Share My World/MCA/April 22, 1997
Dissolving her partnership with Sean Combs, Blige recruited a stable of super-producers for her third album, including Rodney Jerkins, Babyface, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Debuting at No. 1, Share My World was a turning point in Blige's career. Beginning to mature past her early 'thug-girl' image, and having moved on from her turbulent relationship with K-Ci, Blige seemed scarred, but unbroken, and wiser after her long period of inner turmoil. The album's more sunny, more sophisticated outlook and sleeker production caught some fans and critics off-guard, but Blige was in transition, from 'round-the-way-girl to urban goddess.

Mary/MCA/August 17, 1999

Continuing to grow and blossom as a person as the new millennium approached, Blige's fourth studio album, simply titled Mary, saw the singer fully realized as a 21st century soul diva, capable of breathing life into the sounds of the past by injecting them with her own brand of gritty honesty. Only now, instead of heartache and turmoil, Blige was writing and singing about hope and love. Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill and Elton John (who would become one of Blige's close, personal friends), all collaborated with her on the album; and Blige's earthy, almost adult-contemporary approach was further proof that she wasn't allowing herself to be boxed in by anyone anymore. Though not as commercially successful as previous efforts, critics praised the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul's approach and continued evolution. - todd williams

No More Drama/MCA/Aug. 28, 2001

The release of No More Drama signaled a changing of the guard in Blige's career. Even the casual observer could see that Blige had come a long way since her 1992 debut What's the 411?. This fifth studio release signified Blige's newfound understanding of what truly mattered in life for her: loving herself and having a positive relationship with God. Such a stance shifted Blige's standing within the black community from "homegirl" to mentor. Blige was now a woman chock-full of wisdom, and unafraid to share the many lessons learned with her somewhat fanatical following. Blige had evolved. Blige was now a woman. And the grace and dignity with which she promoted this release exhibited her fearless realization that she was, indeed, a queen.

Love & Life/Geffen/Aug. 26, 2003

It was the summer of 2003, and like clockwork, Blige released a highly anticipated album. Aptly titled Love & Life, this sixth studio offering was perhaps the most underwhelming of Blige's stellar career. Ironically, this was due to a newfound happiness that Blige had discovered in her personal life. While the rest of the world guiltily reveled in her personal pain, which would always be poignantly captured on wax, Blige was now a new woman - one that was foreign to her endless legions of fans. Add to that an unsuccessful reunion with Sean "Diddy" Combs, and Love & Life seemed to signal a hard fall from grace. With happiness in her personal life, what would Blige have to sing about now? No one wanted to listen to the happy Mary. And if there was no pain, there was no Mary. At least not the Mary everyone had come to adore. Blige needed to do some soul searching - and fast. - dewayne rogers

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