Photos by Andy Argyrakis

She’s been the “Queen Of Hip-Hop Soul” for what feels like forever, but between co-headlining the Super Bowl alongside Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg, plus being named one of the “100 most influential people in the world” by TIME, singer/songwriter/actress Mary J. Blige is globally regarded as an all-around A-lister.

It all translated to yet another sell out for the Black Promoters Collective at the United Center, where for three hours, the multiple Grammy and Primetime Emmy Award winner, with relative newcomers Ella Mai and Queen Naija, reigned supreme for the “Good Morning Gorgeous” Tour.

In terms of Blige’s 90 minutes, it flew by in the blink of an eye thanks to her rarely rivaled vocals, relatability and portions of at least 30 tunes with four runway-ready fashions, just as many dancers, bursts of fire and a multi-level stage, which featured a full band towards the back.

Together, the troupe blazed through the bangers “Amazing,” “On Top” and “You Remind Me” as the headliner exuded charisma and emotion like no other and the adoring audience often joined in at similar volume.

That was particularly evident throughout “Be Happy,” “Not Gon’ Cry” and “I’m Going Down,” the latter of which found Blige dramatically disappearing below the stage prior to reappearing for “Share My World,” “My Life,” “Family Affair” and many more that earned standing ovations.

Along the way, Blige gave autobiographical accounts of resilience in the face of adversity and stood strong in her newfound singleness, assuring faithful she’d done “Enough Cryin,’” was indeed “Just Fine” and ultimately ended up as “MJB da MVP.”

Just beforehand, English soul siren and “Boo’d Up” chart-topper, Ella Mai, took fans on a poetic “Trip” through her short but spectacular career that also included several samples from the revealing new album, “Heart On My Sleeve.”

Opener Queen Naija had no trouble making the jump from YouTube and “American Idol” to the arena level, dropping R&B favorites from her debut album, “Missunderstood,” while providing a dose of easygoing “Medicine” to the ears as everyone got settled for the empowering evening.

For additional information on Mary J. Blige, visit MaryJBlige.com.

For a list of upcoming Black Promoters Collective concerts, visit BlackPromotersCollective.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at the United Center include Gorillaz (Oct. 3); Iron Maiden (Oct. 5); Harry Styles (Oct. 6-15); The Who (Oct. 12); Lizzo (Oct. 16); Smashing Pumpkins (Nov. 5); Blackpink (Nov. 10-11); Arcade Fire (Nov. 12) and Dave Matthews Band (Nov. 15). For additional details, visit UnitedCenter.com.

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