Mary J. Blige Praises Whitney Houston & Maxwell's Albums!

I was going to post this up late last night but I was so tired I fell asleep on here. So I said hell I will just wait until the morning to post this. Anyway Mary J. Blige just released her new album and while talking to MTV, she praised Whitney Houston and Maxwell for their return to R&B. Read more below as well as news on Ryan Leslie and Jill Scott.

The return of soulful R&B music has been praised, as proven by sales of some of 2009s best albums. According to Mary J. Blige, the return of R&B was much needed.

"The return of R&B is the best thing that could've happened in the universe," Blige tells MTV. "It's so much healing power in it. From the time we were kids and we were listening to Stevie Wonder songs [from] In the Key of Life. From the point when we were kids to when we were grown-ups, there are so many songs that we can say, 'Oh, it saved my life. It helped me here, it helped me there.' People need lyrics and the warmth in live instruments and music to help them through their day. You can't just electronic everything. I understand people being frustrated a little bit with so much Auto-Tune, so much this. I get that."

While she believes her album is relatable and above all truthful, Blige credits fellow R&B veterans Whitney Houston and Maxwell for making "insane" and "needed" music.

"Every time you think of a song, automatically you can remember where you were and what you were doing. Maxwell's album is insane. We need Whitney's album. Whitney's album is insane," says Blige. "We need that energy from Whitney. We need Whitney to tell us her story. How did you get out of that? That's what happened in R&B forever: People have told a story that helped you out of something."

As previously reported, Blige released her ninth studio album "Stronger With Each Tear" in December. Debuting atop the R&B/Hip Hop Albums Chart, "Stronger With Each Tear" features the hit single "I Am" and collaborations with Trey Songz, Drake and Jazmine Sullivan.

Ryan Leslie Talks Upcoming Projects!

R&B hitmaker Ryan Leslie has revealed his work on upcoming albums for Rick Ross and Jazmine Sullivan plus announced plans to release his next solo album, Les Is More, this year.

According to Leslie, he is also trying to lock in studio time with Usher.

"Be on the look-out for Mary J's new album," Leslie said in an interview. "Be on the look-out for Rick Ross' new album, Jazmine Sullivan's new album, if we can get our schedules together, I will be on the new Usher album. Hopefully you have the Chris Brown album. In 2010, I'm also going to be doing a new album and it's going to be called Les Is More. L-e-s, like Leslie. Les Is More and be on the look-out for that too. That's gonna be really good."

Jill Scott Returns With New Album!

Following up to 2007's Grammy nominated Gold certified album The Real Thing, Jill is currently in the studio recording her 5th album titled The Light Of The Sun. The album embarks Jill on a flurry of emotional poetry as both her career and personal life have skyrocketed with success in Hollywood and birth of first child. The album is expected to be a Spring/Summer 2010 release, just in time for Scott's return to the stage.

Returning to her first love, live performance, Scott will be a featured performer alongside her colleagues Sarah McLachlan, Mary J.Blige, Sheryl Crow, Erykah Badu, Colbie Caillat at the 2010 Lilith Fair Tour; a celebration of diverse female voices across all genres.

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