I LOVE Mary J. Blige! I have been a fan since the very beginning. I do wish that this album was released in December while the mass media attention focusing on her divorce, tour and THICK OF IT single were standing at feverish pitch. HOWEVER, Mary has a very loyal and embedded fan base who will support her material without all of the bells & whistles. Glad to see that the album isn't drowned in music produced by people like Kanye West. Mary is at her best when it's simply her raw vocals laid across a traditional R&B beat. Mary does not need to rely on all of the overdone HIP-HOP samples or heavy drums. Actually, I hate that Kanye and Missy are even featured on this project. Im being honest. Mary J. Blige rises to the occasion when her music is simply laced by smooth melodies. I LOVE HER and will totally be supporting this long awaited project.