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A Tribe Called Quest will officially go into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of this year’s inductee class along with Mary J. Blige.
On Sunday evening (April 21), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced their class of inductees for 2024 through their social media accounts. The legendary Hip-Hop group A Tribe Called Quest was among those to gain entry. The Queens, New York group of Q-Tip, the late Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi White had been previously nominated for the last few years until this point. The class also includes R&B icons Mary J. Blige and Dionne Warwick, and Kool & The Gang.
“Rock ’n’ roll is an ever-evolving amalgam of sounds that impacts culture and moves generations,” Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation chairman John Sykes said in a statement. “This diverse group of inductees each broke down musical barriers and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”
Jarobi White shared the news to his fans through his Instagram account, writing in the caption: “Wow!!! @qtiptheabstract @alishaheed we did it!!!! Phifey we got you in the hall of fame!!!! Wish you were here. Well I know you’re watching so….. Fuck yeah!!! lol To all of the questers, from the bottom of our hearts thank you!!!! #jedibusuness.” The induction makes A Tribe Called Quest the sixth Hip-Hop group to gain induction after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, and N.W.A. The group’s induction also comes after missing out on two previous votes in 2022 and 2023. Their snub last year sparked ATCQ affiliate Consequence to blast the selection committee, writing: “What we not gon’ do is keep subjugating that name, A Tribe Called Quest, to a white popularity contest, and having them in there as the token n—-s pick. We gon’ stop that.”
Those who didn’t make the cut this year for induction included Eric B. & Rakim, Mariah Carey, and Sade. The 2024 induction class also includes rockers Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Frampton, and Jimmy Buffett along with the pioneering Big Mama Thornton. Two names instrumental to the success of Motown Records, executive Suzanne De Passe, and songwriter/producer Norman Whitfield, were also named. The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees will officially go in at a ceremony held at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse next to the museum in Cleveland, Ohio on October 19, with the ceremony being aired live on ABC and streaming on Hulu the following day.
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Mary J. Blige will be the recipient of the Entertainment Icon Honor at the 2024 Urban One Honors, which will be held next weekend.
On Tuesday (January 9), TV One announced that Mary J. Blige would appear at the 2024 Urban One Honors to be recognized as the winner of the Entertainment Icon Honor. The Grammy Award and Emmy Award-winning actress and Academy Award nominee’s addition to the star-studded two-hour event adds to its significance as the program celebrates TV One’s 20th anniversary. Themed “Back In Black,” the event is primed to see the network honor the milestone throughout the entire year.
Known widely as “The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul”, Mary J. Blige’s career since her debut album in 1992 has seen her become an iconic global superstar. She’ll be feted along with Dionne Warwick who will be recognized as the Lifetime Achievement Honoree; Chlöe, who’ll be the Generation Next Honoree; Frankie Beverly, who’ll be bestowed with honors as a Living Legend, and Donald Lawrence, acclaimed for his Inspirational Impact. These stars will be joined by a bevy of other celebrities and artists beginning with Grammy Award-winning singer and actress LeToya Luckett on hand to host the “Backstage Pass” component of the evening where she’ll be interviewing the honorees, presenters, and performers.
“Urban One is thrilled to honor the incomparable Mary J. Blige as our 2024 Entertainment Icon. Mary’s immeasurable talent and award-winning music has shaped our culture and has had a profound impact on artists and music across all genres, but most notably the elevation of female artists in both R&B and Hip Hop across generations. She fully personifies the ”Best in Black” theme of this year’s Urban One Honors,” said President of TV One and CLEO TV Michelle Rice in a statement.
The 2024 Urban One Honors will take place in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, January 20 and will be aired during Black History Month on Sunday, February 25 on TV One and simulcast on CLEO TV at 8 PM EST/7 CST.
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From music to wine, Mary J. Blige is all about expanding the brand. The “Good Morning Gorgeous” singer stopped by the Sherri show on Tuesday (March 8) to dish about her new talk show, wine, a children’s book and more.
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Blige, who glammed it up in a black Balmain jacket and ankle boots, leather leggings and Versace sunglasses, revealed that she drinks her own wine on her talk show, The Wine Down With Mary J. Blige, airing Wednesdays on BET.
