The Debut of Hip Hop Soul Royalty

  

What's The 411? (1992)

1. Leave a Message

In this humorous intro to the album various people hit up Mary's answering machine and proceed to either praise her or prepare her for video shoots, studio sessions, etc. It's amazing how young Mary sounds (which shouldn't be that amazing since she was just in her early 20s at the time) The messages for the most part are hilarious, Lil Shawn, The CEO of Uptown Records, etc. each having some funny or enlightening to say about Mary's music and why not? As we lead into...

2. "Reminisce"

This almost ethereal sounding street jam that became a single off the album as Mary reminisces about the love that she use to have in her life. I love how she sings this with such a painful roar in her voice, like she is on the borderline of screaming or crying over not having lost but has fond, lust ridden memories about. You can tell Mary is just as eager to rekindle what she had with him in more ways than one! ;) With a sultry R&B production with a hard edge to it, a strong vocal outcry of excellence and lyrics riddle with reliability and vulnerability , "Reminisce" is only a taste of what this genre innovator has yet to bring to the table.

(A-)

3. "Real Love"

The second and biggest hit off the album, "Real Love" as well as its luscious street musical video became an anthem toward the end of the summer of 1992. Sampling Audio Two's 1987 hit "Top Billin'" and written and produced by Cory Rooney and Mark Morales, the song really encapsulates Mary's genre bending style by integrating vintage soul with modern day hip hop. Lyrically, it's Mary's personal declaration of finding a relationship of true, deep substance and not ending up with a man to only "take her heart and run" as she so passionately sings! The hard hitting beat is fun and Mary's vocals bounce off of it like they are both inseparable. One of her first big hits, making the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and her most memorable early releases, "Real Love" is a definitive standout on not only the album, but of her career! :)

(A)

4. "You Remind Me"

The first single off the album, "You Remind Me" is a rather timid song compared to Mary's more confident, in your face approach so far. Not that it's a bad thing, the song has a good melody and Mary kind of sings this with a soft, light touch that gives people an alternative to what they are listening to far but other than that, it's nothing special and rather forgettable to me. I appreciate the continued stunning vocal effort from Mary but it makes me realize why this wasn't a strong first single and why "Real Love" was such and MUCH better introduction to the Queen of Hip Hip Soul.

(D+)

5. "Intro Talk" (Featuring Busta Rhymes)

Fresh from a Tribe Called Quest, a very young and ambitious Busta Rhymes does what he does best: entertains and pleases listeners with his odd, bizarre yet infectious free style. It's not much of a song and it just an interlude that sets up the next track but it's kind of weird, though. Then again having Busta doing a solo interlude on your album seemed to be the "in" thing R&B and Hip Hop in the 90s/early 00s. Either way, on to the next track...

6. "Sweet Thing"

Taking Chaka Khan's "Sweet Thing", Mary takes the soulful classic and adds her own spin on it. I like the almost acoustic soul vibe of them. I haven't heard the original really, but this rendition is very pleasing to the ears and the soul for sure. Mary really sings with a maturity and experience that is shocking and special to hear. I'm sure Chaka was proud of Mary singing her heart out on this one. I know I sure am!

(B+)

7. "Love No Limit"

In this fourth and final single off the album, Mary about the boundless limitations that she has for her lover and how she'd do next to anything for him. When talking about the history of the song, Mary spoke about the song being a departure from the rest of the tone and feel of the album. She sings over a jazz infused R&B beat as she says she grew up with a love for jazz and it's various artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. No matter the inspiration behind the song, "Love No Limit" is a soulful breakthrough of sacrifice and loyalty that is one of the album's best tracks. I simply adore it and it's a shame that the song didn't garner a better chart position on the Hot 100. Darn! :( 

(B+)

8. "I Don't Want To Do Anything" (Featuring K-Chi Hailey)

Teaming up with then boyfriend, K-Chi Hailey of Jodeci, both artists steam up this track with some great chemistry through sultry, sweetly harmonized vocals and an excellent guitar riff at one point. Lyrically? It's easy to tell that both parties would do ANYTHING to satisfy the other. It's a sensual and sexy track that I'm sure a good number of people conceived a child too! Lol I'd be surprised if not a lot of people did between '92 and '93. Another standout from the album and a special treat for those looking to romance their significant other for the night.

