Artist of the Week: Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige — known as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul — has received a record 30 Grammy nominations over her illustrious career, and her 1994 album My Life is considered one of the greatest albums of all time, according to music critics from Rolling Stone, TIME, and Vibe. It goes without saying that she’s truly one of the most iconic artists of our time.

More recently, Blige released her 13th studio album Strength of a Woman to strong critical reception, yet again! The track “U + Me (Love Lesson)” was released as a single, and reached No. 1 on the Adult R&B Songs chart this month. The new album also has a ton of sweet collaborations — including one with none other than Kanye West.

In an exclusive interview with Angie Martinez, Blige discussed how she recorded “Glow Up” with Mr. West, saying: “I’ve never worked with him… but I finally had a conversation with him. He was doing so many creative things, all at one time.” Check out the full interview below: video

Strength of a Woman is out now, so make sure to check out all of Mary J Blige’s new music on iHeartRadio and listen to your favorites on repeat, all on demand! ​​​