Throughout the early 90s, Jermaine Dupri established a name for himself as an R&B and Hip-Hop super-producer. In 1998, Dupri pivoted to become a rap artist himself and released his debut studio album, “Life in 1472.” By then, he and Mariah Carey had also developed a strong personal and professional relationship as good friends and musical collaborators. An ever-loyal friend, Carey appeared on the album’s third single, “Sweetheart” (a cover of the 1986 hit by Rainy Davis). Like on many of their mash-up style remixes, the pair transformed the very 80s track, elevating it with a fresh, sexy Hip-Hop spin.

Watch the “Sweetheart” video, stream it, or get “Life in 1472” on CD.

In celebration of summer, the staff at THE 97 has compiled a playlist containing some of our favorite summer songs, from then and now. Each day we will reveal one song, rotating daily between past and present with pairings from 1998 and 2023, for a total of 97 days/songs. Since we love nostalgia, we’re celebrating summer songs from 1998 as they turn 25, alongside new songs that we feel deserve some shine. Pairings could be thematic, sonic, or based connections between the artists.

Check out our full “THE SUMMER 97 (1998 x 2023)” playlist here

The post 97 Words: “Sweetheart” by Jermaine Dupri & Mariah Carey appeared first on THE 97.

Once upon a time, there was a young multi-racial, multi-talented girl from Long Island, New York. Born to an Irish-American mother and an Afro-Venezuelan-American father, she would grow up to have one of the best voices the music world would ever hear, a witty way with words and a masterful gift of melody. Despite having 500 hours of beauty school, she ventured off to New York City to pursue a music career. At age 18, she was signed to Columbia Records by an old, controlling Italian-American man, and released her debut album at age 20.

On her self-titled debut, Mariah Carey introduced the world to her miraculous voice and her ability to write hit R&B songs that could crossover to the pop charts. She scored four #1 hits in the process. However, one of those hits also showcased another talent of Carey’s: “Someday” provided our first introduction to what has now become legendary – her artfully flawless ability to throw shade. “Someday” seemed like your standard, cute girl-hates-boy sort of shade, but as the years went on, her shade intensified. And, indeed, that same album had two more rather shady cuts: “Prisoner” (a song the very existence of she likes to shade) and “You Need Me” both were rather feisty assertions of girl power and sass, even featuring Mariah delivering her first ever rap verses. With her debut album, “Mariah Carey shade” became a brand of its own.

Perhaps the controlling Italian wasn’t here for all the shade on her debut and, for whatever reason, her sophomore album, 1991’s Emotions, only had one shady moment: “You’re So Cold,” a bubbly C&C Music Factory production on which Mariah proceeds to read a, you-guessed-it, cold man his rights for being so damn cruel. She downright calls him “heartless.” Ouch.

Unfortunately for fans of Carey’s shady sass, it was absent from her next three albums, not reappearing until 1999’s Rainbow. One, “X-Girlfriend,” found Mariah doing a rare read of another female for trying to steal her man. Co-penned by former Xscape member Kandi, the song fit right in alongside similarly shady anthems by Destiny’s Child and TLC that same year. “Did I Do That?,” though, found Carey ethering an unidentified (but not too hard to figure out) suitor who was, apparently, not the brightest bulb. In a song littered with biting shade, the shadiest bit of all is when she sings, “Conversations painfully weak, you were much better off when you didn’t speak.” Welp. Classic Mariah Carey shade.

In 2001, Mariah had a particularly unfortunate year. As we already detailed extensively, one particular shade-inducing conflict was born, yielding one notable bit of shade on an otherwise festive 80s-themed album: Da Brat’s rap on the “Loverboy” remix. Mariah eagerly sang along, to the tune of the song’s originally intended sample stolen by Jennifer Lopez, taunting her imitators: “Hate on me, as much as you want to, you can’t do what the fuck I do, bitches be imitating me daily” OOP!

From this point on, Ms. Carey began to own her shadiness in all it’s eternal glory. In 2002, she penned her finest, shadiest composition to date, for the Charmbracelet album: “Clown.” So eloquent, witty and downright ego-shattering, “Clown” is a clear attack of Eminem, who prefers to pick fights with pop divas rather than fellow male rappers who he must fear might actually hit back. Unfortunately for him, Carey is a hip-hop artist at heart, with a knack for witty rhymes and a penchant for shade. “Clown” is her most artful shade to date because of how sheerly pitiful it renders its victim: “Consequently now your ego’s fully overblown, you don’t want the world to know that you’re just a puppet show and the little boy inside often sits at home alone and cries, cries, cries, cries.” Consequently, indeed, Eminem attacked her incessantly over the years to follow. “Your pain is so deep-rooted, what will your life become? Sure you hide it but you’re lost and lonesome, still just a frail shook one.” Hit dogs certainly do holler! Yet, “Nobody cares when the tears of a clown fall down.” Poor thing. On that same album, she served up yet another sliver of her trademarked Mariah Carey shade with a bop called “You Had Your Chance.” It’s nowhere near as scathing as “Clown,” but a good, light read nonetheless.

While her 2005 comeback was not a beacon of shade, one of the album’s singles “Shake It Off” served up a bit of shade and was yet another smash hit for the diva. “Shake It Off,” as you likely know, is a now-classic break-up anthem for that less-than-stellar man in your life. Mimi motivates the ladies to shake ‘em off with a quick 1-2-3 shake. Oh, and honorable mention to “It’s Like That” for the line “them chickens is ash and I’m lotion.” Werq, honey.

Never fear, though, for she returned in 2008 with a few more songs of scintillating shade on E=MC2, the hottest of all being “Heat,” on which she points her shadlescope at some ho who tries to steal her man. It is a ratchet read that leaves hypothetical wigs strewn across the flooring. In a rare moment of aggressive violence, Mimi vows to “come out these heels and make it clear,” and “fuck up my hair and take it there, bitch.” For anyone who thinks she is all butterflies, rainbows and unicorns, think again. She “sholl ain’t the one.” 

No one is safe when the Mariah Carey shade pen is set on high, not even her siblings. “I Wish You Well,” from that same album, is a different sort of shade, though. It is in a class of its own; it is Bible-thumping, Holy Spirit-ed shade. The song talks of the manipulation done unto her by her siblings who have hurt her over the years, and she uses the words of the Bible to wish them well, a.k.a. excrete them from her life and conscience. It is just behind “Clown” at the pole position of the intelligent, high-level, damn-near-Holy shade spectrum.

