Mary J. Blige Quotes

In the studio you can really concentrate on performing the song where as on stage you also have to worry about connecting with so many people, they're definitely different.

I’ve done well, I’ve been disappointed, and I think it all goes back to you. Of course the labels are going to be the labels. It’s the music business. You are a business. That’s what they do. So you’ve got to protect yourself.

You demand respect and you'll get it. First of all, you give respect.

I don't think I'll do foster care or adopt, to be quite honest.

It's not just songs and glamour. It's sweat, blood, broken toes, and mistakes... It's life.

I like French fries; I like mashed. I love potatoes.

Really, every woman is an example to me, because as women we go through so much pain. We have to live this perfect life when we are messed up inside. We all go through trials and tribulations.

God comes first - if I don't love him, I can't love anybody, and if I can't love me I can't love nobody.

I used to think I was ugly. I thought I looked like a camel. A person who doesn't love themselves, they will see anything that pops up on their face. I've seen squirrels, I've seen a bird, and I've seen all kinds of animals on my face. But that is the result of self-hate. I've learned to say: 'You know what? I am a beautiful black woman'.

I grew up watching MTV, when Journey was huge, when Pat Benatar had 'Love Is a Battlefield,' and my friends and I used to cut school to watch this woman in the video. We loved Pat Benatar.

I think women should band together to get us more respect in all the businesses that we're in because, you know, if we turn 40, we're nothing and nobody. We all should band together and just say we're not gonna go down like that.

I can't just make a song people can dance in a club to... it still has to be real.

I wish I had known that education is the key. That knowledge is power. Now I pick up books and watch educational shows with my husband. I'm seeing how knowledge can elevate you.

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.

Believe in yourself when nobody else does.

From being a little girl in the projects, going through all of the mess that I was going through, to ending up at the Inauguration for the first African-American president, I'm speechless right now because I never thought I'd - I never ever - I couldn't even see that far. Even when I ended up in the music business I couldn't see that.

I remember a time when all my fans were crying and sad and going through hell. Now, we're trying to uplift each other and accept ourselves for who we are, even if nobody else does.

It's up to us to choose whether we win or lose...and I choose to win.

When I was a kid, I needed to sing because it makes me feel good about myself. It makes me feel good, period.

You either learn from your experiences or go back and do the same thing, and I learned from my experiences.

For the first time in my life, I'm proud of myself

I can tell you I didn't feel good when I could not articulate properly. Getting my GED was important and I want other women to feel that.

My career doesn't get harder because when you have something to share, you have something to share. And when it's a trial or a situation that you triumph out of, you have to - because this is the relationship I started with my fans on the My Life album in 1994. You have to share in order for people to see how you came through it, or how you're dealing with having thoughts of doubting yourself. What songs are gonna help you? What lyrics are gonna pull you out of your slump?

Don't go a full day or night without washing your face. You have to get all the dirt and makeup out of your pores.

When you hold on to anger and unforgiveness, you can't move forward.

I was inspired to create 'My Life' so I could finally share a personal part of my life beyond my music.

People in my neighborhood inspired me to sing. Believe in your ability no matter what, but be realistic with yourself and your ability.

When you come from so many damaged places you don't ever want to spiral back there, so you gotta continue to check yourself.

I have to have lemon and honey. I have to have apple cider vinegar, Braggs. And I have to have either Red Vines or Twizzlers. These things, you know, are the things that help my vocal performance.

I didn't never have to go to a therapist. I just always put it in a song and you heard me.

'My Life' is not an autobiography. It's just music.

It's that first step-getting out the door-that's the toughest. If you can do that, you've already won.

Just don't let the hype of what people are saying and how much they love you, y'know, just take the compliment and be thankful that people are complimenting you, but don't let it consume you; don't let your circumstances around you and the way people view you make you act a certain way.

I started speaking about what I was dealing with through my music, and 4 million women responded and said, 'Us too, Mary.' And I didn't know that everyone was hurting like I was hurting. I had no idea.

I like what I see when I'm looking at me when I'm walking past the mirror.

That's the message I want to give to every up-and-coming artist: Do everything that is going to help you later. If you clone somebody else, that's all they're gonna keep wanting from you.

I blame my mother for nothing, but forgive her for everything.

When someone comes up to me and says, 'Mary, you helped save my marriage', or, 'Mary, you helped me get out of this abusive relationship', I'm in it, really in their lives. And I'm so passionate about my feelings, but also about showing people the way through theirs.

As a kid, I was in love with Michael Jackson, and I just knew I was going to marry him someday.

The music business is not a good place for people who don't know things.

I like hanging out with me, and I've accepted everything about me good, bad whatever it is. That's why I'm able to, that's why no one can tell me anything negative about myself.

Then my life crashed and burned down: trials, men, drama, no self-love, no identity. A little identity, but not a lot of love for myself, my life.

I don't have any health problems, but to keep your health improves your quality of life.

I've been praying to God to show me how to forgive myself. Because... maybe... that's the thing I've been searching for.

There's so many things that life is, and no matter how many breakthroughs, trials will exist and we're going to get through it. Just be strong.

I don't listen to people's opinions. I have people around me who I can trust, but most of all I listen to myself.

Cause I'm no better than you, you, or you. And I can't get on no throne and preach, 'cause I'm not God.

I'm striving toward this acting thing. I'm definitely gonna work hard on that, whatever comes my way, I'm gonna work hard on it.