Mary J. Critiques Her Acting; Praises Rihanna In New VIBE

The queen of Hip-Hop Soul lands another cover of VIBE magazine. The woman who started the ghetto-fab movement caught the magazine up with her personal and professional life — and of course get her opinion on what’s happening in today’s R&B.

See excerpts below:

Let’s talk about current R&B. How do you feel when you turn on the radio?

Maybe in 2012, in the middle, I was like, “What is going on? What is this?” Things got worse before they got better. I think things are going in the right direction. I am so proud of what Rihanna is doing.

Wait, really?

Yes. She is speaking to her generation, and she’s living her life in front of them. I don’t even think she’s purposely doing it (7). She’s such a beautiful girl, and I don’t think she knows she’s that beautiful (8). She’s just living her life, and leading her generation, and she has great, great songs. Her career is amazing; and her team, obviously, is amazing.

People give her a hard time because of the whole Chris:

They give her a hard time because she’s living her life. As long as she’s having fun and isn’t three minutes away from wanting to shoot herself, good! I want her to be happy. That’s impressive to me. And I love her songs. Adele also gives me hope. God bless Amy Winehouse. She was just the perfect thing.

On her acting:

I’m around female celebrities all the time and I can’t and won’t compare myself to them because that’s a terrible feeling. It’s very uncomfortable to become someone else and not be self-conscious about it. But then you see it when you’re all over and you think, “Oh my God! I did good!” (9)

Is that how you felt when you watched the Lifetime piece?

Yes! I’m growing! There’s so much I have to learn, still, but man. I saw myself grow.

Do you agree with Mary’s assessment on Rihanna…what about her acting in Lifetime’s Betty & Coretta?