That same year, Mariah got married, and the following year, released Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. Perhaps out of a desire to rid herself of the negative energy as she entered her new marriage, Mariah took to her pen to once again shade the lessers of relationships past. Unsurprisingly, Memoirs is one of her shadiest albums. It was kicked off with “Obsessed,” a hip-hop track that once again is a clear response to Eminem (a connection she denies hilariously) and incited a predictably bitter response from the Obsessed-one who proved just how obsessed he truly is with his response track “Warning.” The album featured plenty more succulent shade, though. “Standing O” is a bitingly sarcastic number offering a round of applause to a failed lover, while “Up Out My Face” is a hilarious (and albeit cheesy) breakup anthem. Its most famous line is perhaps when she says that “If we were two Lego blocks, even the Harvard University graduating class of 2010 couldn’t even put us back together again.”  Other slightly shady bops include “It’s a Wrap,” “Betcha Gon Know,” and “H.A.T.E.U.” – but those are more so angry or upset than downright shady.

Following Memoirs, Mariah’s longest hiatus to-date ensued: it was nearly 5 years before she released her next studio album, Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse. In that time, she unfortunately gathered a wealth of inspiration for yet another shade-filled album. On Chanteuse, she was a wife scorned, yet still trying to work through the problems in secret. On “Faded,” she chastises her then-husband for being “always somewhere but not there for” her and fading away, literally and metaphorically. Similarly, “You Don’t Know What to Do” finds her giving a witty read to her fair-weather lover, “you love me more than you love sunny summer days … now all you can do is listen to me sing” she chides. The cruelest of all, though, is downright diss-track “Thirsty.” Featuring lines like “you used to be mister-all-about-‘we,’ now you’re just thirsty for celebrity, best thing to happen to your ass was me, pull down them Tom Fords and act like you see.” Funny as that is, it’s actually quite sad. She utilizes her high level vocabulary and metaphorical skill on the chorus, singing “Thirsty for a dream, leaving me drowning, ain’t no SOS, filled with discontent, fire you can’t quench, why you try so damn hard?” The worst bit of all? She changed her number and he has to hit her on Twitter, because he “can’t get the real math.” Keeping with that same theme, “The Art of Letting Go” is self-explanatory, and features the line “Go to Mimi on your contacts; press delete.” It seems said moment might’ve come before “Thirsty”?

Possibly inspired by her experience on American Idol, “Meteorite” is a disco-inspired jam that is directed toward aspiring starlets. However, it’s not a supportive sort of “you can do it!” moment you might expect. Actually, it is an honest and all-too-real perspective on fame, laced in Mariah Carey shade. She warns that shooting stars, or meteorites, will burn out quickly. She compares fame to a flame, saying the public watches you “burn up” as you “turn up.” It’s a cautionary and shady tale of fame.

Next, we arrive to Ms. Carey’s first official post-divorce bit o’ shade: “Infinity.” Released in 2015 as a capstone for now-out-of-date collection of #1s (shout out to 19th #1 “All I Want For Christmas Is You”!) and to promote her first Las Vegas residency, the song seems to be aimed at her now ex-husband. Its antagonist, similar to that of “Thirsty,” is seemingly broke, mad, and simply not on MC’s level. She reminds him: “you lost the best you’ve ever had.” This time, though, she’s not mad or upset. She seems to recognize that it’s alright that things have come to an end, and “that’s the story, ain’t no happy end.” Yet, “Infinity,” despite its layers of shade, does end on a positive note: she still believes “infinity is more than just a made up dream,” that one day she can still find infinity. Just not with that one. So is there a happy ending to her story? Yes.

When I wrote this list in 2016, I pondered: “So, where does that leave us with the Queen of Shade? Is she still shady? Of course! However, it’s probably more likely for future music to be a little less shady given her current state of affairs (and engagement!).” Welp, so much for that.

By early 2017, Ms. Carey dumped her then-fiancé (sorry to that man) and released another song full of her classic Mariah Carey shade. A trap-inspired R&B mid-tempo, “I Don’t” features Y.G. and ingeniously flips a sample of Donell Jones’ 1999 classic “Where I Wanna Be” both from a musical and lyrical standpoint. In the video, she sets fire to her wedding dress, which caused quite a stir at the time. In what was probably not-so-coincidental-timing, she even got Remy Ma to hop on the song despite being in the midst of a beef with a certain ex-coworker of Mariah’s.

The following year, Mariah released her 15th studio album, entitled Caution. Guess what the first single off of the album was? Shady as fuck.

Entitled “GTFO,” MC the Emcee kicked off her 2018 album campaign with an exquistely shady and ultra-meme-able midtempo groove. As one can imagine from the title, “GTFO” is a rather to-the-point anthem. The Queen of Christmas encourages the exit of her antagonist (“take your tingz and be on your merry way”) with enough icy sarcasm in her tone to render Christmas in July.

As if that weren’t enough, another single from the album, “A No No” adds more shady spice to Caution as Ms. Carey flips a Lil’ Kim sample to warn the “snakes in the grass” that it’s “time to cut the lawn,” remind y’all that she won’t hesitate to get her lawyer “Ed Shapiro on the phone, case closed.” And those quips are just in the first verse, you’ll have to listen to catch the rest, “dahhling”!

In October 2020, Mariah released a compilation album entitled The Rarities, which featured a number of never-before-released songs that she unearthed from “the vault.” Of course, there is a shady bop among them: “Cool On You.” Originally recorded in 2007 and likely intended for the album E=MC² the song is seemingly inspired by Meryl Streep’s iconic character from the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly. Opening with a chant of “do the coat, kick rocks, eat dirt,” the song drips in quintessential Mariah Carey shade.

Another revelation that came to light in 2020 was that Mariah wrote and recorded an alternative rock album in 1995 while she was working on the Daydream album. Entitled Someone’s Ugly Daughter and released under the band name Chick, it features songs penned by the Queen of Shade herself, with lead vocals by her friend Clarissa Dane. The lyrics, for the most part, are filled with anger and comical shade directed at her then-husband (the controlling Italian one). Unfortunately, the entire album isn’t on streaming, but its two music videos are on VEVO and Apple Music. Mariah has said that she found the original recordings with her singing lead, so here’s hoping they see the light of day sooner than later.

