Mary J Blige hit the scene in 1992 with her debut album What’s the 411? A hip-hop album with an R’n’B twist. For me the album is one of her best, it shows her versatility and her unique rusky voice. Her first single Real Love is a true classic with fantastic remixes, which ... Read review
A review by Honey_Bee on What's The 411 - Mary J. Blige March 9th, 2002
Author's product rating:
Originality
Groundbreaking
Lyrics
Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks
A couple of weak links
Value for Money
Advantages:
Mary J's voice and Puffys producing skills
Disadvantages:
none
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Mary J Blige hit the scene in 1992 with her debut album What’s the 411? A hip-hop album with an R’n’B twist. For me the album is one of her best, it shows her versatility and her unique rusky voice. Her first single Real Love is a true classic with fantastic remixes, which are still played in the clubs. The album when you realise the year is way ahead of it’s time.
No one knew the now “Hip Hop Soul Diva” would woo the audience as much as she has.
1) Leave a message (INTRO) A spoken intro where Busta Rhymes (then unknown) leaves a message on Mary’s answer phone!! Simple as that!! When he is speaking a beat enters and Busta raps in his individual way.
10 out of 10
2) Reminisce A release from the album a slower type song with a hip-hop beat and raw vocals. It has great background vocals and a really catchy chorus. The song was co-produced by Sean “P-Diddy” then “Puffy” Coombs and lyrics were also by him. I like this song, but to really like it you have to listen to it a few times.
9 out of 10
3) Real Love My favourite song, a really great dance and hip hop song. The beat is very catchy and even though it is from the 90’s it sounds very modern. The video is great and we get to see Mary dancing what she doesn’t do much now!!! This was a massive hit in the U.S and it deserved to be.
10 out of 10
4) You Remind Me Another release from the album, and again it was a massive hit stateside. Mary really shows off her vocals on this track. The background layered vocals fit in very well with Marys raspy voice.
10 out of 10
5) Intro Talk A spoken intro by Busta.
6) Sweet Thing This song reminds me of a classic Aretha song with a more modern beat. Mary shows off not only her strong voice, but her smooth soft voice also. It was not a release from the album, but I am sure would have been as it is a pleasant universal song, and may appealed to a wider audience.
10 out of 10
7) Love No Limit This song is not one of the stronger songs on the album, but nevertheless is a great song. The style of Mary’s music in this era is very different to what it is now, the album what the 411 has classic slow blues/r’n’b songs and this is one of them. Mary incoperates her strong urban vocals into a smooth song.
9 out of 10
8) I Don’t Want To Do Anything A duet with Kci from Kci and JoJo and also Jodeci. This song was a hit in the U.K and U.S. It is another one of my favourites from the album and I listen to it a lot. Mary and Kci have very similar voices and combine very well on the slow, R’n’B song. It was produced by Devante Swing from Jodeci.
10 out of 10
9) Slow Down Not one of my fave tracks. It isn’t one of the strong album tracks but when you listen to it several times you begin to really like it. It was produced by Puffy then…..now P Diddy!!!
8 out of 10
10) Changes I’ve Been Going Through The remix of this song was a massive hit and was one of the releases from the What’s The 411? Remix album. I really like this song as again Mary really has much feeling in her voice in this song.
11) What’s the 411? A good song to finish on – The title track. Again the remix of this song was a hit. It was produced Puff Daddy.
10 out of 10
~ ~ The Booklet ~ ~ Includes pictures of Mary, but she looks very different to what she does now as her clothes style has changed. The only thing, which is similar, is the hats she wears. It also includes track listing and info, and Mary’s thanks.
Other Mary Tracks I really like but not on the album Whats the 411?
Not Gon Cry ~ From the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack and also on Share My World her 3rd album.
