“In the inner city, there's a mentality that the government owes you something. My breakthrough came when I stopped feeling sorry for myself and took responsibility for every part of my life. No more pity parties. I've gotta love me more than anybody else loves me.”

American singer, songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur

Mary J. Blige is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. She is widely known as the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul” and the “Queen of R&B.” Her career has brought her major recognition across music and television, including nine Grammy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. She has also won four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, among them the Billboard Icon Award.