The Emancipation Of Mimi

Summary

Podcast Summary: Black People Love Paramore

Episode: The Emancipation Of Mimi
Date: April 3, 2025
Hosts: Sequoia Holmes & Jewel Wicker
Theme: Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Mariah Carey’s The Emancipation of Mimi, exploring the album’s cultural impact, charting its iconic singles, and reflecting on Mariah’s artistry, Black musical nostalgia, and personal memories.

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Overview

This lively episode, hosted by Sequoia Holmes and Jewel Wicker, is a tribute to Mariah Carey’s landmark album The Emancipation of Mimi on its 20th anniversary. Sequoia and Jewel recount their personal and family memories tied to the record, dissect standout tracks, and discuss the significance of Mariah’s artistry, lyrics, and comeback. The episode is filled with humor, cultural context, and affectionate critique, highlighting the unique place The Emancipation of Mimi occupies within Black music fandom—and their own lives.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Mariah Carey’s Place in Black Music and Family Nostalgia

• Early Album Memories:

  • Jewel recalls sharing the album with her mom:

    “...I vividly remember Emancipation of Me being one of those albums that it was like, oh, both of us want to hear this in the car. Both of us want to play this...” (03:38)

  • Sequoia ties the album to her coming-of-age:

    “...it was around this time where I was like, yeah, I want that album, and I want that album where I was asking for specific albums for Christmas. And this is one of the ones that I asked for.” (02:32)

• 2005: The Year in Music:

  • Hosts reminisce about big overlapping R&B and hip-hop releases and the multigenerational appeal of albums like The Emancipation of Mimi.

Mariah’s Comeback & Album Context

• Industry Woes, Resilience, and Reinvention:

  • Sequoia details Mariah’s flop era with Glitter, her public struggles, and her bounce-back:

    "Our girl was down bad. They gave her $28 million. Say yeah, please. Just..." (08:26)

  • The album’s title “Mimi” signals new authenticity & vulnerability (also, a move to make the project more personal and ‘for the culture’).

• Mariah’s Unapologetic Blackness:

  • Despite “biracial talk,” hosts emphasize Mariah’s consistent collaboration with hip-hop artists and her deep Black musical roots:

    “...all the biracial talk has always been unapologetically black when she really has she makes in the sounds. She was like in the 90s when there weren’t a ton of artists like R N B artists doing it. She was the one that was like going after hip hop artists...” (09:52)

Track-By-Track Album Breakdown

1. It’s Like That

• Sets party tone: “Fantastic hip hop beat...the iconic line, ‘them chickens is ash and I’m lotion Baby baby.’” (11:26)
• Jewel: “Mariah Carey and her word usage is what Clifford was hoping for…” (11:36)

2. We Belong Together

• Mega-hit, slightly overplayed, but still a masterpiece:
  • Jewel: "Let me tell you a secret. I don't listen to that song no more." (13:32)
  • Sequoia: “You get to that end. She start smacks every single time. You cannot tell me I’m not Mariah Carey when it gets to that end part.” (14:10)

3. Shake It Off

• Whimsical, fun, substantial yet light.
  • Sequoia: “There’s never a Mariah Carey song where it’s nonsense and so many songs are nonsense.” (15:29)

4. Mine Again

• First deep cut; transition from confident to vulnerable.
  • Discussion on Mariah’s astrological sign—she’s an Aries. (18:32)

Additional Singles and Deep Cuts

• Say Somethin’ (feat. Snoop Dogg):
  • Underrated, Pharrell-produced, initially planned as a single.
  • “Anything with Snoop Dogg on it, [my mom] said…” (21:34)
• Stay the Night, Get Your Number, One and Only, Circles:
  • “Circles” hailed as one of their favorite deep cuts:

    “Circles is my favorite. Circles is my favorite on this album.” (34:27) “That song is crazy.” - Jewel (35:17)

• Fly Like a Bird:
  • The hosts’ “magnum opus” song of the album and their unanimous pick if only one song could be saved:

    “Fly Like a Bird was a remake...and it’s not. That is a, an original Mariah Carey song.” (40:47) “Probably fly like a bird.” – Jewel (51:52)

Bonus/Deluxe Tracks

• Don’t Forget About Us:
  • “...Never get old to me...that song is insane.” – Jewel (44:46)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Them chickens is ash and I’m lotion, baby baby.” – Sequoia quoting Mariah (11:26)
• “You can have the [$28 million]. I don’t want the money. I want to stay.” – Jewel, joking about label drama (08:33)
• “I love a beg. Mostly I love a beg. I don’t wanna hear about how you might die. Like Halo and them types of songs, I don’t wanna hear.” – Jewel on her taste in ballads (38:19)
• “You can always recover and come back even stronger than before.” – Sequoia on Mariah’s arc (56:29)
• On Mariah’s wit:
  • “I don’t know her.” (referencing Mariah’s iconic J.Lo diss)
  • “Her and Nicki Minaj’s beef on American Idol. Fantastic. Nicki wished she could outshade Mariah Carey. She really thought. She really thought.” (53:34)

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Cultural & Historical Context

• Atlanta’s Role in R&B:
  • Jewel plugs Atlanta’s contribution to R&B’s golden era and recalls personal anecdotes about T-Pain and others living there. (24:13 - 26:17)
• Visuals and Representation:
  • Mariah’s album cover controversy with Beyoncé; hosts joke about how “all the girlies” end up looking like Beyoncé with light skin and honey-blonde hair. (29:13 - 30:54)

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Segment Timestamps

• 00:18-02:32 — Introductions, podcast logistics, and album context
• 03:38-06:17 — Album family memories, 2005 music landscape
• 07:28-09:42 — Mariah’s flop-to-comeback journey
• 10:27-12:12 — Mariah’s cultural Blackness and “Mimi” persona
• 13:22-15:13 — First three singles (“It’s Like That,” “We Belong Together,” “Shake It Off”)
• 18:05-22:14 — Deep cuts, astrology tangent, memories of learning words through music
• 23:16-26:31 — “Say Somethin’,” Atlanta’s R&B legacy
• 29:13-30:54 — Album cover discourse
• 31:15-36:10 — Ballads, emotional resonance, and favorite tracks
• 40:34-42:12 — “Fly Like a Bird” appreciation
• 44:26-47:06 — “Don’t Forget About Us,” first love in music
• 53:34-56:29 — Mariah’s wit, legacy, age-defiance, and cultural lessons

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Tone and Style

The discussion is warm, nostalgic, and peppered with personal anecdotes, gentle roasting, song references, and pop culture jokes. The hosts feel like genuine friends and superfans, seamlessly blending heartfelt tribute with cultural critique and plenty of laughter.

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Takeaway Message

The Emancipation of Mimi is more than just a critical and commercial milestone; it’s a cultural touchstone for Black listeners, signifying resilience, self-expression, and the ever-evolving definition of “diva.” Sequoia and Jewel’s deep-dive is as much about rediscovering Black musical joy as it is about Mariah Carey’s singular influence:

“You can have your second wind. You can pivot, you can make mistakes and it doesn’t have to be the end. You can always recover and come back even stronger than before.” (56:29)

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Find the Hosts

• Jewel: @jewelwakershow
• Sequoia: @sequoiabhomes
• Podcast: @bplppod | Email: [e-mail]

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Happy 20th, Emancipation of Mimi!

Transcript

[Jewel]

Foreign.

[Sequoia]

Welcome to Black People Love Paramore, a podcast not about the band Paramore, but about the common and uncommon interest of black people in order to help us feel feel a little bit more seen. I am Sequoia.

