My Favorite Album
When I think about my favorite album I think about a piece of work that defines me. It explains who I am and was at the same time. My Life by Mary J. Blige is just that. My Life is a painful album full of sorrow and musical art. I've heard this album my whole life but it really resonated with me in high school when I was able to relate to it. The lyrics seemed to mirror my life. I knew this was my favorite album when I started to run it back mad times. It lived on repeat. I also knew this was my favorite album when my emotions weren't controllable while listening to this. This was the first full piece of work that did those things to me. Long story short when the storm was over I knew this woman was my favorite artist as well. She literally bares her soul in her music and is the first I've connected to.
This album is all feeling. You feel what Mary is going through and it helps you get through the shit you're going through. "Misery loves company" Not in a negative light but when you have somebody who went through the shit you going through it really helps.
If you know me you know I also love Faith Evans. I love that she worked on this album. She wrote and sung. I love that I can hear her on certain songs like "I Never Wanna Live Without You," and "Don't Go." I really wish that they had more music together. Until then I got a few songs to hold me over. But going back to "Don't Go" I find it funny how to this day I'm still discovering shit about this album. For example, the other day I was listening to "Don't Go" with Kayla and she heard something from a gospel song so I went on WhoSampled.com and saw that she sampled four songs on that one song. she sampled Guy, Earth, wind, and Fire, Donnie McClurkin, and Debarge. I knew she had sampled two out of the four. To see the other two and then listen to all the songs she sampled blew my mind. Thats why she's the greatest because if you would've presented me the idea of sampling all four of those songs I wouldn't have seen it working. But it does!!
Although Mary is a female and she sings to her female audience her music is universal because its about love. We all relate to love. My favorite song from this album and favorite song in general is "Be Happy." The bass is so infectious. The chorus is so simple yet memorizing at the same time.
I can listen to this song on repeat for hours if I wanted to. Its become a mantra of mine mainly for me to keep my composure and to keep striving. The video is ode dope too. I love when she's on the mountain. I've watched interviews where she stated that that really is her on that mountain. I've also been looking for a silver bubble since like 05 because of this video.
I can go on and on about this album but in conclusion I would be lost without this album. From a young Faith Evans, K-Ci, and her sister Latonya on background vocals, to puff and Chucky Thompson running the show they created musical therapy for me and others. It changed my life and continues to work its magic.
P.S. this is my favorite vinyl also.
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