“It’s my Sun Goddess wine,” Blige told host Sherri Shepherd when asked about her drink of choice for the show. “That wine will get you going! It’s available wherever you want to buy it.”
Launched in 2020, Sun Goddess includes pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, Prosecco brut and merlot. The collection of affordably priced wines are available at major retailers such as Wine.com, Total Wine & More and through delivery apps like DoorDash.
Sun Goddess by Mary J. Blige Tasting Set
Fantinel Winery
Sun Goddess Wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
$22.99
During the chat with Shepherd, Blige also revealed the motivation behind her new children’s book Mary Can! dropping later this month.
“It’s inspired from a very heavy part of my life when this person was telling me that I ‘couldn’t’ or ‘can’t’ and everybody was better [than me],” Blige said in reference to her previous marriage. “So, I took my hell and turned it into someone else’s heaven by inspiring some little girl or boy to feel good about [themselves].”
Mary Can! will be released on March 28. The children’s book is $19.99 for a hardcover copy and $10.99 for the Kindle version (click here to pre-order).
Read on for details on how to stream The Wine Down With Mary J. Blige without cable.
How to Watch The Wine Down With Mary J. Blige Without Cable
The Wine Down with Mary J. Blige airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on BET and BET Her. Taraji P. Henson and Yung Miami were guests on last week’s premiere episode. 50 Cent will sit down with Blige on tonight’s (March 8) episode.
If you already have cable, satellite or cable channels through a streaming provider, check your local listings for channel information.
Viewers who don’t have cable, can stream new episodes of The Wine Down With Mary J. Blige on Philo and enjoy a free trial for the first week. The monthly subscription is just $25 after the free trial ends (use ExpressVPN to access Philo from outside of the U.S.).
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$25/month after 7-day free trial
Philo has dozens of cable channels including BET, OWN, MTV, BBC, CMT, Comedy Central, Paramount Network, Food Network, Revolt, Discovery, FYI and TLC.
BET is also available on other streaming platforms including Hulu + Live TV, DirectTV Stream and Sling.
Watch Blige’s interview below.
Mary J. Blige is introducing fans to a whole new side of her with her upcoming TV special The Wine Down With Mary J. Blige, in which the icon will sit down with a number of her famous friends for candid, intimate conversations.
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“You all know me as Mary the entertainer, but I can’t wait for you to get to know me as Mary the friend,” Blige shared in a new 30-second promo, published on Wednesday (Feb. 15) by ET. In the clip, she’s seen chatting with guests 50 Cent, Taraji P. Henson and Yung Miami of the City Girls.
“This is what I always wanted to do with a show that’s about me hanging out with people that I love, respect and admire,” the “Good Morning Gorgeous” added in the teaser, in which she chats with her guests about everything from their careers to their relationships.
The show comes fresh off the heels of Blige’s highly anticipated performance the 2023 Grammy Awards, in which she was nominated for a number of categories including album of the year for Good Morning Gorgeous, and record of the year for the album’s title track. 2023 marked the first time Blige was nominated as a solo artist in one of the Big Four categories at the ceremony since her nomination for record and song of the year in 2007 for “Be Without You.”
The two-episode special will air on March 1 and March 8 at 10 p.m. on BET and BET Her. Watch The Wine Down With Mary J. Blige promo below.
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Mary J. Blige is taking the airwaves by storm as she’s poised to have her own talk show on BET next year thanks to a recent partnership deal.
According to reports, the star R&B singer has signed a deal with BET to produce scripted and unscripted content through her company, Blue Butterfly Productions. The first project from this deal coming into fruition is a new talk show called The Wine Down. The synopsis of the unscripted talk show has Blige as the host connecting with various guests from the worlds of entertainment, politics, sports and social media over a good bottle of wine.
“Throughout her legendary career, Mary has blazed trails to become a global superstar. With Blue Butterfly, Mary develops awe-inspiring stories of the Black experience while uniquely using music to set the foundation. Mary has been a vital part of the BET family and we are eager to see our partnership flourish through this partnership,” said Connie Orlando, BET’s executive vice president of specials, music planning, and strategy in a statement.
