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Mary J. Blige is 53 and feeling fine! See her very best photos of all time right here.
Mary J. Blige was born on January 11, 1971, in the New York City borough of the Bronx to mother Cora, a nurse, and father Thomas, a jazz musician. She was later raised in the historic Savannah, Georgia where she began singing in a church before moving back to the state of New York.
During that period of the late 1980s, she began pursuing her musical career – which included an early cover of Anita Baker’s “Caught Up in the Rapture.” Based on that, she was signed to Uptown Records where she released her 1992 debut album ‘What’s the 411?’ followed by 1993’s ‘My Life.’
Over the course of her career, Mary J. Blige has released 13 studio albums and become one of the most successful recording artists in history with 100 million albums sold. She’s won nine Grammy Awards, along with four AMAs, 12 Billboard Awards, and on Feb. 13 will have the honor of performing at the Super Bowl LVI Half Time Show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar.
Want to know more? Look back on Mary J’s iconic career in photos here.
Mary J. Blige Performs in 1993
![Mary J. Blige Performs in 1993](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-2.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at the ‘Men in Black’ Soundtrack Premiere
![Mary J. Blige at the ‘Men in Black’ Soundtrack Premiere](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-3.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige in 1997
![Mary J. Blige in 1997](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-4.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige in 1999
![Mary J. Blige in 1999](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-5.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at a 1999 MTV Event
![Mary J. Blige at a 1999 MTV Event](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-6.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at the Re-opening Of Radio City Music Hall
![Mary J. Blige at the Re-opening Of Radio City Music Hall](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-7.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige on BBC
![Mary J. Blige on BBC](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-8.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige & Aretha Franklin at an NFL Party
![Mary J. Blige & Aretha Franklin at an NFL Party](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-9.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
![Mary J. Blige at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-10.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige on ‘Friday Night with Jonathan Ross’
![Mary J. Blige on ‘Friday Night with Jonathan Ross’](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-11.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul
![Mary J. Blige at VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-12.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at the 2019 BET Awards
![Mary J. Blige at the 2019 BET Awards](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-13.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige Performs at the 2019 BET Awards
![Mary J. Blige Performs at the 2019 BET Awards](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-14.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige Accepts a BET Award
![Mary J. Blige Accepts a BET Award](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-15.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige Gets Inducted into The Apollo Theater Walk of Fame
![Mary J. Blige Gets Inducted into The Apollo Theater Walk of Fame](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-16.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige Films ‘Power Book II: Ghost’
![Mary J. Blige Films ‘Power Book II: Ghost’](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-17.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at the 2021 Met Gala
![Mary J. Blige at the 2021 Met Gala](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/mary-j-blige-then-now-ss-18.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at a Chanel Event
![Mary J. Blige at a Chanel Event](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Mary-J-Blige-gallery4.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige’s at the ‘Good Morning Gorgeous’ Album Release Party
![Mary J. Blige’s at the ‘Good Morning Gorgeous’ Album Release Party](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Mary-J-Blige-gallery3.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige Ahead of Super Bowl LVI
![Mary J. Blige Ahead of Super Bowl LVI](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Mary-J-Blige-gallery2.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at the Premiere of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’
![Mary J. Blige at the Premiere of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Mary-J-Blige-gallery1.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards
![Mary J. Blige at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/mary-j-blige-ss-2.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige Owns the 2022 BET Awards
![Mary J. Blige Owns the 2022 BET Awards](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/mary-j-blige-ss-5.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at the Time 100 Celebration
![Mary J. Blige at the Time 100 Celebration](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/mary-j-blige-ss-6.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige at the 2022 BET Awards
![Mary J. Blige at the 2022 BET Awards](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/mary-j-blige-ss4.jpg?w=680)
Mary. J. Blige & Jill Biden in 2022
![Mary. J. Blige & Jill Biden in 2022](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/mary-j-bligess-3.jpg?w=680)
Mary J. Blige in 2022
![Mary J. Blige in 2022](https://hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/mary-j-blige-ss-1.jpg?w=680)