My Life is, from beginning to end, a brilliant, wistful individual plea of desire. The hip-hop part of the combination takes a few steps into the background, allowing Blige's tortured soul to carry the album completely, and it does so with heartwrenching authority. But it is some of the finest modern soul of the '90s, backing away to a certain extent from the hip-hop/soul consolidation that Blige introduced on her debut album. This certainly isn't your parents' (or grandparents') soul. The melodic sources this time around, though, are so expertly incorporated into the music that they never seem to be intrusions, instead playing like inspired dialogues with soulsters from the past, connecting past legacies with a new one.
The production is not exactly original, and there is evidence here of him borrowing wholesale from other songs. For those who want to relive Blige’s embattled masterpiece, now’s the chance to rediscover My Life in two vinyl formats, sourced from the original masters.Perhaps the single finest moment in Sean "Puffy" Combs' musical career has been the production on this, Mary J. Over the course of her career, Blige became a symbol of female empowerment and perseverance, but on My Life, she lay her soul bare to brilliant ends. Last December, Amazon Studios announced that an as-yet-untitled Blige documentary is in production, helmed by Sean “Diddy” Combs. She would go on release 11 more studio albums, start her own film production company and earn an Oscar nomination. With My Life, Blige established herself an unrivaled voice in R&B. With Blige taking the songwriting reins, My Life remains her most revelatory and creatively vital work to date.Įarning an award for Top R&B Album at the 1995 Billboard Music Awards, as well as a Grammy nomination for Best R&B album in 1996, My Life stands alone as an unflinching document of Blige as she struggled to see light in the darkness. She completely owns Rose Royce’s 1976 soul classic “I’m Going Down,” and her promise of happiness amid the drama still rings true on the exuberant “You Bring Me Joy.” Blige - (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman 3:01Įven 25 years later, Blige’s bristling delivery on My Life still sounds raw. Blige - Be Happy (Bad Boy Butter Remix) 4:44ģ9. Blige - Mary Jane (All Night Long) (Remix) (Feat. Blige - Mary's Joint (Commentary) 1:27Ģ7. Blige - My Life Interlude (Commentary) 1:06Ģ2. Blige - I'm Goin' Down (Commentary) 1:29Ģ1. Blige - I Never Wanna Live Without You 6:14ġ9. Blige - I Never Wanna Live Without You (Commentary) 1:12ġ8. Blige - You Gotta Believe (Commentary) 1:02ġ6. Blige - I'm The Only Woman (Commentary) 2:13ġ0. Blige - Marvin Interlude (Commentary) 0:54Ġ8. Blige - You Bring Me Joy (Commentary) 1:26Ġ6. Blige - Mary Jane (All Night Long) 4:37Ġ5. Blige - Mary Jane (All Night Long) (Commentary) 1:14Ġ4. Style: New Jack Swing, Rhythm & Blues, Gospel, Hip Hop, Neo Soul, Funk, Discoįormat: 2 × CD, Album, Deluxe Edition, 25th Anniversary EditionĠ1. Title: My Life (Deluxe & Commentary Edition)
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