Music Minute!

Mary J. Blige’s ‘What’s the 411?’ album cover.

Did you know that today (July 28th) is the 20th anniversary of  Mary J. Blige’s ‘What’s the 411?’ debut album release?

‘What’s the 411?’ was issued in the US on July 28th 1992. Merging the sounds of R&B, Soul and Hip-Hop, the record peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200 and has thus far amassed a total of 3.4 million copies sold in the US with a triple platinum certification by the RIAA.

Several artists have credited ‘What’s the 411?’ album as a major influence on their sound and even their image. Among the acts who praised Blige for her work on the record were Keyshia Cole, Mariah Carey, Beyonce and Whitney Houston.

Additionally, ‘What’s the 411?’ yielded three top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the lone top 10 entry ‘Real Love’, which climbed to #7 on the chart. However, despite only peaking at #29 on that lineup, it was Blige’s debut single, ‘You Remind Me’, that introduced her to the world.

Watch the video for Blige’s ‘You Remind Me’ below:

Now you know!