With hits like “Vision of Love,” “Dreamlover,” and especially the inspiring go-to song for any momentous occasion, “Hero,” Carey knew how to churn out hits that would not only sell, but stay. Stay in the public’s minds. Stay in the public’s interests. And, of course, stay on the charts! But one song did things a bit – correction, a lot – differently. One song would practically change the fate of her musical catalog, and the rest of music from thereon. That song was the Carey-penned, “Fantasy.”

“Fantasy” (released September 12, 1995) came in like a rocket and left like a meteor. Released as the lead single from her fifth studio album, Daydream (1995), “Fantasy” was breaking records right from the start. It became the first song by a female artist, and second song in total (following Michael Jackson’s “You Are Not Alone”) to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 – granting Carey with her ninth overall number one hit.

The song was an instant classic. Nestling at the number one spot for eight consecutive weeks, “Fantasy” drew acclaim from music critics for Carey’s songwriting and sampling of the Tom Tom Club’s 1981 track, “Genius of Love.” Both the beat and its lyrics perfectly coincide with the atmospheric feels of an actual fantasy – happy, giddy, and bright. As the diva swoons on the opening lines, “Oh, when you walk by every night / Talking sweet and looking fine / I get kind of hectic inside…,” it’s as if you’re taken into a trance of a mix between wonder and lust. Every bit of this pop song’s peppiness is flawlessly complimented by its upbeat background noise and Carey’s vocal prowess, all being wrapped together in a glittery serenade of background vocals providing the irresistibly catchy shoo da do da doo-’s. Mariah Carey was undoubtedly a superstar by this point, but “Fantasy” was what turned her into a pop icon.

Though the bubbly album version of the track was lauded, nobody could have predicted what the remix to the song would craft for Mimi and the future of popular music. Teaming up with Wu-Tang Clan’s very own Ol’ Dirty Bastard (nicknamed O.D.B. for short), he and Carey comprised a much grittier, hip-hop induced remix to “Fantasy” that prompted a new wave of music and ideology for collaborations.

Back when it was nearly forbidden for artists to “cross-genres” with their music, having a rap guest-feature on a pop record was thought of as practical lunacy. Columbia, the record label to which Carey was signed to at the time, expressed both fear and confusion towards the singer’s decision to include the hip-hop master on her glossy, already perfect hit. Would it be a good idea? Is it safe for her image? How could the girl who belted out runs and rifts and melismas on cutesy love songs dare partner up with… a rapper? Well, ignoring all skepticism, Carey took the reins and went ahead with it. And, thank the musical Gods she did!

The unconventional “Fantasy (Remix),” which was also produced by hip-hop titan Puff Daddy, has consistently been credited for the introduction of pop and hip-hip collaborations to music – popularizing rap features on songs that followed with almost every fellow mainstream artist. Over time, this trend of hip-pop remained a common practice in music – e.g. Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule’s “I’m Real” (2001), Ariana Grande and Mac Miller’s “The Way” (2013), and even Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar’s “Bad Blood” (2015), just to name a few. Though much more accepted and expected now, it took a trailblazer like Carey to break down the walls of confinement to what else music could sound like. In the end, Mariah Carey made it okay for the “good girls” to have fun, too.

From there, the songbird has continuously incorporated elements of R&B/hip-hop into her music, which was made clear in 1997’s Butterfly – Carey’s magnum opus. Unequivocally, Carey’s pairing with O.D.B. was the first turning point of the singer’s career, breaking her own self-mounted mold and proving she knew exactly how to do it. If anything, the song’s remix has become more recognizable than the original. After all, O.D.B.’s line — “Me and Mariah / Go back like babies with pacifiers…” – is beyond legendary.

The song’s remix wasn’t the only mark of Carey’s command, though. In another move by the singer taking control over her work, Carey went on to direct the song’s music video entirely on her own. Why, you might ask? Because she was simply dissatisfied with the outcome of her earlier music videos left in the hands of other directors. Not only was Carey now sounding the way she had always wanted to, but she was now looking the way she had always wanted to… only from the angles she approved of, obviously. This was a power move at its finest. A woman who got all of the world’s attention from in front of the cameras was now stepping behind them to get what she wanted now. If you haven’t genuflected yet, now’s the time to do so.