As part of the deal, BET will have first looks at unscripted projects through Blue Butterfly and second looks at scripted works. The Wine Down will have actress Taraji P. Henson and Yung Miami of the City Girls among its initial guests, with more to be announced at a later date. “BET has been one of my biggest supporters throughout my career,” said Blige in a statement. “Being able to now create together, for them to be so supportive of my vision for the type of content I will create, is something I am grateful and excited for. We already have multiple projects in the works and there is much more to come.”
Mary J. Blige has been steady at work on the small screen, thanks to her role as Cha-Cha in Netflix’s hit series The Umbrella Academy and her current role as the street-hardened matriarch Monet Tejada on the Starz series Power Book II: Ghost. A date for the premiere of The Wine Down hasn’t been announced.
What’s the 411? The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, better known as Mary J. Blige, rocked the Barclays Center stage in Brooklyn on Thursday night (Oct. 20) for her Good Morning Gorgeous Tour, playing classics such as “Real Love,” “MVP,” “Just Fine,” “Good Morning Gorgeous,” and “Enough Cryin.” The New York native, who has six top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, was joined by newer R&B talents Queen Naija and Ella Mai as the opening acts. The two ladies warmed the crowd up for Blige with their own hit records, leaving fans wanting more.
The headlining Blige made the crowd swoon with her soulful vocals and iconic dance moves in four acts, with guest appearances from Jadakiss, Fivio Foreign, Fabolous, and more. Blige also brought out some of New York’s finest celebrities to her sold-out hometown show, including Fat Joe, Jim Jones, Papoose, and Remy Ma.
Billboard compiled a list of the top five best moments from Queen Mary’s show. Check it out below!
1.Ella Mai Brings Out Babyface
After Queen Naija performed, the London singer-songwriter took the stage to perform hits such as “Trippin” and the smash record that put her on the map, “Boo’d Up.” Ella Mai had the crowd singing to every song, but the moment that took her performance up a notch was when she welcomed Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds on the stage. Babyface, who has written for Whitney Houston, SWV, Toni Braxton, and countless other legendary acts, rocked the stage in an all-black ensemble to perform his recent collaboration with Ella Mai, “Keeps On Fallin.” The performance of these two sent the crowd into a frenzy, making it one of the most unforgettable moments of the night.
2. Diddy Bops
“Give me all your love and don’t stop” — Brother Love, that is! Diddy made a grand entrance during Blige’s performance of “All Night Long.” Blige, dressed in a yellow Louis Vuitton set from head to toe, and Diddy dressed in all black, did the “Mary Dance” across the stage, as the beat for the song continued. Diddy and Blige go way back, so it’s no surprise that the superstar paid a visit to his dear friend in their home state to two-step together once again.
3. Jadakiss Rocks the Mic
You can’t mention New York hip-hop without mentioning Jadakiss. For her performance of “Rent Money,” Blige brought out the rapper to spit his verse. “C’mon Jada!” Blige introduced him. The crowd applauded the collaboration, confirming that New York was definitely in the house on Thursday night.
4. Mary Shouts Out GloRilla
In the show’s 2nd act, Blige performed “Not Gon Cry,” actually leading to the singer crying real tears. She hit impressive high notes and even sung the record a cappella with a passion that made the singer look as though she caught the Holy Ghost. “If you ever see me crying, these are happy tears because I’m free,” Blige said to the crowd. She then broke out into rapping rising star GloRilla’s “F.N.F,” which the crowd joined Blige in chanting. Looks like GloRilla got a stamp of approval from another major celeb.
5. MJB is Da Real MVP
During the last act of the night, Blige changed into a sequence set with matching leather silver boots. She then went into her classic bag and performed her 2007 classic. The crowd jumped to their feet, dancing and singing while Blige hit some of her signature old school-dance moves. A shower of sparks flowed behind the R&B legend as she prepared to perform her last record of the night, “MVP.” “Thank my fans all around this building!” Blige raved. “I can call myself the MVP.”
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