Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige is an American R&B, soul, and hip hop soul singer, songwriter, occasional rapper, record producer, actress, and hip hop icon who has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and over 5 million singles world wide. She is widely known as the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul", and has also received over twenty-six Grammy Award nominations for her works, winning six. Early in her career, Blige's highly personal songs and gritty voice earned her comparisons to earlier soul singers such as Chaka Khan and Aretha Franklin; however her artistic evolution and commercial success throughout the years has seen her exert her own influence over a new generation of artists. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Mary J. Blige is one of the top 15 best selling female artists in music history. In 2007, Mary J. Blige received eight Grammy Award nominations for her seventh album, The Breakthrough, winning three.