So, what’s next for Shadiest Chick In the Business? Only time can tell; Ms. Carey has proved to be often imitated, never duplicated, and always unpredictable. One thing is for certain: no diva in the business can throw shade like she can, whether in an interview or, even better, in song. So, beware… you never know when she might come for you. But don’t worry too much, this is her attitude toward most people she doesn’t like:

Listen to Mariah Carey: The Shadelist

The post The Shadelist: Chronicling Mariah Carey’s shadiest songs appeared first on THE 97.

Pop Princess

Mariah had worked on the album over the spring and summer of 1993, while planning her wedding to Tommy Mottola. The diva and the CEO of Sony Music married on June 5, 1993 in a lavish, star-studded ceremony in New York City and went to live in upstate New York in a multi-million dollar mansion. It seemed like Mariah’s fairytale was complete, happy ending and all.

For a “bridal” album, Music Box isn’t exactly a “happily, desperately in love” record. In fact, similarly to Mariah’s other post-marriage album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, the songs are quite somber. Heavy on the ballads, Music Box‘s tracks reflect on love from a break-up standpoint or long for a love that was or could be. Only the upbeat “Now That I Know” was potentially dedicated to her then-husband.

The Music Box

Musically, the songs contain some of Mariah’s finest melodies. She paired with Walter Afanasieff for most of the album, while she worked with Dave Hall and David Cole and Robert Clivillés of C&C Music Factory for her uptempos. Mariah’s first collaboration with Babyface was also on this album.

It’s Mariah’s ear for melody that makes this album a classic. Let’s face it, if it weren’t for her, most of these songs would be dated and cheesy, but the arrangements (most importantly, the vocal arrangements) elevate them. That is why even if it’s Mariah’s most Pop/Adult Contemporary album, it holds a particular place in her catalog for her fans.

The title track was perhaps her sweetest, most gentle vocal up until to that point. Walter Afanasieff once recalled in an interview that Mariah wanted a specific keyboard sound that was inspired by George Michael’s Faith album for this track. The impeccable use of her softer register conveys the impression that she’s the ballerina spinning atop the music box, singing instead of doing ballet.

The other ballads are more bombastic, but nonetheless nuanced. “Just to Hold You Once Again” and “All I Ever Wanted” start on the low, but reach the heavens on their climax in an explosion of controlled power and resonance.

She also delivered flawless vocals on the album’s uptempo tracks. “I’ve Been Thinking About You” is a vocal bop that’s worthy of repeated plays if only for Mariah’s rich and full instrument being on display. In the same vein, “Now That I Know” sees Mariah effortlessly glide over synths and a joyful thumping beat. Then, of course, there’s the lead single.

Iconic Singles

Four singles were commercially released from the album. “Dreamlover“ led the campaign in July, with its funky beat and breezy melody. The song was built on a sample of “Blind Alley” by The Emotions with a Hammond organ that adds that sweet touch it needs. The music video, filmed in upstate New York features Mariah’s first recognisable look: the jean shorts and flannel.

David Morales also produced Mariah’s first, iconic re-sung dance remix for this song.

That summer Mariah also recorded a special concert at the Proctors Theatre that became a Thanksgiving TV special on NBC.

During the fall Columbia released “Hero” as the second single. The song was originally written for Gloria Estefan, intended for the soundtrack to the movie of the same name. Upon hearing the track, Tommy Mottola convinced her to keep it for herself and it became one of her biggest hits and signature songs. Its uplifting message of hope has resonated with fans worldwide for 25 years, making it an absolute staple in Mariah’s concert setlists. Yet another iconic image came out of the music video: Mariah looked stunning in her black gown and curls singing this song for the audience at Proctors.

The third single was a cover of Badfinger’s 1970 soft rock single “Without You,” later made popular by Harry Nilsson. Mariah has stated that the song was one of her favorites growing up and that is why she decided to record her own version. The poignance of her low register at the beginning of the song and the dramatic production make it one of her greatest performances. The cover is still today Mariah’s biggest international hit and topped the charts in many countries around the world.

The double A-side included on the “Without You” single was “Never Forget You,” written and produced by Mariah and Babyface. The nostalgic ballad has a slight R&B feel to it, even though a soft Country twang can be detected. The lyrics could be interpreted as either being about someone a lover who’s left or a dearly departed one, which allows for different interpretations.

The fourth and final single was the Gospel-infused “Anytime You Need a Friend.” The song is a Maria fan favorite for its soulful nature. The astonishing background vocals resemble a whole gospel choir, but were in reality arranged by Mariah herself and her background vocalists in the studio. The track is also famous for its two remixes: a dance one by C&C and an R&B one that both feature re-sung vocals by Mariah.

Commercial Breakthrough

There’s much to say about Music Box‘s commercial performance, but the one thing that’s worth acknowledging first and foremost is how this album gave Mariah her first break in many markets around the globe. The success of “Without You” helped the album sell an estimated 26 million copies worldwide. Music Box became, and still is today, her most successful album ever in this sense.

In the US it was certified Diamond by the RIAA for shipments of 10 million copies to retailers. “Dreamlover” and “Hero” were both #1 hits at Top 40 radio and on the Billboard Hot 100 (8 and 4 weeks respectively), “Without You” also reached #3 in early 1994 and continued her streak of consecutive top 5 singles. “Dreamlover” still holds the record for the highest debut at Pop radio (#12).

Elusive Bonuses

Even though they’re not included on the album, we cannot refrain from talking about the two B-sides that came from the Music Box sessions. The first is “Do You Think of Me,” a sultry R&B ballad included on the “Dreamlover” single, where Mariah wonders about a lover’s most secret thoughts. Its sound is probably the reason why it was excluded from the original tracklist as it would feel out of place.

The other is the “Hero” B-side, and international bonus track, “Everything Fades Away.” There’s been speculation about its exclusion because it definitely fits the sound of the album. However, the lyrics are a bit too dark for a newlywed and the vocals more subtle than the rest of the songs. It is plausible that Columbia wanted to steer Mariah towards bombastic balladeer territory, so this track would work against this image.

