These are songs that aren't afraid to reference former glories but, thankfully, frequently look for drama through the music rather than the subject matter. My Life II… comprises a set of songs geared to suit her rather than push her to compete outside of an established comfort zone. Reassuringly, as Blige and her long-term fans slip into middle age (she's long since turned 40), this is the tone for the whole album. It's nothing particularly new, either: just a clever updating of the hip hop soul she pioneered to virtually invent modern RnB, and then never quite seemed to get the best out of as the style was developed by others. It's a back-to-basics approach that is wholly refreshing songs are built from the ground up, therefore fitting her perfectly. Midnight Drive claims no samples, delivering the kind of brash, uncluttered hip hop that's always worked best for this singer. Three tracks into this album and you're slapped around the head with the essence of Mary J.
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