In the times when being a diva becomes more or less a caricature, Mary J. Blige proves with her 2003 album "Love & Life" that she is still up there at the top of contemporary r&b. On this, not less than a sixth regular album since the 1992 breakthrough debut "What's The 411", the songstress teams up again with Sean (P.Diddy) Combs, with who she collaborated on the 1994 release "My Life", still considered by many to be her best.

Times have changed but she still sounds fresh and groovy. "Love & Life" does not include such killer singles as the previous album's title track "No More Drama" or the stellar Dr. Dre-produced "Family Affair", but, for that matter, is more consistent. Starts with a unique, movie-like intro in which Mary is getting a call from P.Diddy, before Jay-Z gets his rap job done. Follows the first 'normal' track, "Don't Go", which pretty representatively sets the mood for the entire, 70-minute album.

The catchy first single "Love @ First Sight" with Method Man cleverly employs an eloquent bass line, before being replaced in loudspeakers by relaxed, summer-y feel of "Willing & Waiting". Mary's voice is again full of raw emotions, as on "When We" and "Friends", the album again offers great beats (Eve collaboration "Not Today" or "It's A Wrap"). "Ooh!" follows the footsteps of Aretha Franklin, pounding "Press On" is downright glorious, a cream of Blige, as is positively erotic "Feel Like Makin' Love". The record's end simmers down to ballad territory, in which the singer relishes, apparently drawing from her personal life.

With "Love & Life", Mary J. Blige easily outshined the other, currently more successfuly sold R&B female artists, who may produce great singles (Beyonce, Ashanti) but only uneven albums. Blige remains the real premiere urban diva of her generation and this recording will go down as one of her very best.

Mary's voice is a force of nature, and even when she's singing of joy and love, as she does on most of this album -- the tension in her voice always reveals the natural blues within. That said, the songs here are only ocassionally up to par with her artistry. The best track is the blistering ballad "Friends," and the old school call-and-response of "When We" and "It's A Wrap" are perfect hybrids of classic soul and hard-core hip-hop. The rest of the album is erratic, and saved only by Blige's torrid vocals. In a way, this album is as inconsistent as both versions of the album "No More Drama" -- classic songs burst out of runs of mediocrity. To this listener, Blige's "Mary" raised the bar for all contemporary singers, and is Blige's masterpiece. So in the tradition of Chaka, Aretha and Gladys, the singer is usually better than the song. When the two match, as it does a few times here, it's perfect soul.

Being a MJB fan since the beginning, I must say this effort is absolutely embarrassing. The music or should I say the beats and countless samples (thanks alot Puff) are elementary, there's no real instrumentation; everything sounds programmed, and the most shocking thing for me are the vocals which are horrid, ill-structured, and off key throughout the whole cd. I'm thankful I got a chance to preview it on AOL which saved me from wasting my hard earned cash. I checked it out from the library because the quality was not that great on AOL and it still has that nails scratching a chalk board effect on me. The only decent cut is the final track "Ultimate Relationship (AM)." Mary you got too much talent and heart for this type of material.

The Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul is back with her sixth studio album, Love & Life. Using her "back in the day" formula, Mary teamed with P. Diddy for most of the writing and production on the album. Another reunion was with rapper Method Man, who appears on the pumping first single "Love @ 1st Sight." Mary's current single "Ooh!" has been heating up on radio and has been a fast pace on the charts. The track "Not Today," which features Eve, is a male-bashing tune targeting all the men who've wasted their time, it also the most likely third single. "Not Today" was produced by Dr. Dre, he who also helped Mary obtain her first #1 Single with "Family Affair" from her album No More Drama (2001). Other special guests include fellow rappers Jay-Z and 50 Cent. Wondering why there are only Hip-Hop artists appearing on Mary's record?, maybe because there aren't too many R&B artist who could match up to Mary, she would most likely out do them. On one of my most favorites tracks, "Feel Like Makin' Love," Mary sings soothingly, harmonizing with the background instruments. Debuting at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 Album Chart, Love & Life sold 316, 000 copies in it's first week. As of now the album has been certified gold and is on its way to platinum.

Hot Tracks: "Not Today" featuring Eve, "Feel Like Makin' Love," "Don't Go

As any fan of urban music knows, the genre of contemporary R&B music is an ever-changing landscape of artists, who achieve unparalleled success and enjoy tremendous popularity one year and then struggle to find an audience the next. One of the exceptions to this rule is the proclaimed "Queen of Hip Hop Soul", Mrs. Mary J. Blige.

For over a decade now Blige has attained icon-like status in not only urban music but popular music, as well. When Blige dropped her debut album What's the 411? back in 1992 fans were floored by the sound of her distinctive and soulful voice over innovative, edgy hip hop beats provided by then little known producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. Along with Combs, Blige was able to push the hybrid category of hip-hop soul into the forefront of contemporary R&B music.

Following the release of her second proper album the critically acclaimed, My Life, in 1994, Blige and Combs went their separate ways, and while Blige continued to have success she faded out her hip hop roots. Thus with Blige's sixth studio album Love & Life Combs is back to "Take it back to the gutter" as he puts it.

With Combs back at the helm as executive producer and overseeing 17 of the 18 tracks on the album, Love & Life defiantly has a more cohesive feel reminiscent of the production on Blige's first two albums. The album intro which features rapper Jay-Z, finds Blige setting the tone for the album singing "Live your life cause life is love/Always thank the man above/The more you give the more you get."

The next track the soulful ballad "Don't Go" places a tough drumbeat over an eloquent, lush sample while Blige provides the pleading lyric, "Sometimes I'll say things to hurt you, but I apologize/You know no love is so perfect /So you should realize/Don't go baby/Baby don't you go/Don't go baby/I still love you so." This song has all of the elements of another classic Blige ballad but this only one of the many highlights of Love & Life.

The momentum picks up with the club bangers, "Ooh!" and "Love @ 1st Sight" featuring Method Man and the collaboration with 50 Cent on "Let Me Be The 1". There is also an old school 80's R&B feel on the bouncy, feel good love song "Willing and Waiting."

Of course Blige hasn't abandoned tackling the serious issues too. As in the past Blige finds a way to put the unfaithful men in their place, with the Dr. Dre produced "Not Today" featuring Eve and the self-explanatory "It's A Wrap". Blige also deals with her own demons on the emotional and powerful "Friends" and the pressure of everyday life on "Press On". Blige's lyrics on the latter song forces the listener to feel her pain, as she sings, "I've got troubles within/Troubles without/Can't get it through/But trying to figure it out/Trying to stay right when the world is wrong/But I got to keep moving and press on."

The album finishes out with the emotional, quiet storm-like ballad "Special Part Of Me" and is followed by the lovely, spiritual closer entitled "Ultimate Relationship (A.M)"

At this stage in her career Blige is capable of doing no wrong. She is so versatile, capable of making feel good party tracks along with emotional message songs and ballads. Credit Combs too, although he still samples from many old songs, he is crafty enough to make the music on Love & Life sound original and fresh. Combs' influence along with Blige's maturation and overall greatness make Love & Life arguably Blige's best album to date and re-establishes Blige's title as the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul."