Tianni Graham

Archivist | Fashion Historian | Research Consultant・@murdamamitianni

When it comes to Mary Jane Blige, I don’t even know where to begin. From her style to her body of work, Mary’s influence on my life is immeasurable. Growing up, all of my fly aunties and older cousins listened to Mary as if she was preaching the word of God. I learned early on that whether you were happy, sad, heartbroken, feeling misunderstood, longing for love or searching for joy, Mary had a song that both spoke to your soul and expressed exactly how you were feeling. Mary makes music with such raw emotion that, as a child, I sang songs like “Seven Days”and “Not Gon’ Cry”–songs I absolutely could not relate to, but felt them in my spirit as if I could.

Through and through, Mary came into the game with a darker, grittier sound than traditional R&B artists who came before her. What I admire most is her inclination to sing on beats that make your head knock and collaborate with rappers who equally exude her level of realness, rappers like Biggie, Jay-Z, Method Man, Smif-N-Wessun, Nas, and The Lox. Mary’s image defied all preconceived notions of what a soul singer looked like; from hair to makeup to boots, I had no choice but to incorporate her elevated around-the-way aesthetic into my personal style. Mary J. Blige’s ability to keep it so thorough in all aspects is the embodiment of resilience and sincerity.

Thank you, Mary!

Tianni Graham

Love Letters