Mary J. Blige, Good Morning Gorgeous | Album Review 💿

Mary J. Blige, The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, retains her crown on her first album in five years, the consistent, enjoyable Good Morning Gorgeous. 

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s the old saying goes, “better late than never!”  Following a five-year hiatus, The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, 🎙 Mary J. Blige, is back with a new studio album 🤩 (her 14^th or 15^th, depending on how you count). That’s an excruciating wait for fans of the 🏆 Grammy winner, but she’s been plenty busy beyond music alone.  What’s important is her return is legit, marking one of her best albums in years.  💿 Good Morning Gorgeous proves to be well worth the wait!

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“No Idea”

“What’s love / These days / We don’t know what to say / Heartbreak / So much / We don’t give a fuck, no.” Woo! Mary J. Blige brings ample attitude, grit, toughness (and ‘potty mouth’) on the opener, 🤩 🎵 “No Idea.”  Produced superbly by 🎛 Bongo, MJB excels over the backdrop. She sounds awesome vocally, as always, being brutally honest and keeping it street.  MJB remains locked-in on follow-up 🎵 “Love Will Never,” a second consecutive production from Bongo. The backdrop is classy, modern, and slick.  Thematically, Blige is in her lane, focusing on those pesky matters of the heart.  She asserts in the pre-chorus, “Drowning in my mind, love won’t feel the same again / Things I sacrificed / Just to feel something again / Love won’t feel the same.” My, oh my! Two tracks in, Good Morning Gorgeous is off to an auspicious start. 

🎵 “Here with Me” brings in a different producer.  That producer also happens to be the first featured guest on Good Morning Gorgeous, 🎙 🎛 Anderson .Paak.  The results are positive as Paak proves to be a fine match for MJB. He’s the first voice we hear on this short but sweet track, providing welcome contrast.  Blige joins him on the memorable, romantic chorus before delivering the second verse on her own.  On “Here with Me,” Blige wants “more than sex” – she “needs to connect” and “want(s) [him] to make [her] feel special.” I know that’s right Mary!

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“Rent Money” 

“This can’t be reality / I’m picking up the pieces of the puzzle / Here all by myself, yeah / I can’t even wish you well.” 🤩 🎵 “Rent Money” was released as the third single from Good Morning Gorgeous, featuring 🎙 Dave East.  🎛 D’Mile produced this relatively chill joint that samples 🎙 The Notorious B.I.G. record, 🎵 “Fuck You Tonight”.  For good measure, over the relaxed, soulful backdrop, Mary J. Blige brings some bite:

“Look now my rent money due

I spent everything fuckin’ with you, oh

They say you win some, you win some you lose

All I got is rent money due

Fucking with you.”

Blige invested her all into this man and she’s literally left with nothing.  After spending, being loyal, and of course, sex, she’s ultimately in a bad spot – that rent is due!  Basically, she can’t depend on him. Dave East, fittingly, plays the guy who’s messed over her, asserting, “Phone out, she recording / Just so she can get the proof / It was all good when we was in the mood.” Sounds like he’s no good, Mary, but this song – it’s ‘on-point’ girl!

“Cut out all that noise, only positive vibes / I don’t it pay no mind, I don’t pay it no mind (No mind).” 🤩 🎵 “Amazing” is a certified banger, whether it fits Good Morning Gorgeous perfectly or not. Energetic from the jump, MJB gets the 🎙 DJ Khaled treatment on the intro.  Additionally, he’s credited to the banging production work alongside  🎛 Streetrunner, and 🎛 Tarik Azzouz. Giving the production a lift is a 🎙 Dawn Penn sample, “You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)”.  Although a seasoned vet, Blige sounds fresh, revitalized, and young. I love the aggressive approach and attitude that she brings to the table. Furthermore, I love the rhythmic, melodic rap delivery of the verses. The chorus is infectious and feel-good – undoubtedly the centerpiece.

“Every day like my birthday, bring the cake in

Bring the cake in, bring the cake in

I feel good, I feel great, man, I feel amazing

Man, I feel amazing, man, I feel amazing.”

Blige sounds utterly fierce, powerful, and on top of her game!

Appears in 🔽:

• Awesome Songs: December 2021

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“Good Morning Gorgeous”

🎵 “GMG Interlude” sets up the soulful, title track, 🤩 🎵 “Good Morning Gorgeous”, which was released in advance of the album. Blige delivers commanding vocals and has a fine melody to work with.  Melodically, it’s rhythmic, particularly in the second verse.  Thematically, she reflects on past pain and vows not to let it bring her down now.  She’s resolved to uplift herself, exemplified on the chorus, where she’s supported by superb backing vocals, upping the ante.

“I wake up every morning and tell myself

‘Good morning gorgeous’

Sometimes you gotta look in the mirror and say,

‘Good morning gorgeous’.”