[Jewel]

I'm Jewel.

[Sequoia]

George is hard to know.

[Jewel]

Am I supposed to say my own name?

[Sequoia]

Yeah, you supposed to say your name. Oh, yeah. Okay, well. And that's Jewel. And yeah, today we're going to be talking about the Emancipation of Mimi. But before we do that, a couple things that I would like to say per usual. First of all, if you are Mocha Grande, if you like Ariana Grande, I know many of us are. If you're listening to this episode in particular, you're very likely a Mocha Grande girly as well. Go ahead and check the description box. We got a little bit of merch down there for you. We got some Mocha Grande shirts. It says Proud Mocha Grande. I love it. I think it's a wonderful shirt. I think you'll like it too. So you go ahead and look at that. If you are watching this on YouTube, go ahead and hit the like button. Drop a comment, let us know that you're here. We appreciate you so much. You can also now comment on Spotify. So go ahead and comment on Spotify as well. Subscribe and all that on Apple podcasts and Spotify and rate us and leave us a review. That would be very helpful. 5 stars only because we are 5 star worthy. Ogati. I don't think I've said that in a while.

[Jewel]

You said it every but only nice comments. I don't. We don't accept oh mean comments.

[Sequoia]

You don't want. You don't want mean comments.

[Jewel]

I don't want to hear it.

[Sequoia]

Okay. Yeah, okay. Period. Not about Jewel.

[Jewel]

Oh no. Specifically, you can dislike me, but if you say something rude about Sequoia, I don't want to hear it and it's gonna piss me off.

[Sequoia]

No, don't say anything rude about jewelry ever. Anyways. Yeah, that's really it. Now we could talk about Emancipation of Mimi. Fantastic album by the Mariah Carey. It is her 10th studio album. Isn't that crazy? That is her 10th studio album.

[Jewel]

Mariah did a lot.

[Sequoia]

It genuinely doesn't feel like 10.

[Jewel]

No. To be fair though, I was never an album person with Mariah. I was more like certain deep cuts, certain singles like I like I same. But so it's interesting that Emancipation of Mimi was probably the first time time that I was like all in on a Mariah Carey full album front to back. Started over when it ends. Like, yeah, same.

[Sequoia]

To be fair, you know, I was born in 94, so, like, I started listening to music by myself without my parents around this time, really? Probably around, yeah, around this time where I was like, yeah, I want that album, and I want that album where I was asking for specific albums for Christmas. And this is one of the ones that I asked for. So. Emancipation of Mimi came out on April 12, 2005. It had notable hits like We Belong Together, Shake It off, it's like that. Don't Forget About Us features collaborations with Jermaine Dupri, Snoop Dogg, Twista, Nelly, Pharrell Williams, and was a critical and commercial success, becoming the top selling album of the year in the United States with more than 6 million copies sold. It also earned 2, 3 Grammy Awards, including best Contemporary R and B album. It's the 20th anniversary of the emancipation of Mimi. It is the 20th anniversary of the Emancipation of Mimi, and that's why we're here talking about it today. Jewel, how did you receive this album when it first came out?

[Jewel]

So it's interesting that you said that was the first album that you, like, got on your own. I remember one of the first. One of the first. I remember, like, my mom and I had certain albums that overlapped where both of us were, like, into them. And this. This was like, our thing to listen to them together. Like, we were very much a musical, like, family. And I vividly remember Emancipation of Me being one of those albums that it was like, oh, both of us want to hear this in the car. Both of us want to play this when we. On the way home. Like, we. We both jam into this. Like, this was one of those, like, albums where both. It felt like me being a young person, I would have been, what, 12 or so when it first. When that album came out. And then my mom, you know, being in. She probably was in her 30s. I would say that, you know. Yeah, it just felt like we both really, really loved that album.

[Sequoia]

2005 was also a really good year for music. I will say I feel like there was probably a lot of overlap. Albums like that.

[Jewel]

Yeah.

[Sequoia]

In 2005 where, like, the aunties liked it, the moms liked it, but also the kids liked it. So other albums that came out in 2005, O by Omarion, Rebirth by Jennifer Lopez, B by Common, Blue Stars by Pretty Ricky, Listen, okay, the Way It Is by Keisha Cole.

[Jewel]

Absolutely.

[Sequoia]

The Day after by Twista, the Carter, two by Lil Wayne, Rapper Turned Sanga by T. Pain, and the Breakthrough by Mary J. Bl.

[Jewel]

My mama wasn't listening to none of them albums, but sure, your mom wasn't.

[Sequoia]

Listening to Breakthrough by Mary J. Blancipation.

[Jewel]

I've been through enough hardships in my life. If you think I'm gonna listen to down in the Mud albums, I'm not.

[Sequoia]

You know what? That's a fact.

[Jewel]

She said that's.

[Sequoia]

That's absolutely.

[Jewel]

It was another one you mentioned that. I was like, that lady didn't care about that one either. It was another one that I feel like she shouldn't have cared about that she didn't.

[Sequoia]

Was it Rebirth by JLo or be by common?

[Jewel]

Be by comment? She don't. She don't know that. She definitely don't know that. She definitely was listening to no JLo. You can move on from that, please. But the Emancipation of Mimi put it in it. Put it in the CD player. She was. She was bumping that. But yeah, all those other albums. Take care.

[Sequoia]

There was also two other albums that came out this year that I omitted because the people are. Are bad people. But they went up during this year. Like this was popular with the youth. Chris Brown self titled album came out that year. And let me tell you, the way that I ran that shit. Another one that I had the hard copy. Yes.

[Jewel]

Give me that.

[Sequoia]

Winner, baby.

[Jewel]

You're a winner. What was that song that I made up? I was this finna be me sounding like somebody child, which I was. But I was in seventh grade, I think, when that album came out. And I remember making a. We had to make a. We had to make like a song about English and I made like a song about gerunds and verbs and adjectives to. What was that song? Shoddy. Shoddy. Popping. To popping.

[Sequoia]

Yeah. Popping. Yeah.

[Jewel]

Yeah, that was. That's a good one.

[Sequoia]

That's a good one.

[Jewel]

Making songs based on Chris Brown songs.

[Sequoia]

Yeah. I really like when teachers gave you that freedom to be a little bit more creative at school. You could do stuff with. With media that you actually liked and not media that they gave you to break down.

[Jewel]

I'm definitely like. The reason I know what loquacious means today is because in the ninth grade I had to rap the damn vocabulary. And we came up, me and my little friend was in the house coming up with rap songs to. We literally wrapped it in front of the whole class to certain you rapped it really. It was like we had to find out how to use magnanimous and loquacious and like all of these words. Yeah, it was so funny.

[Sequoia]

That is really fun. That's extremely fun. Such a good way to be creative.

[Jewel]

But, yeah, that's a good. Now, Omarion was not my type, but that was a good run of albums.

[Sequoia]

No, that's fair. You know who else loves a big word is Mariah Carey and her lyrics. First of all, even Emancipation of Mimi Baby. I mean, emancipation, not that big, but she love a big word in her lyrics, and I'm never mad at it. But let's give a little background and context for the Emancipation of Mimi. So the year 2001, Mariah debuts a film called Glitter. It hits theaters, absolutely flops, makes less than 8 million at the box office. Big stinker. The accompanying album, Glitter, is also poorly received by critics. She checks into a hospital following a, quote, emotional and physical breakdown. Virgin Record. Virgin records gave her 28 million to leave the label. Our girl was down bad. They gave her $28 million. Say yeah, please. Just.

