Mary J. Blige to Receive Entertainment Icon Honors at Urban One Honors: Best in Black Event

Urban One has announced that the acclaimed Mary J. Blige will be honored as the Entertainment Icon at the “URBAN ONE HONORS: Best in Black” event during Black History Month. The two-hour celebration will premiere on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at 8p/7c on TV One and simulcast on CLEO TV.

Mary J. Blige, a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning singer, Oscar-nominated actress, and Queen of Hip Hop Soul, has left an indelible mark on the contemporary music era. Blige has solidified herself as a global superstar with eight multi-platinum albums, nine Grammy Awards, and numerous nominations. Inspired by legends like Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, she pioneered a gritty, urban-rooted style, redefining R&B with hits such as “Be Without You” and “No More Drama.”

“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,” says Michelle L. Rice, President of TV One and CLEO TV.”

Blige’s impressive career spans 15 studio albums, with notable roles in films like Mudbound and television shows like The Umbrella Academy and Power Book II: Ghost. Joining a lineup of esteemed honorees, including Dionne Warwick and Frankie Beverly, Mary J. Blige remains a trailblazer in the entertainment industry.