One of hip-hop's most acclaimed singers and femcees, Mary J. Blige, is still as glamorous, confident, and passionate about her craft as ever. Moreover, she just released a new single titled "Still Believe In Love," which has a classic, Bad Boy-era R&B and hip-hop fusion as its instrumentation. With slick bass playing, bright keys and synth pads, plus some gorgeous vocal harmonies, it's a pretty fitting and effectively breezy throwback cut. Still, don't let that old-school feeling distract you from the modern sheen and crispness of the production. In addition, the Strength Of A Woman festival and summit boss enlisted Vado for a feature here, which provides a nice contrast.
Furthermore, the Harlem rapper provides a smooth but still emphatic couple of verses to introduce and match Mary J. Blige's sentiment. In fact, it's pretty akin to classic R&B tracks of the 2000s that often worked with this formula to great success. While those aren't as common these days, who better than the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul to bring those vibes back in 2023? In addition, this track is still firmly rooted in rhythm and blues traditions of the time without compromising the infectious qualities of a hip-hop beat. As such, it makes for a lavish song that won't reinvent the wheel or bring things back to this standard, but will refresh those that ache for this sound.
Mary J. Blige's "Still Believe In Love" Feat. Vado: Watch The Music Video
Meanwhile, you probably already know Mary's legendary work, but listen to the East Coast MC's album from last year if he's a new name to you. Regardless, what did you think of "Still Believe In Love"? Let us know down there in the comments section. If you haven't heard it yet, find it on your preferred streaming service and check out the music video above and some standout lines below. For more news and the latest updates on Mary J. Blige and Vado- and for more great music releases each week- come back to HNHH.
Quotable Lyrics
Just 'cause you see me alone and I'm all on my own
It don't mean a thing
Just know I could find me somebody so easily, yeah
I can't lower my standards
I demand a guy to treat me like the queen that I be
In the middle of the night fantasize he only thinkin' 'bout me