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No More Drama (song)

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"No More Drama" is a song by American recording artist Mary J. Blige. Written and produced by duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, it was initially intended for Blige's fourth studio album Mary (1999) before she insisted on making it the title track of her fifth studio album of the same name (2001). The song embodies portions of "The Young and the Restless Theme" (1971), written by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. Lyrically, the song is about going through hard times and moving on from pain.

"No More Drama"
Single by Mary J. Blige
from the album No More Drama
ReleasedOctober 30, 2001 (2001-10-30)
Length5:26
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Mary J. Blige singles chronology
"Family Affair"
(2001) 		"No More Drama"
(2001) 		"Dance for Me"
(2002)

The song was released to acclaim from music critics who called it one of her finest recordings yet. It was issued as No More Drama's second single in the United States on October 30, 2001, and as the third single in certain European markets, where "Dance for Me" had served as the second single instead. It became another hit for Blige, peaking at number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number nine in the United Kingdom. The video for the song won Blige her first MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B Video.

Background

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"No More Drama" samples from "Nadia's Theme," incidental music for the 1971 film Bless the Beasts and Children which later came to prominence as the theme music for the American soap opera The Young and the Restless.[1] Initially written and produced by duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Blige's fourth studio album Mary (1999), it was left off the album after Blige suggested to transfer it to her next project.[1] Jimmy Jam commented on the creation process: "I'm a big soap opera fan, and I always wanted to do something using The Young and the Restless theme. We figured Mary was at a point in her life that she knew about drama and it was a song lyrically she could sing. We wrote all the lyrics, but always with the intention that she would rewrite it to make it personal to her." Upon hearing, Blige "said: "You been following me around with a spy or something? This is exactly what I'm feeling. I'm not changing a thing on this one"."[2]

An ode to self-reliance and the need to leave the damaging stuff and people in the rearview.[1] Blige told Jet in 2001: "This song is demanding that you stay away from my life if you’re going to bring me drama. I am saying "Enough is enough of this nonsense. Enough of this self-abuse, people abuse, fake friends, the whole nine. Beat it!"."[3] She further spoke about her feeling behind the track in an interview with The Daily Telegraph: "I go through the emotion of being a child growing up in the projects [...] and every woman around you being beaten so badly by men you can’t even understand it, and then growing up and realizing you’re repeating all those patterns, you’re drinking the alcohol and doing the drugs and being abused by men, and the pain and frustration of not being able to stop it. I rewind through that every time I sing it. I want to give people the real truth."[4] Perry Botkin Jr., one of the song's original composers, who had never heard of Blige prior to this was delighted to get a writing credit, saying: "I woke up one morning and I'm on the cutting edge of R&B. These days, I'm completely removed from pop music — except when [royalty] checks arrive."[5]

Promotion

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Blige performed the song at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards on February 27, 2002.[3] It marked her first solo performance at the show, following two collaborative performances in 1998 and 1997, respectively.[3] The singer, dressed in a shiny gold two-piece pants suit and sporting a burgundy spike cut, emerged from a door in the middle of the stage, before she slowly worked the stage in front of a screen of promo images and the song's official music video.[3] Blige received standing ovations for her performance.[3] She also sang "No More Drama" at the halftime show of Super Bowl LVI in 2022. As she sang, the piano section from English pop rock band Tears For Fears's 1985 hit single "Head Over Heels" was incorporated into the track.[6]

The song was featured in Bille Woodruff's 2003 dance film Honey and later also used as the background theme for both Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (2007) and Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010).[7] The line "so tired, tired of all the drama" was briefly sampled in Azealia Banks 2013 single "Yung Rapunxel."[7] Frequently used in singing competition televisions shows, Joshua Ledet performed "No More Drama" during the eleventh season of American Idol. James Arthur also performed this song, during the ninth series of The X Factor. La'Porsha Renae, runner-up of 15th season of American Idol, performed this song during the show's last season. Wé McDonald covered the song on The Voice season 11 in the Knockout Round, whhile Sam Lavery sang the song in the sing-off of The X Factor 2016.

Critical reception

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"No More Drama" was released to universal acclaim. Alexis Petridis from The Guardian called it "a visceral, cathartic howl of a song, wrapped up in a superb soap-opera-theme-sampling Jam & Lewis production. Its climax is breathtaking."[8] Da'Shan Smith from uDiscoverMusic found that "No More Drama" saw "Blige navigate unfamiliar territory: contentment. Recalling the heartbreak and the ups and downs she’s navigated through her life, Mary declares no more drama in one of her most dramatic performances."[9] Vibe's Lela Olds wrote: "As fans of her music, we’ve seen her go through so much through the years, but it was so inspirational for her to declare she’s done with the drama in her life through this song."[4] BET.com wrote of the song: "[It] is a pivotal moment in Mary's evolution. Over an epic Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis interpolation of The Young & The Restless theme, Mary lets loose like never before, tearfully wailing of moving beyond the painful struggles of her early life—and setting the stage for the uplifting, happy-to-be-me music to come."[10]

Nerisha Penrose from Billboard wrote: "On the dramatic cut, Mary has grown weary of her significant other and his drama and is ready to hit the refresh button on her life, this time leaving all the stress of her past relationship behind."[11] Her colleague Chuck Taylor wrote in his 2001 review of the song: "Jimmy Jam and Terr Lewis don't rest on the sample, though. The pair's production adds lush instrumentation and harmonies to the mix, and the Timbaland-style electronic blips and burps bring in the 21st-century factor [...] Blige demonstrates all the strength and passion one would expect from her; by the three-minute mark, she has long dropped the script, soaring over the song's form with her own improvised licks."[12] In a review of its parent album, Sal Cinquemani, writing for Slant Magazine, remarked that "the sheer drama of the title track is, in fact, what elevates it above the rest of the album, interpolating the theme song from The Young & The Restless throughout. Unfortunately, the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis-penned track aims to empower with such thematic obscurities as "I choose to win"."[13]

