What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

MJB shares something for the ladies to relate to – a song about PMS aka premenstrual syndrome.

MJB actually got into a brief discussion about PMS during a 2006 interview with Oprah:

Mary: I have PMS days when I go back to excessive spending. I still have a lot of work to do on myself. Change doesn’t happen overnight.
[…]
Oprah: Earlier, you mentioned PMS. Does it hit you hard?

M: God, yes! I need some kind of drug for it. My past always seems to come up during that time. Sugar makes it worse.

O: Chocolate makes it worse.

M: I’d always thought chocolate soothed PMS. It doesn’t. Just ask my husband.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

At the time this song was released, the word “crunk” was often used to mean “crazy drunk.”

In May 2006, 5 years after the release of “Family Affair”, Oprah interviewed Mary and asked her about her responsibilities as an artist. Mary replied:

One reason I turned my life around is that I realized millions of fans were following my example. I don’t want to be responsible for killing us. I want to be responsible for uplifting us. In the song “Family Affair,” I sing about getting drunk
[…]
when some people hear those lyrics, they use it as a reason to have another shot of liquor. Later I thought, “Should I take the word drunk out of that record?” Music has power.
[…]
Artists have so much influence. When Jay Z said, “I don’t wear jerseys; give me a fresh pair of jeans and a button-up,” do you know how many kids were walking around with button-ups? That’s why I know I need to tell people what’s really going on.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

These lyrics are essentially unchanged from the original, so peep those annotations here!

#one love

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

after a fairly lacklustre week 2 (didn’t even bother with an annotation tbh), there’s not really anywhere to go but up amirite?

Goals:

  • Transcribe loads of dope ish, including HaLo’s debut LP Mansa Musa & as much Mary J Blige as I can

  • Get my R&B discussion on, specially now that it’s got it’s own forum – yeeaa man (usher-voice)

  • Transcribe/annotate/clean up as much MJB as I can – starting at the beginning and seeing how far I can go…

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Heather Victoria’s album is now fully transcribed here and nbd but I actually made 9th Wonder’s top 10 scholars:

http://imgur.com/O4KBYmQ

actually who am i kidding, that is a big deal. next week’s goals: get more 9th Wonder IQ than Rapsody, Big Pooh, Buckshot & Murs smh

#face

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

In this song, Mary J. makes 2 distinct references to an unnamed “Dre track” that ought to be turned up. Presumably, she’s talking about this track, since it was produced by the Doctor himself (although 2001 dropped just 2 years earlier and was full of bangers).

Fun fact: Dre actually makes a cameo in the song’s music video about 20 seconds in.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.