"When life is real, it's not going to be smooth."

• Born Mary Jane Blige Jan. 11, 1971, in the Bronx, New York.

• Mary J. Blige stepped into the spotlight with her 1992 debut album, What's The 411, which gave her a Top 10 hit with "Real Love." Blige had success with her next No. 7 album, My Life, which featured the hits "I'm Going Down," "Mary Jane," "I Love You," and the title track, which became a signature song for Blige.

• Blige won her first career GRAMMY for 1995 for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for "I'll Be There For You / You're All I Need To Get By," a collaboration with Method Man. She won her first solo GRAMMY for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 2003 for "He Think I Don't Know" from her album, No More Drama. At the 39th GRAMMY Awards in 1997, Blige made her GRAMMY stage debut as part of a "Waiting To Exhale" medley with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, CeCe Winans, and Brandy.    

• Blige was discovered when an amateur recording of Anita Baker's "Caught Up In The Rapture" that Blige made in a mall recording booth made its way to a record label executive who promptly signed her to a contract.

• Blige participated in an installment of GRAMMY U SoundChecks, which featured a discussion and answer session along with a live performance for students.

• In 2007 Blige established the Mary J. Blige Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now to provide women with access, education and support to achieve success in life.