My Life II: The Journey Continues

The album of the year is FINALLY here. Mary J. Blige's My Life II: The Journey Continues is the sequel of her classic 1994's My Life. Mary realized that this album can't be remade, but this album is her life now as she continues her journey to find peace. As a big fan of Mary, I was really worry about her calling this album My Life because that album is very close to my heart and I didn't want her to disappointed me and mess up the My Life legacy. But as I listen to the album The Queen of Hip Hop Soul didn't disappoint.

As I stated, I am a big Mary J. Blige fan, so I had to listen to this album as blogger and as a fan. So, here's my review

Mary begin's the album with an Intro with her talking to Diddy(Puffy..whatever), about how he thinks he feels about her making a My Life II. Cleary, Mary felt that she had include him because he was not invovled with the making of the album, when she is naming the album "My Life II" out of respect she had to include him. Then it goes into Feel Inside with Nas, which this song was a great way to open the album. This song is a certified banger. This song was leaked that included Nicki Minaj, which I was not happy with. Nas definitely was the right person to put on this track, you can tell his verse dedicated to his ex-wife Kelis. Next is Midnight Drive, where Mary's alter ego Brook Lynn is rapping on the track. The song is a song that only Mary J. can get away with because she is the Queen of Hip Hop Soul. Then we go into Next Level with Busta Rhymes this track is fun, if you going to a club or party and you need a track to ride out to in your car, Next Level is the song that will definitely get your ready for a good night. Busta Rhymes of course makes the song into a party record, just like Look Me Now with Chris Brown. Follow by this  Mary's cover of Chaka Khan's Ain't Nobody. Mary's vocals are great, but Darkchild's production was a lackluster. I felt as though Darkchild could have used made a better beat then the one he used. Next is the album's first single 25/8, when I first heard this single I loved it. It's just so Mary because it has so much meaning. If you had an extra hour in a day or extra day in a week what would you do. One of the big highlights of the album is the track Don't Mind. This track to me is such a laid back track that you can vibe with Mary on this track. This song gives me I Love You from the My Life cd. This song makes makes you want get your "dougie" on. One my favorites from the album. No Condition is a classic Mary song to me, Mary is a artist that sing about pain this song is no expection. She sings " I am in no condition to love you no more". This is gave me 2011 version of her 1995 anthem Not Gon Cry. Next is the second single Mr. Wrong with Drake. When I first heard this song, I liked it but when I listened to it again I realized that it reminded me of Kelly Rowland's Motivation. Then I realized that the person that produced Kelly's produced Mary's. To me it's like Rico Love recycled the beat. That bothered me, I feel that Mary doesn't deserve a recycled beat. Even though Mary and Drake did great, the song is a lackluster to me. Another highlight is the song Why with Rick Ross. This song gives me that My Life vibe, Mary and Rick Ross on this 70's sample is classic. I love how the hip hop community embraces Mary as the Queen. Love A Woman is a duet what was in the making between Mary and Beyonce. In this duet the harmonies are awesome, you can tell in this song that Jay-Z & Kendu are doing things the right way, they clearly know how to love their wives, great duet. Irreversible is an album filler, which a song that I could do without, but I like how Mary rides this beat with her vocals, so that was a plus. Empty Prayers is a such an emotional song, Mary sing for anyone that prays for someone but the person still walk out of their lives, "Begging God for you to love me". Need Someone is my favorite song on the album. Every album Mary has a song that speaks for me and explains what's going on in my life. With Need Someone, Mary hit my life dead on, "I just need someone to love me." Then what I love about this song is she has the country vibe with shows her versaility. Next song is from the movie "The Help", The Living Proof.  This song is crosses all barriers, this song explains that any bad situation you go through you can make it, so else but Mary could sing a song like this. This song is definitely Oscar worthy. I am happy as a Mary fan that Miss Me With That made the album because I thought this song was just going to be thrown to the side. This song is a classic Mary song, in this song she sings that don't come to me with the lies, "Miss me with that". Get it Right is a bonus track with actress/singer Taraji P. Henson, this song gives you that Floetry vibe. I like the song, but I wish instead of Taraji rapping on it, she would have sung because we all know she can sing.

