Mary J. Blige Shares Soulful Empowerment Single "Know"

BY Erika Marie 6.1K Views
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For all of the queens.

She's still stomping across stages in her fierce thigh-high boots on the Royalty Tour with rap great Nas, and to continue her musical rollout, Ms. Mary J. Blige has dropped a new song on Thursday for her fans. The Sounwave-produced single is titled "Know" and before she sings a note, Mary lets it be known that this song is dedicated to all of the queens out there.

The R&B diva has carried the title of "Queen of Hip Hop Soul" for decades, but she clarified that being a queen isn't easy. "You know, when you hear the word 'queen,' you automatically think of a woman getting everything she wants," Mary said. "But it's not like that at all. See, being a ruler means sacrifice. Most of the time, you get less than what you give. So every woman and mother in the world is a queen because she sacrificed so much."

Mary has always been an artist to take from her real-life circumstances and turn it into the music of triumph, so the soulful "Know" is just another way that the singer attempts to encourage others by sharing her story of overcoming obstacles.

Quotable Lyrics

Gets so heavy sometimes
Carrying this weight of mine
Looks like the seas are parting
So I might as well start walking


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.