Mary J Blige What's The 411? CD

The opening track 'Leave A Message' is an immediately intriguing hook for the listener. A series of answering machine messages over a funky drum beat does not fail, even though most callers insist on saying 'peace' instead of 'goodbye' at the end of every call. The artist first appears on track two, and stays in control throughout an album of high-quality urban R&B/soul. Highly commercial, yet it never sinks to the blandness of some other 90s female pop acts. Tracks such as 'Real Love' lend more to the best of Aretha Franklin pop flirtations than to 90s R&B. Blige is Aretha's heir apparent.

Engineers include: David Kennedy, Tony Maserati, Mike Fonda.

Personnel: Mary J. Blige, Buttnaked Tim Dawg, Sean "Puffy" Combs (vocals); Darryl Pearson (various instruments); Dave "Jam" Hall (keyboards, drums); Mark C. Rooney (keyboards, drum programming); Gordon Pickett, Mark Morales, Cool Rah (drum programming); Billy Lawrence, Tabitha Brace, Terri Robinson, Tiffany Hailey (background vocals).

Original producers: Sean "Puffy" Combs, Edward "DJ Eddie F" Ferrell, Buttnaked Tim Dawg, Dave "Jam" Hall, Mark Morales, Mark C. Rooney, DeVante Swing.

Remix producers: Buttnaked Tim Dawg, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Daddy-O, Teddy Riley, Jesse West, Mark Spark, Vincent Hurbert.

Original engineers include: Mario Rodriguez, Edward Ferrell, David Kennedy.

Remix engineers includes: Joe Quinde, Pat Dillett, George Mayers.

Personnel: Mary J. Blige (vocals, background vocals); Busta Rhymes (vocals); Dave Hall (keyboards, drums); L.A. Reid (keyboards, background vocals); DeVante Swing (keyboards); Mark Morales (drum machine); Gordon Picket (programming); Tabitha Brace, Grand Puba, Terri Robinson, Billy Lawrence (background vocals).

Recording information: Chung King House Of MEtal, New York, NY; Hit Factory Studios, New York, NY; Marathon Studio, New York, NY; Soul Convention Studios, Rosedale, Queens, NY.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Christopher Williams; Clark Kent; Darryl Pearson; André Harrell; Kurt Juice; Jamie Brown ; Little Shawn; Tony Dofat; C.L. Smooth.

Personnel: Mary J. Blige (vocals); Grand Puba, Busta Rhymes (rap vocals); Devante Swing, Darryl Pearson (various instruments); Dave "Jam" Hall (keyboards, drums); Mark C. Rooney (keyboards, background vocals); Mark Morales, Gordon "Fresh Gordon" Pickett (drum programming); Terri Robinson, Billy Lawrence, Tabitha Brace (background vocals); Sean "Puffy" Combs, Darryl Pearson, Kool DJ Red Alert, Christopher Williams, Jamie Brown, Eric Shurman, Andre Harrell, Maceo, DJ Clark Kent, Kurt Juice, Little Shawn, C.L. Smooth, K-Ci Hailey.

Producers include: Dave "Jam" Hall, Devante Swing, Mark Morales, Mark C. Rooney, Sean "Puffy" Combs.

Entertainment Weekly (8/7/92, p.61) - "...Blige's powerful voice conquers everything she tackles...Blige is a new-jill comer with her eyes on the prize..." - Rating: A
Q (p.121) - "[I]t was her ability to convey rap attitude while crooning sweet harmonies that really made her standout..."
Village Voice (3/2/93, p.5) - Ranked #30 in the Village Voice's list of the 40 Best Albums Of 1992.
Village Voice (3/2/93, p.5) - Ranked #30 in the Village Voice's list of the 40 Best Albums Of 1992.