My favourite singer Mariah Carey is celebrating the 20th Anniversary of her 10th studio album The Emancipation of Mimi. It was released back in April 2005.
I'd planned to write just one post about the album but it was turning into a really long one, so I've decided to divide it into two parts! Here is Part 1. :)
The Emancipation of Mimi (or TEOM for short!) was considered Mariah's "comeback album" at the time, following on from her previous two albums, Glitter (2001) which was accompanied by the film of the same name and Charmbracelet (2002).
Neither the Glitter movie or album were very well received and after going through a difficult time in general, Mariah had an emotional and physical breakdown and checked into hospital that summer. She was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, although didn't feel ready to speak about it pubicly until several years later.
Although Charmbracelet (MC's first release after leaving Virgin Records America and singing with Island Records) did better than Glitter, it wasn't as successful as some of her previous albums. The Emancipation of Mimi was Mariah's second album to be released on Island.
The "Mimi" in the title refers to Mariah's nickname and the theme is her emancipation (freedom) after going through personal and career struggles.
TEOM was Mariah's highest selling release in the US in a decade, the best selling record in America of 2005 and overall has sold 100 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling albums of the 21st century. It got to No. 2 here in the UK, No. 1 in Australia and Top 5 in several European countries.
It was her first album since 1997's Butterfly (which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022) to debut at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Emancipation also won 3 GRAMMYs.
Similarly to Butterfly, the album is primarily an R'n'B record (compared to earlier albums such as her 1990 debut Vision of Love and 1993's Music Box, which were also more pop orientated).
It consists of 14 tracks on the standard edition, 6 of which were singles- It's Like That featuring American rapper Fatman Scoop, and American rapper and record producer (and longtime MC collaborator) Jermaine Dupri, We Belong Together (one of Mariah's most successful songs to date), Shake It Off featuring Jermaine, Get Your Number, Fly Like a Bird and Say Somethin' featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg.
While Butterfly remains one of my favourite MC albums, The Emancipation of Mimi is a good one as well.
The UK edition (which I have) has the bonus track Sprung and the Japanese edition also has Secret Love as a bonus track. (I bought Secret Love on iTunes years ago.) Both songs were later included on a digital version of the Ultra Platinum Edition (see below).
In November 2005, a reissued version (The Emancipation Of Mimi: Ultra Platinum Edition) was released. The CD edition contained 4 new tracks- Don't Forget About Us, Makin' It Last All Night (What It Do) featuring Jermaine Dupri, So Lonely (One and Only Part 2) featuring American rapper Twista (a new version of Twista's single One and Only which featured Mariah's vocals) and a remix of We Belong Together featuring American rappers Styles P and Jadakiss.
There was also a limited edition set of the CD with a DVD. In 2020, a digital reissue of the Ultra Platinum Edition was released. Don't Forget About Us was the lead single from the Ultra Platinum Edition.
Side note: The Emancipation of Mimi is the only album that I've ever bought twice! In general I'm not keen on artists bringing out a new edition of an album with new tracks only a few months after the original release. I'd rather they would wait longer because I've just bought the original. But I made an exception for Mariah, lol. Of course these days with digital music and streaming, it's a lot easier to access individual tracks without buying a whole album.
To celebrate the anniversary, Mariah released a deluxe anniversary edition of TEOM. It came out on 30th May and is made up of 2 discs, containing 40 tracks in total! It features B-sides, unreleased songs and remixes of original songs. It's available on 2LP (vinyl), an expanded 5LP and digitally. The 5xLP vinyl box set includes the original album and the Ultra Platinum Edition.
The new remixes include Say Something- Solange Southern Star Remix (featuring American singer Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyoncé), a remix of Don't Forget About Us by Haitian Canadian music producer and rapper KAYTRANADA, Its Like That- esentrik Remix by producer and DJ esentrik and Say Somethin'- So So Def Remix).
In addition, MC did a special live performance, Mariah Carey Live: The Mimi Sessions.
My favourite songs from the album (Ultra Platinum Edition) include One and Lonely and So Lonely, Don't Forget About Us, Shake It Off, Say Somethin', Stay the Night, Sprung and Makin' It Last all Night.
You can read more about Mimi 20 (as Mariah is calling it) here: https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/mariah-carey-celebrates-the-emancipation-of-mimi-20-years-1235985387
Here are the singles and my fave songs from the original version. :)
It's Like That feat. Fatman Scoop and Jermaine Dupri
It's Like That was the lead single from TEOM, coming out in January 2005, two months before the album. It did well both in the US and internationally, and remains one of Mariah's most popular songs of the 2000s (apart from We Belong Together; see below).
The track samples the hook "It's Like That Y'all" from American hip hop Run DMC's songs Hollis Crew and Here We Go (Live). It was produced by Mariah and Jermaine Dupri, who had often worked together beforehand. Jermaine also provides vocals/raps, along with Fatman Scoop, who sadly died last summer.
