Mary J. Blige

New York native Mary J. Blige was one of the first female artists to successfully merge classic soul sounds with modern day hip-hop, resulting in a string of hit singles and albums in the 1990s and early 2000s. Hugely influential--reflected particularly in the music of Monica, Brandy, Kelly Price, and Faith Evans--Blige's seventh studio album, THE BREAKTHROUGH, topped the US Charts, selling almost a million copies in it's first week. Her impact was confirmed when Blige was nominated for eight Grammy Awards in 2006, winning three.

• pop
• r&b/soul
• hip hop/rap