Mary J. Blige

Biography

Mary Jane Blige (/blaɪʒ/; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist. She started her career as a backing singer on Uptown Records in 1989. She has released 13 studio albums, eight of which have achieved multi-platinum worldwide sales. Blige has sold over 80 million records, has won nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards and has also received three Golden Globe Award nominations, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its second original song "Mighty River" for Mudbound; she also received a nomination for the Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song, becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year. In 1992, Blige released her first album, What's the 411?. Her 1994 album My Life is among Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,[4] and Time magazine's All-Time 100 Albums. She received a Legends Award at the World Music Awards in 2006, and the Voice of Music Award from ASCAP in 2007. As of 2018, Blige has sold 80 million records worldwide. Billboard ranked Blige as the most successful female R&B/Hip-Hop artist of the past 25 years. In 2017, Billboard magazine named her 2006 song "Be Without You" as the most successful R&B/Hip-Hop song of all time, as it spent an unparalleled 15 weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and over 75 weeks on the chart. In 2011, VH1 ranked Blige as the 80th greatest artist of all time. ln 2012, VH1 ranked Blige at number 9 in "The 100 Greatest Women in Music" list.

Known For

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Daily Show

Saturday Night Live

Late Show with David Letterman

Top of the Pops

Ghost Whisperer

The View

All Movies (69)

• Mary J. Blige: For My Fans2025 · as Self
• Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped2024 · as Self
• 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony2024 · as Self
• Rob Peace2024 · as Jackie Peace
• TMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy2024 · as Self (archive footage)
• Thriller 402023 · as Self
• Carole King and her Songs at the BBC2023 · as Self (archive footage)
• THE SHOW: California Love2022 · as Self
• 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony2022 · as Self
• Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL2022 · as Self (archive footage)
• George Michael: Freedom Uncut2022 · as Self
• You're Watching Video Music Box2021 · as Self (archive footage)
• 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony2021 · as Self
• Respect2021 · as Dinah Washington
• Mary J. Blige's My Life2021 · as Self
• Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell2021 · as Self (archive footage)
• Pink Skies Ahead2020 · as Doctor Monroe
• The Violent Heart2020 · as Nina
• Body Cam2020 · as Renee Lomito-Smith
• Trolls World Tour2020 · as Queen Essence (voice)
• Quincy2018 · as Self
• Sherlock Gnomes2018 · as Irene (voice)
• The Box2018 · as Evil Commander
• Grammy's Greatest Stories: A 60th Anniversary Special2017 · as Self
• Mudbound2017 · as Florence Jackson
• George Michael: Freedom2017 · as Self
• Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story2017 · as Self
• Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour - Live2015 · as Self - Musical Guest
• The Wiz Live!2015 · as Evillene
• The Making of the Wiz Live!2015 · as Self
• Mary J. Blige: Live at Made in America2015 · as Self
• Queens of Soul at the BBC2015 · as Self (archive footage)
• Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade2013 · as Self
• Michael Bublé’s 3rd Annual Christmas Special2013 · as Self
• Black Nativity2013 · as Platinum Fro
• Betty and Coretta2013 · as Dr. Betty Shabazz
• Rock of Ages2012 · as Justice
• Yo! The Story of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’2012 · as Self
• Be Inspired: The Life of Heavy D2012 · as Self
• VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul2011 · as Self
• Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest2011 · as Self
• Teenage Paparazzo2010 · as Self (uncredited)
• Hope for Haiti Now2010 · as Self
• I Can Do Bad All By Myself2009 · as Tanya
• We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial2009 · as Self
• Mary J. Blige: VH1 Storytellers2008 · as Self
• Soul Divas2007 · as Self
• Classic Albums: Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt2007 · as Self
• George Michael - Twenty Five2006 · as Self
• An Intimate Evening with Mary J. Blige - Live from the House of Blues2005 · as Self
• JAY-Z: Fade to Black2004 · as Self
• Genius. A Night for Ray Charles2004 · as Self
• Mary J. Blige - Live in Los Angeles2004
• And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop2004 · as Self
• Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me2004 · as Self (voice)
• Michael Jackson: The One2004 · as Self
• Michael Jackson: Number Ones2003 · as Self (archive footage)
• Sting: Inside - The Songs of Sacred Love2003 · as Self - Special Guest Vocalist
• DMX: Angel2001 · as Guardian Angel
• Jay-Z: MTV Unplugged2001 · as Self
• MTV 20: Jams2001
• Prison Song2001 · as Mom
• VH1 Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin2001 · as Self
• All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live!2001 · as Self
• Elton John: One Night Only, The Greatest Hits2000 · as Self - Guest Appearance
• Gangstresses2000 · as Mary J. Blige
• Eric Clapton & Friends in Concert1999 · as Self - Guest star
• VH1 Divas Live 2: An Honors Concert for VH1's Save the Music1999 · as Self - Performer
• Songs & Visions1997 · as Self

