Don't Mind - Background

Background

It was confirmed in August 2010 that Blige had begun work on her tenth studio album with Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, The Underdogs, Jerry Wonda, Arden Altino, Lil Ronnie, Jay-Z, Timbaland, Salaam Remi, Maxwell, Alicia Keys, Raphael Saadiq, Ester Dean, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Johnta Austin, Eric Hudson, Q-Tip, Sean Garrett, DJ Premier, Gorilla Tek, Don Pooh, Ne-Yo, and Drumma Boy. Reports claimed the album would be titled, LovHer and be released first quarter of 2011, but Mary revealed to Rap-Up. com during her Music Saved My Life Tour in 2010, she was in no rush to release the album and she had not given it a title yet. A song called "Anything You Want" featuring Busta Rhymes and Gyptian leaked on line in August 2010.

Blige revealed to MTV.com, backstage at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, that

“Swizz and I, in the studio cooking up something real nice.” When speaking of approach to the new album it was described crafting sonic heat similar to her first two studio albums but plan to update the vintage Blige sound. “ more like a What's the 411? of 2012. It's headed that direction but in a new . Not what it used to be. Right now, it's going in the Mary direction, which is R&B and hip-hop and soul,... If it goes into the club direction, it will probably be more soulful than futuristic.

Producer-songwriter Danja, confirmed that he had been heavily involved in the new album. He said of the records he's made with Blige

Everything that I’ve done feels really good. Great tracks, funky, you can dance to it. Some is a hybrid of 808s with very heartfelt, soulful piano lines on top of them. You dancing and you in the club, but you kinda feeling a certain way at the same time. Very emotional topics and kinda classic Mary in 2011.

Additionally it was revealed that singer-songwriter Kevin Cossom was also working with Blige, writing songs for her upcoming album. The LP, recorded in Los Angeles, New York City and Atlanta, sees Mary looking toward the future while acknowledging the past.

“From me to you, My Life II… Our journey together continues in this life,” explained Mary. “It’s a gift to be able to relate and identify with my fans at all times. This album is a reflection of the times and lives of people all around me.”

On June 21, 2011, a track titled "Feel Inside" apparently featuring Nicki Minaj leaked online. In an interview with MTV it was revealed that the track was in fact two separate songs that the duo were respectively working on, but that someone had put together. Blige revealed that despite the fake collaboration, Minaj and Blige would be collaborating on a song, written by Andrea Martin. "I was ****ed about the leaking of the Nicki Minaj and Mary J Blige record, because that's not fair and people shouldn't do that," she said bluntly. "But I'm over it. We move on. We're going to make more hot music." The album will also see the return of Brook Lynn, Blige's rap alterego last heard on "Enough Cryin'" and the remix to "Touch It" by Busta Rhymes.

In terms of what she wanted to achieve musically with the album, Blige herself told Blues & Soul: "With so much techno and four-to-the floor and general loss of live instrumentation going on today, to me people are not doing real MUSIC any more. And so with this album I really wanted people to remember when music was about QUALITY instead of QUANTITY!... I basically wanted to separate myself and give everybody back what I feel music today is MISSING."