Mary J. Blige

Bio: 
Mary J. Blige (born Mary Jane Blige on January 11, 1971 in The Bronx, New York) is an American singer, songwriter, model, and actress. Mary and her family moved to Richmond Hill, Georgia, when she was five years old, and spent her early years in the rural setting. She and her mother moved back to Yonkers, where she attended Roosevelt High School. She would drop out and work as a stylist. In 1988, Mary recorded a version of Anita Baker’s “Caught Up in the Rapture” at a kiosk in a mall. Her mother’s boyfriend played the tape to an A&R rep, which led to her getting signed to Uptown Records in 1989. From there, a legendary career was born. Mary’s debut, 1992’s What’s The 411?, signaled a new era in R&B. Her single, “You Remind Me,” was a number one hit. Her second album, My Life, is considered one of the Greatest Albums of all time. She also topped the charts with her collaboration with Method Man on the song, “All I Need.” Since her debut, Mary has been nominated for a record-setting 30 Grammy awards, and she has won nine. She is one of few entertainers to have eight or more albums reach multi-platinum status. She made her acting debut in 1998, appearing on The Jamie Foxx Show. She has also acted in movies like Prison Song, on shows like Empire and in plays like The Exonerated. In 2015, she was cast as Evillene in NBC’s The Wiz Live!

Best Known For: 
Mary J. Blige is best known as a singer, with hit songs like “Real Love,” “Not Gon’ Cry,” “Family Affair,” and “All I Need.”

Personal Life: 
Mary married Kendu Isaacs in 2003, and credited him for helping her clean up her act and overcome her addiction to drugs and alcohol. She filed for divorce from Kendu 12 years later in July 2016. Mary is a fan of classic rock group, Led Zeppelin and performed their hit, “Stairway To Heaven,” on an episode of Oprah.