Music video

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A music video for "No More Drama" was directed by Sanji Senaka.[14] It features cameos by singer Mariah Carey and rapper P. Diddy who had both recently experienced their own very publicized dramas, with Carey going through personal and professional problems following her movie and album Glitter, and Diddy facing legal troubles following a night club shooting.[3] Senaka commented that the video was "about the quality of the performance, even though I didn't have the luxury of rehearsal times. I didn't want a "video" performance", the whole "arguing" thing." I wanted people's souls to connect.[15] "No More Drama" won Blige her first MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B Video.[16] It also earned Blige a nomination for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video, but lost to India Arie's "Little Things" (2002).[17]

The visuals follow the lives of three individuals battling life difficulties and tragedies.[3] They contain images of a depressed man that is struggling to overcome drugs (played by actor David Venafro), a gang member who lost a friend in a shooting and a woman who is verbally and physically abused by her partner. While the theme of the video is dramatic, it ends on an encouraging note as the gang member decides to end the cycle of killing by leaving his gang; the drug addict is seen to be headed for a rehab clinic to combat his addiction and the woman finding the strength to leave her abusive lover behind and start a new life.[3] Carey and Diddy appear individually on televisions stacked in a store front window, in front of which Blige is singing.[3] Aside from those images, Senaka added footage regarding "America’s New War" in motion after the September 11 attacks.[3]

Track listings

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All versions of the P. Diddy/Mario Winans remix feature P. Diddy.

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "No More Drama"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[55] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release history and formats for "No More Drama"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States October 30, 2001
MCA [56]
November 6, 2001 Urban radio [57]
United Kingdom April 29, 2002
  • CD
  • cassette
 [58]
May 6, 2002 12-inch vinyl [59]
Australia June 3, 2002 CD [60]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Jones, Marxus (August 28, 2019). "Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on the stories behind their biggest hits with Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, and more". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  2. ^ Appleford, Steve (October 9, 2015). "Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis: Our Life in 15 Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Folk, Antwane (August 28, 2021). "Revisiting Mary J. Blige's Anthemic 'No More Drama'". Rated R&B. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Brown, Helen (February 7, 2008). "Mary J Blige: Proud to shout it out without selling out on 'Growing Pains'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  5. ^ Lipshutz, Jason; Robinson, Kristin; Unterberger, Andrew (February 16, 2022). "Trending Up: For Radio, Old Taylor Is the New Taylor — Plus Dove Cameron, Tame Impala & More". Billboard.com. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  6. ^ "Mary J. Blige On Why She Chose to Perform 'No More Drama' at Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, Dr. Dre's Involvement". Atlanta Black Star. February 18, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Mary J. Blige: No More Drama". songfacts.com. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  8. ^ Petridis, Alexis (July 14, 2022). "Mary J Blige's 20 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  9. ^ Smith, Da'Shan (January 11, 2024). "Best Mary J. Blige Songs: 20 Essentials From The Queen Of Hip-Hop Soul". udiscovermusic.com. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  10. ^ "Mary J. Blige's 50 Best Songs – MJB's What's the 411? was released 22 years ago today". BET.com. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  11. ^ Penrose, Nerisha (November 30, 2017). "Mary J. Blige's 10 Best Post-Breakup Anthems: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  12. ^ Taylor, Chuck (January 19, 2002). "Reviews & Previews: Singles". Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  13. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (August 20, 2001). "Review: Mary J. Blige, No More Drama". Slant Magazine. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  14. ^ "Mary J. Blige: No More Drama (2002)". IMDb. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  15. ^ Grunitzky, Claude (2004). Transculturalism: How the World is Coming Together. TRUE Agency. ISBN 978-1-57687-218-5. Retrieved April 8, 2024 – via Google Books.
  16. ^ Susman, Gary (August 30, 2002). "Here are the MTV Video Music Award winners". Billboard.com. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  17. ^ "India.Arie Leads Image Awards Music Nominations". Billboard.com. June 12, 2002. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  18. ^ No More Drama (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 2001. 088 155 929-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ No More Drama (UK CD1 liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 2002. MCSTD 40281, 155950-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^ No More Drama (UK CD2 liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 2002. MCSXD 40281, 155951-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^ No More Drama (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 2002. MCST 40281.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ No More Drama (UK cassette single sleeve). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 2002. MCSC 40281.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^ No More Drama (European CD single liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 2002. 155 945-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ No More Drama (Australasian CD single liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 2002. 155 946-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  28. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 20, no. 21. May 18, 2002. p. 8. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
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  36. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
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  40. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  41. ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  42. ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  43. ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  44. ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
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  46. ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
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  48. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2002" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  49. ^ "Top 40 Urban Tracks of 2002" (PDF). Music Week. January 18, 2003. p. 32. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  50. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2002". billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  51. ^ "The Year in Music 2002: Hot Dance Club-Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 114, no. 52. December 28, 2002. p. YE-52.
  52. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2002". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  53. ^ "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2002". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 12.
  54. ^ "Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2002". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 22.
  55. ^ "British single certifications – Mary J Blige – No More Drama". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  56. ^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1425. October 26, 2001. pp. 45, 54.
  57. ^ "Urban: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1426. November 2, 2001. p. 59.
  58. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 29 April 2002: Singles". Music Week. April 27, 2002. p. 31.
  59. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 6 May 2002: Singles". Music Week. May 4, 2002. p. 30.
  60. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 3rd June 2002" (PDF). ARIA. June 3, 2002. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 26, 2002. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
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