“The Emancipation of Mimi,” Mariah Carey’s 5th number 1 album, was released on April 12th, 2005. Yes, it’s really been 12 years, this came out when I was 10. This album was such a classic and constant inspiration musically for many.
The album has sold 12 million copies world wide, 6 million in the U.S. alone. “The Emancipation Of Mimi” is the album that put Carey back on top, on top the charts, radio, everything musically. “We Belong Together,” her 2nd track off the album, is number 11 on Billboard’s All Time list, with the oldest charting song stemming from 1958. Before “We Belong Together” her last number 1 record was in 2000 with “Thank God I Found You.” Carey released a few songs, albums, and a movie from 2000-2005, but all were perceived with a luke-warm reaction by the masses. Carey was in a slump, but in 2000, she teamed up with Jermaine Dupri and reinvented herself, thus, The Emancipation.
The original was released April 12th with 14 songs, but due to the success, the album was re-released the same year with 4 more songs, including her 17th number one song “Don’t Forget About Us.”
Carey has always been an R&B singer, but wasn’t necessarily perceived as one during the 90’s. That started to change in the 2000’s, but The Emancipation changed that for good. Working with Dupri gave Carey a different age, especially since they had a long working business and friendship with one another. Dupri talked about Carey to Noisey.vice.com about a comeback.
“I’m like, ‘I don’t really know how you can bring Mariah Carey back,’” Jermaine Dupri, who has worked with Carey since 1995’s “Always Be My Baby” and who produced Mimi’s biggest tracks, told me over the phone recently, referring to people who attribute Carey’s success to him. He later quipped, “I don’t know another artist who’s had Song of the Decade twice.”
Carey has honestly set the R&B/pop star blueprint, being in the forefront of bridging pop and Hip-Hop together, but The Emancipation was on a different level. She worked with a variety of Hip-Hop producers and writers, along with Dupri, she workled with Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Twista, Nelly, and more. However, Carey has always been a song-writer, check various credits, and has produced many of her own songs. Carey had a hand in writing on every song on the album, and co-producing all songs except two (the two were done by The Neptunes).
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “It’s Like That“ |
| 3:23 | |
| 2. | “We Belong Together“ |
|
| 3:21 |
| 3. | “Shake It Off“ |
|
| 3:52 |
| 4. | “Mine Again“ |
|
| 4:01 |
| 5. | “Say Somethin’” (featuring Snoop Dogg) | The Neptunes | 3:44 | |
| 6. | “Stay the Night” |
|
| 3:57 |
| 7. | “Get Your Number” (featuring Jermaine Dupri) |
|
| 3:15 |
| 8. | “One and Only” (featuring Twista) |
|
| 3:14 |
| 9. | “Circles” |
|
| 3:30 |
| 10. | “Your Girl” |
|
| 2:46 |
| 11. | “I Wish You Knew” |
|
| 3:34 |
| 12. | “To the Floor” (featuring Nelly) |
| The Neptunes | 3:27 |
| 13. | “Joy Ride” |
|
| 4:03 |
| 14. | “Fly Like a Bird“ |
|
| 3:52 |
| Ultra Platinum Edition bonus tracks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
| 15. | “Don’t Forget About Us“ |
|
| 3:53 |
| 16. | “Makin’ It Last All Night (What It Do)” (featuring Jermaine Dupri) |
|
| 3:51 |
| 17. | “So Lonely (One and Only Part II)” (featuring Twista) |
|
| 3:53 |
| 18. | “We Belong Together” (Remix) (featuring Jadakiss and Styles P) |
|
| |
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