The Apollo Theater immortalized the Queen of Hip Hop Soul Mary J. Blige by inducting her into its Walk of Fame.

“My very first time performing here at the Apollo, I was not on stage as myself,” Blige said of her induction. “I was on stage singing background for Jeff Redd. And from there on, it was all history.”

The Bronx-born, Yonkers-raised superstar joins other superstars who are on the Harlem theater’s Walk of Fame, like Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Smokey Robinson and the Temptations.

Mary J’s first appearance at the Apollo was in 1992 with Showtime at the Apollo. She then went on to perform many sold-out shows at the legendary venue. The theater was also the location where she first performed songs from her debut album.