Mary J. Blige Introduces Starshell on ‘106 & Park'

Mary J. Blige brightened up the set of “106 & Park” with her appearance on Monday. Wearing a yellow blazer, cheetah-print top, and cat-eye glasses, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul introduced Starshell, a singer-songwriter signed to her label Matriarch Records.

Starshell, who co-wrote “Love Lockdown” with Kanye West, met Mary through a producer who knew Mary’s husband Kendu. “She’s honest about who she is,” the R&B veteran said of her protégée. “She’s not trying to be something she’s not. She’s just a good person and her work drive and her work ethic is crazy. What really made me want to sign her is her work ethic. It was a blessing to find someone that was willing to work that hard.”

A strong work ethic is something they share in common. “Mary has been in the game for so long and she’s just the queen of what she does,” said Starshell, who premiered the video for her single “Birthday Girl.” “She’s the realest person you’ll ever meet and she works really hard.”

On the three-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, Mary recalled having a crush on a young MJ. “I wanted to marry him when we were kids,” she gushed. “When I saw him in ‘Billie Jean,’ I was like, ‘I’ve got to find him.'”