Mary J. Blige now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame after she was honored at a ceremony on her 47th birthday.
Sean "Diddy" Combs, another respected personality in the hip-hop/rap scene, was in attendance to praise Blige's talent. In his speech, he talked about how multiple Grammy Award winner has affected the lives of the people around her and her fans.
Talent And Heart
"Whatever she is going through, she knows she has a responsibility to help others who are going through the same thing," he stated. "Mary J. Blige has saved a lot of lives. Mary J. Blige has saved a lot of broken hearts."
Meanwhile, record producer Andre Harrell revealed that he always knew that Blige would be a celebrated artist.
"I remember the expression on Mary's face when I would say to her 'Your voice is going to sing with rock legends. Your voice is going to change your life and make you royal," he shared on his speech.
Some of the people whose lives were a little better because of the singer-songwriter were also in attendance. Notable figures who graced the event to honor Blige are actors Garrett Hedlund and Tyrese, radio legend Angie Martinez, Uptown Records founder Andre Harrell, and Apple Music's Jimmy Iovine. Iovine, the singer admitted, took her into his home in Malibu to give her shelter when she was having the toughest years of her life.
Fans of the 47-year-old music icon also made sure not to miss the celebration. They sang "Happy Birthday" to the renowned singer.
"I'm proud of us," Blige said to one fan who applauded her. "Look at where we are."
On her speech, she also mentioned director Dee Rees, the man behind the critically acclaimed movie "Mudbound." The period drama that starred Blige as Florence Jackson, a supporting character, earned her a Best Performance by an Actress nomination at the 2018 Golden Globes. Her song "Mighty River," from the movie's soundtrack, was also nominated for the Best Original Song. The movie also stars Hedlund, Carrey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, and Jonathan Banks.
The singer-turned-actress thanked Rees for giving her the opportunity to venture into acting.
New Album
Strength of a Woman is Blige's first album in three years. Her 13th studio album was released on April 28, 2017, and it immediately shot to the top 3 of the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart in the first week of May.
The record features collaborations with DJ Khaled, Missy Elliott, and Kanye West.
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