12 Years Later, Mariah Carey’s “The Emancipation Of Mimi” Is Still A Classic

“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).

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	“It’s Like That“	Mariah Carey Jermaine Dupri Manuel Seal Johntá Austin	Dupri Carey Seal (co.)	3:23
2.	“We Belong Together“	Carey Dupri Seal Austin Darnell Bristol Kenneth Edmonds Sidney DeWayne Bobby Womack Patrick Moten Sandra Sully	Dupri Carey Seal (co.)	3:21
3.	“Shake It Off“	Carey Dupri Bryan-Michael Cox Austin	Dupri Carey Cox (co.)	3:52
4.	“Mine Again“	Carey James Poyser	Poyser Carey	4:01
5.	“Say Somethin’” (featuring Snoop Dogg)	Carey Pharrell Williams Chad Hugo Calvin Broadus	The Neptunes	3:44
6.	“Stay the Night”	Carey Kanye West Thom Bell Linda Creed	West Carey	3:57
7.	“Get Your Number” (featuring Jermaine Dupri)	Carey Dupri James Phillips Cox Austin Steve Jolley Tony Swain Leslie John Ashley Ingram	Dupri Carey LRoc (co.)	3:15
8.	“One and Only” (featuring Twista)	Carey Samuel Lindley Carl Mitchell	The Legendary Traxster Carey	3:14
9.	“Circles”	Carey James Wright	Carey Wright	3:30
10.	“Your Girl”	Carey Mark Shemer	Scram Jones Carey	2:46
11.	“I Wish You Knew”	Carey Wright	Carey Wright	3:34
12.	“To the Floor” (featuring Nelly)	Carey Williams Hugo Cornell Haynes	The Neptunes	3:27
13.	“Joy Ride”	Carey Jeffery Grier	Young Genius Carey	4:03
14.	“Fly Like a Bird“	Carey Wright	Carey Wright	3:52

Ultra Platinum Edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
15.	“Don’t Forget About Us“	Carey Dupri Cox Austin	Carey Dupri Cox	3:53
16.	“Makin’ It Last All Night (What It Do)” (featuring Jermaine Dupri)	Carey Jarod Alston Austin Cox	Carey Dupri	3:51
17.	“So Lonely (One and Only Part II)” (featuring Twista)	Carey Rodney Jerkins Makeba Riddick Adonis Shropshire Carl Mitchell	Carey Darkchild	3:53
18.	“We Belong Together” (Remix) (featuring Jadakiss and Styles P)	Carey Dupri Seal Austin Edmonds Bristol DeWayne Womack Moten Sully Jason Phillips David Styles	Carey DJ CluThe Emancipation is an album that shows how one can do R&B with pop success, and help bridge a gap while still staying true to yourself. What’s so great about this album is that its timeless, its a classic that you can play without skipping. Carey demonstrated the art of song-writing with this album, when you see artists today, you can see a Carey (and Beyonce) blueprint was used. True talent shines through, and Carey’s talent is undeniable, so only time can tell what she will produce off her new record label “Butterfly MC.”