It’s Hard to Beat the Original but “My Life Part II...” Does a Good Job of Trying

Tuesday, 13 December 2011 02:49 Written by  Ebony L. Morman

It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago when hits like “You Bring Me Joy,” “Be Happy,” and “I’m Goin’ Down” were “new joints” courtesy of the first “My Life.” It probably feels that way because even today that classic album is still relevant.

Fast forward 17 years, and you have that same MJB that many generations have come to love and even if they don’t love her, the respect is definitely there. "There’s not enough hours in the day, so I’ma love you 25/8..." Pretty strong lyrics, right? When the first single off of “My Life Part II... The Journey Continues”  hit airwaves a couple months ago, MJB fans could rest assured that the self-assured Queen of Hip Hop and R&B was back on car radios and iTunes playlists.

If men ever had a question as to what do women want, “Love A Woman” is the answer. MJB and “Bey” do a very good job of answering that question in just four, short minutes. Letting men know that women need more than material things and more importantly, a man who is not just all talk, but also puts action to his words. One would think that two strong voices on a single track wouldn’t be so successful. Surprisingly, both of their voices compliment each other pretty well.

MJB’s vocals introduce “Feel Inside,” but are quickly followed by that oh so familiar sound of Nas’ as he blesses track. In different ways, both Nas and MJB express how they feel about a relationship that is clearly going through ups and downs.

An album just wouldn’t be complete without one of the hottest artists in the game being on a track, right? With the soulful voice of Mary and the raspy voice of Mr. Rick Ross, “Why” almost immediately makes you want to “groove” even though the lyrics takes you to a different place. As she sings about not being able to  make it right no matter how hard they try, Rick, along with his well-known ad-libs, completes the track –– something he’s become accustomed to lately.

“Don’t Mind” is definitely a feel-good track where Mary sings about a good love. As she belts out that she doesn’t mind saying she loves her man, the upbeat track puts you in a good mood, making it almost impossible not to rock to it. 

Of course, there are about a dozen other tracks that scream Mary. It’s pretty clear that she is in a very different place than she was almost 20 years ago, but “My Life Part II...” still gives us that old Mary that we are used to seeing and hearing. At a time when everything is changing, it’s good to know that some things (and people) will remain somewhat the same.

 

Ebony L. Morman

Ebony L. Morman

GMO's Senior Editor Ebony L. Morman received her B.A. in journalism from Northern Illinois University and her master’s in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. The Chicago-native enjoys writing about almost anything, but since she also has a passion for music, writing reviews of albums has become one of her favorite past times. Aside from GMO, Ebony freelances for a variety of publications and volunteers in her community.

Ebony can be contacted at EbonyM@glossmagazineonline.com
Follow her on Twitter at @EbonyEyes_GMO

Website: www.glossmagazineonline.com

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