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Mary J. Blige: Aretha Franklin was 'scary' and 'mean'!
21 Jan
Summary
- Blige felt scared meeting Franklin, who wore a hoodie and sweatsuit.
- Franklin kept the recording studio extremely hot, disliking the cold.
- Franklin died in 2018 from pancreatic cancer at age 76.

Mary J. Blige recently revealed her initial apprehension when working with the iconic Aretha Franklin. Blige recounted that both she and producer Babyface felt intimidated when Franklin arrived at the recording studio, describing her attire as a "hoodie and sweatsuit" suggesting a confrontational appearance.
Franklin's presence significantly impacted the studio environment, as she preferred high temperatures due to her dislike of the cold. Blige mentioned that Franklin, who passed away in 2018, also had a "mean" disposition but managed to get along with Blige's mother.
Despite these anecdotes, Blige starred as Dinah Washington in the 2021 film "Respect," a biopic about Franklin's life. Aretha Franklin died on August 16, 2018, at the age of 76 from advanced pancreatic cancer, leaving behind a legacy of over 75 million records sold.