[Jewel]

That'll piss me off now. I'm not going nowhere.

[Sequoia]

They said, we don't care. Just leave. You can have the.

[Jewel]

I don't want the money. I want to stay sick.

[Sequoia]

But instead of giving up, what Mariah does is she gets a house in Capri, starts working on what's supposed to be her comeback album, Charm Bracelet. Charm Blazer. Charm Bracelet releases in 2002. Critics mostly regard that one as mid, which is a step up from what they said about Glitter, but still not really what you're trying to hear when you're trying to release a comeback album. Right? I know our girl was tired. I know she was. She took a little break from music, and after three years, she starts to plan her return and announces her new album, which will be called the Emancipation of Mimi. The Emancipation of Mimi. And this is really where my Mariah Carey experience starts. So, you know, obviously she had lots of stuff before that. 10. This is her 10th studio album, so she had a ton of stuff before that. But this is where my personal experience with Mariah Carey starts. Mariah and La Reid decide to use Mimi as the nickname. It's reserved for her close friends at the time, but she wants to use it as the album title. Album title. As a way to express sincerity and vulnerability, which will be present in the album.

[Jewel]

And it is present. It also gives. This is for the niggas, right, Mimi. It also gives. This is for the.

[Sequoia]

Yeah, it does, right? And the rest of them really didn't. Right? Charm Bracelet, Glitter.

[Jewel]

Yeah. Which is interesting because I think people have, like, Mariah Carey for, like, all the biracial talk has always been unapologetically black when she really has she makes in the sounds. She was like in the 90s when there weren't a ton of artists like R B artists doing it. She was the one that was like going after hip hop artists and wanting Old Dirty Bastard and all of these people to be on her songs. So it wasn't that she wasn't always like tapped into her black roots and always like doing stuff for like black people. But this album for sure felt.

[Sequoia]

Yeah, it felt like she was trying to tell us that in the title. Whereas other all the rest of the albums definitely had it on the track list. She had rappers before was very racial but you know, like the title Charm Bracelet, it's like, oh, what's that? That sounds like a little fun pop girl moment. And Mariah was going to give you a pop girl moment but she was also always going to give you a good hip hopping moment. Okay, so let's start with the album Emancipation to Be Me. So the track list starts off with it's like that featuring Fat Man Scoop. Okay. Jermaine Dupree. Fantastic hip hop beat. Fantastic song. Also really sets the tone. You know everybody is living it up looking at us. Cause me and my girls on the floor like what? Why the DJ keep on spinning that cut. Also the iconic line, them chickens is ash and I'm lotion Baby baby.

[Jewel]

What do you say in response? What?

[Sequoia]

Nothing. There's nothing that you can say to that.

[Jewel]

I do have to leave the floor.

[Sequoia]

Absolutely right now. I will be gathering my things and getting off the dance floor.

[Jewel]

Mariah Carey and her word usage is what Clifford was hoping for. Would he be using the big words in them in the podcast and on them in them interviews and you don't be knowing what he's talking about. This is ex has read the dictionary. She knows exactly what she talking about. She can absolutely use it in a sentence.

[Sequoia]

And will and will and yep, we love her. She's like Mr. Milchick from Severance. That's Mariah Carey. Mariah Carey is Milchick from Severance. This latest episode of. Well, you know what, by the time this come out, Severance is going to have been wrapped. But this is being recorded on. I don't even know what day it is. March 18th, I think 19th, 20th something. March 18th. And the latest episode of of Severance. Milchick very nicely tells somebody to eat with bigger words. He says devour fecal matter or something like that. That's so Mariah Carey coded. I'm like, that's exactly how she Was going to read you down on her songs and I really?

[Jewel]

Yeah. I'm a mom and pop. You're a corporation. I'm a press conference. You're a conversation. Like, you're playing in my face. Yeah, you're playing in my face.

[Sequoia]

Why does she eat him up?

[Jewel]

Like, why did she do that, like that to that man?

[Sequoia]

She said about Eminem, she said, baby.

[Jewel]

I'm a mom and you're a mom and pop. I'm a corporation.

[Sequoia]

Okay, Please, Kawaita, read. Yeah. So like, that is a fantastic, open. Very, very uplifting song. Like it sounds like a song. You're about to go out with your friends. It's gonna be very much the time of your life. A great pre game song. Oh, yes. I should actually add that to my pregame playlist.

[Jewel]

That would be a cute pre game.

[Sequoia]

That is really good. And then the album goes to We Belong Together. Smack.

[Jewel]

Let me tell you a secret. I don't listen to that song no more.

[Sequoia]

That's fair. Why? That's super fair. You know what? I also felt that way up until I started listening to this album a couple months back for something I was hosting. And I listened to it again. I said, you know what? I'm back on it because, yeah, I was off of it.

[Jewel]

Song. It is so good. It's such a well composed R and B song. She sings it beautifully. There really is nothing to dislike about that song. I just. Okay, enough. But like, yeah, look, no notes, no notes.

[Sequoia]

It's so fun to sing. That's the primary thing. You get to that end. And she start smacks every single time. I'm. You cannot tell me I'm not Mariah Carey when it gets to that end part.

[Jewel]

Karaoke. Next time we hang out. Because I want to hear it.

[Sequoia]

Oh, I'm doing karaoke for my birthday. That's my. That's my plan.

[Jewel]

We don't live in the same place.

[Sequoia]

What that mean? Planes work.

[Jewel]

I'm doing karaoke for my birthday. Okay, go on.

[Sequoia]

Yeah, yeah. We were going to be doing karaoke. Yeah. The plan was for us to be doing karaoke. Yeah. But yeah, no, I. That is a good karaoke song. I should really add that. But the opening little piano, harpsichord sounding. Doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom. So good. Yeah, so good.

[Jewel]

Yeah, she kind of ate that up.

[Sequoia]

And then we get to shake it off.

[Jewel]

It's so cute. It's so whimsical. It's so fun. It's light. It's. It's Mariah. Because Mariah is very light. Very like. You know what I mean? A very light touch.

[Sequoia]

She does have a light touch. It is very right. But it's still so substantial. Like, she is really the only person that can. Or one of the very few people that has that intersection where it's like, wow, this is very light. Easy listening and yet still so substantial. Like, the songs are so cohesive. There is never a Mariah Carey song where it's nonsense and so many songs are nonsense.

[Jewel]

It's. It's the fact that she can be having fun and she can be being silly and goofy and it still has a little depth to it. Like, there are so many Ryan Carry songs where I'm like, you're being silly.

[Sequoia]

Yeah.

[Jewel]

But also banger. Like, I think of this song. No, on the. I can't remember what happened there was. With the blue. You know what I'm talking about.

[Sequoia]

Yes, I do, Nana.

[Jewel]

And that's like such a. Like what girl? What are you talking about? Probably the first day I said no, like she did. She. It is a word.

[Sequoia]

She said no.

[Jewel]

She's having a good time. But also word. Yeah.

[Sequoia]

No. Yes. Leave that to my care. For sure. I just thought about it. So, like, the transition from we belong together to shake it off. She goes from, you know, telling a man we belong together, like we need to be together, to being like it. You gotta shake it off. Because the loving ain't the same. And you keep on playing the game. I'm here to stay. Just like the Calgone commercial. I really gotta get. Get about it. Neither my mom had to tell me. Not a little. My mom was like, yeah, Calgon is like a. A scent. And it had this commercial where it's like, cal gonna take me away. And I said, oh, okay. So period. Just like the Calgon commercial. I really gotta get. Get up out of here and go somewhere. She was also one of the original rappers. Rapper girlies singing girlies who was rapping.

[Jewel]

She did give you a little bar.

[Sequoia]

Ryan Cary was definitely going to have a little rap on her song. She liked to have a little rap on her song. I love that. Wait, there was one of these songs. I'm hoping that it will come to me as I read down the track list. One of these songs Jermaine Dupri wrote for Usher. And if you have. And if you have that in mind, it absolutely sounds like him. It is an Usher. It sounds like song. It isn't Usher song. And I don't remember which one it is, but whatever, we'll move on I'll figure it out and we'll move on. But yeah, that transition so good. She said, yeah, we belong together but if you going to take me for granted, I'll move on anyways. I actually don't care.

[Jewel]

It's not that deep message.

[Sequoia]

Learn that. And then you get into mine again, which is the first non single that we come to on the album. The first three are singles. It's like that we belong together, shake it off. Then you get into mine again. Baby, will you be mine? So you're asking for him back again. Don't ask for him back after you just. Mariah was up and down.

[Jewel]

Been there. Is Mariah care also a Gemini?

[Sequoia]

No, don't play. I think she's a Sagittarius, but let me look when she gives me Sagittarius.

[Jewel]

She was a Gemini.

[Sequoia]

Mariah Carey's birthday. Oh, she is none of the sort. She is an Aries. The legitimate scream at Aries because Jewel is traumatized behind Aries is crazy.

[Jewel]

Can you see the masquerading in plain sight is great because you know who else is Aries? Halle Bailey. Like all of Aries, they exa.

[Sequoia]

Exa. Exactly. She is a H. Bailey type Aries. One of the ones that's masquerading as like a calm, cool, collected person what will absolutely yolk you up if the time comes to it. Yeah. You know better than to with my car was born in 1969. She looks the first of all right.

[Jewel]

Harry would absolutely not approve of me you putting her birth year in this episode. But you know, here we are. Oh, she said. She said agents are constructed, not you sitting here trying to construct it. That's crazy.

[Sequoia]

I'm so sorry because. Oh, no, this is for her kids. Okay, I'm. I'm looking at this photo of Mariah Carey with a birthday cake as I googled her age as Mariah Carey with a birthday cake with the number 12 on it and she blowing out the 12 candles. Mariah, please. I was about to say, see, she taking this a little too far.

[Jewel]

But those are for her does not play that game. She said ages. Ages. That's not a thing that I plan to.

[Sequoia]

That's a fact. And I'mma live by that too.

[Jewel]

You can't do that.

[Sequoia]

Why not?

[Jewel]

No, because you need to be your age. At what age do you plan to start lying?

[Sequoia]

It wasn't even until probably around 28 that I stopped saying I was 17 out of reflex. Like it felt like I was 17 just reflexively. If somebody said, how old are You. My initial thought was 17, and I had to actively think and be like, no, no, I'm 26. You know, but 30 was the first age that felt correct after 17. So really, to me, I'm whatever age feels correct. So I was 17 up until I was 30. And I was 30 once I was 28, you know what I mean? I started saying 30 at 28. I stopped saying 17, but until then, I was saying 17. And I'll say 30 until I, you know, the next age comes along. I think 37 will be the next one. I like sevens.

[Jewel]

God damn. Sure don't want to be 37.

[Sequoia]

That'll be the next jump. So I'll probably start saying I'm 37 at 37. Okay, maybe at 36. Ish, you know?

[Jewel]

Good for you.

[Sequoia]

So anyways, so then she gets into mine again. Fantastic song. I think it's also. No, it's not the first slow one. We Belong Together as the first song. But mine again is great. If y' all have not listened to mine again, check it out. It is a very solid song. Say Something is the next one featuring Snoop Dogg. Say Something is underrated. Very underrated.

[Jewel]

Yeah.

[Sequoia]

You know, this is the one that I. What. What were we about to say? It's the one what I. I was just about to start singing it, you know, of course.

[Jewel]

Oh, my God. I was about to say, you know, my mother, you know, my mama thinks she from the west coast, so anything with Snoop Dogg on it, she said.

[Sequoia]

You did tell me that. And we do, we do, I do. We do. Claim her to be fair. And whenever you're ready to come on, too Sequoia.

[Jewel]

Let it go.

[Sequoia]

Why?

[Jewel]

Let it go. Yeah. Anyway. But no, that. That song is about.

[Sequoia]

And it was also initially planned to be the first single.

[Jewel]

Yep.

[Sequoia]

Which I can hear. How does it go again? Damn. I just had a minute left.

[Jewel]

Say something, say something, something.

[Sequoia]

If it's.

[Jewel]

With you I'll say It definitely shouldn't have been a single, but it's a strong song.

[Sequoia]

You don't think so?

[Jewel]

I think.

[Sequoia]

I think the rest of them agree. I think there's way stronger. But I do think. I do think it initially became. It eventually became a single. Maybe it was like the fifth single.

[Jewel]

Yeah, I think.

[Sequoia]

Yeah. But, yeah, you're right. It definitely didn't have the same catchiness as the other one.

[Jewel]

That is one of those. It must have been where, like, you get into, like, fifth, sixth, seventh singles. Because everything is a banger. And so say something makes sense there. Because there's so many other strong singles from ballads to, like, dance, you know what I mean?

[Sequoia]

Oh, you know what? This one was produced by Pharrell, and so that makes sense why they thought it was going to be the first single, you know, because it's Pharrell Williams production, and he was all up and all up and down the charts. There was a statistic I saw somewhere that at this time, like, one in three songs was produced by pharrell. One of three songs that was on, like, the top 40. Yeah. He was having a big moment. So it makes sense why they thought they were going to lead with a Pharrell produced track only then to listen to the rest.

[Jewel]

Jermaine. They did. Hold a sec. Hold up one second.

[Sequoia]

No, they really did.

[Jewel]

Yeah.

[Sequoia]

Did you already mention how the way she said everybody on like that.

[Jewel]

It'S just like that. That scratches something in my brain because why would you say it like that? Like, what was going on in the studio that you decided you need to break it up into that many syllables?

[Sequoia]

She meant it real bad.

[Jewel]

Mariah was feeling Everybody is on the floor with me. Everybody.

[Sequoia]

This is one of those things, you know what Emancipation of Mimi really feels like one of those albums that is above you. It feels like it's above Mariah, you know, like, not better than her, but it just, like, came down from God and, like, ran through her. You know, where it's like, you're gonna go in the studio. You don't even really know what's really about to come out, but just know, go in there and give it your all. And she did. And that everybody is an example of that.

[Jewel]

You know, I will say, I know this is gonna be. You know, I'm the Atlanta girl, so I'm always gonna say somebody. But I will say, like, this album reminded me that there are so many. I know we, like, know Atlanta for rap and, like, more recent years, but there's so many R and B albums and moments that happened from people, like, moving here or relocating here or whatever. Like, not just Emancipation of Mimi, but also I think about Toni Braxton's, like, career. I think about, obviously, Usher, tlc. Like, I think about all of these artists, and I'm like, they were so formative to me in my, like, youth. And I genuinely didn't know until I became probably until I started studying music probably, that, like, they were based here. Like, I did not know Pink White. That's probably why I thought she was black, because she was down here making there you go with Dallas Austin. You know what I'm saying, like, I genuinely did not know that, like, the artists that were making some of my favorite, like, popping R B songs were, like, coming here. And that is, like, one of my favorite little, like, tidbits.

[Sequoia]

No, that makes. That makes a lot of sense. I think I've told you this before, but most of my favorite music comes from the South.

