Mary J Blige's latest labor, Love and Life is one of those atypical albums that translates seamlessly regardless of whether it's the town, some skinz, or your pillow you're hittin'. With 18 tracks to entice your ears, the CD can easily be enjoyed in its entirety or single by single.

In true hip-hop fashion, the disc is collaboration (a.k.a. hit) heavy, and you know you're in for a treat when even the intro, featuring a verbal reconciliation between Diddy and Blige and a tight-as-always rhyme by Jay-Z, is hot. Bad-ass Eve chimes in on "Not Today," 50-Cent lends his incredibly sexy lyrical expertise to "Let Me Be the 1," and by now there's absolutely no escaping her chart-topping "Love at 1st Sight" single featuring Method Man.

Some of the hottest solo numbers on the disc are the recently released single "Ooh!" "Don't Go," and "When We," but almost every song on the album comes complete with a catchy hook and a groove-worthy rhythm. Spiritually and inspirationally inclusive, Mary throws down Love and Life and reminds us why she's still the reigning queen of R'n'B.