Mary J. Blige To Receive Entertainment Icon Award At 2024 Urban One Honors

Legendary Queen of Hip Hop Soul Mary J. Blige is set to receive the highest accolade at the 2024 Urban One Honors next month.

The legendary queen of hip-hop soul, Mary J. Blige, is set to receive the highest accolades at the 2024 Urban One Honors next month.

The Grammy- and Emmy-winning singer will receive the prestigious Entertainment Icon Honor at the Urban One Honors: Best in Black event, Variety reported. The two-hour event will premiere Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. on TV One, with a simulcast on Cleo TV.

Often referred to as the “Queen of R&B,” Blige has a decorated career spanning more than three decades. Her accolades include eight multi-platinum albums, nine Grammy Awards (with a staggering 32 nominations), an Emmy, two Academy Award nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, and a SAG nomination.

“Urban One is thrilled to honor the incomparable Mary J. Blige as our 2024 Entertainment Icon. Mary’s immeasurable talent and award-winning music has shaped our culture and has had a profound impact on artists and music across all genres, but most notably the elevation of female artists in both R&B and Hip Hop across generations. She fully personifies the ‘Best in Black’ theme of this year’s Urban One Honors,” said Michelle L. Rice, president of TV One and CLEO TV.

Inspired by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, and Gladys Knight, Blige paved her own lane by seamlessly fusing hip-hop, soul, and transparent lyrics on her 1992 debut album, What’s the 411? The multi-platinum album spawned two No. 1 R&B singles, “You Remind Me” and “Real Love.”

As her career continued, Blige played a pivotal role in reshaping the landscape of R&B, carving out a distinctive space for herself with her emotionally charged second album, My Life, released in 1994. Admired for her fervent singles like “Be Without You,” “No More Drama,” and “Family Affair,” she has established herself as a formidable presence in the music industry, with 15 studio albums that showcase her versatility.

Beyond music, Blige has made notable contributions to the film and television realms in projects such as Mudbound, The Umbrella Academy, Respect, and Power Book II: Ghost.

Blige joins the ranks of Dionne Warwick, who will be recognized as the Lifetime Achievement Honoree; Chlöe, who will be celebrated as the Generation Next Honoree; Frankie Beverly, who will be honored as a Living Legend; and Donald Lawrence, for Inspirational Impact.