[Jewel]

Yeah, we have a good time sometimes.

[Sequoia]

Very strong run.

[Jewel]

Very strong running music nonetheless. Yeah.

[Sequoia]

You know? Yeah, and that's okay. You can't get the art if you don't have some problems. I'm just saying.

[Jewel]

Because good art don't come without here. What were they doing down here?

[Sequoia]

Wow.

[Jewel]

Yeah. Like, it was so many people, like, in the 90s and early 2000s, T. Pain was like, my aunt's neighbor for the longest time. Like, there were so many. Yeah, it was so weird. He's like, all the kids in my school used to be like, can we get your grass? And he was, like, so nice to, like, everybody. But it was. Yeah. Atlanta was such a hub because Jermaine Dupree, Dallas Austin for a while, L.A. reid and Babyface were down here. So many artists, like St. Lunatics are people who were known for, like, their regional sound. Bobby Brown and Whitney lived here for a long time. Like, they had a studio here. Yeah. Like, they would come here and live here and, like, work here. And I think that just made for really interesting music.

[Sequoia]

Atlanta really is the Mecca for black art. So fascinating, you know? And I know obviously New York City is the birthplace of hip hop and all of that, and. And also Atlanta is the Mecca for black art.

[Jewel]

Good talent to me. Yeah, it's. It's really just an interesting little tidbit anyway, so I just always love to plug that because I. Again, I know we get known for rap, but, like, Mariah coming down here and dropping, like, it's like that and, like, we belong together and all that stuff. Jonte Austin, like, who, like, still writes for, like, money long. And, like, all of these, like, they. They're crazy, crazy talent. I'm Emily Fleming.

[Sequoia]

I'm Jordan Morris. And I'm Matt Lieb. We are real comedy writers, real friends, and real cheapskates. On every episode of our podcast, free with ads, we ask, why pay for expensive streaming services when you can get free movies from apps with weird names? Each week, we review the freest movies the Internet has to offer.

[Jewel]

Classics like Pride and Prejudice, cult classics.

[Sequoia]

Like Point Break and Holy what did I just watch. Classics like Teen Witch tune in every.

[Jewel]

Week as we take a deep dive into the Internet's bargain bin Every Tuesday.

[Sequoia]

On MaximumFun.org or your favorite pod place. The flop House is a podcast where we watch a bad movie and then we talk about it. Robert Shaw in Jaws and they're trying to figure out how to get rid of the ghoulies and he scratches his nails and goes, I'll get your ghoulie standing above the toilet with a harpoon. No, I was just looking forward to you going through the other ways in which Wild Wild west is historically inaccurate. You know how much movies cost nowadays when you add in your popped corn and your bagel bites and your cheese fritters, you can't go wrong with a Henry Cavill mustache here at Henry Cavill Mustaches, the only supplier, the Flop House. New episodes every Saturday. Find [e-mail] also. Side note, while we take a little break from the track list, fun fact. Rumor has it Mariah faced backlash for the COVID artwork of this album because it resembled Beyonce's too much. You know that gold dress that she has on?

[Jewel]

I didn't even think about it.

[Sequoia]

Yes, people said that that was a problem. So when she went back and did she did like a deluxe version, like a platinum version or something and like that, she changed the album cover because she didn't want that backlash. To be fair, so many of the girlies look like Beyonce. I don't want to say that Mariah was specifically looking like Beyonce, but so many of the girls, Kim Kardashian look like Beyonce. Half the time J Lo be looking like Beyonce. Shakira looked like Beyonce. Mariah Carey look like Beyonce. If at any point you have light hair and medium skin tone, Beyonce.

[Jewel]

Medium skin tone.

[Sequoia]

Medium. Is it not alabaster white? If at any point you look a little racially ambiguous and you have light hair that honey blonde, you look like Beyonce.

[Jewel]

Okey doke.

[Sequoia]

You don't, you don't think Beyonce is medium because you think you Medium Sequoia.

[Jewel]

What am I? If Beyonce is medium, what am I? I'm not doing this with you. I'm not doing this with you because you're trying to. You trying to troll me on these people on this podcast. I'm not gonna allow it. I'm not gonna allow. Because I look, sometimes I look at Beyonce sometimes and that is a light skinned sister. Okay?

[Sequoia]

She is very. She is fair. She is fair and sometimes she does, sometimes she does get into pale. But at this time, you know, she was a little, she was a little more. They definitely gave her some bronzer. No Dead ass. Sometimes I'll be like, babe, where did you get this pale? What the is going on?

[Jewel]

She looked like somebody's Southern grandma. I ain't never. I. Yeah, sometimes I beginning Beyonce complexion. And I'll be like, what happened, sister? But you know.

[Sequoia]

Yeah, no, very much, very much. And then from the track list, you got stay the night. Also very good. Stay the night. She's just. All the songs are really fun to sing. That's the thing. Every Mariah Carey song. One of my favorite ever songs is a Mariah Carey song.

[Jewel]

Oh, I want to see my baby. See, all my favorite Mariah songs are like. They were singles, but they weren't like all. They were always the. Like the ballads. It was like the myalls or like bringing on the heartbreak. I was me bringing on the heartbreak. You know what I mean? Like the real. Like, I can't live, I can't sleep, I can't eat. Oh, she used to eat it up. I loved it. I loved it.

[Sequoia]

You always been real angsty, huh?

[Jewel]

Yeah. I really had a good time when she was, I think in my all. I can't remember, but I think she was like in the ocean or something like that. And I'm like, just float away, Mariah. I agree. Just float away.

[Sequoia]

I didn't have. I really must not have too much emotional depth or too much angst. To me, aren't you a. You're a Pisces moon or rising. I can't remember. There's something that makes sense. Yeah. Yeah.

[Jewel]

And you had a lot of. You know. But I did. I felt it a lot. And I just used to be like, oh, Mariah, bringing on the heartbreak. Why was I crying to that? But I mean, I would really. When she was.

[Sequoia]

I have never listened to a song and started crying. I don't.

[Jewel]

Are you joking?

[Sequoia]

I genuinely. I'm trying to think of a time, you know, I've listened to music and started crying. But not because it was so sad. I've just been moved by it. I could be moved to tears by certain chords and all that type of.

[Jewel]

Right.

[Sequoia]

But I. But by. But by lyrics. I'm not really moved. Like, I'm not listening to a song. It's like, this is so sad.

[Jewel]

Me in high school crying to Tony Braxton's how could an Angel Break My Heart? Not an angel. That man was a devil. But me in high school crying to how could an angel break my heart?

[Sequoia]

Yeah, we. We really was.

[Jewel]

Why you wasn't in the R B streets and into the. You weren't you weren't there.

[Sequoia]

Clearly not. Babes. I feel. I feel I had a good time. And then the next track on the track list, get your number featuring Jermaine Dupree. This is one that I feel like was a slept on single that actually should have been released as a single. This might be one of my favorite. If this is not my favorite from the album, it's probably top two. Sequoia, I'm. Oh, damn, the club about to close in a minute. Can I get you enough, baby?

[Jewel]

See, that's so. Like, it's such a random song. Like, where the did he come from? Like, what is. Like, this is so crazy. Like, what?

[Sequoia]

So apparently it was supposed to just be a reference track. Like, JD Put down those, you know, those vocals, and it was supposed to be the reference track. Track. And then Mariah or somebody else was supposed to come and do the actual vocals for it. Mariah was like, nah, I like it like that, though. And J.D. was like, I rap, though. And Mariah was like, I don't really give a. I like it like that. Keep it like that.