All TV Shows (68)

• Sean Combs: The Reckoning2025 · as Self (archive footage)
• Fat Joe Talks2024 · as Self - Guest
• In Vogue: The 90s2024 · as Self
• The Wine Down with Mary J. Blige2023 · as Self - Host
• Impact x Nightline2022
• Sherri2022 · as Self - Guest
• Lost Ollie2022 · as Rosy (voice)
• The Crew Has It2022
• Power Book II: Ghost2020 · as Monet Stewart Tejada
• Tamron Hall2019 · as Self - Guest
• The Umbrella Academy2019 · as Cha-Cha
• The Shop2018 · as Self
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015
• Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter2015 · as Self
• Scream: The TV Series2015 · as Sherry Elliot
• Lip Sync Battle2015 · as Self
• Empire2015 · as Angie
• Variety Studio: Actors on Actors2014 · as Self
• How to Get Away with Murder2014 · as Rolanda
• black-ish2014 · as Mirabelle
• Rod Stewart: Merry Christmas, Baby2012 · as Self
• Justin Lee Collins: Good Times2010 · as Self
• The Marriage Ref2010 · as Self - Panelist
• The Jay Leno Show2009 · as Self
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• Alan Carr: Chatty Man2009 · as Self
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon2009 · as Self
• 30 Rock2006 · as Mary J. Blige
• Ghost Whisperer2005 · as Jackie Boyd
• The Tyra Banks Show2005 · as Self
• Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music2005 · as Self
• VH1 Storytellers2005
• Miley's New Year's Eve Party2004 · as Self - Musical Guest
• And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop2004 · as Self
• Entourage2004 · as Mary J. Blige
• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition2003 · as Self
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
• America's Next Top Model2003 · as Self - Guest
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self - Guest
• American Idol2002 · as Self - Guest
• American Idol2002 · as Self - Mentor
• American Idol2002 · as Self - Performer
• Friday Night with Jonathan Ross2001 · as Self - Guest
• Strong Medicine2000 · as Simone Fellows
• The View1997 · as Self
• The View1997 · as Self - Guest
• Classic Albums1997 · as Self
• The Chris Rock Show1997 · as Self
• The Jamie Foxx Show1996 · as Ola Mae
• The Daily Show1996 · as Self
• Moesha1996 · as Mary J. Blige
• New York Undercover1994
• All That1994 · as Self
• Intimate Portrait1993 · as Self
• Late Show with David Letterman1993 · as Self - Musical Guest
• Out All Night1992 · as Self
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno1992 · as Self
• In Living Color1990
• MTV Unplugged1989 · as Self
• Yo! MTV Raps1988 · as Self
• MTV Video Music Awards1984 · as Self
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Musical Guest
• People's Choice Awards1975 · as Self - Performer
• American Music Awards1974 · as Self - Musical Guest
• One Life to Live1968
• Top of the Pops1964 · as Self
• The Grammys1959 · as Self
• Today1952 · as Self