The Solar Rhino

Quotes from Mary J Blige, as interviewed by Zoe Williams for The Guardian:

Whether or not Blige ever believed the record industry actually meant to kill her is up for grabs; her main point is that it wouldn't have been like killing a person - it would have been like killing off old stock. I think Blige just doesn't like the industry: she thinks it's grabby and atavistic. "I do know that in this business, it's like being in the [housing] projects again, only now we have all the stuff. You've got all this money, but you're still living right next door to the person that robbed your house. It's the same thing."

and at the end of the article:

But as improbable as it sounds, and as much as the feminist in me balks at mentioning it, Mary J Blige has been a whole new quantity since she met Isaacs. "When you can see better, you want better. And you know, my husband, he had something better. He had a mom that raised him, he had a father that raised him. He had a family unit. He had sisters and brothers that weren't jealous of him. He didn't have to fight them. He had beautiful things in him, and he was already a Christian when I met him. When I saw his life, that's the life I wanted."

Was she not worried she'd lose her creative spark, landing in a happy relationship? "I wasn't happy when I got married! I was scared. The only thing I could think about was, 'This nigger - excuse me - this dude is gonna cheat on me. I'm gonna take this chance, but this is fucked - excuse me.' And at the same time, I'd actually made it to a point where I could say, 'I love this person and I want to marry him', but all that stuff in me was saying, 'I'm gonna kill him! He's gonna cheat on me, then I'm gonna kill him.' "

She smiles again and gives her final verdict: "I believe what God says about me. He says that I'm beautiful, I'm strong, I'm a good woman, I have love in my heart, I can be fat or skinny ... I can do whatever I want."

The first quote, I thought, is just very vivid. I don't know either the projects or the record industry, but I still believe I do know exactly what she means.

The second quote is more interesting. Put aside the question of why "the femisist" in Zoe Williams "balks" at the idea that the love in your life - even if he's a man! - can open your eyes to new perspectives. I just thought the Bilge was very honest, very self-aware in her description of herself... and I love the final paragraph. I wish that everybody I know could honestly say something similar. I certainly I wish I could.