Mary J. Blige X HSN

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Wow. I love it when I see growth in an artist who has shown longevity. Especially when that particular artist's downfall was predicted almost immediately after they made their debut. Over the past 18 years, MJB has gallantly slain all the haters and naysayers. She's defied the odds and the biters alike. She has triumphantly walked down the long and winding road to glory, sidestepping the pitfalls and traps that have ensnared many of her peers. But I've always wondered what was next for her. As the music industry has increasingly been pushing its artists into diversifying and commodifying themselves at all costs, MJB has largely remained...a singer. And remarkably so. She's never had a clothing line, reality show, sitcom or situation drama, or feature film (save for the ill-fated 2001 stinker Prison Song and her cameo role in this past Spring's Tyler Perry film).

But now, the Yonkers native seems like she's ready to brand herself with the introduction of her fragrance My Life. Though HSN will probably do the groundbreaking honors for the initial release of the perfume, I'm sure it will be available in many local retailers and chains very soon. After almost two decades in the game, this was a subtle way of branding the MJB name. She's truly walking the path of an icon. I'm just glad she's still here and still making good records.