At the time there was an official remix by record producer and songwriter Scott Storch and featuring rapper Fat Joe, plus some dance remixes by DJ and record producer David Morales. A new remix by esentrik was made for the deluxe anniversary album. In addition to that, the Scott Scorch Remix and David Morales Classic Mix appear on the new edition.
The music video is a two part story along with the next single We Belong Together. It features Mariah at a masked party at the house of her fiance (played by American actor Eric Roberts, brother of Julia), on the night before her wedding. She comes face to face with her ex-lover, played by British born American actor Wentworth Miller.
It's Like That (esentrik Remix) feat. Jermaine Dupri, Fatman Scoop
Here is the visualiser for the remix by esentrik. As people have pointed out in the comments, the video has an old fashioned Windows computers feel!
We Belong Together
We Belong Together was the 2nd single from the album (released in March 2005) and one of Mariah's most successful to date (and of the 00s era). It's considered her "comeback song". At the time of release it broke chart records in the US, getting to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and staying there for 14 weeks. It was also a chart hit abroad, including in Australia, the UK, Ireland and Spain.
The song uses lyrics from both the 1981 single If You Think You're Lonely now by the late American singer Bobby Womack and Two Occasions, the 1987 single by American band The Deele. MC also references Bobby and Babyface (Kenny Edmonds) who is a member of the band. (I know that she mentions Babyface but have just realised the connection!)
There was an official remix (produced by Mariah and DJ Clue) which features rappers Styles P and Jadakiss (who are part of hip hop trio The LOX, along with Sheek Louch) and originally appeared on the Ultra Platinum Edition. Additional remixes include the Peter Rauhofer Radio Mix, the Atlantic Soul Radio Mix and the more recent Mimi's Late Valentine Mix, which was released in February 2021. All remixes can be found on the anniversary edition.
The music video is a continuation of the one for It's Like That (see above). The storyline features Mariah about to get married to Eric Roberts, but conflicted over whether she's making the right decision and longing for her ex-lover (Wentworth Miller).
Although We Belong Together isn't one of my favourites from The Emancipation (unpopular opinion! lol), I do like it. I featured it in my More Mariah Songs back in 2013 (scroll down to bottom): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2013/08/more-mariah-songs.html
Shake It Off
This was the 3rd US single (Get Your Number was the 3rd international single; see below), coming out in July 2005. It was co-written by Mariah and Jermaine (along with others) and you can also hear Jermaine talking on the track.
Shake It Off did well, getting to No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, only kept off the top spot by We Belong Together! There was a remix featuring American rapers Jay Z and Young Jeezy (also included on the anniversary edition).
The song is about Mariah casually "shaking off" her relationship with her unfaithful man and moving on. It's one of my faves from the album. :)
I also featured it in my More Mariah Songs post: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2013/09/and-more-mariah-songs.html
Get Your Number feat. Jermaine Dupri
Get Your Number was the 3rd single to be released internationally, in Europe specifically, I think (Shake It Off was the 3rd American single; see above) and 4th single overall. It came out in October 2005. According to Wikipedia, Get Your Number was released as a double A-side with Shake It Off here in the UK and Australia.
The song samples Just an Illusion, the 1982 single by British music trio Imagination and also features vocals from Jermaine, who playfully interacts with Mariah.
The music video stars Mariah, American actor Gary Dourdan as her love interest and Jermaine.
Fly Like A Bird
This was released alongside Say Somethin' (see below) in March 2006. However, I don't think it was an "official" single like the others. It was originally released to radio and then as a digital download.
Fly Like A Bird is more of a gospel song, although it also has R'n'B and soul elements. I'm not that keen on gospel in general, but I do quite like it. A music video was planned but never made.
This is a new visualiser for the song.
Say Somethin' feat. Snoop Dog
And here is Say Something, the 6th and final single from the original TEOM, released in April 2006. (Don't Forget About Us came out the previous October but was from the Ultra Platinum Edition.)
The song features Snoop Dogg (the second time he and Mariah had worked together, after 2000's Crybaby from her 7th album Rainbow), and is a fun R'n'B and hip hop song. It was produced by American duo The Neptunes (made up of Pharell Williams and Chad Hugo), who were also members of the band N.E.R.D, along with Shay Haley) and co-written by Mariah, Snoop and The Neptunes.
It wasn't one of the album's most successful US singles but did better internationally. Back at the time of release there were several remixes, including the So So Def Remix featuring hip hop group Dem Franchise Boyz and a couple by David Morales. A new remix called Say Something- Solange Southern Star Remix featuring Solange Knowles), was recorded for the new edition. The So So Def Remix and David Morales Stereo Anthem Mix are on it too.
Here is the music video for Say Somethin' which was filmed in Paris.
Say Somethin' (Solange Southern Star Remix)
And here is the official visualiser for the new Solange remix.
Hope you enjoyed the post! :) Stay tuned for Part 2, where I'll feature more songs from The Emanciption of Mimi.
What do you think of the album? Do you like the new edition?
P.S. Mariah just released a brand new single Type Dangerous (it came out yesterday)! Watch the official lyric video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04-s6uSHlro
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