The two rappers Mary J Blige respects the most
For the uninitiated, Mary J Blige is the unofficial Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. The nickname was given to her by Andre Harrell: “Blige was living in a housing project in Yonkers, NY when the late Andre Harrell signed her to his Uptown Records, which released her 1992 debut album, What’s The 411? Harrell coined the nickname Queen of Hip-Hop Soul to describe the fresh way Blige’s music melded rap beats with R&B hooks.”
With a career spanning over three decades, Mary J Blige has seen hip-hop evolve firsthand, from the golden era of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls to the rise of today’s chart-dominating “mumble rap” sound. As the undisputed Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, the New York City native has been around long enough to witness the greats at their peak, making her well-equipped to weigh in on who stands tall in the game today.
Speaking to Manny Norte on Capital XTRA, Blige didn’t hesitate when asked which rappers she’s feeling right now. “I’m feeling Kendrick Lamar. I’m feeling Drake. They’re at the top of the list as far as rappers who should really be respected from the new generation… They’re killing it,” she declared.
Blige’s praise for both artists came long before their ongoing lyrical warfare erupted, but it’s unlikely either of them took much notice—or cared. With their public back-and-forth reaching new heights in recent months, respect from a legend like Blige seems to have taken a backseat to their increasingly personal jabs.
The tension between Drake and Kendrick isn’t new. The two have spent the better part of a decade subtly (and not-so-subtly) jostling for the top spot in hip-hop. Their rivalry dates back to the early 2010s, when they collaborated on tracks like ‘Poetic Justice’ before veering into competition. Drake has long positioned himself as the commercial juggernaut of hip-hop, while Kendrick has solidified himself as the genre’s uncompromising lyricist and critic of the mainstream.
Blige’s connection to both rappers runs deep. She worked with Kendrick on Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, appearing on the track ‘Now or Never’, and stood alongside him during the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Meanwhile, her history with Drake goes back even further. The Toronto superstar not only featured on her 2009 track ‘The One’ but also penned her 2011 song ‘Mr. Wrong’. He later paid homage by sampling ‘Mary’s Joint’ on ‘Weston Road Flows’ from Views in 2016.
Did Blige’s mention of the two titans help fuel the fire that led to Kendrick’s venomous verse on ‘Like That’? Or are they simply two heavyweight rappers destined to be admired by legends and fans alike? As a lover of hip-hop’s ever-unfolding drama, I’m leaning toward the former.