The music video for “Fantasy” was shot at Rye’s Playland Park, not too far from Carey’s hometown of Long Island, New York. It features the songstress riding the amusement park’s famous Dragon Coaster, rollerblading throughout the grounds, and partaking in a nighttime rally of dancers and trucks. Every part of the video puts you in every feel of the song. It’s fun. It’s innocent. It’s the season of summer in a 4-minute video form. Carey is smiling, laughing, and having all the fun one does at a theme park, perhaps regaining the loss of joy from her self-described “dysfunctional” childhood. And, rightfully so, she deserves this moment of jubilation.

Leaving the crystals and stilettos behind, Carey is dressed in a casual pairing of high-waisted denim shorts, a fitted black crop top, and a simple black zip up. Though this getup sounds rather tame for the Mariah Carey that we’ve all come to know and love today – the same Mariah Carey that was pictured in a gown at a playground with her twins, Moroccan and Monroe, in 2014 – the “Fantasy” ensemble was yet another statement made by the singer.

If you look back at Carey’s pre-Daydream music videos, and even her performances, her attire was — well… bland. In an effort by the record label and a stifling manager (who later became her husband), Carey was forced into keeping with her “safe” brand, which basically consisted of stepping out in a neck-to-toe look and singing her lungs out. “Fantasy” was the call for change. Though “Honey” is often credited as the beginning of Carey’s reinvention period, “Fantasy” was its prelude. It wasn’t by much, but even if just by a glimpse of her navel or a showcase of those billion-dollar gams, Carey was now starting to come into her own. Like it or not.

After it all, Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” lingers on. Though a massive commercial success, the song was a personal triumph. This was Carey signifying that change was inevitable. She was beginning to embark on a path toward her (soon-to-be) liberation, teetering out of her encrusted cocoon and spreading the wings of what would become the world’s most famous butterfly.

The post Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” is Still Just as Sweet appeared first on THE 97.

The year was 1995. Mariah Carey was undoubtedly one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, and the 90s it-girl. She debuted in 1990, and already amassed eight #1 hits in just 5 short years. Not a year went by without her having a #1. She even released a Christmas album, in 1994, that yielded a new Christmas classic, “All I Want For Christmas is You.” In the fall of 1995, Carey was once again poised for yet another slay session. This time, it was on a much larger scale.

She was also a married woman now, married to the head of her record label. Unfortunately, he was very controlling not only of her personal life but in regards to the sound of her music too. Her image, so far, was one that of a sugar-sweet, pop balladeer with a fantastic voice. Her songs were safe and all very “girl next door.” Her music had R&B and even semblances of hip-hop inspiration, but Mariah wanted more of that. Much more.

Rewind

Carey grew up on Long Island, in close proximity to New York City, during the 1980s. This was the time and place, the when and where, hip-hop exploded. She listened to stations like 107.5 WBLS and 103.5 KTU that helped introduce young New Yorkers to hip-hop. She also grew up on gospel, classic soul and R&B records from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. However, if you listened to her catalogue thus far, those influences were hinted at, but stifled. There were hints throughout (such as the sample on “Dreamlover”) of her love of hip-hop, but it was not allowed to flourish. Until 1995.

Well, maybe it wasn’t exactly “allowed,” but she did it anyway. For Daydream she enlisted Atlanta based hip-hop/R&B producer Jermaine Dupri to work on the album, yielding “Always Be My Baby,” but more significant was what she did with the album’s lead single, “Fantasy.”

For the album version of “Fantasy,” she worked yet again with “Dreamlover” producer Dave Hall (who had worked with Mary J. Blige and other big names in R&B and hip-hop). They created the perfect amalgamation of hip-hop, pop and R&B. Truly, it was Mariah’s “Fantasy.” The track samples The Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love,” which itself was a legend in the hip-hop community, for its significance in helping hip-hop become more mainstream.