Our Beloved Hero

Mariah’s fans certainly cherish this album for what it meant to her career. “Hero” is the perfect example of why Mariah has always been able to reach a broad audience and touch people’s hearts. She is the hero to so many of us fans because her voice, her lyrics and melodies are the soundtrack to our lives. We are forever grateful to her for all she’s given to us and we anticipate what’s next with trepidation.

Happy Anniversary!

Stream the Music Box album on Spotify:

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The Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul

While Hip-Hop saw during the 90s a handful of women who gave the genre a breath of fresh air with their fierceness, the R&B world welcomed a different kind of Queen, one that was able to merge two worlds. Mary J. Blige was the woman to bring together the smooth tradition of R&B and Soul with the urban edge of Hip-Hop.

For this reason, she was crowned the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul by the critics and the public alike. It is a title she still proudly preserves, 25 years into a stellar career.

What’s the 411?

In 1992, a 21 years old Mary J. Blige made her debut in the record business with an album that quickly became an iconic landmark in R&B. What’s the 411? was released by Uptown Records, under the supervision of a young Sean Combs, who then went by the name of Puff Daddy.

As the executive producer of the album, he is to be credited with giving Mary the direction that would launch her and make her a star. She, however, deserves credit for her great talent. The soulful, sweet vocals she delivered on the album, paired with the hard hitting beats producers like Dave Hall delivered, masterfully shaped the genre.

Mary poured her heart and soul into songs such as “You Remind Me,” “Real Love” or “Love No Limit,” which became big hits and classics. Drawing comparisons to icons Chaka Khan (whose “Sweet Thing” she covered on this album) and Anita Baker, she infused new life to the sound of 80s Rhythm and Blues and earned her place among the greats.

A remixed version of the album was released the following year, featuring Rap verses from pretty much everyone that mattered in Hip-Hop at the time (Biggie, Crack Mack, Heavy D, Andre Harrell, Kid Capri, and more). This remix album helped to establish Mary as the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul.

My Life

As Mary’s journey in music progressed, she had to face her ups and downs. Written and recorded during a low point in her life, her sophomore record, My Life, appeared in 1994.

Once again Puff Daddy was the man behind it, but it was Mary’s struggle that was sapiently chronicled into the records she sang. Battling addiction, an abusive relationship and clinical depression, Mary once again took to music and her voice to express everything she kept inside and gave us gems such as a cover of “I’m Going Down,” “Mary Jane (All Night Long),” “I Love You,” “Be Happy” or the jazzy title track “My Life.”

In true Puff fashion, the numerous soul samples only reinforce the tie between the traditional R&B world of the 70s and 80s and the Hip-Hop edge Mary brought forward with her 90s sound. Mary was singing over the same sort of beats Puff would give to her Hip-Hop counterparts.

The album as thus been hailed as one of the greatest R&B records of the 90s and is widely regarded as a classic. Not only that, but her strong alliance with Puffy combined with the hardness of her sound and the honesty of her lyrics truly helped to crown her the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul. Mary might have sang her lyrics with soul, but the content had the same realness that defined the best of Hip-Hop.

The Late 90s

Even when Mary and Puffy parted ways in the second half of the decade, she still continued to merge and ride the line between Hip-Hop and R&B.

In 1996, her collaboration with Method Man on “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By” earned Mary a Grammy award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. She was also featured on Jay-Z’s “Can’t Knock the Hustle” from his debut album Reasonable Doubt, which helped put him on the map. She was the first female singer to feature on a Jay-Z track.

On her 3rd album, 1997’s Share My World, Mary collaborated with Lil’ Kim and Nas on two of the album’s singles and most recognisable tracks, “I Can Love You” and “Love Is all We Need” respectively. This move helped bridge the gap between crossover R&B and Hip-Hop.

By the end of the decade, Mary J. Blige was a household name. With millions of records sold and with numerous collaborations, she had attracted the attention of the mainstream and international audiences, through her fusion of soulful R&B and Hip-Hop. She effortlessly continued to reign as the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul.

The 2000s

The new millenium started for Mary with the release of the acclaimed No More Drama in 2001. The album was the soundtrack of the singer’s hectic and distressed life and an attempt to finally break free from her personal struggles.

The first single “Family Affair,” produced by Dr. Dre became her biggest hit at that point. It was upbeat, fun and danceable, but also an example of how effortless it is for Mary to play with Hip-Hop and make it her own. Dr. Dre was one of Hip-Hop’s biggest names, but not only that, he represented the West Coast. By collaborating with him, Mary, an East Coast native, showed unity within the genre.

A Disco-flavored remix of “No More Drama” produced by P. Diddy and Mario Winans, hinted at a reunion between Mary and Diddy. The two of them officially reunited on the 2003 Love & Life album, which also saw collaborations with Method Man, Eve and 50 Cent.

Even when Mary found happiness and love, she continued to use her music to uplift other women and became the voice of those who struggled with bad relationships and just life in general. The Breakthrough, released in late 2005, saw Mary claim her throne as the reigning Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul once again with critical acclaim and commercial success.

The album’s biggest hit “Be Without You,” reportedly influenced by Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together,” is a spin on the Rap ballad with soulful vocals, relatable content and a melodic approach. Mary also reworked The Game’s “Hate It or Love It” to chronicle her journey in the industry and proclaim her royalty status on the chorus. Mary’s rap alter ego Brook Lynn also debuted on the hard hitting “Enough Cryin’,” serving a few bars of her own.

The Present

The current decade has given Mary J. Blige the opportunity to explore new territories with her music.

In 2014, she brought her sound to the UK and worked with up and coming British producers to revamp her image as an international star. The result was The London Sessions, which didn’t turn out to be a successful venture on the market, but proved that Mary still has the drive and passion of her early days.

Today, 25 years into her career, Mary is facing new personal struggles with her divorce from her husband, but she’s still perched on that throne she built for herself.

Strength of a Woman, her 13th album released earlier this year, contains some of her best work this decade. Songs like “Love Yourself” with Kanye West, or “U+Me (Love Lesson)” allow us to reminisce on the love we’ve always had for her. Meanwhile, a song like the DJ Khaled helmed “Glow Up” shows Mary’s ability to bridge the gap between generations, by featuring both the iconic Missy Elliott and newcomer Quavo of Migos. Not only that, but the fact that she featured Kanye on “Love Yourself” amidst a rather controversial year, shows that Mary truly has real love for the Hip-Hop Kings.

