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Over the past three decades, Mary J. Blige has built a worldwide reputation as a singer, actor, and entrepreneur. The Grammy-winning vocalist expanded her footprint beyond the world of music and has become a household name, with much more to offer the world than just her music.

Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige | Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Mary J. Blige’s music

Mary J. Blige burst onto the music scene in 1992 with her debut album What’s the 411? and redefined just what women in the industry could do and say. She was brutally honest about the struggles she faced and her difficult upbringing that led her to stardom. Her second album My Life dove even deeper into issues of abuse and addiction and remains one of R&B’s most iconic albums. 

Blige has continued to release music throughout the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. In 2001, she earned her first and only number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: the Dr. Dre-produced “Family Affair.” She performed at the Super Bowl halftime show that same year.

Blige has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and won nine Grammy Awards to date.

Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige | Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Mary J. Blige’s acting work

After Blige had established herself as R&B’s it girl in the 1990s, she began to make her mark in other forms of entertainment. She first made her acting debut on The Jamie Foxx Show in 1998, and has since appeared on hit TV shows such as Empire, Black-ish, and How to Get Away With Murder. She starred opposite Angela Bassett in the 2013 film Betty & Coretta and played the iconic villain Evillene in The Wiz Live!

Blige made a highly-lauded return to the big screen in 2017 with the period drama Mudbound. She received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song and won several other awards for her role. 

After Mudbound, Blige revved up her acting career to a new level. She plays the villain Cha-Cha in Netflix’s popular series The Umbrella Academy. And she’s not slowing down any time soon: she currently stars as Monet Tejada on Starz’s Power Book II: Ghost and is set to star alongside Jennifer Hudson in the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect.

Mary J. Blige as Monet Tejada in 'Power Book II: Ghost'
Mary J. Blige as Monet Tejada in ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ | Starz
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Mary J. Blige’s net worth in 2021

Mary J. Blige’s legacy includes more than just music. The “Work That” singer has become an all-around entertainer and entrepreneur, and her power is undeniable.

Blige’s decades of hard work are reflected in her estimated net worth: $20 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.

Mary J. Blige’s wine and other business ventures

Over the years, Blige has released several products of her own that showed just how bankable her name is. She launched her first perfume, aptly called “My Life,” in 2010, and broke HSN sales records in just a few hours. That same year, she released a line of sunglasses called “Melodies by MJB.”

Since her debut in the early ’90s, Blige has had endorsement deals with the likes of Reebok, Air Jordan, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Gap, Target, American Express, AT&T, M·A·C, Apple, Burger King, and Chevrolet.

In 2020, Blige launched a new business venture: Sun Goddess Wines. The partnership with Fantinel Winery contains favorites including a sauvignon blanc and a pinot grigio ramato.