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What’s the 411?
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work
What’s the 411? · At seventeen, Mary J. Blige sang a cover of Caught Up in the Rapture on a tape in a shopping mall. Via an employee of Uptown Records it ended up with director Andre Harrell, who signed her in 1990. The debut album was released on 28 July 1992, with Sean Combs as executive producer and contributions from, among others, DeVante Swing, Dave Hall and Mark Morales.
The title refers to her former job as a 411 telephone operator. The album opens with Leave A Message, answering-machine messages over a drum beat. The music blends hip hop, R&B and new jack swing, with a singer who comes across as tough and sings raw lyrics. You Remind Me and Real Love reached number 1 on the R&B chart. Critics praised her voice and the combination of hip hop and soul, and the album later came to be seen as the beginning of hip hop soul.
Listening
Track list
- 1Leave A Message3:38Apple Music ↗
- 2Reminisce5:24Apple Music ↗
- 3Real Love4:33Apple Music ↗
- 4You Remind Me4:20Apple Music ↗
- 5Intro Talk (feat. Busta Rhymes)2:18Apple Music ↗
- 6Sweet Thing3:47Apple Music ↗
- 7Love No Limit5:01Apple Music ↗
- 8I Don't Want To Do Anything (feat. K-Ci Hailey)5:52Apple Music ↗
- 9Slow Down4:33Apple Music ↗
- 10My Love4:14Apple Music ↗
- 11Changes I've Been Going Through5:15Apple Music ↗
- 12What's The 411? (feat. Grand Puba)4:14Apple Music ↗
30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