If she isn’t the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, then who is?

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February 11, 1997.

Before she told ya to call “Tyrone,” before she was the “Bag Lady,” before she got up from her “Window Seat” and showed her whole ass, Erykah Badu introduced herself to the world with Baduizm 20 years ago today. For that, the world should be forever grateful.

Baduizm in Context

Let’s put this iconic moment into context, shall we? It was the mid-90s and R&B was flourishing as a genre, surpassing the typical sounds of Pop radio to become the most prominent and successful genre on the airwaves. With that said, it naturally became more radio-friendly and commercial viable (read: white-people-friendly) and, as Hip-Hop rose to new commercial heights, cross-pollination began between the two  genres to birth what we know today as contemporary R&B.

Baduizm Birthed a New Genre

In the midst of this genre evolution, three young, new artists emerged from the quiet storm to engineer a new sound. These pioneers were D’Angelo, with his Brown Sugar (1995), Maxwell, with his Urban Hang Suite (1996), and Erykah Badu, with her Baduizm. Over the course of three years, this trio helped found a new genre: Neo-Soul.

Rightfully so, Ms. Badu became, essentially, the First Lady of Neo-Soul. Her melding of R&B, Soul, Jazz and Hip-Hop inspirations with her raw, honest lyricism and uniquely emotive vocals indeed defined the new genre. Not only that, but Badu did something her male counterparts did not: she did not make an album about love. Yes, there are a few love songs, but the lyrical content of Baduizm goes beyond; it goes deeper. Erykah Badu made a name for herself by being unabashedly honest and thought-provoking. Prior to Baduizm, this was not necessarily a defining quality of the genre… but Erykah made it so. And, she made a classic album in the process.

Baduizm has Classic Feels

Have you ever listened to a new album and it automatically clicks something inside of you, and it just feels right? It sounds warm and familiar, like it’s an old favorite? Similar to meeting a person for the first time but feeling like you’ve known them all your life, a good album can have that very same effect. Often, it’s because said album does a great job of reviving old sounds. (Most recently, I experienced this with Bruno Mars’ 24k Magic, because he ingeniously mixed various R&B trends into one album.)

If you’ve never listened to Baduizm, you might have that feeling when you turn it on for the first time. I did. A few years ago, I had that very experience with the album. I bought the album on vinyl, set the needle, hit play, and felt right at home with this phenomenal album. Granted, I already knew songs like “On & On” and “Next Lifetime,” but something about the album felt fresh, yet familiar. The reason for that is simple. Nearly every Neo-Soul album to follow Baduizm has likely been inspired by it.

Baduizm is Inspiring

I love Badu, but my favorite Neo-Soul artist, and one of my favorite singers in general, is Jill Scott. Aside from the common connection in that they both worked with The Roots in the beginning of their careers, Scott’s early work was clearly inspired, heavily, by Baduizm. The spoken word, the conversational vocal delivery, deep lyrical content, the organic, warm, soulful, jazzy inspirations and the swag of a Hip-Hop artist that is present in both of their work are clearly from the church of Baduizm. So, let’s talk about some of the church’s most revered hymns, shall we?

“On & On”

The first single off the album, and Ms. Badu’s breakout song, was “On & On,” a puzzling, spiritual track. I’m still not quite sure I fully understand what the song is about, and I spent a considerable amount of time pouring over its Genius annotations. Likely, though, most listeners didn’t get it either… yet we still jammed to it. The melody is irresistible, and Badu flows effortlessly over the organic, sparsely produced beat. Even if you don’t understand she’s actually talking about, it’s almost impossible not to bop and sing along. Former beau André 3000 of Outkast affectionally called her “Erykah ‘On & On’ Badu,”

“Appletree”

My personal favorite off the album is the next song in the tracklisting: “Appletree.” Coincidentally enough, the message of the song carries an extended metaphor that alludes to infamous tree of knowledge from the Bible story of Adam and Eve, informing us that she is, in fact, full of a vast amount of complex knowledge. “Appletree” finds Badu showcasing her innate ability to flawlessly bounce her melodic voice atop a beat, more than earning the Billie Holliday comparisons she has received throughout her career. You could strip “Appletree” of it’s instrumental, and it would STILL bop. Erykah has an uncanny ability to seemingly scat the rhythm of a drum with her words, melodies and voice. “Appletree” is the perfect example of her skill.

“Next Lifetime”

“Next Lifetime” is one of those unabashedly honest and subsequently uber-relatable tracks on Baduizm. Here, Badu laments about meeting a man she could fall for… except for one pesky problem, she’s “already someone’s girl.” It’s that classic tale of the one that got away, but with a unique, Neo-Soul twist. “Next Lifetime” is a classic that helped introduce us to an Erykah Badu who was not afraid to keep it real. The song has a slinky bedroom knocking beat that recalls the Isley Brothers, as she croons with a sensual pain she feels as a result of her dilemma. It’s introspection at its finest.

“4 Leaf Clover”

Perhaps the catchiest track on the album is “4 Leaf Clover,” a dramatic sounding mid-tempo that begins with a beautifully arranged introduction before the beat drops and the groove kicks in. Its a feel good track where Erykah takes a more traditional approach to create a quintessential R&B track that fit right in with the times. It’s a bit reminiscent of Amel Larrieux and her work with Groove Theory on their 1995 album that spawned the hit “Tell Me.” Badu differentiates herself, of course, throwing in some scats and sass.

Baduizm as a “Rim Shot”

The album starts and ends with “Rim Shot,” on which Badu makes innuendos about a drummer hitting his stick against her drum, right in the center, that puts her on the cloud. An interesting choice of topic to start and close the album with, yet a fitting one for Badu, who we would come to find out simply doesn’t give a fuck about what anyone thinks. Regardless, the song is a bop and creates an instant sing-a-long moment.

Perhaps, though, Badu’s “Rim Shot” metaphor is a fitting one for speaking of her iconic Baduizm album in retrospect. Upon its introduction in 1997, the album was a “rim shot;” she struck R&B at its core and affected a release of warmth and all the best feels.

Twenty years later, we look back at Baduizm and can definitively say that it was a rim shot with lasting effects. We continue to feel its vibrations as its influence pulsates throughout today’s Neo-Soul landscape. Erykah Badu made a rim shot twenty years ago, and she called it Baduizm. It is now looked on fondly as the Bible of Neo-Soul. As always, you should spin the scripture at your leisure throughout the year, but today, on the Festival of Baduizm, it’s well deserving of a celebratory listen.

