Mary J. Blige's 1997 single is widely considered a cornerstone of her "imperial" era, marking a transition from the raw pain of her earlier work to a more melodic, hopeful R&B sound. Produced by the legendary duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis , the track served as the third single from her multi-platinum third studio album, Share My World . Composition and Sampling
Directed by Hype Williams , the video was shot in Kauai, Hawaii. It is remembered for its "visually magnetic" imagery, featuring Blige in West-African inspired fashion against black sand beaches and lush cliffs. If you're interested in diving deeper, I can look into: Mary J. Blige - Everything
It incorporates the grit of "The Payback" (1973) by James Brown and melodic cues from Kyu Sakamoto’s "Sukiyaki" . Mary J