When you perform those songs now, do you rejoice because you were able to move forward from it? I don't know when the weight was lifted, maybe after I got the divorce. The weight was never lifted on the My Life album. I don't know if a weight was lifted, but I just was happy that everybody liked it. Was there a song that you were most proud of - a song that felt like a weight was lifted off your chest? While working on My Life, you were dealing with depression, an abusive relationship, and more. I was crying singing a lot of those songs, because I would have to leave the studio and still deal with whatever I was dealing with in real life. Writing was a way for you to release your emotions, but at the same time, you were forced to relive that pain every time you performed those songs.

In the documentary, you mention that My Life was released during one of the most difficult times in your life. And that's what happened - we created a movement based off of my health and wanting to be free. So, it wasn't strategically planned that I'd get vulnerable with my fans, I was just trying to help and heal myself. I just didn't know what to do with this pain it just all became too big for me and I needed to put it somewhere. I was just in a vulnerable, horrible state of mind - depressed, ready to die.

It's weird, because I didn't know that I was being vulnerable with my fans. When you originally set out to do your sophomore album, did you feel emotionally ready to get vulnerable with your fans?

Lyrics to mary j blige my life