Watch: Mary J. Blige Dazzles The Derby With the U.S. National Anthem

As fans know, Queen of Hip Hop Soul Mary J. Blige was tapped to perform the U.S. National Anthem today at this years annual showdown at the Kentucky Derby. Beaming in a royal red, the singer undoubtedly hope to disprove the naysayers who graded her last stab at the historic number with great mixed review.

Spectators were glued to the Derby to have one question answered: not what’s in the chicken wraps Could Blige best her NBA All-Star performance?

One of few urban acts to ever grace the Kentucky Derby stage, see Mary unwrap a fresh, soulful spin on the historic number below and you tell us :

Yes, she nailed it!  The arrangement, though similar to NBA showing in parts, was still a much much better display of her vocal skill and control. Bravo Mary!

Tidbit:  See yesterday’s soundcheck before today’s big showing:

(source:  Kentucky Derby)

Your thoughts?

 

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Comments 39

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  1. Rashaan May 5, 2012

    GREAT JOB MARY!!!!!!!! Very soulful but extremely classy!!!!!!!

  2. Darshelle Jones May 5, 2012

    Excellect range control.

  3. Whitney RIP May 5, 2012

    Outstanding rendition !

  4. toohotfortv May 5, 2012

    umm… it was aight.

  5. millhouse May 5, 2012

    Ummm… Was I the only one who heard her go flat on the most important note of the song?!?! -__- it was all good till the end when she fuckd it up…. SMH … Those white people at the Durby seemed to Love it tough…

    except for….

    @ the 1:45 mark look at the soldiers expression when Mary goes for the high note, and look at the lady behind him holding her chest and cringing. lol

  6. RIHANNANAVY CAPTAIN May 5, 2012

    The Queen slayed! Enough said.

  7. Beyonce’s Kryptonite May 5, 2012

    Mary J. Blige gets a standing O from me.

  8. MONINJBHJV May 5, 2012

    THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. Storm May 5, 2012

    @millhouse —
    @ the 1:45 mark look at the soldiers expression when Mary goes for the high note, and look at the lady behind him holding her chest and cringing. lol

    You probably never serviced in the military… I am retired. Did 21 plus years (I serviced in Iraq, Kuwait and Panama). It doesn’t matter who would’ve song the Nation Anthem… As a Soldier we DO NOT smile or grin or LOL when the National Anthem is performed or played.. That’s our call of duty..it’s our secret code and proper protocol.. Enough said. ***Freaken’ AWESOME JOB… You Nailed MJB!!! Thank you for keeping it classy and traditional….!!!!!! U SO ROCK OUT LOUD!!!!

  10. Eyebrow May 5, 2012

    What’s in the new chicken wrap?

  11. Teamkimbitch May 6, 2012

    Hey Shug Avery

  12. Brooklynn May 6, 2012

    She did great. I loved it. I’d like to see your fav get in front of 150,000+ with no music, no pre-recorded vocals, no background vocals and do the same. I think not. The Queen reigns supreme.

  13. JER May 6, 2012

    uht uhn. UHT UHNNN. I AM NOT HERE FOR MARY J BLIGESES to f*** up the national anthem AGAIN. This is the 2nd time she caught sqawking away

  14. wuz in dem chicken raps? May 6, 2012

    crispy chicken!! Wrapped up in a…flour tortilla!!!!

  15. wuz in dem chicken raps? May 6, 2012

    mary will never beez as classy as queen bey bey! LMAO @ this mess!!

  16. JuanR May 6, 2012

    THE QUEEN!

  17. Deji May 6, 2012

    Listen to Afrodisiac by Teni! She’s the new Sade!

  18. @NajSinger May 6, 2012

    Did anyone else notice that the announcer said she’d sing “A” National Anthem and not “Our” National Anthem as is commonly said before a performer sings the US National Anthem? #LowKeyDisrespect

  19. Mr.Geezy May 6, 2012

    I feel Mary held her own.

  20. IMO May 6, 2012

    Awful, as per usual! Gosh, may she never sing this EVER again! Heard child birth in more tune

  21. mobwife May 6, 2012

    GIRL YOU BETTER “WERK”!

    MJB sang the hell out of that song! Now that’s how you deliver the U.S. National Anthem! This is the THIRD BEST rendition I’ve ever eard after Whitney Houston followed by Marvin Gaye!

  22. mobwife May 6, 2012

    PETA, I wonder why breeding is acceptable when it’s horses for say the KY Derby? Oh right, I forgot…..LOL 🙂 –>fanatical, fringe, racist organization

  23. Anne May 6, 2012

    Good job Mary!

  24. Anne May 6, 2012

    Nice, soulful rendition but not feeling the dress and hat.

  25. Anne May 6, 2012

    or gloves.

  26. JohnVidal (RIPWhitney-true great) May 6, 2012

    Her voice is not for this. Just that

  27. VA STAND UP!! May 6, 2012

    I’m sorry but she didn’t sound that good at all to me. I don’t see this as any better than her last trainwreck performance of this song. The National Anthem is a tough song to say and not everyone can handle it. This just isn’t a good song for Mary to sing. In fact she wasn’t even ‘singing’ she was screaming. There was nothing ‘soulful’ about this performance it was just painful to watch. And to think this was just her sound check. Eek!

  28. BOOBOO May 6, 2012

    IT WAS BETTER THAN THE LAST TIME

  29. Deveal2014 May 6, 2012

    Loved it !!!!!Love her

  30. Tru Voice May 6, 2012

    She did the best she could do. Take that how you want.

  31. godblessedone May 6, 2012

    Mary J did an excellent Job… she the best……..been a fan since day one…..Haters aint nothing but amirers…….God Bless u Mary J…. do u baby…..Stop hating people .let me see u sing…. Give back ……married…. role model….. where is your recording contract…… Hello…. haters…….let’s just support each other……. that was a beautiful……love me some Mary J……you go girl…….. it dosen’t matter if you good or bad people going to talk about u anyhow…… so it like whatever…..Mary j …. is still the best in the game…. if u worred about what people say about u all the time u will go crazy…. president obama is a good man … that talk about hime too… sad…. when u are a hater on others …. u are a unhappy person… yourself……
    people even talked about jesus….. and God ….and jesus and God are amazing…. the best……. Good…….. it werid the more u messed up and this world the more people accept u and like u but if u doing the right things and positve then something is wrong with u…. I’m on God side for life and Mary J…. she a good person …….blessings to everyone…….

  32. Johnb May 6, 2012

    Y’all love to hate on Mary ! Smh and she is way to classy ! Y’all must have been watching a different video 0.0 and why do you have to compare her to beyonce beyonce is trash compared to Mary ! Beyonce can’t do what Mary has done ! Mary came in the game and made a whole new genre ! Beyonce came in r&b and sold out for more record sells she can’t do r&b she is too pop now ! She needs to get back with kelly she knows r&b but Mary did her thing ! Mary is the queen !!!

  33. Boopi May 6, 2012

    @Eyebrow LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! 😀

    Much better Mary YASSSS!! She seems to do better under pressure.

  34. ass May 7, 2012

    @johnb

    stay delusional! Bey bey eats mary live on her worse day. I love mary, but she falling off. Oop! 🙂

  35. ass May 7, 2012

    just kidding! Mary did a decent job. I don’t know why beyonce was brought up. Lmao! Some people need attention.

  36. Anne May 11, 2012

    Guess Im the only one who thinks the outfit is hideous.

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