Erykah Badu Says Knock at the Beginning of "On & On" was Message to Mary J. Blige

Erykah Badu and Mary J. Blige 

Tonight during her historic Verzuz battle with Jill Scott, Erykah Badu shared a fact about Mary J. Blige and the sound at the beginning of her first single "On & On."

Erykah Badu said she was sending MJB a message about her coming into the music industry. "On & On" has a similar beat to "Real Love." She said, "It was also a Mary J. Blige reference to "Real Love". I was a big Mary fan at the time and I just wanted to let her know that I was coming." Jill Scott responded by saying, "You sure came honey, and the video was brilliant."

"On & On" was her first single from her 1997 debut album Baduizm. The song was nominated for a Grammy in 1998. Badu also won a Grammy that same year for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

What do you think about the beginning of "On & On" being a reference to Mary J. Blige's "Real Love"?
Related Articles: Reminder: Erykah Badu vs. Jill Scott Verzuz Battle Tonight!