Mary J. Blige is the queen of hip hop soul, but at her intimate album release party last night, she seemed more like the queen of the universe. Looking every bit the part - regal, beautiful in white fur and gold hoop earrings - she commanded the intimate ensemble of friends, family and revelers who gathered to celebrate her latest album, Growing Pains, which dropped yesterday.
Held in a penthouse atop Manhattan's swank Soho Grand Hotel - which featured two outdoor balconies and bottles of Veuve Cliquot on ice in an open-air bathtub - D-Nice handled turntable duty, intersplicing classics by MJB's best BK boys - Biggie, Jay - with tracks from her new album
and even throwbacks from her own catalogue (if the DJ drops "Real Love" and you absentmindedly start singing along in MJB's presence, is that a herb move)? Of course her celeb friends came through in droves, with Idris Elba (The Wire, This Christmas) cutting a fierce, major presence, along with troubadours Mario, Johnta Austin, J. Holiday and Tank (who rolled up with Melyssa Ford). And when Mary emerged from the elevator to make her grand entrance, Kendu at the ready, it was all anybody could do but break out in smiles, cheers, and applause - cameras all flashing, even at her own event. It felt like a real fly house party, one where everyone was dressed up and the carpet was real nice and your moms let you into the "for company" liquor stash. Revelers danced - Elba tried on a nice two-step that had more than one young lady trying to holler - nice waiters handed out shish-ka-bobs of lamb, and hugs were hugged. And just like that, in a flash, the party was over.
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