“Good Morning Gorgeous” was written by Blige, 🎼✍ 🎛 D’Mile, 🎼✍ David Brown, 🎼✍ 🎛 H.E.R., and 🎼✍ Tiara Thomas – an elite team.  As far as the production (D’Mile and H.E.R.), the sound embodies slow, soulful R&B with old-school vibes.  I love the use of a lilting, six-eight meter as well as a robust bass line. Blige sounds potent and powerful as ever.  This song plays to her strengths, reminding us why she’s among the best in the game.

Appears in 🔽:

• Awesome Songs: December 2021

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“Come See About Me”

Like “Good Morning Gorgeous” that precedes it, 🤩 🎵 “Come See About Me” possesses a classic, old-school vibe. While Mary J. Blige hasn’t been characterized as a neo-soul artist in her illustrious career, she’s released records that qualify. She’s such a versatile musician that she can sing in any style – mad respect.  Come See About Me” qualifies as one of those incredibly soulful moments that preserve the sanctity of soul music.  🎛 Cool N Dre and 🎛 El Michels provide her with a classy backdrop that helps fuel the fire.  I’d argue “Come See About Me” is one of her strongest vocal performances on Good Morning Gorgeous.

“Ayy, who run it? (Who run it?) / Who run it? (Who run it?) / Be honest (Be honest) / One hundred (One hundred).” Listening to 🎵 “On Top”, it’s hard for me to believe that 🎙 Mary J. Blige has entered her fifth decade in life. One of the hip-hop-driven numbers on Good Morning Gorgeous, MJB has all the confidence in the world. “Now I’m back and I’m better / Big step in Margiellas,” she asserts in the first verse, continuing, “Buss down sky dweller / My time a little better / Who run it?”  She goes on to tout the longevity of her career (true) and for good measure, some drip.  Interestingly, 🎛 Cool N Dre stitch up a drill production for the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. Of course, she eats! 🎙 Fivio Foreign assists, amplifying the confidence of this top-driven joint: “This is my city, I’m giving aggression / None of my shooters is getting arrested / Who run it? / Eight hundred, they buggin’ / Dare a nigga come and say some…” Woo! 

Appears in 🔽:

• Mary J. Blige, “On Top”: Rap BNGRZ 🔥 No. 8 (2022) 

Question: is it possible to have 🎵 “Love Without the Heartbreak”?  Not sure, but that’s what Blige seeks on the 10^th track from Good Morning Gorgeous.  Another 🎛 Anderson .Paak production (with 🎛 Rogét Chahayed), “Love Without the Heartbreak” is classy, refined grown folks R&B at its best.  That said, from Mary’s end, she’s not effing around.  “If I could pick the best parts of love, I can do without this,” she asserts in the first verse, continuing, “I would take out all the bullshit / I would take out the part about your ex-bitch.” Woo! Truly, MJB is, indeed, “so goddamn sick of the pain.”

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“Failing in Love”

“So close to givin’ up / When you stay, you’re fuckin’ up.” Da-yum! Love continues to plague Mary on one of the true ‘crème de la crème’ moments of Good Morning Gorgeous, 🤩 🎵 “Failing in Love.”  🎛 London on da Track and 🎛 Slimwav set up the Queen for surefire success.  Here, Blige wants to find success in the love department but continues failing time and time again.  Her pain, of course, is our listening pleasure on this incredibly relatable number. 🎛 Cool N Dre maintains sheer excellence on the penultimate gem, 🤩 🎵 “Enough.” MJB informs her ex he’s made a mistake by doing her wrong – he has/had a good woman.  “I know the chase has got you feelin’ / Like you don’t need me no more,” she sings in the second verse, asserting in the chorus, “You can’t see what you got at home / You’re dead wrong not to fight for it.” Woo! Again, Blige’s love pains are our listening pleasure.

MJB concludes Good Morning Gorgeous with 🎵 “Need Love” which features fellow 🏆Grammy-winning R&B artist, 🎙 Usher.  This union marks two of R&B’s biggest stars continuing to ‘bring the heat’ past their career primes.  I can’t commend Blige enough for her pipes here and throughout GMG, and the same can be said of Usher.  “Need Love” isn’t the best song from GMG, but it’s another elite, well-rounded moment.  And as for producer 🎛 J. White Did It, well, HE DID THAT! 

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Final Thoughts 💭 

Mary J. Blige fans had to wait five years for a new album, ugh! The good news, however, is that Good Morning Gorgeous is one of Blige’s best albums in years.  Relatively short and sweet, The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul REMAINS the queen, 51 years young.  There’s not a bad song to be found, with some truly elite moments.  To reiterate, Good Morning Gorgeous proves to be well worth the wait!

🤩 Gems 💎: “No Idea,” “Rent Money,” “Amazing,” “Good Morning Gorgeous,” “Come See About Me,” “Failing in Love” & “Enough”

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🎙 Mary J. Blige • 💿 Good Morning Gorgeous • 🏷 Mary Jane Productions Inc. / 300 Entertainment • 🗓 2.11.22

[📷: Mary Jane Productions Inc. / 300 Entertainment]

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