Mary J. Blige Recalls Aretha Franklin’s Studio Arrival in 1998 Collaboration

Mary J. Blige shared a story of her first encounter with Aretha Franklin at the 1998 VH1 Divas Live rehearsal. Blige described Franklin as intimidating as she entered the room, plus she had a very strong, witty personality. Franklin was known for her ability to make direct comments and for being fearless in public and private, and this continued throughout her life and career until her passing in 2018 due to pancreatic cancer.

"Aretha came in a hoodie, a sweatsuit, one pant-leg rolled up, like she was coming to fight or something. She had on this long trench coat and the hoodie, and she was like, 'How you doin'? Hey, what's up, Choppy?'" Blige explained. "I thought [Choppy] was like an insult, but someone said that she was admiring me, like saying that I could sing. But everything just felt so…Babyface was even scared!"

Producer Babyface showed signs of discomfort when Franklin arrived, indicating how strong Franklin's presence was even to experienced producers. Upon further discussion, Blige realized that Franklin's comment was positive and commented on her ability to balance feeling warm with feeling tough and strong.

Franklin's legacy remains towering, with more than 75 million records sold worldwide and enduring recognition as one of the greatest singers in music history. Her death instigated a major will dispute among her sons, which kept the public's attention on her estate while at the same time her cultural influence continued after she passed away.

In 2020, the collaboration "Never Gonna Break My Faith" by Franklin and Blige was released to coincide with Juneteenth. The song addresses faith, resilience, and racial identity. Blige was also quoted speaking about her lifelong practice of developing herself as a person using a mirror and affirmations each day, as well as her daily prayers, both of which help her build her self-esteem and maintain her spiritual connection to something larger than herself and her art.

Franklin's influence extended into Blige's later work, including her portrayal of Dinah Washington in the 2021 biopic Respect. Blige has also reflected on performing at the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show alongside Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar, noting she was the sole female headliner and praising Dre's lasting influence.