No More Drama

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
No More Drama
Nomoredrama.jpg
The original release CD artwork for the album.
Studio album by
Mary J. Blige
ReleasedAugust 28, 2001 (2001-08-28)
Recorded2000–01
GenreR&B
Length71:50
LabelMCA
Producer
Mary J. Blige chronology
Mary
(1999) 		No More Drama
(2001) 		Love & Life
(2003)
Singles from No More Drama
  1. "Family Affair"
    Released: July 21, 2001[1]
  2. "No More Drama"
    Released: October 30, 2001[2]
  3. "Dance for Me"
    Released: January 28, 2002[3]
  4. "Rainy Dayz"
    Released: March 11, 2002[4]

No More Drama is the fifth studio album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige. The album was released by MCA on August 28, 2001.

Following the critical and commercial success of her fourth studio album Mary (1999), No More Drama was similarly well received. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and at number one on the R&B Albums chart, selling 294,000 copies in its first week.[5] It has spawned four singles that have attained Billboard chart success, including its lead single "Family Affair", which became Blige's first career number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and a worldwide number-one hit.

The album received two Grammy Award nominations for Best R&B Album and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (for "Family Affair") at the 44th Grammy Awards. Blige would win her first in the latter category for the track "He Think I Don't Know" the following year. As of December 2016, the album has been certified triple platinum for shipping over three million copies in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Conception[]

The inspiration for No More Drama came largely from Blige's own confused and hectic life. In a later interview she confessed to living a life of alcohol and drug abuse at the time, and as a result getting involved in a series of abusive relationships. The album was an attempt to break free from this vicious circle, which was a result of a deprived childhood.[6]

Stylistically, the album diverged from the blues-soaked R&B of Mary into her earlier 1990's hip-hop beats. This is especially evident in the first single, "Family Affair". Rapper Eve appears on the track "Where I've Been" as well, and urban influences can be heard throughout the album.[citation needed]

Early in its development, the album carried the full title Mary Jane - No More Drama and was to be a sequel to 1999's Mary. Blige's then-manager hinted that the album would be the second in a trilogy and be followed by an album titled Mary Jane Blige.[7] During this time, the first single was supposed to be a song called "Rock Steady" featuring a rap from Jay-Z and Lenny Kravitz on guitar. The song was leaked to mixtapes around June 2001, two months before the album was scheduled to be released and subsequently did not make the final cut on the album.[8]

The original advance copy of No More Drama was slightly different from the later, official release. A vocal loop repeated throughout the whole of the version included with the intention of anti-piracy sings "Mary J. Blige, No More Drama!". The first publish of an AMG review printed in All Music Guide to Soul, a guide to R&B and soul, of No More Drama mistakenly pointed this out as if it were part of the actual album, calling it "as subtle and congruent as a consistent drum hit."[9]

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic77/100[10]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic4/5 stars[11]
Entertainment WeeklyA[12]
The Guardian4/5 stars[13]
Los Angeles Times3/4 stars[14]
NME7/10[15]
Q4/5 stars[16]
Rolling Stone3.5/5 stars[17]
Uncut3.5/5 stars[18]
USA Today3.5/4 stars[19]
Vibe4/5[20]

No More Drama received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 77, based on 12 reviews.[10] AllMusic editor Liana Jonas complimented Blige's ability to write relatable lyrics, writing that she "has a killer instinct for creating gritty, thick, and soul-infused R&B fare. Her music is more than heard. It is felt, and audiences would be hard-pressed to not surrender to her groove."[11] Writing for The A.V. Club, Nathan Rabin believed "Blige sounds happier and more relaxed than ever. Boasting nearly as many producers as songs, No More Drama [is] a testament to Blige's force of personality and the authenticity of her vision that the disc feels as personal and intimate as the most heartfelt four-track demo."[21] Entertainment Weekly's David Browne felt that "from the Dre-produced theatricality of the single ”Family Affair” to refined funk and crisp quiet-storm R&B, the multi-producer arrangements are expansive yet warm, and Blige's pushy rasp has never sounded better."[12] Robert Marriott from Rolling Stone said the record "presents Blige more in touch with her roots, more grounded and ready for her next set of challenges, musical and otherwise, an analog soul thriving in a digital age."[17] Barry Walters from The Village Voice called it "Blige's most rhythm album ever, and even the ballads that can drag r&b down here bristle with bumping beats."[22]

The newspaper's Robert Christgau was somewhat less enthusiastic, finding the record "front-loaded",[23] highlighting the songs "PMS" and "Steal Away" while writing "positive attitude's a bitch, not to mention a drag".[24] Ethan Brown was unimpressed by Blige's more optimistic songs, writing in New York magazine that, "miserable, Blige can be penetrating and profound; happy, she comes off generic and bland."[25]