Mary clearly proved why is titled of the Queen of Hip Hop Soul with My Life II: The Journey Continues. I understand why she called the album My Life II, because the Journey will always continue, I feel that the title could have been just the The Journey Continues. 9.0/10

STANDOUT TRACKS

Feel Inside

Don't Mind

Why

Love A Woman

Empty Prayers

Need Someone

The Living Proof

Aretha Franklin

THE QUEEN OF SOUL

Now that I have been getting into church more now, The Amazing Grace album by Aretha Franklin I listen to EVERY day. It's like a daily routine for me now. And when I am not listening to Amazing Grace album and I listening to her live performance or album. Yesterday I just brought the Aretha Franklin catalog that consisted of 22 albums by the legend that included her live album such as Aretha in Paris and Live At Filmore West. From listening to these albums, Aretha was always in my top 5 singers of all time, but with this catalog I fell in love with her even more. However, many of these albums I have that included one of my top 5 albums of all time I Never Loved A Man-The Way I Loved You and my 2nd favorite soundtrack of all time Sparkle. These albums shows why Aretha Franklin was voted the number singer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. So take this musical journey with me.

In addition to me listening to a lot Aretha Franklin, I knew that she was sign to Columbia records. During that time, they didn't know how to market or use Aretha. As a result they had her singing more of jazz and bluesy like. Check out these two performance, but as you can tell "THE SOUL" was always in her.

Now that you have a taste of what Aretha could so back before Atlantic Records, here's where Aretha is SANGING a popular Shoop Shoop(It's In His Kiss) cover which her version become my favorite, check Darlene Love in the background(any of you Shindig fans):

Now that you got Aretha during the Columbia era, here's the Aretha Franklin WE all know when she moved to Atlantic Records, the song that launched Aretha's idol career.

This album is such a classic because this album showcased Aretha at her best. But my favorite song from this album is "Drowning In My Tears"....check it out. 

I am taking you on the Aretha Franklin journey, I want to fast forward to 1972, when Aretha Franklin in my opinion recorded the best gospel album of all time Amazing Grace she took it back to her gospel roots. One this album my favorites are "God Will Take Care Of You" and "Mary Don't You Weep"

I had to put some gospel into this, now let's fast forward to 1976, when Aretha teamed up with the great Curtis Mayfield to produce the classic soundtrack Sparkle. This album has many memory with me because this album along with Claudine, which was also Curtis Mayfield produced, was the first soundtrack albums that I feel in love with. Check out my favorites of Sparkle

By the end of the 1970's into the 80's. Aretha wasn't creating the hits that she was for to years but her live performances made up for it. Check this live performance in 1978, when she is performing this cover of Marvin Gaye's & Tammi Terrell's classic "

In the 80's Aretha Franklin had surface back in to the mainstream with his like "Jump To It", "Freeway of Love", one of my favs "I Knew You Were Waiting" (For Me) with George Michael.  Listen to this classic 80's record

In the 90's Aretha Franklin surfaced back with songs like "It Hurts Like Hell" & "A Rose Is Still A Rose". But in 1998 at the Grammys, Aretha Franklin made the best performance that I have every seen in my life time, her version of Luciano Pavarotti "Nessun Dorma". Everytime I hear or see this performance tears start rolling down my face. Watch this GREATNESS, this performance showed why she is ONE of the greatest of all time.

Now I know there are many songs and live performances that I miss, but I wanted you to take a short Aretha journey with me. You have to R.E.S.P.E.C.T the Queen!

Happy Birthday Shelley

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF THE SWEETEST PEOPLE I KNOW

SHELLEY DENISE HAWKINS

With me knowing you for 5 years, you have become one of my best friends. In this short time, we have gone through happiness, pain, and differences. But one thing about you and I, we can definitely talk it out and go back to normal. With this, I know you will be in my life forever. Me and you are so alike in many ways. We are both victims of being the one child, we love music, and we are very sensitive. Being around the female the version of me is weird sometimes, but honestly that's what I love about you. Being around you makes me smile because you are just a happy person. Even though, sometimes I want you to be mean, but that's not in your character. Shelley I know right now is a little struggle, but I will continue to pray great blessing for you because you deserve it. Lastly, you know I will always love you to the death of me. And I am glad to have you as a part of my family. In closing, babygirl I want to wish you a GREAT 31th birthday and many more.

Now you know your brother had to leave you with some music

PATTI LABELLE- YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL TO ME

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MrfCvooScU