My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1)
| Mary J. Blige
My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1)
My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1) is the tenth studio album by American singer and songwriter Mary J. Blige, released on November 21, 2011, by Geffen Records and Matriarch Records. Titled as the sequel and serving as a thematical extension to her 1994 breakthrough album My Life, which portrayed a dark period in Blige's personal life, it talks about the themes of struggle, heartbreak, and strength while reflecting the growth and evolution she had experienced since the release of its predecessor.-Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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BBC
The rest of the album is the most enjoyable, exciting and consistent Mary J. Blige set.
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Hip Hop DX
It’s clear that her journey has made her a stronger woman. Thankfully, her evolution hasn’t diluted her music’s honesty in the slightest.
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Consequence of Sound
She can go from tripped-out, beat-heavy tracks to earnest love songs in a moment, and that “moment” is something she inhabits achingly well.
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All Music
Those who expect a wide variety of material in terms of style, mood, and quality will get precisely that.
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Telegraph UK
Yet, as ever in her 20 years making hip-hop soul, with the right collaborators she can conjure golden moments.
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Music OMH
Such an impressive collection; it manages to avoid the pitfalls of creative redundancy and combines a classic sound with a contemporary twist to perfect effect.
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Independent UK
The high priestess of emotional turmoil returns to her apparently turbulent personal life on this latest album.
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AV Club
What My Life II lacks in a single vision, though, it makes up for with consistently rousing performances from Blige, whose radiant voice has only grown fuller and bluesier with time.
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Slant magazine
Is the album a worthy successor to My Life? Not remotely, despite being a listenable chapter in Blige’s ongoing Remembrance of Joints Past.
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Soul in Stereo
But to my surprise, My Life II successfully conjures up memories of a bygone era while remaining fresh and current.
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Trini Trent
The album cemented her position as the flagship figure of the R&B revival.
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LA Times
The truth is that any of Blige’s albums could’ve been called “My Life II”; her work always feels as if it’s arriving upon a bed of personal betterment.
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Black Grooves
My Life II is a testament to Blige’s continual growth as an artist and a woman.
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ZOMG Talk
With this album, the Queen Of Hip-Hop/Soul cements her position as one of the most significant and influential artists of all time.
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YQG Rocks
The entire album is soulful, catchy, moving, lyric and beat driven, and packed full of a variety of talented artists. This is one of Blige’s best yet.
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Musik Please
It reflects a return to the source of the diva that invents the sequel to My Life. This sequel to My Life is listening with pleasure.
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Metro UK
And it works splendidly. The nods to the original album are affectionate, not forced.
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Pop Matters
My Life II is the amplification of three of the most important words in the English language: It is possible.
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Journal Star
Blige is in great vocal form, powerful and vulnerable, confident and emotional. She's just the best.
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Slacker
Chest-beating pleader “25/8” clearly aims for classic status with a Gamble/Huff sample. The second half is heavy on ballads.
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FYE
Those who expect a wide variety of material in terms of style and mood will get precisely that. The first half contains several uplifting, upbeat numbers.
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Napster
Yes, there are plenty of sappy self-help numbers like "The Living Proof," but after two decades in the business, this R&B legend has earned the right to make them.
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Mobo
Mary has been gone for a while but she has never left the building which she clearly proves with this new album. My Life II.
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Thy Black Man
Mary J. Blige stays true to her roots in Hip-Hop, Soul, and R&B and adds Futuristic to the list, on My Life II…!
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Rap 2 Soul
The Queen of Hip Hop Soul is back.The album packed with music for body and soul.
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DTG Reviews
She's emotional but self-assured and even if her music changed a lot through the years, she always feels like her old self.
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The Talent Show
My Life: Act 2 is a sturdy foundation.
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