[Jewel]

He said, okay, what's going on here?

[Sequoia]

So that's how that song ended up the way that it is. And that is amusing to me. And then we have one and only featuring Twisted. I actually don't remember how that one sounds right now. I'll top my head. Oh, hard in pieces so, so lonely Looking for my one and only. Cute. Very cute. And you hear how she's rapping on that?

[Jewel]

Every time I turn around I find.

[Sequoia]

My hearty pieces she love a little.

[Jewel]

She does give a little. A little melody.

[Sequoia]

She loves to rap. And then circles. Now remember I said get your numbers. My favorite. I lied. Circles is my favorite. Circles is my favorite on this album. You agree?

[Jewel]

Everything is you. How can I put through? My heart is consumed I'm so confused, girl what? What happened? Mariah? Tell us about it. I need to know.

[Sequoia]

Well, what happened was Saturday I saw you holding hands with someone new and she should have Somehow I kept my composure Just like everything was cool but inside I kept repeating don't you let them see you cry so I casually turn my head as the tears rolled down my eyes Girl, so good. What?

[Jewel]

That's crunk. That song is crazy.

[Sequoia]

Like what she be painting and then.

[Jewel]

When she be singing down too like, yes, yes.

[Sequoia]

Circle's fantastic. Circles, that's the one that needed to be released.

[Jewel]

No notes. If that's not a single.

[Sequoia]

If I'm trying to think because this we belong together no, that's Obviously a single. Nah, you're. You're not wrong. I just really like Circles.

[Jewel]

Yeah, Circles is a deep cut.

[Sequoia]

It's a. It's a really good deep cut. And then we have your girl. How does that one go?

[Jewel]

Wait, I just had it.

[Sequoia]

Girl. Hold on, I'm about to play it. Ah. Oh, yeah.

[Jewel]

I should be your girl.

[Sequoia]

Your girl doesn't do anything for me at all.

[Jewel]

You see, I forgot about it. I know the song, but I did forget about it.

[Sequoia]

Same. I know the song. I know. I forgot. And then we have. I. I do turn it personally. And then we have. I wish you knew now.

[Jewel]

That one, right? That. No, that song for me is a top contender.

[Sequoia]

Really?

[Jewel]

Yes.

[Sequoia]

Okay.

[Jewel]

Yes. She's singing down again. I think the. The lyrics are so, like, beautiful. Yeah, I love along.

[Sequoia]

You are. You very much are a. You're a ballads girl.

[Jewel]

I love a longing.

[Sequoia]

Yeah, you do love a longing. You want somebody to be heartbroken and begging on they shit. That's what you want.

[Jewel]

Sometimes it goes a little far. Like, there are certain songs where I'm like, yeah, but like, for the most part, yeah, I love a little. Like when Beyonce sings what's that song on four? When she's like. It's some song where she talking about, let's. Oh, let's start over.

[Sequoia]

I don't want to hear it too much. She doing too much on there.

[Jewel]

Yeah, I don't want to hear it.

[Sequoia]

That's fair.

[Jewel]

Like, it starts to piss me off at a certain point.

[Sequoia]

I don't want to hear it.

[Jewel]

It's also mostly because I'm like, anyway.

[Sequoia]

SOB oh, my God, Jewel's about to make fun of that man.

[Jewel]

I don't got no beef with Jay Z. I just think Jay Z played a lot and he did. I just want her. I just want to be left out of it. I ain't got no problem with Jay Z. You know what I mean? I don't. I'm not on the Jay Z is ugly train. I'm not on none of that train. I ain't got no beef with Jay Z. I just personally think that man played a lot.

[Sequoia]

I genuinely don't think Jay Z is ugly.

[Jewel]

I don't think he's ugly either. And I don't think he can be ugly when his kids are cute and they look just like him.

[Sequoia]

That part. But two, do I think he's cute? No, I don't think he's ugly.

[Jewel]

But I also don't think he's not my type. But I don't think he's ugly.

[Sequoia]

Exactly. And then when you put him next to Beyonce, it really becomes a thing, you know? Then it's like, okay, you need to keep it really cute.

[Jewel]

I just feel like he played a lot, and I feel like if y' all gonna start over, just do it.

[Sequoia]

Quietly behind closed doors. Leave me out of it. Leave your business as your business.

[Jewel]

Good luck and God bless. Good luck and God bless.

[Sequoia]

Yes.

[Jewel]

So, yeah. But mostly I love a beg. Mostly I love a beg. I don't wanna hear about how you might die. Like Halo and them types of songs I don't wanna hear.

[Sequoia]

Yeah, but I don't know that for the other songs. Yeah. It never occurs to me that that's what Halo was about.

[Jewel]

I don't think that's what Halo is about. It's just that it gives me death.

[Sequoia]

Okay. And I know why. And we're gonna move on.

[Jewel]

No, I don't have a reason. Oh, oh, you think that's because that's the sign I was playing in my accident? No, I just. Halo, to me, gives the song, like, you know, when it. When a singer dies and they play the song to be like, such and such die. Like, that's Beyonce song. And it's like, because you can't play sing, you can't play Single Ladies, right? I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear it.

[Sequoia]

That's fair. That's fair. Okay. And then we have to the Floor, featuring Nelly. To the floor.

[Jewel]

That's the Nelly.

[Sequoia]

Everybody to the floor.

[Jewel]

That's Neptune's, too.

[Sequoia]

I don't. I don't love that one.

[Jewel]

Okay. That's crazy.

[Sequoia]

I don't. I don't. I don't love that one. In fact, after Circles, it gets a little.

[Jewel]

No. To the Floor is a banger. Whatever happens, it's coming down. And I say it sounds going down tonight. You don't like that?

[Sequoia]

I do, but I don't ever need to hear it.

[Jewel]

You know, I can blast that now.

[Sequoia]

Okay. Okay. I do understand that. And then we have Joyride, which also really doesn't do much for me, but does a lot for a lot of people. So I understand. Yeah. Joyride. Let's hear a couple little moments of it, See how it sounds. Exactly. It starts off exactly the same as. What was that one that you really liked a few songs back?

[Jewel]

I wish you knew.

[Sequoia]

Yes. No, that's the same Sequoia.

[Jewel]

Move on, because now you better upset me. I mean, you just make.

[Sequoia]

Anyways, there's that. And then we get to what Is, in my opinion, Mariah Carey's magnum opus, which is one of the most beautiful songs to ever exist on the planet. Fly Like a bird. Fly Like a bird.

[Jewel]

Incredible.

[Sequoia]

I do cry to that song. I do cry to that because. Exactly. It moves me. Because gospel moves me, you know, not necessarily Fly Like a Bird.

[Jewel]

Jesus was crazy.

[Sequoia]

I thought 100 Jesus was in the room. I thought Fly Like a Bird was a remake. You know, I thought it was a remake of somebody else's original song, and Mariah Carey came and sang it, and I didn't give a. If it was a remake. It was the most beautiful thing I ever heard in my life. And it's not. That is a. An original Mariah Carey song.

[Jewel]

It's phenomenal. It's phenomenal. It is. It is just. It's breathtaking. It's so good. It's so good. And it just, to me, is so indicative of, like, her songwriting skills, but also her singing abilities and just how musically inclined she is to make a song that insanely special.

[Sequoia]

Right. Yeah. It's shocking, hurtful.

[Jewel]

It's insane.

[Sequoia]

Like, I don't. I don't know where she got. I don't know where she got off. Where she got the. Right. Where she got the nerve, the gumption, the golf, the ad libs. I'm offended.

