To say that I'm a big Mary J. Blige fan would be an understatement. If you look back to 1992 and everyone else that was thriving at that time, then look at today, who's still standing? Growing Pains did 629k in its first week. As the vocal sample in "No One Else" says, "There is no competition..."
What's the 411? debuted in a year that also saw the release of Ooooooohhh...On the TLC Tip and SWV's It's About Time. All three of them employed a heavy dose of street appeal and Hip-Hop beats. But what set Mary's album apart was how she was able to ease out of the baggy jeans to capture the raw Soul of those that came before her, namely Chaka Khan. The Dave Hall-helmed "Love No Limit," specifically, seemed like a track better suited for the likes of Anita Baker, with a jazzy arrangement that primed it for Adult Contemporary radio. Even at such an early stage in her career, with everyone touting her as the consummate B-Girl (and eventual "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul," which would land her on the cover of The Source), Mary showed a versatility and a level of comfort in any musical setting that few since her debut have been able to emulate, no matter how hard they tried.
