The Tour

It's almost impossible to breathe the name "Mary J. Blige" without coupling it with loaded phrases like "difficult diva" and "queen of hip-hop soul." But if you get past the prickly facade Blige often presents to the press--who can forget her infamous interview turned potential catfight with Veronica Webb?--it's the tag of royalty that counts. This collection of 23 tracks culled from various stops on her Share My World tour is the perfect sample of her highness's indisputable talent and a reminder that unlike many in her field, she is a powerhouse performer, not merely a studio puppet. The hits span her three studio albums, and while some cuts barely reach the two- minute mark, her renderings of favorites like "Real Love," "I'm Goin' Down," and "Mary Jane" more than make up for them. True to form, she also revives a couple of other classics--Aretha Franklin's "Daydreaming" and Dorothy Moore's "Misty Blue." The Tour is both a great introduction for the uninitiated and an essential addition to the canon. --Rebecca Wallwork