Genius sample

“Genius of Love” was released in 1981 by the Tom Tom Club, and because of its beat and inclusion of “rap” style delivery, it was an immediate hit in hip-hop circles in New York. The beat was immediately put into use as a break beat, and then, a sample for hip-hop’s biggest, up-and-coming names: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (“It’s Nasty,” 1982) and Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde (“Genius Rap,” 1981). All three songs were competing hits, and helped hip-hop become more mainstream.

By sampling such an iconic hip-hop track, Mariah was able to connect with fans of both pop and hip-hop, and at the same time prove that she’s not just some girl trying to fit in with the latest trends. She really knew her shit, and sampling “Genius of Love” for “Fantasy” was proof of that. However, in case anyone had any doubts, she made one more important decision.

In 1995, Bad Boy Records was on the rise. Led by Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, the label was a massive force in making hip-hop part of pop music through artists like the Notorious B.I.G. and Ma$e, among others. Unsurprisingly, Puffy eventually became a sought after producer… however, from the “pop world,” it was Mariah Carey who got to him first.

Remix Fantasy

For the “Fantasy” Remix, Mariah teamed up with Puff Daddy. They stripped the album version of its pop production, and make it more distinctly hip-hop in sound. She even (on her preferred version of the remix) removed the bubbly chorus from the original. Instead, they replaced it with the “I’m, in, heaven… with my boyfriend…” refrain interpolated from “Genius of Love.” The result was a sparsely produced, but unmistakably hip-hop track, with a melodically infectious and vocally jaw-dropping R&B-inspired pop vocal from the pop music “it girl” of the 1990s. The lyrics, penned by Carey of course, were relatable, catchy and the makings of yet another hit.

Me and Mariah…

And she didn’t stop there. Mariah had one last trick up her sleeve. This, perhaps, was the most controversial: she wanted to get Ol’ Dirty Bastard, of the Wu-Tang Clan, to feature on the track. And she did. In 2015, such a notion doesn’t seemed far-fetched (especially for Mariah, given the number of rappers she’s worked with now), But then, in 1995, it seemed damn near scandalous.

Her label, her husband… they gagged. But, somehow, they let it happen. All the soccer moms were probably taken aback quite a bit, too. However, fans of R&B, hip-hop and the like were floored. Never before had the genre (hip-hop) been embraced in such a big way by a “pop star.” And, that September, Mariah Carey and “Fantasy” forever changed the face of “pop music.”

It’s true, she didn’t invent the rap/sung collaboration, but she pioneered it and made it mainstream. She made it work. Dare we say, she “made it happen” – and it was an undeniable hit. The song was #1 everywhere, on every chart. It even became the first song by a female artist to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sure, Billboard did not credit O.D.B. but undoubtedly the remix helped keep the song at #1 for 8 weeks.

Legacy

Since 1995, there have been countless songs by pop and R&B singers, featuring guest appearances from hip-hop artists, and vice versa. Sure, we could sit here and name them all, but it’s unnecessary. You’d be hard pressed to turn on the radio today and not find an example of Mariah and O.D.B.’s impact.

Not many big names have attempted to cover the song, perhaps because of the near impossible-to-replicate vocal arrangements, but it’s formula has been copied time and time again. Still, one notable cover of the song does exist. At the 2012 BET Honors, Kelly Rowland performed “Fantasy” alongside Wu-Tang’s Raekwon – at Mariah’s request:

Twenty years later, “Fantasy” is a bonafide classic. It’s a favorite among fans, non-fans, of the Diva herself, her peers and those she has inspired. “Fantasy” is indeed the exemplary song that married pop/R&B and hip-hop and changed the musical landscape from then-on.  It has the perfect hip-hop sample. It has a quintessentially quotable verse from an iconic hip-hop artist And, it has an impeccable vocal performance from the Empress of the 1990s.

So, today, press play on “Fantasy” (the remix, Mariah would prefer). Strut around (or, roller skate, if you wish), try your best to sing along to those impossibly-high belts, do your best O.D.B. impression, and try your luck at some break dancing. When you’re done, come back here to watch the music videos. Or watch Mariah slay it live at Madison Square Garden in 1995. And, remember, hip-hop and Mariah, they “go back like babies and pacifiers” … “Ol’ Dirt Dog’s no liar”!

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