quality appeals to all audiences. She’s respected from the block to the boardroom. Mary J. Blige has turned scars of the past into beauty marks. And for that reason, the ten year old me can again nod along to her beat.
“Just Fine” Audio Stream (Produced by “Tricky” Stewart and Jazze Pha)
Growing Pains Production Credits
MJB Growing Pains (Bonus Tracks)
Mary J. Blige – Hello (It’s Me)
Mary J. Blige – Mirror ft. Eve
Mary J. Blige – Nowhere Fast ft. Brook Lynn
Video Clips…
Behind the Scenes of “Just Fine”
Mary Talks About the Meaning Behind “Growing Pains
For more info, visit www.mjblige.com and www.myspace.com/maryjblige.
Posted in GENERAL, LOOSIES, REVIEWS, VIDEO
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24 Comments
HIDDEN BEACH UNWRAPPED VOLUME 1-3 ANY ONE GOT THAT?
HOLLER BACK.
oh yeah, ….FIRST.
mary J blige is at a wierd point in her career shes still competeing with the beyonces and mariahas and alicia keys but shes old enough to the point where shes out grown that style…but she knows that adult contemporaryaint where the papers at so she sticks with what she knows…Im not trying to her mary on some elevtor music beats nither but this is just my take on it.
Ok, I give up. I’ve been a DMX fan since “Born Loser”. My older brother grew up with The LOX, and used to bring home mixtapes back when they were the Warlocks. He was plugged into Ruff Ryders since the beginning. He’s the weird voice on the “Mickey” skit on “It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot”. I was sitting in on sessions at PowerHouse when Swizz was still in the back room & Grease & PK were the main producers for the camp. Even after seeing the YouTube clips of X looking high as a kite, I still thought He could comeback. But signing to Bodog Records is a huge step backwards. I’m finally throwing in the towel…
Good Job Ms Jada, love the reminiscing addition in perfect Mary style.
I loves me some Mary. Listen to the last album. Its not all contemparary R&B. She got some nice ballads on there and classic joints. She’s just appealing to a wide range.
Good job though Jada. Ms Blige always gets perchased.
mary j blige, “911″ feat ?clef !
greumsdamn..!
GREUMSBOSS BITCHES
peace yall!
Mary’s in that nice position where she doesn’t reallllly have to compete w/ her contemporaries. I think her fan base (myself included) rolls w/her regardless.
nice review.
Good Review. Mary aint my favorite, in fact I like her less than most, but I may check this one out.
We….Gon….Make….It, We Gon Make it We Gon Make it
I hate mary!! but this review was definitely interesting… strong work JG
Hating Mary is almost blasphemy. She’s got too many hits under her belt to say that there’s not at least one or two that get you going.
Personally, My Life > most albums put out in the past ____ (however many years you want to wager). So much pain, strife & pleasure…and good music, all in one album.
Mary is one of those artists where the moment you hear her voice you can’t help but to listen. She sings in such a way where you can really feel the emotion and that’s definetely a gift most people don’t have. I kind of fell out of mary for awhile around the time she dropped the “Mary” joint and the “My life” is still my favorite album, but I’m gonna check this one out. Nice review Jada, keep em comin.
I love mary alot, but im sorely dissapointed with this album…… i liked her last album alot better, production doesnt seem so strong, something seemes to be missing unfortunately……………. i hope the next effort will be better………….. im definitely not connecting with this album.
Gotty… you’re right i don’t really “hate” mary… but as much as an icon she is for hiphop, not enough of her music ever caught my ear.
i will confess though, i slept on Whats the 411? and bought My Life instead… and in retrospect “Changes…”, “Real Love” and “I Love You” are all pretty much classics.
but i digress… ill still take alicia over mary any day. :)
Hidden Beach Vol 2 and 3
http://rapidshare.com/files/77790792/HB_V2.rar
http://www.mediafire.com/?3dnomodoo1r
Your on your own for the 1st — Unless you can convince an ex to holla back
RMF
your the fuckin man for this shit.
Nice succinct review. I knew Brook.lyn had to make an appearance too.
@ Mr. Ed – I pretty much agree. I love me some Mary, and I’ve been a fan of hers since What’s the 411, too. But on this album I really was disappointed. I am glad she’s happy and in love and all that, but it just seems like her music is just missing some certain je ne sais quoi…
Dec 19 – Mary’s Growing Pains may debut with 600k, But Not Enough To Top Josh Groban
http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/newsPage.cgi?news06920m01
I think Mary did a great job. It’s a great body of work and yes it is different from “The Breakthough”, but that’s what i love about Mary. It’s not a bunch of singles; rather it’s a complete album and most of the songs connect to each other. She’s never made the same album twice. My ultimate favorite track is “smoke”. I love the duet with Usher. They had a good chemistry on that song. Her and Neyo work well together because all of those songs were so soulful. She steps outside her box again with “come to me”. I’d recommend it to anybody into good music. It’s grown up without being boring and it’s positive music. One. I’ve been a Mary fan since “do for you” by Father MC and she’s always put good music out and she remains consistent and real.
All of those who dont like Mary’s new album are the same people she was talking about. She is in a good place right now,but you all want that same sad mary from my life cd. If you would actually listen to what she is saying im sure you would feel her instead of saying something is missing. Nothing is missing,everything is there. If yall aint wit her now,then yall wasnt with her to begin with. I will always be a fan of mary. She keeps it real unlike some artist these days. She is a grown ass mature woman now and yall would hear that in her if yall wasnt so ignorant.
Mary’s album is a banger. I feel Kc on the fact that growth has to be expected from an artist, as her core fans have, in turn, grown up with her. I’m not screaming on headz, though! lol Either way, I dig most all tracks on the album (except that crap that sounds like The Dream remix!). But, most of all, I feel the album’s honesty. Mary seems to be spilling her soul for listeners, in the same vein of Donny Hathaway, and it almost seems disrespectful (no pun to the duet w/Chaka, who’s “Funk This” is a must have for grown folk) to just write it off. Whether or not you like the music, you’ve got to RESPECT that.
Finally, Belve, you’re the man/woman/person! I didn’t even know there was anything after v2. I’m banging out to “The Way You Move” right now. I love the way they have the cuttin’ and scratchin’ of other Hip Hop classics thrown in on some of the tracks. Real fly. Honestly, I didn’t dig either Biggie, JMJ, or Pac’s tributes. They don’t stay long enough on either tune to let the musicians get open. And “Lose Yourself” was a little too much electro ghee-tar for me to jazz out to it. But damnit if Mike Philly ain’t a murderer on that horn! Whew, love it! Can someone hit me with a late Kwanzaa gift and bless a brother w/the v4 joint? That would be Hidden Beach presents Unwrapped, Vol. 4. Thanks in advance. Happy new to all y’all!
jus give me the link 2 download idiots oh she so good no1 cares ahahaha
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i love mary!!!!i the biggest fan on planet earth!!i love mary.!!!!!!