The Untold Truth Of Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige was always meant to sing. Talent clearly runs in her family, as her father was a jazz musician, and her own talent and love for music was apparent from an early age. Sharing in her "Mary J. Blige's My Life" documentary that "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" by Roy Ayers influenced her as a child, the star said (via Showbiz CheatSheet), "I don't know what's in that record, but it was something in it that just cracked open everything in me. That was the first music as a child that stuck with me, because it made me forget that we lived where we lived."

Blige grew up in the Bronx and Yonkers, NY, and life was unfortunately far from sunny. "The real deal about my life is that my mother went through awful abuse from my father," she disclosed to Parade about her childhood in 2007. "He left us when I was four, but he'd come back from time to time and abuse her some more." The "Family Affair" singer added that abuse was prevalent among the women she knew growing up, and that after experiencing such trauma, she turned to various vices to cope. 

"I ended up becoming my environment," Blige explained. "It was bigger than me. I had no self-respect. I hated myself. I thought I was ugly. Alcohol, sex, drugs — I'd do whatever it took to feel a little better."

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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