"No More Drama" is a song by American recording artist
Mary J. Blige, taken from her
fifth studio album of the same name (2001). It was released as the album's second single in the United States on October 30, 2001, and as the third single in some European markets, where "
Dance for Me" served as the second single instead. The
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959) and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956) are an American R&B/pop songwriting and record production team. They have enjoyed great success since the 1980s with various artists, most ...
-produced track became another hit for Blige, peaking at number 15 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number nine in the United Kingdom.
The song famously samples "
Nadia's Theme", currently used as the theme music for the American
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...
''
The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, Wi ...
''. In the song, Blige calls herself "young and restless" in a further nod to the music sample. The video for the song won Blige her first
MTV Video Music Award
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video categor ...
for Best R&B Video. The song was also used as a background theme for both
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry (born Emmitt Perry Jr., September 13, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of the Madea character, a tough elderly woman. Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmma ...
's ''
Why Did I Get Married?
''Why Did I Get Married?'' is a 2007 American comedy-drama film adaptation written, produced, directed, and starring Tyler Perry. It was inspired by Perry's play of the same name. The film also stars Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Shar ...
'' and ''
Why Did I Get Married Too?
''Why Did I Get Married Too?'' is a 2010 American comedy-drama film directed by Tyler Perry and starring Janet Jackson, Tyler Perry, Tasha Smith, Jill Scott, Louis Gossett Jr., Malik Yoba, Michael Jai White, Sharon Leal, Richard T. Jones, Lam ...
''.
Perry Botkin Jr.
Perry Botkin Jr. (April 16, 1933 – January 18, 2021) was an American composer, producer, arranger, and musician. The tune " Nadia's Theme", composed by Botkin and Barry De Vorzon, peaked at No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1976 and bec ...
, one of the song's original composers, who had never heard of Blige prior to this was delighted to get a writing credit, saying: "I woke up one morning and I'm on the cutting edge of R&B. These days, I'm completely removed from pop music — except when
oyaltychecks arrive." It was performed by Blige in the
Super Bowl LVI halftime show
The Super Bowl LVI halftime show, officially known as the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, took place on February 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, as part of Super Bowl LVI. It was televised nationally in the U.S. by NBC, ...
on February 13, 2022.
Music video
The video features cameos by
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the w ...
and
P. Diddy
Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
who had both recently experienced their own very publicized 'dramas',
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the w ...
's personal and professional problems following her
movie
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
and
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
''Glitter'', and
Diddy's legal troubles following a night club shooting. They appear individually on televisions stacked in a store front window, in front of which Blige is singing. The video contains images of a depressed man that is struggling to overcome drugs (played by actor David Venafro), a gang member who lost a friend in a shooting and a woman who is verbally and physically abused by her partner. While the theme of the video is dramatic, it ends on an encouraging note as the gang member decides to end the cycle of killing by leaving his gang; the drug addict is seen to be headed for a rehab clinic to combat his addiction and the woman finding the strength to leave her abusive lover behind and start a new life. It was directed by Sanji.
Cover versions
Joshua Ledet performed this song during the
eleventh season of ''
American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
.''
James Arthur
James Arthur (born 2 March 1988) is an English singer and songwriter. He rose to fame after winning the ninth series of ''The X Factor'' in 2012. His debut single, a cover of Shontelle's " Impossible", was released by Syco Music after the fi ...
also performed this song, during the
ninth series of ''
The X Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
.'' He would later win the series. The line "so tired, tired of all the drama" was briefly sampled in the 2013
Azealia Banks
Azealia Amanda Banks ( ; born May 31, 1991) is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Raised in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, she began releasing music through Myspace in 2008 before being signed to XL Recordings at age 18. In ...
single "
Yung Rapunxel
"Yung Rapunxel" (stylized as #YUNGRAPUNXEL) is a song recorded by American people, American singer/rapper Azealia Banks for her debut studio album titled ''Broke with Expensive Taste''. Interscope Records released the song as the album's first sin ...
".
La'Porsha Renae, runner-up of
American Idol (season 15)
The fifteenth season of ''American Idol'', also branded as ''American Idol: The Farewell Season'', premiered on the Fox television network on January 6, 2016. Ryan Seacrest continued as the show's host, while Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and ...
, performed this song during the show's last season and it gained a lot of praise from the public and brought judge
Jennifer Lopez to tears, moved by La'Porsha's story of an abusive relationship, which inspired her performance. Wé McDonald covered the song on The Voice season 11 in the Knockout Round. Sam Lavery sang the song in the sing-off of The X Factor 2016 in week 6 before being sent home.
Track listings
All versions of the P. Diddy/
Mario Winans
Mario Mendell Winans ( Brown; born August 29, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for his 2004 song " I Don't Wanna Know", which reached number 2 in the United States and number 1 in the United Kingdom. Wina ...
remix feature P. Diddy.
US 12-inch single
:A1. "No More Drama" (P. Diddy/
Mario Winans
Mario Mendell Winans ( Brown; born August 29, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for his 2004 song " I Don't Wanna Know", which reached number 2 in the United States and number 1 in the United Kingdom. Wina ...
remix LP version) – 4:09
:A2. "No More Drama" (P. Diddy/Mario Winans remix instrumental) – 4:09
:A3. "No More Drama" (P. Diddy/Mario Winans remix a cappella) – 4:10
:B1. "No More Drama" (
Thunderpuss
Thunderpuss is the (mainly dance) remix/production team of Los Angeles-based music producers Barry Harris and Chris Cox. Harris had previously worked as part of several music groups including Kon Kan, Top Kat, Killer Bunnies and Outta Cont ...
Club Anthem mix) – 9:18
:B2. "No More Drama" (Drums of Thunderpuss) – 4:57
UK CD1
# "No More Drama" (radio edit) – 4:08
# "No More Drama" (P. Diddy/Mario Winans remix LP version) – 4:08
# "No More Drama" (The Twin Disco Experience remix) – 7:30
# "No More Drama" (video)
UK CD2
# "No More Drama" (radio edit) – 4:08
# "
Mary Jane (All Night Long)" – 4:41
# "
Everything
Everything, every-thing, or every thing is all that exists; the opposite of nothing, or its complement. It is the totality of things relevant to some subject matter. Without expressed or implied limits, it may refer to anything. The univers ...
" (album version) – 4:59
UK 12-inch single
:A1. "No More Drama" (remix LP version)
:A2. "No More Drama" (remix instrumental)
:B1. "No More Drama" (The Twin Disco Experience remix)
:B2. "No More Drama" (remix a cappella)
UK cassette single
# "No More Drama" (radio edit) – 4:08
# "No More Drama" (P. Diddy/Mario Winans remix LP version) – 4:08
European CD single
# "No More Drama" (radio edit) – 4:08
# "No More Drama" (Twin Disco Experience remix) – 7:30
Australasian CD single
# "No More Drama" (radio edit) – 4:08
# "No More Drama" (Twin Disco Experience remix edit) – 4:09
# "No More Drama" (Thunderpuss Club Anthem mix) – 9:17
# "No More Drama" (video)
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
See also
*
List of number-one dance singles of 2002 (U.S.)
These are the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance/Disco Club Play and Maxi-Singles Sales number-one hits of 2002.
See also
*2002 in music
*List of number-one dance hits (United States)
* List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
Ref ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:No More Drama (Song)
Mary J. Blige songs
2001 singles
2001 songs
MCA Records singles
Music videos directed by Sanji (director)
Song recordings produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Songs written by Barry De Vorzon
Songs written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Songs written by Perry Botkin Jr.