Name: Whats The 411?
Brand: Mary J Blige

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

UPTD10681

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

1996-07-29

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Unive­rsal

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

008811068127

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Total Cap

1 / CD / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Mary J Blige

Genre US

R&B / Neo-Soul

Label US

Motown

<b>Perhaps the true test of a classic is this: something that's commonplace now but at the time appeared revolutionary. </b>

The notion that a female R&amp;B singer could be as informed by the Real Roxanne as she was by Aretha Franklin, that she could give love to the streets and the roughnecks—while still delivering soul-drenched love songs that came from that wounded womanly space—was, in a word, groundbreaking. It was the sound of the New Jills, and of a new genre, aptly called hip-hop soul. Featuring production from a then-upstart Puffy, and a collection of songs that alternately swagger and seduce—"You Remind Me," "Real Love," "Reminisce"—What's the 411? may not be Blige's finest work (that honor may go to its moody follow-up, My Life). But its ghetto-fied grooves dominated the radio then, and they still sound fierce today, even with a slew of lesser imitators attempting to do what the rough and ready Blige did so effortlessly back in the day. —Amy Linden

Whats The 411?

Music US