Songs Mary J. Blige Probably Dislikes

Mary J. Blige has cemented herself as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul over the course of her 30 year career. Known for her raw and emotional vocals, she’s helped countless fans through hard times with anthems of strength, survival, and resilience. However, even the most celebrated artists likely have some songs in their catalog they’d rather not revisit. While Blige hasn’t publicly stated any songs she outright dislikes, here are some educated guesses about tracks she may not be fond of based on her history and experiences.

Early Demo or Outtake

Many artists have songs in their early discography that didn’t make the final cut of an album for various reasons. Perhaps the production wasn’t quite there yet, the lyrics felt immature, or it simply didn’t represent where they wanted their career to go. For Blige, who got her start in the late 80s and early 90s, there’s a good chance some of those early demo recordings don’t hold up.

One potential candidate is an unreleased song from 1991 called “You Bring Me Joy.” According to reports, it was recorded during the same sessions as her debut What’s the 411? but ultimately left off the album. Only a low-quality bootleg recording exists today. Given how refined her sound became just a year later on her breakthrough sophomore record What’s the 411? Remix, it’s easy to imagine “You Bring Me Joy” sounding a bit raw in comparison. The lyrics also discuss being in the early stages of love, which may seem juvenile now.

Blige has also spoken in interviews about struggling in her late teens and early 20s with confidence and self-worth issues. Some of the unreleased demos from that period could potentially bring back uncomfortable memories of a difficult time in her life before she found success. Rather than dwell on past artistic growing pains, she may prefer to look forward and focus on the music that defined her legacy. For these reasons, it’s plausible a few of those early recordings don’t hold special meaning for her today.

Song with Painful Memories

Much of Blige’s discography is defined by songs of heartbreak, turmoil, and survival in the aftermath of toxic relationships or difficult personal battles. Given how autobiographical her music tends to be, it’s likely some tracks directly reflect particularly dark periods that may be hard for her to revisit.

One song that falls under this category is “Your Child” from 2002’s No More Drama. In interviews, Blige has spoken about the personal experiences that inspired its lyrics, including battling depression and substance abuse issues. She said it took her a long time to be able to listen to “Your Child” again without being overwhelmed by those difficult memories. Understandably, songs rooted in some of the most painful chapters of her life may be challenging for her to engage with.

Another possibility is “Love No Limit” from 1993’s What’s the 411? Remix. In the song, she begs a lover not to break her heart and leave her damaged. Considering the domestic violence she endured in her marriage to Kendu Isaacs in the late 90s/early 2000s, those pleas for protection and kindness from a partner may stir up sadness. While the song was written earlier, lived experiences can give new layers of meaning to older material. It’s believable some tracks hit differently now through the lens of where she’s been. Rather than relive trauma, she may steer clear of songs too intertwined with dark periods.

Collaboration She’s Dissatisfied With

Collaborating with other artists is always a gamble – creative visions don’t always align and the end product isn’t always what each party hoped for or envisioned. Blige has been involved in a number of duets and group projects over the decades, so it’s statistically likely at least one didn’t meet her standards.

One collaboration that comes to mind is the 2009 single “I Can’t Live Without You” with rapper Lil Wayne. Upon its release, the song received mixed reviews with some criticizing Wayne’s verse as distracting and inappropriate given the emotional theme of the track. Blige may look back and wish his feature hadn’t been included or been re-worked.

She’s also recorded a number of remixes over the years where another artist was added to her original recording. It’s possible one of those remixes altered the song in a way she wasn’t fully happy with. A specific example could be the 2006 remix of “Be Without You” that featured P Diddy, which some fans felt took away from the poignancy of the original.

Additionally, there are reports of tension during the recording of her 2008 album Stronger with Love. While the record was successful, rumors swirled of clashes between Blige and some of the producers over creative direction. She may harbor some resentment towards songs from that era as a result of behind-the-scenes issues.

Overall, it’s reasonable to assume that out of her extensive catalog spanning three decades, a few songs exist that Blige would rather not revisit or perform. Whether due to less-than-ideal early demos, painful personal memories tied to the lyrics, or collaborations she wasn’t fully on board with, not every track can hold special meaning. But that takes nothing away from her immense influence and the impact she’s had comforting others through her struggles-turned-triumphs in song.