Released August 17, 2006 Length 3:57 | Genre R&B
soul Label Geffen | |
Format CD single, digital download Writer(s) Jordan Suecof, Lonnie Liston Smith, Ezekiel Lewis, Candice Nelson, Keri Hilson, Ron Fair | ||
"Take Me As I Am" is a song by American recording artist Mary J. Blige taken from her seventh studio album, The Breakthrough (2005). It was written by producer Ron Fair along with three members of the writing team The Clutch, Ezekiel Lewis, Candice Nelson, and singer Keri Hilson. Co-produced by Infinity, it samples Lonnie Liston Smith's 1979 "Garden of Peace" from his 1979 album, Dreams of Tomorrow, as written by Smith and Jordan Suecof. Released as the album's fourth single, "Take Me As I Am" debuted on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in August 2006, reaching number three.
Music video
The music video contained an alternate version of the song that had a shorter instrumental intro, as well as a longer bridge after the second hook.
The video for the song, directed by Bille Woodruff, premiered on BET's 106 & Park in September 2006. It peaked at number nine on the show's video countdown.
In "Take Me As I Am", Blige portrays different women in different life situations except for her alter ego, Brook Lynn, who plays Date Mary. As the video begins, Blige is a waitress/dishwasher getting her children ready for school and also trying to get her boyfriend / husband a job. Next, Blige is an editor during a photo shoot, in which a photographer is photographing Blige as a model. "Model Mary" is replaced with another model due to a tabloid report of a breakdown. "Editor Mary" is then sexually harassed by a corporate and walks out; while "model Mary" overdoses drugs in the bathroom of the photo shoot set, shortly after being replaced. In the restaurant which "Waitress Mary" works, Blige plays another character as well. This one is simply the girlfriend of a controlling boyfriend and is at lunch with her date. The date (Lance Gross) refuses to allow Blige to eat the appetizer bread, takes her menu from her and orders her a salad, clearly trying to personally control her weight. The date then gets up and appears to be flirting with a young woman in a pink dress. "Date Mary" (portrayed by Blige's alter ego, Brook Lynn) is checking her makeup and sees her date in the mirror reflection, then gets up and throws a glass of water in their faces, then leaves. Waitress Mary returns home after accidentally dropping food at work and kicks her lazy boyfriend out.