My Life

My Life is Mary J. Blige's sophomore album.

The album was released on November 29, 1994 on Uptown Records.

Many of the topics on the album deal with clinical depression, Mary battling with both drugs and alcohol as well as being in an abusive relationship.

Similar to her debut album "My Life" features vast production from Puff Daddy, who provided a hip hop soul sound.

It is considered to be her breakthrough album.

Album Background
In the fall of 1993, Mary entered the recording studio to record her sophomore album.

The album was a breakthrough for her because at the time, she was in a clinical depression, she was battling both drug & alcohol addiction & she was in an abusive relationship with K-Ci Hailey (which was reported in several tabloids).

Tracklisting
International Bonus Track Sample Credits
 * 1) Intro (1:04) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 2) Mary Jane (All Night Long) (4:39) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Rick James & Chucky Thompson; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 3) You Bring Me Joy (4:13) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Joel "JoJo" Hailey & Chucky Thompson; produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson)
 * 4) Marvin Interlude (0:36) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 5) I'm the Only Woman (4:30) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson; produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson)
 * 6) K. Murray Interlude (0:22) (written by Keith Murray, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Nashiem Myrick & Chucky Thompson; produced by Nashiem Myrick & Chucky Thompson)
 * 7) My Life (4:17) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Arlene DelValle & Chucky Thompson; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 8) You Gotta Believe (5:02) (written by Mary J. Blige, Big Bub, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Faith Evans, Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey & Chucky Thompson; produced by Herb Middleton, Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 9) I Never Wanna Live Without You (6:17) (written by Mary J. Blige, Big Bub, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Faith Evans & Chucky Thompson; produced by Herb Middleton, Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson)
 * 10) I'm Going Down (3:42) (written by Norman Whitfield; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 11) My Life (Interlude) (1:15) (written by Mary J. Blige, Big Bub, Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 12) Be With You (4:26) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 13) Mary's Joint (5:02) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 14) Don't Go (4:59) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 15) I Love You (4:31) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs & Chucky Thompson; produced by Chucky Thompson & Sean "Puffy" Combs)
 * 16) No One Else (4:14) (written by Dalvin DeGrate & Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey; produced by Mr. Dalvin)
 * 17) Be Happy (5:49) (written by Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Arlene DelValle & J.C. Olivier; produced by Sean "Puffy" Combs & Poke)
 * 1) (You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman (2:56) (written by Gerry Goffin, Carole King & Jerry Wexler; produced by James Mtume)
 * "Mary Jane (All Night Long)" contains interpolations from "All Night Long" as performed by Mary Jane Girls; "Close the Door" as performed by Teddy Pendergrass
 * "You Bring Me Joy" contains a sample of "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me" as performed by Barry White
 * "I'm The Only Woman" contains a sample of "Give Me Your Love" as performed by Curtis Mayfield; Contains re-sung lyrics from "For the Love of Money" as performed by The O'Jays
 * "K. Murray Interlude" contains a portion of "Who Shot Ya" as performed by The Notorious B.I.G.
 * "My Life" contains a sample "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" as performed by Roy Ayers
 * "Don't Go" contains a sample of "Goodbye Love" as performed by Guy; Contains re-sung lyrics from "Stay with Me" by DeBarge; "Brazilian Rhyme (Beijo)" by Earth, Wind & Fire, and contains an interpolation of "Speak to My Heart" by the New York Restoration Choir featuring Donnie McClurkin
 * "I Love You" samples "Ike's Mood" by Isaac Hayes and "Hollywood's World" by DJ Hollywood
 * "No One Else" samples "Free at Last" by Al Green and "La Di Da Di" by Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh
 * "Be Happy" samples "You're So Good To Me" by Curtis Mayfield and contains an interpolation of "I Want You" by Marvin Gaye
 * "Be Happy (Remix)" samples "Money (Dollar Bill Ya'll)" by Jimmy Spicer
 * "Be With You" samples "High Powered" by Dr. Dre and an interpolation of "Hey Love" by The Delfonics.

Commercial Performance
In its first week sales, "My Life" debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 and debuted on the top spot of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for an unprecedented eight weeks.

The album sold 231,000 copies its first week. It ultimately spent 46 weeks on the Billboard 200 and 84 weeks on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

The album also charted in Canada peaking at number thirty-seven, and at number fifty-nine on the UK Albums Chart.

On December 13, 1995, the album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of three million copies in the United States.

Critical Reception
NME wrote that the beats "reign supreme" and commended Mary for "telling her audience she grew up the same way they did, listened to the same things, was influenced by the same situations."

Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave the album a three-star honorable mention, indicating "an enjoyable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well treasure."

Christgau cited "Mary Jane (All Night Long)" and "I'm Going Down" as highlights and quipped, "an around-the-way girl's recipe for happiness."

In a mixed review, Jonathan Bernstein of Spin found most of the songs too "ordinary" and felt that Blige's compositions "give her space to stretch out and emote, but for all the melody they possess they might as well be breathing exercises."

Personnel

 * Andre Harrell - Executive Producer
 * Big Bub - Vocals (Background)
 * Bob Brockmann - Engineer, Keyboards, Mixing
 * Bruce Purse - Trumpet
 * Prince Charles Alexander - Engineer, Flute, Mixing, Piccolo, Producer, Sax (Tenor)
 * Chucky Thompson - Keyboards, Multi Instruments, Producer
 * Dalvin DeGrate - Arranger, Multi Instruments
 * Darryl Pearson - Bass
 * Debra Young - Production Coordination
 * Diane Monroe - Violin
 * Eileen Folson - Cello
 * Faith Evans - Songwriter, Background Vocals
 * Frank Colon - Percussion
 * Fred McFarlane - Keyboards
 * Gloria Agostini - Harp
 * Herb Middleton - Keyboards, Multi Instruments
 * Herb Powers - Mastering
 * JoDee Stringham - Design
 * K-Ci & JoJo - Arranger, Background Vocals
 * Keenya Mauldin - Hair Stylist
 * Latonya J. Blige - Background Vocals
 * Lenny Underwood - Piano
 * Lesa Terry - Violin
 * Mark Ledford - Trumpet
 * Mary J. Blige - Main Performer, Vocals, Background Vocals
 * Nasheim Myrick - Engineer, Programming
 * Regina Carter - Violin
 * Richard Travali - Engineer
 * Rob Paustian - Engineer, Mixing
 * Sam Fine - Make-Up
 * Sante D'Orazio - Photography
 * Sean "Puffy" Combs - Executive Producer, Producer
 * Sybil Pennix - Stylist
 * Tim Dawg - Associate Executive Producer
 * Tony Maserati - Engineer, Mixing
 * Victor Bailey - Bass
 * Vincent Henry - Sax (Alto)