Mary J. Blige Wins First Emmy Award

Mary J. Blige could be in the race to ascend to EGOT status. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul won Outstanding Variety Special (Live) for The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at night one of the 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. It’s the legendary singer and songwriter’s first Emmy win.

Blige shares the award with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and 50 Cent, who all shared the stage in February for an iconic performance. Shawn Carter, better known as JAY-Z, also accepts the honor as executive producer alongside Jessie Collins and Desiree Perez.

The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show won two other awards, including Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special and Outstanding Music Direction. The latter trophy went to Adam Blackstone.

As part of Blige’s short and sweet set, she took the stage to perform “Family Affair” and “No More Drama.” Both songs appear on her 2001 album No More Drama, which was re-released the following year.

The former track, produced by Dr. Dre, soared up to nearly 160% in global streams on Spotify. Meanwhile, the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-produced “No More Drama” rose to nearly 520% on the platform. 

Blige is an Oscar and a Tony award away from becoming an EGOT recipient. Of 31 nominations, she’s won nine Grammys. She’s the only artist to win music’s highest honors in four distinct genres: pop, rap, R&B and gospel. Her last won a statuette for Best Contemporary R&B Album for Growing Pains at the 51st Grammy Awards.

In 2018, Blige made Oscar history as the first person to score nominations for a performance, and an original song in the same year, for the same film (Mudbound).