Mary J. Blige’s $12.3 Million Mansion in New Jersey

Eight-time Grammy-winner Mary J. Blige just bought a new place in Saddle River, New Jersey. This 4.2-acre home was on the market for $17 million, but the hip-hop artist got it for a bargain when she bought it earlier this month for $12.3. In cash.

A source close to Blige told the NY Daily News, “She fell in love with this one,” after looking at several houses in the area.

The 18,250 square-foot stone and stucco country French manor has 8 bedrooms and 8 baths, billiard room, indoor basketball court, wine tasting room, pool, elevator, spiral staircase, and something called a “learning room.” (What do you suppose that is? A creative way of saying “library”?)

Some of Blige’s neighbors include other hip-hop artists like Wyclef Jean and Ja Rule.

The gourmet kitchen:

The upstairs landing (check out the woodwork, including the ceiling beams!):

There are 8 bedrooms, including this grand one:

The home theater seats 14:

The home features a fitness center that includes a basketball court:

I found this group of photos on LiveJournal that show the front gate, back of the house, and pool:

What do you think? Do you like it?

Mary J. Blige, known as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, has garnered 26 Grammy nominations during her career and sold over 40 million records. According to the IMDB website, she has been cast as the famous American singer/pianist Nina Simone for a film that will be released in 2009.

Go to New York Daily News for full story. Click here to see aerial view on Virtual Globetrotting. Photo of Mary J. Blige via Rolling Stone. More information via Real Estalker.

If You’re Hooked on Famous Houses:

• Natalie Portman’s Long Island Digs
• Kenny Chesney’s Malibu Home
• Billy Joel’s Hamptons Hideaway
• Reese Witherspoon’s Country House in Ojai
  
• Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony’s Nursery for Max and Emme
• Vera Wang’s Oceanfront Villa
• Stokesay Court, the estate used in the Keira Knightley film “Atonement”
• Tommy Hilfiger’s Stone Hill Estate
• Trista Sutter’s Nursery for Baby Max
  
• Conan O’Brien’s New Pad in Brentwood
• Dolly Parton’s Childhood Home in Tennessee
• Matthew Perry’s Bachelor Pad in L.A.
• Michael J. Fox’s Southampton Home

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