Even after 20-something years, Nas and Mary J. Blige still have the juice!

Mary J. Blige and Nas do not need to do a single thing anymore to make their case to be hall of famers. At this point, everything they release from here on out is icing on the cake. In “Thriving,” a somewhat surprising duet between the two artists, listeners are treated to a hard-hitting track that features a riveting instrumental, some passionate crooning by Mary J about never falling off and shining bright, and some focused bars by Nas in which he reminds the world how great/resilient he is. The combination of every element I named results in a motivational/inspirational track that never lets up in intensity.

This song sounds old, but I am actually OK with it.

OVERALL RATING (3.5/5)