The R&B diva has carried the title of “Queen of Hip Hop Soul” for decades, but she clarified that being a queen isn’t easy. “You know, when you hear the word ‘queen,’ you automatically think of a woman getting everything she wants,” Mary said. “But it’s not like that at all. See, being a ruler means sacrifice. Most of the time, you get less than what you give. So every woman and mother in the world is a queen because she sacrificed so much.”

Mary has always been an artist to take from her real-life circumstances and turn it into the music of triumph, so the soulful “Know” is just another way that the singer attempts to encourage others bysharing her story of overcoming obstacles.

Quotable Lyrics

Gets so heavy sometimes
Carrying this weight of mine
Looks like the seas are parting
So I might as well start walking