Mary came up the way we all did.
She was a voice for us, but she wasn’t
like other R&B artists at the timlike other R&B artists at the time. e.
She becamShe became a household name a household name early e early
because she was a hip-hop artist because she was a hip-hop artist
who also sang. The industry needed who also sang. The industry needed
somsomeone like that. The streets eone like that. The streets
wanted that. Pop culture wanted wanted that. Pop culture wanted
that. And she was the one for it be-that. And she was the one for it be-
cause she wasn’t mcause she wasn’t made up. She was ade up. She was
the girl around the way with the the girl around the way with the
big earrings. She was like a spokes-big earrings. She was like a spokes-
person for a particular type of girl person for a particular type of girl
comcoming out of New York and coming out of New York and coming ing
out of the streets. out of the streets.
Every night during our tour Every night during our tour
together, Mtogether, Mary would have a ary would have a
heartfelt conversation with the heartfelt conversation with the
audience. There would be tears in audience. There would be tears in
people’s eyes; there would be people people’s eyes; there would be people
yelling with pride. And when Myelling with pride. And when Mary ary
camcame onstage at the Super Bowl e onstage at the Super Bowl
halftimhalftime show this year, she got one e show this year, she got one
of the loudest responses because, for of the loudest responses because, for
one, she’s a womone, she’s a woman in the man in the middle of iddle of
these guys. And she was just in her these guys. And she was just in her
elemelement.ent.
She carved out a lane for herself, She carved out a lane for herself,
and now she can feed the people and now she can feed the people
mmore than just more than just music. She has a lot usic. She has a lot
mmore to offer, fromore to offer, from her incredible her incredible
acting career to her wine brand to acting career to her wine brand to
the Strength of a Wthe Strength of a Womoman festival she an festival she
just launched in Atlanta. And I feel just launched in Atlanta. And I feel
like she’s just getting started. She’s like she’s just getting started. She’s
who we wanted her to be, and even who we wanted her to be, and even
mmore. She becamore. She became who she’s sup-e who she’s sup-
posed to be.posed to be.
Nas is a Grammy Award–winning Nas is a Grammy Award–winning
artistartist
From the moment he stepped onto
the court as a young player, Rafael
Nadal had an unrivaled charisma.
He has the mental and physical
toughness to do what all great
athletes do: play their best in the
biggest moments. He elevates his
emotional state to a place where
he can be insanely focused on the
smallest thing to create an edge overMary J. Blige
In her elemIn her elementent
B Y N A SB Y N A S
Rafael
Nadal
Acing it
BY TOM BRADY929292929299292 TimTimTimTimTimTimTimeeeeeee June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022 June 6/June 13, 2022Jue6/Jue3, 0 PHOTOGRAPH BY ALANA HOLMBERG