1999 Rewind: Remembering Mary J. Blige’s Mary

Are y’all ready to party like it’s 1999? We all love the 90s here at Soul In Stereo, so it’s only right to revisit albums that are marking 25 years in 2024. 1999 Rewind looks back at all your old faves and see how well they hold up.

After three game-changing LPs, Mary J. Blige moved away from her hip-hop roots for a more vintage R&B route with Mary. Though it was a big risk, its legacy remains very strong today. Kaara Bee stops by from the Soul In Stereo Cypher to talk about that legacy – the curious reaction to this album in 1999, and its storied history today.

What were your initial thoughts on Mary when you first heard it?

Kaara: When I first heard “All That I Can Say” on the radio, I was really taken by how dreamy it sounded. Having it open the album set the tone that this would be something different aurally. I really liked the first half of Mary because besides “Sexy,” it didn’t sound like what we were used to from Mary J. Blige before. “Deep Inside” was an early, head-bobbing favorite. It dragged toward the middle for me (“Not Lookin” was/is my least favorite song as it didn’t seem to fit the vibe of the album). I loved “Let No Man Put Asunder” as the closing song. After “It’s not over” echoed on the last track, I was like, don’t let it be over! This could be one of the reasons I think of this as the “happy Mary” album even though there are quite a few sad/heartbreak songs. 

Edd: In 1999, I was a massive Mary J. Blige fan – as were most R&B fans in this era. By that point, Mary’s previous album – 1997’s Share My World – was one of my favorite LPs ever, and that fact still stands. Her track “A Dream” from the Money Talks soundtrack got frequent radio play in my era and I loved it. And as Kaara said, I appreciated the dreamy feel of this album’s lead single “All That I Can Say.” But when I copped the Mary album on release day, I can’t say that I loved it initially. Kaara’s right – this wasn’t the MJB we knew, the woman who laced every project with hip-hop bangers and attitude. Mary opted for a more vintage approach and it took a minute for me to digest it. Once I got over the initial shock, I appreciated the project more with each listen. Even relistening to it for this post reminded me just how special it is.

And side note – I think this album cover, prominently featuring Mary’s trademark scar, is one of the best covers of the era. So subtle yet so powerful.

Talk about your pick for best song!

Kaara: “The Love I Never Had” 

You know sometimes/There come a time in your life when
You love something, you have to let it go/
And even though you might feel there’s still something there/
You have to wake up/ Stop living in a dream ’cause it’s over now
You gotta think about you

This song was love at first listen, from the spoken intro paired with mournful crooning. I love how Mary builds up to really belting out the hook at the end, almost tracking with the slow realization that she has to wake up from pining after someone not for her. It shows her at her most dynamic on the album: The musical drama. The emoting. The jam session. This song has captivated me since that first play and whenever I hear it, it’s not long before I’m singing along, then pressing repeat. 

Edd: “Your Child”

There’s a lot of stuff that annoys me about Internet culture – and I mean, A LOT – but one thing that’s very cool is finding dozens and dozens of fellow fans who are obsessed with the same songs as you. Back in the 99/2000, all my friends were in love with tracks like “Sexy” and “Deep Inside.” But this playa was all about “Your Child,” an episode of Maury come to life. Mary’s morose delivery and the soap opera-style storytelling makes it a fan-favorite today but it wasn’t until Twitter that I realized that fact. If I tweet “And how could I argue with her” right now, I’d get five immediate responses that will say “HOLDING A BABY WITH EYES LIKE YOURS.” Classic Mary.

What’s the best video from this project?

Kaara: “Your Child”

There weren’t a lot of solid offerings for the singles (well, in terms of plots, lol). Production value was great and Mary’s looks are on point: Hair, body, outfits. But I chose “Your Child” because there is the semblance of a narrative, albeit an incomplete one. And, there’s a cameo from Leon! I mean, ain’t nobody comin’ to see Otis, but we’re here for Leon, even if he was two-timing with MJB’s doppelganger (btw, the multiple Marys seemed to be a thing with her videos at the time). 

Edd: “Your Child”

Kaara’s right, the visuals for this project weren’t nearly as memorable as the ones that came before it. “All That I Can Say” was bright and shiny but the CGI sure doesn’t age well. “Deep Inside” told a decent story with overwhelmed superstar Mary vs lonely alley-wandering Mary, but ehhh. The only one that stands out in my brain 25 years later is “Your Child,” with every girl’s 90s crush Leon  and the debut of MULTIVERSE MARY. Or maybe this was the origin of Brook Lynn?

Which song should have been a single?

Kaara: “Don’t Waste Your Time”

This was a hard one because there are my personal favorites (“The Love I Never Had”) and what I think would’ve been marketable (“Sexy”). But I think this would’ve been an interesting pick for a single. It’s a nice pairing of new- and old-school R&B and the two women sing well together.  Also, “A Rose is Still a Rose” was big for Aretha a year before and this could’ve gone along in that vein.  

