The 'Be Without You' hitmaker is honored at New York's The Apollo, which she describes as 'the most important thing to our culture as African-American artists.'
- May 30, 2021
AceShowbiz - Mary J. Blige was inducted into The Apollo's Walk of Fame in New York on Friday (28May21).
The "Family Affair" singer was thrilled by her latest honour, calling the Harlem venue "the most important thing to our culture as African-American artists."
Speaking outside the R&B mecca, Blige told fans, "If it wasn't for The Apollo, we wouldn't have a chance. People wouldn't have gotten discovered."
"This was the first place I made it, you know, before Madison Square Garden. This is it. Without The Apollo, there is no recognising of Mary J. Blige."
This year, Mary J. Blige was also nominated for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but she didn't make into the final list.
Jay-Z, Foo Fighters, The Go-Go's, singer-songwriter Carole King, Todd Rundgren, and Queen of Rock n' Roll Tina Turner make up the Class of 2021.
The Rock Hall will also induct rap legend LL Cool J, Billy Preston, and Randy Rhoads while electronic pioneers Kraftwerk, spoken-word poet Gil Scott-Heron, and bluesman Charley Patton are joining the RRHOF under the early influence award category, and late music impresario Clarence Avant is the recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun award.
The Rock Hall hailed the Class of 2021 as "the most diverse list of Inductees in the history of the organization," with three female acts inducted in the performers category at the same time for the first time in the Hall's 36-year history.
