El hip hop es un género musical que incluye golpes rítmicos que acompañan a una voz principal que rapea. Este es un género musical muy popular y uno de los principales componentes de lo que es considerado como la cultura hip hop. Muchos espectáculos instrumentales en los que se presentan DJs sin apoyo vocal, también son abarcados bajo el género de la música hip hop. Esto se ha vuelto más popular dado que las técnicas de mezclado y sampleo (o muestreo) han madurado en los últimos años.
Nació en Nueva York y pasó parte de su infancia en Savannah, para en su juventud volver a Yonkers en su ciudad natal. Cuando vivía en White Plains (Nueva York) se grabó en un karaoke cantando el tema de Anita Baker "Caught Up in the Rapture". La grabación resultante fue enviada a Andre Harrel, gerente de Uptown Records, por el padrastro de Mary. Harrel se quedó impresionado por su voz y la contrató para que hiciera los coros a Father MC.
En 1991, Sean "Puffy" Combs; cantante y productor; comenzó a trabajar con ella su álbum debut. Mary J. Blige y su inconfundible estilo vocal crearon un disco que bailaba entre el R&B y el rap; "What's the 411?". El álbum tuvo cierta repercusión dentro del panorama musical, a excepción de los singles "Real love", "Sweet love" y "Reminisce". En 1994 y de nuevo con la ayuda en la producción de Sean "Puffy" Combs editó "My life". Este era un álbum mucho más personal y en el que fluían sus raíces urban, contenía temas como "You bring me joy" o "Be happy". Su disco "Share my world" en 1997 marcó el inicio de su etapa creativa junto a Jimmy Jam y Terry Lewis. El álbum fue un verdadero hit y debutó como número uno en la lista Billboard. Sus singles fueron:"I Can Love You" presentando a la rapera Lil' Kim. , "Get to Know You Better", "Love Is All We Need" y "Keep Your Head".
Lord knows, it just ain't fair
Give me some volume, give me some volume
You know, when hear the word queen
You automatically think of a woman getting everything she wants
But it's not like that at all (at all, at all)
See, being a ruler means sacrifice (sacrifice, sacrifice)
Most the time, you get less than what you give (what you give)
So every woman and mother in the world is a queen
Because she sacrificed so much (so much, so much, so much)
Gets so lonely sometimes
Times I gotta clear my mind
Can't stop walking on water
Feels like I'm dealing at the altar
Gets so heavy sometimes
Carrying this weight of mine
Looks like the seas are partin'
So I might as well start walkin'
Oh, Lord, Lord, Lord
They just don't know, know, know
How hard I had to go, go, go
To get through, to get through
They just don't know, know, know, know
Know, know, know
How many times I lost (how many times I lost)
Just so I could win (ooh, yeah)
They just don't know, know, know, know
Oh no, no
How many times I've died (how many times I've died)
Just to live again, oh, yeah
When life is coming at me quick, I had to tuck in my emotions
I know he watchin', God, I made it look good, I was chosen
Gone through hell to get to heaven, build a bridge and get over
My snap-back's real, still thick in these jeans
I ain't missing no meals
Oh, Lord, Lord, Lord
They just don't know, know, know
How hard I had to go, go, go
To get through, to get through
They just don't know, know, know, know (know, know, know)
Know, know, know
How many times I've lost (how many times I've lost)
Just so I could win (ooh yeah)
They just don't know, know, know, know
Oh no, no
How many times I've died (no, they just don't know)
Just to live again, oh, yeah
They just don't know, know, know, know (know, know, know)
Know, know, know
How many times I've lost (how many times I've lost)
Just so I could win (ooh yeah)
They just don't know, know, know, know
Oh no, no
How many times I've died (no, they just don't know)
Just to live again, yeah