What's the 411 on the hottest urban music bill around?

Tonight, Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z bring their "Heart of the City" tour to the Izod Center. And while both were born in New York City, they do have connections to North Jersey. Blige, an R&B legend, has a home in Cresskill. And Jay-Z, a hip-hop superstar and entrepreneur, is a part owner of the Nets. (In January, he and longtime girlfriend Beyoncé were photographed courtside, yukking it up with Kanye West at a Nets vs. Seattle SuperSonics game in East Rutherford.)

Blige and Jay-Z have collaborated since 1996, when she appeared on his early hit "Can't Knock the Hustle." Between them, they've sold some 70 million records.

As they roll into the Meadowlands, here's the lowdown on these two music superstars.

Mary J. Blige

Also known as: MJB; The Queen of Hip Hop Soul.

Age: 37.

Born: Bronx, largely raised in Yonkers, N.Y.

How she started: In 1988, Blige recorded a cover of Anita Baker's "Caught Up in the Rapture" at a booth in a Westchester mall. Her stepfather played it for someone at Uptown Records, who, in turn, sent it to the president of the label, Andre Harrell. In 1989, Harrell signed Blige, making her the company's youngest, and first female, artist.

Her albums: "What's the 411?" (1992); "My Life" (1994); "Share My World" (1997); "Mary" (1999); "No More Drama" (2001); "Love & Life" (2003); "The Breakthrough" (2005); "Growing Pains" (2007).

Grammys: Eight.

Television appearances: "The Jamie Foxx Show" (1998); "Strong Medicine" (2001); "Ghost Whisperer" (2007); "Entourage" (2007); "America's Next Top Model" (2007).

Jay-Z

Real name: Shawn Corey Carter.

Age: 38.

Born: Brooklyn.

How he started: Created his own label, Roc-a-Fella Records, with friends Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, and generated massive publicity by sparring with other rappers, most notably Nas.

His albums: "Reasonable Doubt" (1996); "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1" (1997); "Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life" (1998); "Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter" (1999); "The Dynasty: Rock La Familia" (2000); "The Blueprint" (2001); "The Blueprint: The Gift and the Curse" (2002); "The Black Album" (2003); "Collision Course" (2004); "Kingdom Come" (2006); "American Gangster" (2007).

Grammys: Four.

As businessman: Former president and CEO of Def Jam Records; co-founder of Roc-a-Fella Records; co-owner of the 40/40 Club in New York City and Atlantic City.

Coming up: Will headline Britain's historic Glastonbury Festival in June, the first major hip-hop artist to hold that distinction.