Mary
Original 1999 US pressing in near-mint condition.
On her fourth studio album, Mary, the “queen of hip-hop soul” stripped away her usual contemporary sounds, opting for a classic R&B approach. No longer masking her ornate bravado with hip-hop samples and Uptown vocals, Blige took a plunge into the newly established world of neo-soul, harkening back to essential 70s-styled R&B. The album’s third track, Deep Inside, provided its sentimental thesis: Blige wished her listeners “could see that I’m just plain ol’ Mary.” Released on August 17, 1999, Mary signaled a new chapter not only in the singer’s life, but in her musical evolution.
Original 1999 US pressing in near-mint condition.
On her fourth studio album, Mary, the “queen of hip-hop soul” stripped away her usual contemporary sounds, opting for a classic R&B approach. No longer masking her ornate bravado with hip-hop samples and Uptown vocals, Blige took a plunge into the newly established world of neo-soul, harkening back to essential 70s-styled R&B. The album’s third track, Deep Inside, provided its sentimental thesis: Blige wished her listeners “could see that I’m just plain ol’ Mary.” Released on August 17, 1999, Mary signaled a new chapter not only in the singer’s life, but in her musical evolution.
