Mary J. Blige Wiki: Net Worth, Singer, & Facts To Know

Almost every adult born in the ‘80s and ‘90s grew up listening to Mary J. Blige. Blige conquered the radio waves especially in the ‘90s and early 2000. She was in almost every hip-hop hit song and Blige’s songs were always among the highest ranking around the world. These days, Mary J. Blige has dedicated herself to acting. They say entertainment is art, and acting is not quite hard for singers and rappers. If an artist can master the lyrics of all the songs, why not a single movie script? That’s what makes singers like Mary J. Blige excel in acting too. Mary J. Blige is a singer, rapper, songwriter, record producer, as well as an actress. The singer was born on January 1971 in The Bronx and was raised in Yonkers. Blige has three siblings. Her father Thomas Blige was a jazz artist while Blige’s mother, Cora Blige, was a nurse. Blige’s father was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, as he was a Vietnam War veteran, and he ended leaving them in the mid-‘70s. Blige and her siblings were left in the hands of their alcoholic mother. Blige didn’t even finish high school. Blige had to support her family and she pursued a music career. The singer spent some time with a band named ‘Pride’ which was managed by drummer Eddie D’Aprile. Mary J. Blige made an impromptu cover of “Caught Up in the Rapture” by Anita Baker. The singer’s mother was dating at the time and her boyfriend took Blige’s cassette to Uptown Records. After Andre Harrell heard the record, he met Blige and signed her to the label as a vocalist and, just like that, Blige became the first female artist to join the company. As they say, the rest is just history for Blige.

After a while, Mary J. Blige was allowed to record her songs and on July 1992, she released her debut studio album titled “What’s the 411?” Some of the greatest hits from the album are “You Remind Me” and “Real Love.” The album was at number six on the Billboard and top of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. “What’s the 411?” sold over 3.4 million copies in the US and got certified triple platinum by the RIAA. The album received favorable reviews from critics. People noted Blige’s soulful and strong voice. The singer received praises for the way she combined hip-hop and soul music and made something so beautiful out of it. Blige also won the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul” title. Critics describe “What’s the 411?” as one of the best albums that were released in the 1990s. The album sales boosted her net worth.

“My Life” was Blige’s second studio album and, according to the singer and rapper, the album was about the topics affecting her. Blige was battling with alcohol and drugs, dealing with clinical depression and she was in an abusive relationship. “My Life” was released on November 1994, and Blige co-wrote 14 album tracks in the album and made it the most personal album she has. The album reached number seven on Billboard charts and topped again on the Top R&B Hip-Hop Albums chart for over eight weeks. The album was successful just like the first one, and it was certified triple platinum. “My Life” sold over 3 million copies in the US and was nominated for a Grammy Award. Blige’s vocals were admired again and she even did a remix EP.

On November 20, 2017, Mary J. Blige released a single called “Set Me Free” which is the sixth single in her thirteenth album “Strength of a Woman.” The song was not written by Blige alone. The song was described by critics as generally positive, a “fiery kissoff” according to Entertainment Weekly, as “pleasingly understated” by the Guardian and lastly, the New York Times said the song sounded “ecstatic and free.” “Set Me Free” was the Blige’s 22nd top ten hit on the Billboard charts. Moreover, it became the third hit on that album to be top ten. The song was received positively by Blige’s fans. It is one of those songs from Mary Blige that sound old school but sweet. It’s also a song that returns Blige’s fans to the times when she released her first album.

Mary J. Blige stars in the movie “Mudbound.” It’s a period drama film released in 2017 and produced by Dee Rees. “Mudbound” is based on a same-titled novel by Hillary Jordan. Alongside Blige, the movie stars Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, and Garrett Hedlund. The movie tells the story of two World War II veterans one being black while the other one is white, returning to Mississippi to address racism and PTSD in their own different ways. Blige plays the role of Florence Jackson, the wife of Hap Jackson and the mother of Ronsel Jackson. On one particular scene, Florence (Blige) is asked by Laura to stay in her home and be the housekeeper. The film received praises from critics for its superb story and even got nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Blige’s performance was also praised.

Blige has a net worth of $20 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. Blige has had financial problems which have made her lose much of her money. Mariah Carey, who started her career around the same time with Blige and their songs were head-to-head on the charts, has a net worth of over $500 million. It seems Blige has been making wrong decisions. She has been nominated once for a Golden Globe Award.

Blige’s fans hope that 2018 will be a better year for her. The singer has been through a lot. Blige ex-husband is demanding financial support and the singer owes the IRS $3.4 million. Hopefully, all her woes will end in 2018 and she will have a stable net worth once more.