Mary J. Blige: What's the 411? (2LP) [MOTOWN]

Why you'll love it

This 25th anniversary edition puts the album on 2LP for the first time, with embossed type on the cover. It topped the R&B albums chart, went triple platinum and crowned Blige the Queen of Hip Hop Soul.

This edition

• 2LP set
• 25th anniversary edition
• First time on 2LP
• Embossed cover

About the album

Before she was anybody's queen, Mary J. Blige worked as a 411 operator, giving out phone numbers. At 17 she sang Anita Baker's "Caught Up in the Rapture" into a recording booth at a mall, the tape found its way to Uptown Records' Andre Harrell, and she became the label's youngest signing. Sean "Puffy" Combs took charge of the album as executive producer.

The idea was simple and new: a soul singer with a real voice over hard hip hop beats. "Leave a Message" opens on a string of answering machine messages, "Reminisce" and "You Remind Me" lay melancholy melodies over thick drums, and "Real Love" became one of 1992's biggest crossover hits. She covers Chaka Khan's "Sweet Thing," duets with K-Ci Hailey on "I Don't Want to Do Anything," and Grand Puba drops by for the title track. Combs and producers including DeVante Swing, Tony Dofat and Dave Hall gave it the new jack swing gloss of the day.

Dave McAleer counted her the most successful new female R&B artist of 1992, and the album has sold 3.5 million copies in the United States. She did leave the switchboard in the end, which on balance was the right call.

Also at Kops: more Mary J. Blige on vinyl · browse Hip Hop / R&B

Tracklist

Listen

On Uptown / Geffen (cat# B0026831-01), a reissue of the 1992 album.