[Jewel]

The eyelids are the best part. Yeah. Now when she goes, like, she just be going off. Like, I just.

[Sequoia]

What was she going after that?

[Jewel]

Do not.

[Sequoia]

Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Fantastic.

[Jewel]

I just think the lady is just a gift, but I do need. I think you should go back and listen to. To some of the, you know, to like the Mayall, some of the older ballads. I think you should.

[Sequoia]

Okay. I mean, I will. I'm generally not a valid girl, General. So I'm like. Yes, Yes. I do like Emotions. Of course. Yes. Like Emotions by Mariah and Destiny Child.

[Jewel]

Okay. That's fair.

[Sequoia]

Yeah.

[Jewel]

Very much about it, but.

[Sequoia]

Okay. Right. Absolutely. Ballot. But you know why I like them or you know why I like the Destiny shot one is because it's fun to sing any song that is fun to sing. I'm in on it. And I feel like many ballads don't have it.

[Jewel]

I feel like the original version of Emotions is actually more fun than the Destiny's Child version, but I get it.

[Sequoia]

You think?

[Jewel]

Yeah. Not the Mariah Carey version.

[Sequoia]

Ad libs. I know. I know what you're talking about. Yeah. It don't have them. Avalanche of Beyonce talking about taking me over.

[Jewel]

Yeah. Because Beyonce was extra. That's why she Used to get on my nerves when I was a kid. Like I was like, who is this lady? Yeah. And then when I realized, no, she's actually kind of stunning. You're being a little bit of a hater, actually.

[Sequoia]

No, I do get it. I do get it. A lot of people felt like that around Beyonce when, like when we were much younger, lots of people were like, oh, she's just really extra. Like her singing is extra, her dancing is extra. And she was just right. She was just right. Y' all weren't used to seeing somebody who was trying. Y' all used to sing no Shade again. I do love Mariah Carey, genuinely. Mariah Care has never tried during a performance. Not movement wise like Mariah Carey. Not about to move around the stage and really something give you try.

[Jewel]

Let me say something. If my voice sound like that, I mean she's not getting off the step stool.

[Sequoia]

Why would I. You're welcome for this. God given talent. Actually.

[Jewel]

I get a whole performance laying down. Don't piss me off.

[Sequoia]

Right? Not. Not understood. So that's the track list for emancipation Mimi. But then she drops the deluxe version, right? And the deluxe version includes six new songs. Two, three, four. Six new songs. The most notable though being Don't Forget About Us.

[Jewel]

Can you imagine having such an incredible run and then coming back with another one? Now to me that one, we belong Together got old to me Don't Forget about us Will never get old to me no we.

[Sequoia]

Yeah, no, you know what? Shake it off got old to me but we belong together and don't forget about us.

[Jewel]

I'm running them Never get owed to me running. That song is a. That song is insane.

[Sequoia]

You know what I really like when music does this. And I was listening to podcast called Switched On Pop and they gave it a name. I can't remember what this phenomenon is, but I really like when music overlays two parts of a song on top of each other. So. And don't Forget About Us. Mariah says don't forget about us. And then at another part she's doing the late nights.

[Jewel]

Oh yeah.

[Sequoia]

In the dark. And. And they're on top of each other. I love that part so much. When Don't Forget About Us is going in the under. In the under part. And on top. She's on my late night, babe. I love it so much. And I also really love songs about first love and like really reveling in that first. The Faces. Jewel just made her first love anyways. Really, really reveling in that first love experience and it not being an overwhelming heartbreak, and it's just being like, no, that was. That was great. And like, I also don't want to get back together. And also, that was really great.

[Jewel]

This reminds me of Alicia Keys coming out to sing My Boo with Usher and everybody being like, he only. He don't have that long. We actually don't want to hear this.

[Sequoia]

We don't.

[Jewel]

I genuinely, respectfully, that was so nice when y' all made that song back then. But we have a limited time with Usher, and so we actually don't.

[Sequoia]

I never want to hear my boy.

[Jewel]

Leave the first love behind. Like, that has me screaming. They said tell the first loves. Actually not interested. Sa.

[Sequoia]

Do you remember girl? Yeah. I don't care about my boy. They actually played that one to hell.

[Jewel]

I loved it a lot when I was younger, and it was like one of those, like, first. When you're in, like, middle school, high school dance kind of songs. Like, it was one of them songs.

[Sequoia]

Yes.

[Jewel]

And I'm just now, like, I'm actually okay.

[Sequoia]

Another song that I never need to hear again that's in the same vein is Dilemma by Nelly and Kelly.

[Jewel]

That's fair.

[Sequoia]

I never need to hear Dilemma again. I never need to hear my boo again. I never need to hear Shake it Off by Mariah Carey again.

[Jewel]

That's crazy.

[Sequoia]

Y' all ran along.

[Jewel]

I wouldn't put Shake it off in that list. Dilemma. I actually just don't think a dilemma, so it wouldn't be. It wasn't going to list for. For me. I would play it if it came on, but I just would forget it. Like, I. It just doesn't come up to my.

[Sequoia]

Brain the way I can't remember how Dilemma goes. Let me.

[Jewel]

No matter what I do.

[Sequoia]

Yuck. I never need to hear it again. Ew.

[Jewel]

I just don't think Super. Okay.

[Sequoia]

I don't. I'm sorry.

[Jewel]

I don't even think it's super. It just wasn't that impactful to me in my life.

[Sequoia]

They. They didn't play that all the time in Atlanta radio.

[Jewel]

Yeah, of course. It was.

[Sequoia]

Was like, I couldn't go five seconds.

[Jewel]

Without hearing, and it was fine. I liked it, but I just forgot about, like. I just.

[Sequoia]

They didn't bother you like that. That's very fair. Best music video from Ryan Carey. She has we belong together. Never mind. I don't remember all that now.

[Jewel]

Honey is my favorite Mariah Carey music video.

[Sequoia]

Okay.

[Jewel]

You never seen it? I'm about to.

[Sequoia]

I'm sure I have.

[Jewel]

I know you have. She on the boat. She be on the speedboat.

[Sequoia]

Maybe I haven't.

[Jewel]

I'm about to run and jump through the window because I know for a fact you've seen a damn Honey video. That is a classic video. Sequoia.

[Sequoia]

I'm not joking.

[Jewel]

I'm not joking. Like, that was like a. That. What do you mean? What? Like, you should immediately.

[Sequoia]

I probably have tbh. Oh, yes. Yes. Brown ass music video. Yes.

[Jewel]

I love that video. I think that video is so fun. She's dancing, she's having a good time. I love that video. I love it.

[Sequoia]

It's an a sepia tone. Yeah.

[Jewel]

I mean, there are people that we don't claim in the video anymore that was in it, of course. But, you know, as much of you know, that was the times. I don't really know what to do about that. You know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, that would be. Or again, like I said, when she was on the boat in my Y', all, she was lamenting her love.

[Sequoia]

I love that. You love love or you love heartbreak? Actually.

[Jewel]

One more night with you. I can't go in. I can't go on limiting. What'd she say? I don't even remember what she say.

[Sequoia]

Oh, Lord, I'm done. I'm done.

[Jewel]

I don't even know, but I know that's my song.

[Sequoia]

That's okay. No, that's okay. But, yeah, Mariah is an icon, a legend. I'm forever impacted by the existence of the Emancipation of Mimi, personally.

[Jewel]

And she's also just funny.

[Sequoia]

Now, if we did A one gotta go.

[Jewel]

Okay, we're listening.

[Sequoia]

If we did a one gotta go Emancipation of Mimi version. Okay, so. Oh, no, it's like that Don't Forget About Us.