On & on, her cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone…

The post The Bible of Neo-Soul: Erykah Badu’s ‘Baduizm’ appeared first on THE 97.

Picture this: it’s 1999, and contemporary, yet soulful R&B is married with hip-hop, and is dominating the airwaves. Dozens of crooners are scoring hits with this sound, ranging from emotional ballads, to quiet storm ready mid-tempos, to uptempo bops. Enter Donell Jones’ “Where I Wanna Be,” a quintessential exhibit of turn of the century R&B.

MC + JD = Bop

Fast forward 18 years to 2017, and Mariah Carey has resuscitated that now-nostalgic sound, feeling, and overall threshold of quality. Give the hit-making production duo of Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri a good ol’ sample and they’ll deliver. This seems to be a guarantee, and in the case of “I Don’t,” they created something that’s on trend but at the same time seems to transcend time. Maybe it’s the sapiently used sample of “Where I Wanna Be” (which is also interpolated in the lyrics). Or it could be Mariah’s impeccable ear for music, which makes her able to effortlessly compose a catchy song.

On her new single, “I Don’t,” Mariah Carey and Jermaine Dupri have reproduced the classic sample and laced it with the raw, guttural trap hip-hop trends of today to create an undeniable banger. MC and JD managed to update a sound they pioneered together, keeping that lush sound intact without it sounding like a rehash, and once again gifting the Lambs with a bop.

Lyrics + Vocals = Gold

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Rhythm and Blues has always been evolutionary. Deeply rooted in gospel, jazz, and the blues, R&B has become one of the main expressions of the African-American experience throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Whether the subject matter ranges from civil disobedience, to love, family, or to sex, what is certain is that R&B has always been unmistakably and unapologetically black. By the mid 1990’s, R&B was in a unique situation. Directly following the New Jack Swing era, the genre found itself caught up in the hip-hop soul era, being dominated by artists such as Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, Brandy, Aaliyah, Monica, and countless others. As hip-hop soul ruled the radio airwaves, a different, more nostalgic type of R&B was beginning to form. Helping lead the charge towards change one particular artist with the perfect blend of sophistication, sensuality, sensitivity, and musicality. It was this artist, known simply as Maxwell, that became one of the catalysts for a major shift in R&B throughout the latter part of the 90’s and into the new millennium.

By 1994, 20-year-old Gerald Rivera had spent the better part of three years building a reputation as a consummate singer-songwriter in New York. Hailing originally from Brooklyn, Rivera’s musical development stemmed from a deeply religious upbringing, which lent itself toward his extraordinary vocal ability, consisting of both a deeply rich tenor and a highly emotive falsetto. Upon his signage to Columbia Records that same year, Rivera, now professionally known as Maxwell, requested to work with legendary songwriter Leon Ware, the main songwriter of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You album. With Ware, musical partner Hod David, and music producer Stuart Matthewman, Rivera completed work on his debut album Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite by the middle of 1995. Upon completion, Columbia was weary of releasing Urban Hang Suite, out of much concern that the album lacked the mainstream appeal needed to generate a hit record. However, after a year of being shelved by the label, the album quietly dropped on April 2, 1996.

Urban Hang Suite is a concept album that details the various stages of a relationship between lovers, including first encounters (“Welcome”, “Dancewitme”) sex, (“Til The Cops Come Knockin’) breakups, makeups, and marriage. The first single, “Til The Cops Come Knockin”, was released on May 14, 1996, and  serves as a sublime standout on the album. “Knockin” details a sexual relationship between a man and a woman, in which the man’s top priority is achieving sexual ecstasy by pleasing the woman’s needs. The jazz organ, which is a recurrent instrument used throughout the record, gives the song a smokey, seductive edge, while Maxwell coos over the instrumentation in his signature falsetto. An exceptionally well written song, “Knockin'” served as a phenomenal first single for an amazing album, and remains a staple in Maxwell’s live performances. (Sidenote: To be blunt, that part in the music video where Maxwell rolls all over his apartment floor makes me so twitterpaited. Every. Single. Time. If only I could have been that floor. Yes, I’m thirsty and I own it.)

Moving right along, if “Knockin” was the single to start the album’s success off on a good note, then it was the second single, aptly named “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)” that propelled Maxwell into stardom. The mid-tempo, bass heavy track, penned by Maxwell and songwriter Itaal Shur, dropped on July 30, 1996, and details Maxwell assuring his lover that she’s “the highest of the high”, and never needs to worry about his love for her, crooning, “If you don’t know then I’ll say it, so don’t ever wonder…” (Remind me again why this man and I aren’t married yet?) Anyway, the song peaked at #36 on Billboard’s Hot 100, creating the Rivera’s first appearance on the chart, and remains one of his best known songs. What I love most about this track is the very mellow bass line, in contrast with Max’s wavering falsetto in the song’s opening bars. Classic.

The next single released in December of 1996, is among my favorite of Maxwell’s catalog. “Sumthin’ Sumthin'”, written by himself and Ware, sees Maxwell pursuing his love interest, all while praising her blackness and cool “mellow smooth” nature. 15 years after the release of Urban Hang Suite, Maxwell had this to say during his VH1 Storytellers performance in regard to Leon Ware:

“He used to hip me to so much soul music… like Grand Central Station, and Sly Stone, and all these things that kinda represent good music and discipline. Not just hits, not just celebrity, not just some annoying song that you really wanna just not hear anymore on the radio. That stuff that lasts, that stuff that you put on at Christmas, and Thanksgiving, on Sundays, when everyone comes back to the anniversary of whatever. THAT kind of music. ” – Maxwell, 2011

The song (also included in the 1997 film Love Jones) is just a funky, feel good masterpiece, and his slow jam version, “Mello: Sumthin (The Hush),”  which is included in the 1997 live album Maxwell: Unplugged is even better.

An inescapable fact about Urban Hang Suite, is that it serves as a beautiful metaphor for life and love. There isn’t one filler song on the album. Quite the contrary, each track builds off of the previous song, seamlessly weaving together a cohesive body of work from start to finish. Towards the middle of the album, we really get to the crux of things, with songs that were not commercially released as singles. With these cuts, we see Maxwell use his narrative to toil through the breakups (“Lonely’s The Only Company”) and makeups (“Reunion”) of relationships. While these two tracks aren’t songs that are well known from his catalog, one thing that can be definitively said, is whether known or not, they fulfill their duty as a support system of the album.

