Patti LaBelle on why she’s been a mentor for Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey & more: “That’s my job”

ABC/Lorenzo BevilaquaPatti LaBelle is not just a trailblazer in music: She’s also a mentor for many of R&B’s heavyweights.

Thursday night, the Godmother of Soul appeared on E!’s Busy Tonight, hosted by Busy Phillipps, where she revealed that she’s offered guidance and advice to the likes of Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and more.

“I’ve talked to a lot of young girls. I’ve been mentors to so many… Beyoncé, Mary J. [Blige]… God, so many,” LaBelle recalled.

The “Lady Marmalade” singer then went into more detail about her close relationship with Carey.

“Mariah’s my goddaughter,” LaBelle told Philipps. “I have to slap her every now and then, but she’s so phenomenal and so good, she doesn’t need to be slapped anymore. That’s my baby.”

“I talk to all of these young ladies because they’re ladies. And that’s my job,” she added.

As for her most important piece of advice for women in the music industry, LaBelle advised: “Keep your clothes on. That talent will show. You don’t have to do this and do that to show that.”