“U + Me (Love Lesson)” would reach No.1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs chart to become one of the defining Mary J Blige songs. “In too deep without imperfection/Not always good, but I stayed on my feet,” she sings, proving once again that she’s the master at moving on. Blige doesn’t regret the relationship, but, rather, feels fortunate to have survived it. The album’s staple “U + Me (Love Lesson)” is a sultry break-up anthem. On her 13th studio album, Strength Of A Woman, she bounces back from recent divorce drama with tracks such as “Glow Up,” “Thick Of It,” and “Love Yourself,” which all tap into the trend while maintaining Blige’s personal brand of soul. In 2017, Blige asserted her dominance, going toe-to-toe with trap-tinged R&B and pop music.

It’s one of the more downtempo cuts on the album, but Blige still imbues it with the kind of soulful yearning that was usually reversed for the Marvin Gayes of the world.

Swapping typical hip-hop breakbeats for samples like Guy’s “Goodbye Love” And DeBarge’s “Stay With Me,” producers Thompson and Puffy create the perfect backdrop for Blige’s hip-hop soul balladry on “Don’t Go,” a My Life classic.

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