One of Maxwell’s most purposeful tracks, and arguably one of the best, is the 1997 single, “Whenever, Wherever, Whatever”. “Wherever, Wherever, Whatever” is a beautiful ballad with downright gorgeous string instrumentation, which lyrically depicts Maxwell pledging his eternal and undying love to his soulmate.

In more recent years the song serves, to some capacity, as an ode of devotion from an artist who selectively releases new material, to his fanbase, and best represents the notion that though he may not be here when we want him, he’s definitely here when we need him most. What I personally love most about this song in this particular, is that it showcases Maxwell’s willingness to be sensitive in spite of his masculinity, while lyrically, still asserting that he will be strong enough to protect his woman from the perils of the world. The album’s conclusion ends on a high note, with the final single and track of the album, “Suitelady (The Proposal Jam”). It’s here in which the relationship culminates in a very erotic marriage proposal from Maxwell. If you haven’t heard the song before, please prepare your edges and heartstrings for snatching.

The success of Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite, marked a huge triumph for the singer, and in turn helped spark a creative renaissance in R&B, now known as the Neo Soul movement. The album, along with The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu’s Baduism, and D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar are the seminal four albums that opened the flood gates for other artists such as Alicia Keys, Angie Stone, Eric Benét, Lalah Hathaway, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, among many others, and made those artists accessible to mainstream chart success; a trend that still continues today.

The Neo Soul movement also helped more established stars such as Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Common, Raphael Saadiq, and hip hop group OutKast embrace their more afrocentric, soulful sides, which in turn gave vaster audiences a glimpse into late 90’s urban life. Whether or not it was Maxwell that was the main artist that precipitated this change is up to personal opinion. However what is non-debatable is the fact that Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite is a showcase of a very dynamic individual, who’s legacy is long lasting.

PS: Make sure you check out Maxwell’s new single, “Lake By The Ocean“! Check out our review on the single, and make sure you catch Maxwell in a city near you this summer, on the SUMMERS’ Tour! His new album blackSUMMERS’night drops on July 1st.

The post How ‘Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite’ helped revolutionize R&B appeared first on THE 97.

Mariah Carey was a fan of the 1992 Kriss Kross hit “Jump” and wanted to work with the producer of the track, Jermaine Dupri. Carey got to collaborate with Dupri a few years later on two songs for her Daydream album: “Always Be My Baby” and “Long Ago.” In their sessions, Carey, Dupri, and Manuel Seal started by working on the drum programming, and as Seal started playing the keyboard Carey began singing a melody. Their back-and-forth would result in Carey’s 11th #1, “Always Be My Baby.” At the time it tied her with Madonna and Whitney Houston for the most #1 singles by a female artist, though over the next few years Carey would separate herself from the diva pack.

At first listen “Always Be My Baby” features a beautifully crafted, catchy melody and feels like the perfect song to play on a nice summer evening. Upon closer inspection, though, the song reveals itself to be about the singer mourning a lover she has let go. In naming it one of the best R&B songs on the 1990s, Complex mentioned the contrast between the lyric about a fractured relationship and the “joyous keyboard chords, the snapping beat, and Carey’s conviction that it will all work out.” That conviction helped Carey earn a Grammy nomination for R&B Vocal Performance, Female for the song despite “Always Be My Baby” not having yet been released as a single at the time voting took place.

Released as the third single from Carey’s Daydream album, “Always Be My Baby” debuted at #2 on the Hot 100 and eventually moved into the #1 position for 2 weeks. The song sold 1.2 million copies and was a huge hit at radio. In fact, it ended 1996 as the #1 Hot 100 Airplay song for the year, despite never topping the Hot 100 Airplay or Mainstream Top 40 charts. To this day “Always Be My Baby” consistently receives some of Carey’s best recurrent play.

Carey directed the video for the song, which features a story line of two children at camp escaping in the middle of the night to spend time together. There are also scenes of Carey and her friends having fun around a campfire. The setting perfectly captures the breezy nature of the track, and Bustle calls the video a “classic.” Complex named it one of the best R&B videos of the 1990s and noted that the video made them regret not going to summer camp.

At the time of the song’s release, Larry Flick of Billboard described the jam as a “bright and funky finger-snapper.” In the 20 years since that review, that quality is a large reason why “Always Be My Baby” has proven to be timeless. In a 2015 piece, the staff at Entertainment Weekly wrote Carey, “had us at the first ‘doo-doo-doo-dow” and in a reference to the lyrics of the song stated, “There’s no way we would ever try to shake her.” Jason Lipshutz of Billboard referenced the track’s “iconic vocal hook,” and Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone called the song “ageless.” The strong song construction that weaves those elements together recalls the types of classic songs written in the Brill building and for Motown.

More proof of the timelessness of “Always Be My Baby” can be found in the diverse range of artists who have covered or sampled the song, and in the various ways the song has shown up on social media. Female descendants of Carey like Leona Lewis and Kelly Clarkson have sung the song live, and country singer Sam Hunt performed it on his first tour. Indie rock band Fang Island also performed the song on tour, and Beelzebubs, an a capella group out of Tufts University that has been on The Sing-Off and Glee, included the song as part of their shows in 2011. Current acts like Fifth Harmony and Austin Mahone have sampled the song in their own material. Zola Jesus has said “Always Be My Baby” is her go-to karaoke song because “that song is deep in me.” Former pop starlet Debbie Gibson and Survivor winner Kim Spradlin have posted clips of them singing to it in the car on Instagram.

“Always Be My Baby” may very well be Carey’s catchiest song, so it’s no wonder Vulture named it Carey’s best single and called it “essential, archetypal Mariah.”

Check back in October for more on “Always Be My Baby” and the 20th anniversary of its parent album, Daydream.

The post Time can’t erase a song this strong: “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey lingers on, 20 years later! appeared first on THE 97.

Rewind back to 1970, for a moment. The Jackson 5 are on fire. They’ve already scored 3 number one hits, and show no signs of changing that pace. Berry Gordy, the head of Motown Records, decides to take a risk, and depart from the upbeat bubblegum soul the group has been successful with, and crafts them a ballad. “I’ll Be There” quickly becomes another number one for the group, proving that they can achieve success with more than one sound.

