In Love With You Since the Days of “Juicy.”

The Queen of Hip Hop Soul and the Queen Bee collaborated on “I Can Love You” 17 years ago.  Still, we can play this song today – almost two decades later and in a new millennium – and relate to Mary’s heartache and struggle to accept that a man she’s infatuated with won’t love her (a struggle we relate to more than ever now that we’re no longer 9 years old).  Yet, even at 9, the impact of this song and sincerity of both the sung and rapped lyrics were undeniable.

The video was also visually intriguing with its dulled vibrancy, and Mary bouncing in the forest in a snakeskin croptop in some shots and donning plum lipstick in others; two fashion statements we ladies are fearlessly trying to bring back today.  It’s mere icing on the cake that this track also samples one of the best female braggadocio records of all time and my personal anthem, Lil’ Kim’s “Queen Bitch.”  The juxtaposition of the cocky beat and Mary’s longing voice is ingenious, and wholly reflective of MJB’s Queen of Hip Hop Soul title.

Relive one of the greatest by Mary J & Lil’ K below:

Originally published on March 14, 2014.