(A-)

9. "Slow Down"

Wow!!! A song about taking it "slow" and not "rushing" into love making!! This is more than "Let's Wait Awhile" for the 90s generation, it's a reminder of how far...or should I say how innocent REAL music use to be! With a soft, varied vibrato in her voice, Mary sings over a slow, but sweet beat that feels more than a ballad and more like a mid-tempo groove that encourages listeners to take some time before hitting the sheets. This may be one of my favorite tracks off the album as it has a simply message presented in such a cool and chill way that you can't sway that head side to side.

(B+)

10. "My Love"

In this cool hip hop/R&B track, Mary has no time for a guy who has it bad when he no longer has the love and affection of the Queen! "You stole away my heart" and "Now that my love has gone away" she sings so effortlessly. Yet....I can't help but feel this song is more of a filler than a song that can compete with the likes of "Love No Limit" or "Real Love". It ha a nice, if not very simple melody. I'd like to point out that no matter the material of song being strong or weak, Mary's vocals are certainly not, which I love!

(C+)

11. "Changes I've Been Going Through"

Here we go back to the infectious hip hop soul antics that made Mary a star in the first place!! I love this song as  that rap beat has a party anthem to it and feels just so much fun. Mary sings about her personal evolution and why they drawing her more towards the man she cares and loves. It's such a beautiful little masterpiece this song is and I think it could be the strongest track on the album. Once again showing how easily Mary can blend genres and put listeners to work by singing her heart out like she never has before. I can see this being the jam back in the day during house parties!! I think Jay-Z even sampled this for the "Best of Me" Remix with Mya!!!

(A+)

12. "What's The 411?" (Featuring Grand Puba)

In this funky hip hop title track, Mary teams up with rap heavyweight, Grand Puba and they make something "very special". Mary not only sings her soulful heart out, she throws down a couple of bars along with Puba himself. I like it, it's a fun closer to the album that shows that this up-in-coming R&B diva has a promising career up ahead!

(A-)

Ahhh!! The early 90s! By that time the music industry was over run by mostly saccharine artists eager to promote their good girl images with sensational ballads and state of the art choreography (Janet, Mariah, Whitney, etc.) But something seemed to be missing from the pop world, specifically the R&B genre. Sure we had TLC's debut that same year, but their imagery and appearance as artists seemed juvenile and overtly silly compared to their contemporaries. EnVogue were a class act, the list goes on....but then came Mary J Blige. A streetwise aspiring singer from Yonkers wanting to desperately get out of the projects and make a name for herself. And she did!! There was nothing and I mean NOTHING like Mary before her debut. "What's The 411?" is a superb debut and despite very few missteps, it provides the essence of what made Mary so fresh for her time and since! Collaborating with a then young Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, they both craft an album filled with soulful grooves mixed with modern day hip hop at the time, inventing a new style of music that Mary would go on to tradmark! All you have to do is listen to the beautiful runs and inflections on "Real Love", her jazzy blues singing on "Love No Limit" and her sexy flow singing alongside K-Chi Hailey on "I Don't Want To Do Anything". The album for the most part, could have been a failed experiment but it's Mary's confident swag and hardened female mentality that makes it work. The fact that Mary can go from the soulful riffs on "Reminisce" to the lyrical spitting on the brief but boldly stated title track shows that the concept not only can work but she is probably one of the few who can make it work. Becoming top 10 charting album on the BB 200, "What's The 411?" was a definite critic and public success; going on to sell over 3 million worldwide!! I really can't enough of this album and to know this was only the beginning of an acclaimed career shows that this was just a small sample of Mary's uninhabited talent! :)

"Deriving from her former job as an 4-1-1 operator, this revolutionary R&B diva's debut album, "What's The 411?" is a strong entry into her world of tough attitude mixed with hip hop vulnerability and R&B grittiness!" 

(A-)