Mary Jane Blige is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, including the Billboard Icon Award. She has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its original song "Mighty River", becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year.
The Blueprint is the sixth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released on September 11, 2001, through Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. Its release was set a week earlier than initially planned in order to combat bootlegging. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2001 at Manhattan Center Studios and Baseline Studios in New York City. Contrasting the radio-friendly sound of Jay-Z's previous work, The Blueprint features soul-based sampling and production handled primarily by Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Bink, as well as Timbaland, Trackmasters, and Eminem, who also contributes the album's sole guest feature.
Jacquelyn Suzette Wright-Johnson is an American song writer and singer. She has released five studio albums and is part of the Okayplayer collective. Wright has performed and collaborated alongside rap acts such as The Roots, Jay-Z, and Blackalicious. She was born and raised in New Jersey before moving to Philadelphia at around 12 years old.
"Can't Knock the Hustle" is the third single from American rapper Jay-Z's debut album Reasonable Doubt. The song features a beat produced by Knobody. It is co-produced by Sean C and Dahoud Darien. The chorus is sung by Mary J. Blige.
The Verizon VIP Tour was an annual concert tour promoted by Live Nation Global Touring and Verizon Wireless. Following in the footsteps of the Verizon Ladies First Tour, the VIP Tour features an emerging female artist as the headliner. The concerts are exclusive to Verizon Wireless customers, following an appearance by the headliner at a local Verizon Wireless store. The tour predominantly takes place in the United States. The concert series ran from 2007 to 2009.
The Jay-Z Fall Tour 2009 was a concert tour by American rapper Jay-Z in support of his eleventh studio album The Blueprint 3. The routing took the rap mogul to 18 cities in the U.S. and 7 in Canada, kicking off with a 9/11 benefit concert on September 9 in New York City and ending in Austin, Texas on November 22. It was announced in November 2009 that dates would be added for 2010, with Trey Songz and Young Jeezy joining Jay-Z as opening acts. The Jay-Z Fall Tour and its 2010 leg have also been referred to as The Blueprint 3 Tour.
The Freedom Tour was the fourth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys in support of her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom (2009). The tour commenced at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa on February 26, 2010. The tour continued onto North America visiting Europe as well. In June, Keys will headline one concert in Johannesburg, giving the singer in first performances in South Africa. According to Pollstar, the tour grossed $29.4 million worldwide, with 43 shows.
Music Saved My Life Tour was the eighth concert tour by American recording artist, Mary J. Blige. It was launched in support of her ninth studio Stronger with Each Tear (2009). It began in September 2010 and continued through February 2011. Concerts were held in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
The Home & Home Tour was a tour by American rappers Jay-Z and Eminem. The tour comprised two shows at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, and two shows in Yankee Stadium, New York City. The audio of Eminem's performance in Detroit has been released by the rapper's radio station Shade 45.
My Life II... The Journey Continues is the tenth studio album by American singer and songwriter Mary J. Blige, released on November 21, 2011, by Geffen Records and Matriarch Records. Titled as the sequel and serving as a thematic extension to her 1994 breakthrough album My Life, which portrayed a dark period in Blige's personal life, it talks about the themes of struggle, heartbreak, and strength while reflecting the growth and evolution she had experienced since the release of its predecessor.
The Legends of the Summer Stadium Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake and American rapper Jay Z. The tour supported Timberlake's third studio album, The 20/20 Experience (2013) and Jay Z's twelfth studio album, Magna Carta Holy Grail (2013). Overall, the duo performed to 622,559 fans in two countries, grossing a total of US$75.3 million. With the 14 dates sold-out, it was the 15th highest-grossing tour of 2013.
The Share My World Tour was the first headlining concert tour by American recording artist Mary J. Blige. It was launched in support of her multi-platinum third studio album Share My World (1997), and also contained material from her first and second studio albums What's the 411? (1992) and My Life (1994). The eight-month tour began on September 2, 1997, in the United States and continued through May 3, 1998. Concerts were held in North America and Europe.
The London Sessions Tour is the eighth headlining concert tour by American recording artist, Mary J. Blige. The tour supports Blige's twelfth studio album, The London Sessions. Beginning June 2016, the tour started in Europe playing various music festivals. During the fall of 2015, Blige briefly performed in the United States.
Fantasia & Anthony Hamilton: Live in Concert was a co-headlining concert tour by American recording artists, Fantasia Barrino and Anthony Hamilton. Primarily visiting the United States, the tour began on April 21 in Buffalo, New York's Shea's Performing Arts Center and ended on June 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina's Bojangles' Coliseum.
The King and Queen of Hearts Tour was a co-headlining tour by American singers Maxwell and Mary J. Blige. The tour began October 2016 in Europe then moved to North America. The North American leg of the tour grossed $13.1 million, averaged $545,000 per show, and ranked 90 on Pollstar's Top 200 North American Tours.
The Tour Jay:z 4:44 or simply 4:44 Tour was a concert tour by American rapper Jay-Z, in support of his thirteenth studio album 4:44 (2017). The tour began in Anaheim at the Honda Center on October 27, 2017, and concluded on December 21, 2017, in Inglewood at The Forum. Vic Mensa was the opening act for the whole tour.
Strength of a Woman Tour was the tenth concert tour by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige, in support of her thirteenth studio album, Strength of a Woman (2017). The tour began on April 2, 2017 in London and ended in Oakland on September 9, 2017. According to Pollstar's 2017 Year End top 200 North American Tours, the tour grossed over $9 million in North America alone and over $15 million worldwide.
The On the Run II Tour was the second co-headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé and rapper Jay-Z, also known as The Carters. The all-stadium concert tour began on June 6, 2018, in Cardiff, Wales and concluded on December 2, 2018, in Johannesburg, South Africa. It followed 2014's On the Run Tour.
The Liberation Tour is a co-headlining concert tour by American recording artists, Mary J. Blige and D'Angelo. The North America tour supports Blige's tenth studio album, My Life II... The Journey Continues (2011) and D'Angelo's third studio album, Black Messiah (2014). The tour also features special guest Melanie Fiona.