Bonus “no one asked, but here it is” pick: “I’m in Love.” I love the way Mary J. Blige does covers. She has a way of making it sound like her own but also being very faithful to the original. I didn’t know until very recently that “I’m in Love” was a cover of a Gap Band song, even though it’s been one of my favorites on this album. Listening to the OG version, I give Charlie Wilson the edge because there’s a warmth to his voice that ups the sensuality of the song BUT it still stands out on Mary’s album and would be my alternate pick for a single. I could just hear it being played during the Quiet Storm programming.

Edd: “Sexy”

The REAL answer here should be “Sincerity” with Nas and DMX, which got radio play and I believe was added as a bonus track to later pressings but was not part of the initial album tracklist. Dummies like me who copped the album on day one were out of luck. But let’s not count that – instead, I’m surprised we didn’t get a stronger push for “Sexy.” It’s one of the few records that felt like a modern spin on her hip-hop roots, and I could see it getting decent radio play. Obviously, Mary didn’t want to go back to that well so soon, but I think it would have been a nice addition to urban playlists.

What’s the most underrated song on the project?

Kaara: “Don’t Waste Your Time”

As you can see from my response to the single question, in relistening to this song, I feel like it’s a solid duet that was overlooked. 

Edd: “No Happy Holidays”

I used to get “No Happy Holidays” and “Memories” mixed up in my brain back in 1999 – they’re basically the same song, with MJB being miserable during the holidays because her man is trash. But “No Happy Holidays” is by far the superior track, filled with quotables: “Makes me wonder where your time was spentOHOHOHOHOHHHHHHHHHHHHH.” Y’all would have meme’d this song to death if social media existed back then.

Which song showcased the best vocal performance?

Kaara: “The Love I Never Had”

I know people love to rag on Mary’s singing; I’m not one of them. I think she sounds particularly strong on the songs on the last half of the album. This song is my pick because she sings with emotion, but it’s controlled and packs power when it needs to. Also, it’s fun hearing her vibing with the band.

Edd: “The Love I Never Had”

I’ll say this about Mary’s vocals – she’s improved greatly over the years, and a lot of that turnaround began on this project. My initial pick was “Don’t Waste Your Time,” but I realized that the presence of Aretha might be causing me to grade on a curve. Instead, I’ll agree with Kaara and go with “The Love I Never Had,” due to the emotion she conveys.

Mary was a big departure from Blige’s sound at the time. There was no Internet to rant on, but what was the reaction to this project among your peers?

Kaara: I remember it being positively received but it didn’t seem to blow up like her previous albums. I think because it wasn’t so “hip hop Mary.” I personally really enjoyed the jazzy elements and the instrumentation on the album cuts.  

Edd: Agreed, I don’t remember a lot of fans complaining about this album, but it certainly didn’t have the buzz of the previous projects. Trust me, when MJB dropped in the 90s, it was an EVENT. The response in my circle went from initial excitement to just “it’s cool.” Again, I think that’s just the result of the shift in direction. Mary was asking her fans to mature with her and in hindsight we appreciate that move more now than then.

Let’s talk about legacy – 25 years later, what impact has this album made on R&B?

Kaara: I don’t think the album had a wide impact on R&B. But I think for Mary as an artist, the album’s legacy is showcasing her versatility. It showed that she was able to adapt to different sounds and not be restricted by the New Jack Swing/hip hop sounds that defined her rise. It was refreshing to hear her authentic, soulful voice paired with different melodies and instruments, and working with artists like Elton John, Eric Clapton and Diane Warren.

Edd: This album proved that Mary could do what so many of her peers have failed at over the years – she showed he could evolve. MJB has spoken at length about how this album was a major risk at the time. Labels want to go with tried-and-true money making sounds; evolution is unpredictable, and that can mess up their bottom line. While I won’t say that Mary caused a drastic shift in R&B production, it did give her more credibility as an artist and was a blueprint for other acts who were looking to branch out. The lesson is clear – risks can pay off.

Is Mary her best album?

Kaara: No, I really think My Life has that locked up. But Mary is definitely in her top four. It’s a solid album, with strong vocal performances and it showed that Mary could hold it down as Queen of Hip-Hop Soul while stepping outside of the style she was known for. 

Edd: Yep, Kaara’s on point once again. My Life is the definitive Mary album, and one of the greatest albums of all time. I’d move Mary to top five instead of four (I think her original trilogy and 2005’s The Breakthrough top it) but that’s not a knock on its quality – if many of her peers dropped the same album, it would easily be No. 1 on their scorecard. Mary may not be MJB’s best project, but it’s for sure her most daring, and helped cement her status as queen of hip-hop/soul.

Are you Team Kaara or Team Edd? Let us know who got it right and share your MJB stories below.