Back to Mariah. She chose the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There”, which she chose to maintain as a duet and incorporated back-up singer Trey Lorenz as her singing partner for their show-stopping rendition. The two trade lines back and forth throughout, showcasing each their soulful vocal abilities. Trey momentarily steals the show with a falsetto high note that could be mistaken for a lower range Mariah whistle note, but Mariah retains central attention throughout.

In a rare occurrence at the time, the fans demanded the single release, and the label didn’t expect it. While covers are not strangers to the Hot 100’s crowning position, a live cover, with no accompanying studio version topping the chart is an extreme rarity. It is also only the eighth song to top the chart as performed by two different acts, joining songs such as “The Loco-Motion,” “When A Man Loves A Woman” and “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” which also hold the honor. While the song was a return to form for Carey after the underperformance of “Make It Happen,” it also marked Carey’s breakthrough outside of North America. The song cracked the top 20 of the charts in a number of European markets and would begin a trend of European interest in Carey’s non-composed recordings.

Over the years she has frequently incorporated the song into set lists for tours and live televised appearances, most notably performing it at the memorial service for Michael Jackson. She also gained two Grammy nominations for her performance, but in a noticeable trend at the Grammys, found herself leaving empty-handed. Despite the lack of a Grammy, the song remains one of her most well-known covers worldwide and helped propel her to yet another level of superstardom.

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After the trifecta of “Vision of Love”, “Love Takes Time” and “Someday” all soaring to number one from her debut album, Mariah Carey finished out the US promotion of her first body of work with the slow-burning, intense-climaxing “I Don’t Wanna Cry.” The song went on to be Carey’s fourth consecutive number one single, and made Carey the first artist since the Jackson 5 to have their first four singles hit number one in the United States.

I Don’t Wanna

Carey has stated in a currently un-receipt-able MTV interview that she is not a fan of “I Don’t Wanna Cry.” Like many of the songs on her debut she campaigned to co-produce it and was shot down by her label, Columbia Records. Perhaps as a result, there were apparent clashes in the studio between her and the producer/co-writer. That producer and co-writer, is the now-legendary Narada Michael Walden.

He was responsible for helping revive one of Carey’s idols, Aretha Franklin’s career. Together in mid-80’s Aretha & Narada unleashed “Freeway Of Love” and Franklin’s second/most recent number one “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” (a duet with another Carey favorite, George Michael). Walden’s place in music is also cemented for his work with Whitney Houston. Narada is responsible for now-classics “How Will I Know”, “I Want To Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)”, and “So Emotional.” Considering Carey’s musical inspirations, pairing her with Walden’s seemed like a no-brainer at the time to the label. There have also been murmurs that Mariah would have preferred to continue working with Ben Marguiles. Mariah and Ben worked with exclusively on her demo tape and debut album up until this point.

Collaborating with Narada

Walden also provided additional production on Carey’s  debut single “Vision of Love”, as well as “There’s Got To Be A Way”. Despite the reports that they clashed in the studio, Narada recalled the situation to Fred Bronson in The Billboard Book of #1 Hits with a positive spin:

“Mariah is very astute in the studio, very picky. I don’t mean to make it sound like a negative; for her, it’s a positive, because she knows she wants to hear herself sound a certain way. For example, there’s a lick on ‘I Don’t Wanna Cry’ that I was really happy with, and I think at first she was, too. But after she lived with it, she wanted us to fix it. I don’t even know if we fixed it two or three times, but I had to fly the tape back to her in New York. She went in the studio, fixed that lick, and added other stuff onto it. I called her back and said, ‘Look, I used your new lick on that one thing because you like it, but the other stuff you’re adding on, you really don’t need.’ Then she gave in.

He also compared working with Mariah to his experience with George Michael. He remembers having to make both of them stop singing, because they would just go in and re-sing over and over again. However, he understands why she was so meticulous. It was her debut album, and “she really wanted it to be special (Bronson).”

A Standard Mariah Ballad

The song itself reads now reads like a standard Mariah ballad. It tells the story of love on the outs, and features an acoustic guitar-driven instrumentation. That guitar could be seen as a precursor to a few Toni Braxton hits (“Un-Break My Heart,” “Spanish Guitar”), as well as Carey’s own future #1 “My All” and album cut “Thanx 4 Nothin’.” She sings of her diminishing relationship as she flexes her vocal control. This all leads up to the song’s epic crescendo, where she vocally lets loose and drives home the song. It also lines up well with sounds of the time. “I Don’t Wanna Cry” could very easily have been a hit for the likes of Whitney Houston, had Mariah narrowed her musical expressions to strictly to songwriting.

Walden’s intention for working on “I Don’t Wanna Cry” with Carey was to evoke the nostalgia of slowed down, gut-wrenching moments in music such as Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Loves A Woman” and Chuck Jackson’s “I Don’t Want To Cry.” Pair that big-ballad mentality with Walden’s at-the-time signature drums, and the result was destined to reach the heights it did. Critical reception for “I Don’t Wanna Cry” was overall positive, most notably being called the best track on her debut by a reviewer from Rolling Stone.

Video And Live

The video for “I Don’t Wanna Cry” features Carey lamenting her wavering love in and around a midwestern home and in the presumed property prominently featuring a maize. There were several alternating versions of the video that floated around over the years. Carey performed the song live while on her Daydream Tour in 1996. To the knowledge of most she only performed the song again upon the inception of her #1 To Infinity show in Las Vegas, where she sings it during every show.

Legacy

“I Don’t Wanna Cry” may hold a less-than-dignified place in Carey’s mind. In the hearts of the fans it may not rank as high as hits such as “Honey,” “Vision Of Love,” and “We Belong Together.” Historians of music may find themselves sweeping it under the floor. Regardless, the detractors can only take so much from this song. It reached number one, planting Carey in a historical position next to the Jackson 5. Plus, it captivated the attention of the radio-driven US population, even if only for two weeks.

Stream Mariah Carey’s “I Don’t Wanna Cry”

Read our other pieces exploring Mariah’s historic number one records.

The post “I Don’t Wanna Cry” … the ballad of Mariah Carey’s historical fourth #1 appeared first on THE 97.