Everything ~ From Share My World
I’m Goin Down ~ From My Life (2nd album)
All that I can Say ~ From Mary (4th Album)
I have all Mary’s album including her 411-remix album. She deserves a lot more praise over here than she receives. Her voice is similar to Aretha Franklin; she has also been compared to her. Have a listen to some of her tracks, as you wont be disappointed.
I am sure Mary will still be around in another 10 years.
Advantages: Bangers throughout Disadvantages: Nothing specific
...?What?s The 411?? was the debut album from MaryJ. Blige (MJB), a pioneer in her field as a Hip Hop Soul musician as she sings Soul music to Hip Hop-styled beats before the likes of Erykah Bad, Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild came about. It came out in 1992 and immediately made her a star.
1. ?Leave A Message? (Intro)
2. ?Reminisce?
As the first proper song on the album, thi was also one of the singles to the thing, and it has her kick something funky to show just what she is about after the intro showed her Hip Hop connections, she is forced to back it all up with a soulful groove which brings in subtle hints of this harder genre, and the originality of it all comes through from the opening of it.
**Four Stars**
3. ?Real Love?
Although the Bad Boy Remix, which featured a verse from the rapper then known as Biggie Smalls, was...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: If you like R & B you will love this album, Mary J Blige at her very best Disadvantages: If you haven't been a fan of hers before then don't bother as she is at her usual high standard
...I have loved MaryJBlige since 'What's the 411' and 'Share My World' and she just get's better and better! So much feeling and soul in her voice you really feel the emotion when you listen to her music. A must have for all soul/hip hop fans as theres a mix of both on this. My favourite track has got to be 'Without You' as i just cannot get it out of my head. A close second would have to be MJB da MVP as it just reminds you of summer and is such a catchy tune, 50 cent definately adds to it aswell. All in all a very good album by Mary as theres a nice mix of slow and fast tunes to get you in the mood for a night out....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Album Notes: Personnel: Mary J. Blige (vocals); Grand Puba, Busta Rhymes (rap vocals); Devante Swing, Darryl Pearson (various instruments); Dave "Jam" Hall (keyboards, drums); Mark C. Rooney (keyboards, background vocals); Mark Morales, Gordon "Fresh Gordon" Pickett (drum programming); Terri Robinson, Billy Lawrence, Tabitha Brace (background vocals); Sean "Puffy" Combs, Darryl Pearson, Kool DJ Red Alert, Christopher Williams, Jamie Brown, Eric Shurman, Andre Harrell, Maceo, DJ Clark Kent, Kurt Juice, Little Shawn, C.L. Smooth, K-Ci Hailey. Producers include: Dave "Jam" Hall, Devante Swing, Mark Morales, Mark C. Rooney, Sean "Puffy" Combs. Engineers include: David Kennedy, Tony Maserati, Mike Fonda. The opening track 'Leave A Message' is an immediately intriguing hook for the listener. A series of answering machine messages over a funky drum beat does not fail, even though most callers insist on saying 'peace' instead of 'goodbye' at the end of every call. The artist first appears on track two, and stays in control throughout an album of high-quality urban R&B/soul. Highly commercial, yet it never sinks to the blandness of some other 90s female pop acts. Tracks such as 'Real Love' lend more to the best of Aretha Franklin pop flirtations than to 90s R&B. Blige is Aretha's heir apparent.
Album Reviews: Village Voice (3/2/93, p.5) - Ranked #30 in the Village Voice's list of the 40 Best Albums Of 1992. Entertainment Weekly (8/7/92, p.61) - "...Blige's powerful voice conquers everything she tackles...Blige is a new-jill comer with her eyes on the prize..." - Rating: A
Titles on disc 1
1.: Leave A Message
2.: Reminisce
3.: Real Love
4.: You Remind Me
5.: Intro' Talk
6.: Sweet Thing
7.: Love No Limit
8.: I Don't Want To Do Anything
9.: Slow Down
10.: My Love
11.: Changes I've Been Going Through
12.: What's The 411
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Listed on Ciao since : 09/03/2002
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