No More Drama

Mary J. Blige

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• ASIN: B00005NHJS
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (99 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,110 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Anyone who's purchased one of Mary J. Blige's albums understands that the "queen of hip-hop soul" would much rather push artistic envelopes than lick 'em. With No More Drama, her enlisting of hip-hop's finest beat-makers to create lush musical soundscapes is nothing short of genius. On the Dr. Dre-produced "Family Affair," Blige implores the club set to "get crunk 'cause Mary's back" as she introduces some new slang to the hip-hop vernacular ("holleration"). "Steal Away" is a classic Neptunes-induced head-nodder in the "Love Is All We Need" vein, as Pharrell Williams chimes in a Curtis Mayfield-like falsetto. Those who like their R&B straight might be offended by the acoustic guitar solo by Lenny Kravitz on "PMS," or the album's title track, which samples the theme from The Young and the Restless soap opera. But listen to "Where I've Been" (a redemptive tale of Blige's not-so-rapid ascent from the 'hood, featuring guest raps from Eve) and the Missy Elliott-assisted "Never Been," and misgivings vanish. Whereas past Mary J. efforts were limited to tales of relationships gone awry, her outlook is more diverse and upbeat, while her scratchy, bluesy vocals have become more expansive, too. She raps on "Love," scats on "Beautiful Day," chats on the a cappella "Forever No More," and caps No More Drama with a string of uplifting ballads ("2 U," "In the Meantime"), neatly polishing off a release that will stand as one of the best of 2001. --Dalton Higgins

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This album is a must buy! ,August 29, 2001, Birmingham, Al, August 29, 2001

By	Jamaal (Birmigham, AL USA) - See all my reviews

Mary's new album "No More Drama" says it all because I've been through a lot of drama the past 3 yrs. and it helped me a lot the song "Family Affair" is off the hzzook and slammin' on the charts, radio & video airwaves, and into the stores by my dawg Mighty Mighty DR.
So if you go through a lot of drama you gotta cop this disc and track # 17 "Testimony" which talks about herself having a lot of
bad days, depression, not enough love from people, loneliness, just aout the same as the slammin' Jimmy Jam-Terry Lewis produced title cut, it embodies the portion of the CBS television soap opera Y&R(Young & The Restless theme).
Neptunes are also on this album after producing for Busta Rhymes, Ray J. Ludacris, Usher, Mystikal, NERDZ, Babyface, and among others, the track "Steal Away" should be the next single cause it expresses how Mary wants to have the "real love" back again & last but not least the track entitled "Where I've Been" is so so crunk cause it talks about how she (mary) was bron and raised back in the day listening to Michael Jackson records all of the time which is produced by Ruff Ryders own Swizz Beatz, but there are a few mishaps but still this album is worth buying than Juvenile's "Project English".
Go ahead and cop this album cause Mary's back you want be dissapponted after all the other R&B singers and we must say that we can't forget about the late Aaliyah Dana Haughton.
Love Jamaal Da hey!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No More Drama for Mary, But Plenty for Us, March 4, 2002

By	doomsdayer520 (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

I'm mostly a rock fan who merely dabbles in current R&B (though I do collect classic funk and soul). So I'm hardly an expert, but I do know when people are good at what they do, and I feel that Mary J. Blige is one of the strongest and most talented artists working in R&B today. What sets Mary above the crowd here is the lyrics, as she doesn't bother with the usual romance and good time stuff, and lays down the law with sheer emotion and insight. The running theme in this album is how Mary has moved beyond her personal demons and has a new intelligent and experienced outlook on life, as you can see in the very strong lyrics in "Destiny," "Where I've Been, " the poem "Forever No More," and others. But the great lyrics don't need to carry the album, as Mary has racked up the best producers to keep the music moving as well. Faves include the hard charging "Love," the extra funky and reggae-ish groove in "Dance with Me," and "No More Drama" which is definitely dramatic and features the theme from The Young and the Restless. This is universally great soul that has no trouble breaking out of its boundaries.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MARY J. BLIGE's most diverse effort so far, September 1, 2001

By	Desmond Chan (Bishan North Singapore) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

The legion of fans following Mary J. Blige knows that her album promises quality - and it's no exception to her 5th album, NO MORE DRAMA - and if anything it's in fact her most diverse and solid effort to root herself as the "queen of hip-hop soul". No longer is she mourning and griping over the loss of love, but she matures into different dimensions of her emotions and talks about life. NO MORE DRAMA produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis proves just how mesmerizing Ms. Blige is when handling emotive soulful rendition; "Keep it moving" is groovy with heavy beats to make you want to spin the dance floor, "Destiny" is painfully excruciating - a paean on one's fate; "PMS" with Lenny Kravitz breathes maturity and understated grief -"LOVE AFFAIR" produced by Dr. Dre is her hot single - and to the later part of the album, "2U" and "In the Meantime" shows her exuberance in soulful ballads - she ends with a poem FOREVER NO MORE that is surprisingly enlighthening - then sums it up with the mellow "TESTIMONY". "Where I've Been" with Eve and her collaboration with Missy Elliot in "NEVER BEEN" is wondrous.

Anyone who listens to her knows that it is not her vocal range that enchant, but her sincerity towards her crooning. The glossy cover of Ms. Blige on NO MORE DRAMA is deceiving - her flamboyance does not do justification to the goods inside; she is an artiste who strives to be creative. Her much-missed soul and rapping is delightfully showcased; the poignancy and maturity is much appreciated. Fortunately, there are no dramatic changes in her honed singing skills - it proves that astute listners can trust vintage Mary J. Blige to deliver with NO MORE DRAMA. It's been long since we ever heard such an incredible feat in 2001.