Commercial performance[]

In the United States, No More Drama opened to Blige's biggest first week sales up to then.[26]

No More Drama debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, the official albums chart in the United States, on September 6, 2001 – second only to Aaliyah's self-titled third album.[27] The album sold 294,351 units in its first week of release.[27] No More Drama was Blige's highest debut week album sales, until it was surpassed by The Breakthrough (2005), which sold 729,000 copies in its first week.[28] By the end of 2001, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and became the seventy-third best-selling album of that year in the United States. The album's commercial performance was reinforced by the subsequent release of a reissue. The release of the special edition helped No More Drama to re-enter the top ten in February 2002, gaining more than 200 percent in sales at a total of 61,000 copies.[26] The same month, No More Drama was certified double platinum by the RIAA. As of August 2003, the album has sold 1.9 million copies in the US, while the special edition moved an additional 1.1 million units.[29]

In Germany, the album was her most successful one in her career in this country, reaching #13 and staying in the German Albums Chart for 35 weeks [30] Estimated worldwide sales for the album are at 6,500,000.[31]

Track listing[]

No More Drama – Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Love"
2:46
2."Family Affair"
  • Dr. Dre
4:28
3."Steal Away" (featuring Pharrell)
  • Pharrell Williams
  • Chad Hugo
  • Marshane Winfield
4:27
4."Crazy Games"
  • Blige
  • Kenny Dickerson
  • Blige
  • Kenny Lav
3:23
5."PMS"
  • Thompson
5:33
6."No More Drama"
5:26
7."Keep It Moving"
  • Blige
  • Bruce Miller
4:15
8."Destiny"
  • Blige
  • Benny Benjamin
  • Gloria Caldwell
  • Sol Marcus
  • Brian Reeves
  • Kiyamma Griffin
4:14
9."Where I've Been" (featuring Eve)
  • Blige
  • Eve Jeffers
5:11
10."Beautiful Day"
  • Miller
  • Kenny Flaw
3:33
11."Dance for Me"
  • Blige
  • Miller
  • Ahkim Miller
  • Sting
4:47
12."Flying Away"
  • Griffin
5:00
13."Never Been"
  • Missy Elliott
  • Charlemagne
4:03
14."2U"
  • Blige
  • Griffin
4:45
15."In the Meantime"
  • Blige
  • Robinson
4:14
16."Forever No More" (Poem)
  • Blige
  • Blige
1:41
17."Testimony"
  • Flav
5:00
Japanese bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
18."Girl From Yesterday"
  • Cecil Ward
  • Thompson
  • Thompson
4:37
No More Drama – 2002 re-release
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Love"
2:46
2."Family Affair"
  • Dr. Dre
4:28
3."Steal Away" (featuring Pharrell)
4:27
4."He Think I Don't Know"
  • Isaac
5:37
5."PMS" (Edit)
  • Thompson
4:50
6."No More Drama"
5:26
7."Rainy Dayz" (featuring Ja Rule)
4:36
8."Where I've Been" (Edit featuring Eve)
  • Blige
  • Eve Jeffers
4:34
9."Beautiful Day"
  • Miller
  • Kenny Flaw
3:33
10."Dance for Me" (featuring Common)
  • Blige
  • Miller
  • Lonnie Lynn
  • Sting
3:25
11."No More Drama" (Remix featuring P. Diddy)
  • Combs
  • Winans
4:05
12."Flying Away"
  • Kiyamma Griffin
5:00
13."Never Been"
  • Missy Elliott
  • Charlemagne
4:03
14."2U"
  • Blige
  • Griffin
4:45
15."In the Meantime"
  • Blige
  • Robinson
4:14
16."Forever No More" (Poem)
  • Blige
  • Blige
1:41
17."Testimony"
  • Flav
5:00
International bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
18."Dance for Me" (Plutonium Remix featuring Common)
  • Blige
  • Miller
  • Lonnie Lynn
  • Sting
3:25
Japanese bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
18."Girl from Yesterday"
  • Cecil Ward
  • Thompson
  • Thompson
4:37
19."Checkin' for Me"
  • Cecil Ward
  • Thompson
  • Thompson
3:06

Sample credits[]

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[62] 2× Platinum 200,000^
France (SNEP)[64] Gold 287,900[63]
Japan (RIAJ)[65] Gold 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[66] Gold 40,000^
South Africa (RISA)[67] Gold 25,000*
Sweden (GLF)[68] Gold 40,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[69] Platinum 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[71] Platinum 578,500[70]
United States (RIAA)[72] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[]

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External links[]

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