• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
By · Updated October 29, 2020
01
Techno Color

Mary J. Blige, pictured here in 2000, was not afraid of colorful hairstyles or fashions. Her over-the-top outfits were balanced out by her soulful voice.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
02
Team Blige

Blige and Sean “Diddy” Combs have often collaborated since her 1992 debut, “What’s the 411?” Here, the duo work together on the remix to her single, “No More Drama,” in 2001.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
03
Gangster Lean

Mary J. Blige performs at the “My VH1 Music Awards 2001” at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
04
The Cat’s Meow

Blige sings at the 26th Annual Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
05
Paying Homage

Blige with the late, great Luther Vandross on the red carpet at the First Annual BET Awards in 2001.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
06
Divas, Las Vegas

Whitney Houston and Mary J. performed on the “VH1 Divas Las Vegas” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in 2002.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
07
Show Stopper

Blige’s performance of her signature hit, “No More Drama,” brought the crowd to their feet at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
08
Collabos

Blige has paired with some of popular music’s finest during her nearly-twenty year career including The Notorious B.I.G., Bono, Common, Roy Ayers, Ludacris, Elton John, Jay-Z and Eve, among them. Here, she performs “I’ll Be There For You/You’re All I Need to Get By” with Method Man.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
09
Award Winner

The Yonkers, New York native received her first Grammy in 1996 for “I’ll Be There For You/You’re All I Need to Get By,” her duet with Method Man. Today, she is the proud winner of nine Grammys.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
10
Soul Sisters

Mary J. Blige poses with Lauryn Hill at Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy Party in 2000. Hill and Blige collaborated on Hill’s “Used to Love Him.”

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
11
The Queens

At VH1’s “Divas Live: The One and Only Aretha Franklin,” The Queen of Soul and The Queen of Hip- Hop Soul sang “Ain’t No Way.”

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
12
Real Love

Blige finally found her real love in Kendu Isaacs. The couple began their relationship in 2000 and were married three years later.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
13
Behind Every Great Woman…

Simply put, Kendu is Blige’s husband, friend and manager.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Jennifer Cooper
14
Pairing Up

Blige collaborated with rapper, Ja Rule, on her hit, “Rainy Days.”

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
15
Rock Meets Soul

Bono joins Blige for a performance of “One” during the 16th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction in 2001.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
16
Rock Like This

Mary J. Blige has always exuded a rock-tinged vibe, from her outfits to her music. Her collaborations with Sting, Elton John and Bono are further proof.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
17
Beauty Business

Along with her accomplishments in music, Blige has expanded her brand into the beauty industry. She recently launched her own fragrance, acts as a consultant for Carol’s Daughter and has been a MAC spokesperson.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
18
Fierce, Fly and Fashionable

Blige posed alongside her friend and favorite designer, Catherine Malandrino, and Estelle at Malandrino’s Spring 2010 runway show.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
19
Black Girls Rock

Blige was honored with the Black Girls Rock Icon Award for her success as an artist and for being a role model for young, inner city women.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
20
R.I.P. B.I.G

Blige was attended the New York premiere of “Notorious” about her friend Notorious B.I.G.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Jennifer Cooper
21
Giving Back

Mary J. Blige opened a resource center in Yonkers, New York, which is an extension of her work with her non-profit organization, Foundation For the Advancement of Women Now (FFAWN).

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
22
Sister Circle

Serena Williams and Alicia Keys came out to support Blige at a Foundation For the Advancement of Women Now (FFAWN) fundraiser.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
23
Empowered Women

Oprah Winfrey loves her some Mary J. Along with being a frequent guest on her daily talk show, Mary was invited to attend an event at Oprah’s Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
24
Survivor

Blige performs “I Can See in Color,” the theme song for the film, “Precious,” at the premiere party in 2009. She released the film’s soundtrack on her Matriarch Records label.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
25
The Soundtrack

Mary J. Blige blessed LeBron James with a song for the soundtrack for his documentary, “More Than a Game.”

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
26
Take Me As I Am

Mary J. Blige warms up during rehearsals for the American Music Awards.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
27
Glam Slam

Blige sports a winning, red carpet look at last year’s American Music Awards. She has won four AMA’s to date.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
28
Good Sport

A proud New Yorker, Blige performed “The Star Spangled Banner” at the World Series. The Yankees won!

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
29
Lady in Red

Blige is a splendor, in red, as she arrives at a New Yorkers for Children benefit.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
30
With Feeling

Never one to hold back, Blige delivered a powerhouse performance of her single, “I Am,” at the American Music Awards.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
31
On Bended Knee

Blige gives it her all during her performance at Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy Party in 2010. The entire crowd in the ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel was on their feet.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
32
Pivotal Performance

Blige sings “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with Andrea Bocelli during this year’s Grammy Awards. All proceeds from iTunes sales will be donated to the Haiti relief effort.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
33
For Haiti

Blige took the stage at BET’s SOS Help For Haiti benefit concert in Miami.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
34
The Breakthrough

Blige has become one of the greatest female recording artist of our time. Her voice, her lyrics and her renewed spirit represent the Black female identity in the most empowering way.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
Getty Image
35
The Long Haul

Blige has transcended boundaries and genres, fortified her brand and is on her way to becoming a legend. Nice work, Mary.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
36
609701
Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
37
Rock the Mic

Nobody rocks a show quite like MJB. “Onstage, you can’t have things dragging or hanging. It has to be the tailored, custom-made (version) of your comfort zone. I never want to be too pretty,” she once said.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
38
609761
Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
39
She’s Fancy

Always one to recognize young talent, in 2010 Blige collaborated with Drake on both “Fancy” and “The One.”

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
40
Giving Back

In 2009, Gucci created a one-of-a-kind watch to benefit Blige’s FFAWN organization.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
41
609711
Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
42
609741
Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
43
Survivor

Blige spoke at this year’s Women’s Conference, honoring her friend Oprah Winfrey.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
44
609781
Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
45
The Long Haul

Blige has transcended boundaries and genres, fortified her brand and is on her way to becoming a legend. Nice work, Mary.

Happy 40th Birthday, Mary J. Blige
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now