As far as success goes, Mary J. Blige is a woman of many talents. She is a singer, songwriter, and actress, and her work is consistently critically acclaimed. In fact, she has won nine Grammy Awards for her music, as well as three Golden Globe Awards. She was also nominated for two Academy Awards in the same year. She is consistently ranked the most successful female R&B and hip-hop artist by Billboard.
Blige's music always comes from the heart and often tells a painful story, which is perhaps why she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Unfortunately, she draws from her own traumatic past, which includes both sexual and emotional abuse she suffered as a child. Blige has stated that she was sexually abused from the age of five, all the way through to adulthood.