[Jewel]

You had to piss me off.

[Sequoia]

And circles.

[Jewel]

So go ahead.

[Sequoia]

Go to hell.

[Jewel]

You just heard me say them. All my favorite songs, and then you going to put them in a trio. You did that on purpose.

[Sequoia]

Yeah. Yeah, I did. And what now.

[Jewel]

It'S like that Don't Forget About Us in circles. I think, unfortunately, I got to get rid of the chickens. That's ash. And she's lotion.

[Sequoia]

That is my choice as well. The mashy chickens gonna go.

[Jewel]

The ashy chickens do have to, because I'm damn sure not getting rid of Don't Forget About Us.

[Sequoia]

We belong. Don't forget about us. Can't go anywhere, unfortunately. I hate to tell y' all that. So now another one. Fly Like a bird. Your girl. Wait, was it your girl that you like?

[Jewel]

No.

[Sequoia]

Oh, it was. Wish you knew. I wish you Knew Fly like a gird. I wish you knew or because I.

[Jewel]

Was gonna send your girl straight to the.

[Sequoia]

I know you was. I know you was following a bird. I wish you knew or shake it off, you can never hear it again. You wiping it from the face of the earth.

[Jewel]

I'm torn. I kind of feel like I could get rid of I wish you knew, but I kind of feel like I could get rid of shake it off and I can't decide which one I could live without.

[Sequoia]

So. Really? You said both of them? Yeah. You really just keeping Fly like a bird.

[Jewel]

Yeah.

[Sequoia]

And if you can only. If you can only keep one song from the album overall. Oh, what song you keeping?

[Jewel]

Yeah, probably fly like a bird.

[Sequoia]

Same. I need my Jesus first.

[Jewel]

Probably like a carry me.

[Sequoia]

Hi. She did that at Nipsey Hussle's funeral. Can you imagine as well. She did. I don't have to. She did do it. I was.

[Jewel]

Did you go to the funeral?

[Sequoia]

No, I just watched it. I never cried so hard at something in my life as Mariah Carey doing that song at that funeral. I was sick to my stomach, and I didn't even nipsey that hard. I didn't even Nipsey hustle like that.

[Jewel]

I gotta stop watching celebrity funerals. Be taking me down 100 every time. Taking me down every bit long. Ready to take the day off work.

[Sequoia]

Insane.

[Jewel]

And then they beat a whole day. Remember Aretha Franklin Funeral was damn. I mean, I'm surprised they didn't tell us to come back the next day for that funeral.

[Sequoia]

Sure was all day. You know, black people like to do that anyways. And it's a celebrity on top of it. Yeah, enough. Yeah. That's a lot. But, yeah, Mariah Carey is fantastic. Aside from being a phenomenal songwriter and musician and vocalist, of course, she's also an incredibly, incredibly witty shady queen. I love the wit, I love the shade. I love the. I don't know her. She's so fun. Jlo really thought she was gonna come in here and try to take Mariah Carey's spot. Mariah Carey said no. And actually, I don't know her and I don't give a what she's doing in her career. So I love. I'll do the best. I'm doing the best I can with what I got one of my favorite Mariah Carey quotes of all time.

[Jewel]

Incredible.

[Sequoia]

Her and Nicki Minaj's beef on American Idol. Fantastic. Nikki wished she could outshave Mariah Carey. She really thought. She really thought. And it just was. It was too much.

[Jewel]

I watched American Idol in real time when that happened. Did you watch that?

[Sequoia]

And I said real time.

[Jewel]

I said what? Like this is uncomfortable for me because Mariah is like, it's just different. It's two different types of diva and it just watching them have to coexist and I feel like I didn't know as much about Nikki as I know now about how she get down with certain types of beefs. And Mariah is just never going to like go there that way. Like she's gonna throw jabs, she's gonna have like this like witty kind of thing. But Mariah was never gonna like respond in the way that Nikki respond. It was, I was like, look, this is, I'm uncomfortable.

[Sequoia]

Yep. No, I, I agree. From the clips that I saw, I was like, this seems like a fun time to have watched live. I did not watch it live, but it seems like a good time.

[Jewel]

It was, it was, you know, because I, I, well sometimes though I like mess, but I like mess that I'm not going to be like uncomfortable viewing.

[Sequoia]

And, and it was a little much.

[Jewel]

Because sometimes I'm like, I don't know if this gonna go left and I don't want to be a part of. I can't watch it.

[Sequoia]

I don't want to watch like I.

[Jewel]

Can'T watch stuff go left. Yeah, that's gonna, that's gonna hurt my feelings.

[Sequoia]

I'm okay. Another iconic Mariah Carey moment. Suing her ex husband for $50 million because he wasted her time. Incredible. So incredible.

[Jewel]

What now?

[Sequoia]

Yeah, right? Playing her own song while giving birth period.

[Jewel]

What else was she gonna play?

[Sequoia]

And the cherry on top. A successful 30 plus year run of all I want for Christmas is you. She thaws out starting around October every year in my household. I do start running it in October. Me personally, I know some of you Christmas haters, some of you spiritless, joyless folks will not appreciate that. But you know, when you're very spirited, when you, you know, have the love of Christ, you want to start celebrating his.

[Jewel]

You're not even religious.

[Sequoia]

You want to start celebrating his birthday as early as humanly possible. In that often for me is September 1st, but I'll hold it until October 1st.

[Jewel]

So how does that go in your household?

[Sequoia]

I have to use headphones, but I do it anyway.

[Jewel]

Okay. I just wanted to be clear.

[Sequoia]

Yeah. Because that's it. But yeah, that's it for the Emancipation of Mimi. Happy 20th anniversary to this album. I cannot believe it's been 20 years. We, we love you down Mariah Carey, thank you so much for not giving up because I know it was a really hard time. A couple hard albums before that went back into the studio and that she was also what she was also probably in her mid-30s. And that tells you that you can have your second wind. You can pivot, you can make mistakes and it doesn't have to be the end. You can always recover and come back even stronger than before. I'm pretty sure this is probably her album that had the most singles on it. Like it was damn near so many. Just single after single after single that came from this album. So. Life don't end at 30.

[Jewel]

Yeah.

[Sequoia]

You know she's been that girl. You don't get how you live. Regardless, Mini wins. Lots of ups, lots of downs. Very public in. In all the cases. I know Nick Cannon is definitely the, the, the lowest low that she probably feels in her career in her public facing career. But I said we love you anyways. I'm not mad.

[Jewel]

I don't want to be judged by my dating choices. So I understand.

[Sequoia]

It felt understood. I know she mad to be the first baby mom. I know she's so mad to be the first of 187 babies.

[Jewel]

That's how I know she Aries and she'd probably be taking that man because you see how he keep it cute with her.

[Sequoia]

Yeah.

[Jewel]

She never had no issues in her household.

[Sequoia]

Not a single one. Morocco and I don't remember the other kid name. Probably living large, having a good little time and rock and rock. I know. Yeah, right. Rock and roll. That's all for this episode of Black People Love. Paramore. Jewel. You want to tell the folks where they can find you on the Internet?

[Jewel]

Yes. All my socials are at jewelwakershow.

[Sequoia]

Mine are at sequoiabhomes. If you want to find the show page, you can find it at bplppod. If you would like to email with love, with hate mail or anything else. Suggestions for episode topics. Always love a suggestion for episode topic. You can add me or you can email me at Black people love paramore gmail.com and yeah, that's it. See y' all in a couple weeks. Bye.

[Jewel]

RA.