By shelz.

Mary J Blige said plenty of things that we just weren’t equipped to say.  She expressed the pit of our despair so thoroughly all we could do was cry and nod our heads. She pointed out the light at the end of the tunnel in a way so convincing, the clouds covering that pit parted, just because Mary said they would. She was our friend, our sister, our spokesperson.  Mary has been holding us down for decades.

It wasn’t just the other sista girls who were taking notice.  Mary’s passion crossed racial and genre borders early in her career and she hasn’t looked back since.  Everyone from Bono to Method Man to Andrea Bocceli has noted their love for the songstress and they have all worked with her.  Through it all, the around the way aesthetic was there, regardless of her collaborator.  She didn’t bow to industry pigeon holing or 180 the steez because she found herself in mixed company.  That’s one of the many reasons we love her, because regardless of where Mary was, we always saw ourselves in her.

So in celebration of Mary’s big 4-0 today, I have a few of my favorite MJB collaborations.  Not because Mary without the R&B bent is better, but because she took R&B and made other genres better.  We love you girl.  Happy Birthday.

Elton John and Mary J Blige – “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues”

[pro-player width=’450′ height=’350′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c7xn3zG0iA[/pro-player]

Ghostface And Mary J Blige – “All That I Got Is You”

[pro-player width=’450′ height=’350′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDFIFfsqWIs[/pro-player]

U2 and Mary J Blige – “One”

[pro-player width=’450′ height=’350′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpDQJnI4OhU[/pro-player]

Wyclef Jean and Mary J Blige – “911”

[pro-player width=’450′ height=’350′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiNRIR8tjFc&feature=related[/pro-player]

George Michael and Mary J Blige – “As”

[pro-player width=’450′ height=’350′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlAPXzfYZE8[/pro-player]

Andrea Bocelli and Mary J Blige – “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

[pro-player width=’450′ height=’350′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoYyQUfIWxc&feature=related[/pro-player]

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