On Tuesday morning (Aug. 7), Mary J. Blige helped renowned chocolate company Ghiradelli open its first-ever Chocolate and Ice Cream shop in New York City.
Located on the ground floor level of the Empire State Building, Blige was there to cut the ribbon for the store’s grand opening alongside Ghiradelli CEO Joel Burrows. The first 102 fans who made their way to the store received a free Hot Fudge Sundae. Blige, a chocolate enthusiast, savored the opportunity to partner with the company, noting her ultimate ice cream cone would consist of vanilla ice cream, caramel, strawberry sauce, nuts, and a little fudge.
While yesterday was a day of indulgence for Blige, as she savored some decadent sweets, the R&B legend’s 2024 has been nothing short of a whirlwind — culminating in her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, to be officially held in October. Blige’s induction headlines a star-studded class, sharing the spotlight with the likes of Cher, The Dave Matthews Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Kool & The Gang and A Tribe Called Quest.
“It means so much because I worked so hard,” Blige told Billboard ahead of the store opening. “My fans have given me so much, and when I say, ‘We did it,’ I mean my fans and I. We did this because, without them, there’s no me. Through all my blood, sweat, and tears, suffering, getting up, and falling down, they were there. It means a lot to accomplish something like that.”
Along with celebrating her induction, Blige also looks forward to the 30th anniversary of her seminal sophomore album My Life. Released in 1994, My Life spawned classic singles from Blige like “Be Happy,” “I’m Goin Down,” “Mary Jane,” and the title track.
“That album is so important, because it was so pivotal for when it came time for me to choose,” she says. “I was in a dark place where I didn’t wanna live, and I was begging people to love me and stay with me. Now, I’m not begging anyone to love and stay with me. I love myself. I found my real love. My true love is myself and I. That’s why when it was time for me to choose the My Life album, I chose my life. I chose my life and my fans when it was time to make that turn because I didn’t want to off myself and take half my fanbase with me. That didn’t seem right. I always had a conscious and a spiritual grounding. That’s what made me choose.”
Another milestone inching towards its 30th anniversary is Method Man and Blige’s Grammy-winning smash “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By.” With a friendship spanning three decades, the two polymaths won their first Grammy together, and now co-star in the acclaimed Starz series Ghost.
“I was a full Method Man and Wu-Tang Clan fan,” Blige remembers. “So Meth did the song in the studio; I believe it was his birthday, and they were there watching me record that song. Meth was so happy. He’s such a beautiful, sweet man. I love him so much. When we did the video, the same thing happened. I had a blast. He’s a beautiful man.”
Though Blige is enjoying her memories from the past, she’ll look into the future when she brings back her Strength of a Woman celebration. This year, she got the festival to New York, her stomping grounds, and brought out 50 Cent, Jadakiss, Jill Scott, Fat Joe and more big names during Mother’s Day weekend at Barclays Center. Blige reveals this won’t be a one-time thing, as she plans to return to Mecca next year with her empowering summit.
[“New York”] was where I originally wanted Strength of a Woman to be, because this is where I’m from and we need it,” says Blige. “New York needs it. It’s home. It’s here to stay and will be here next year.”
