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Dec 26 08 8:36 AM

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Friday, December 26, 2008

The Long & Twisted Road... With Mariah

What a storied history I have with Mariah Carey. In 13 years at Billboard, only a handful of anecdotes bear repeating... when Vanessa Williams proved face to face to be the #+++$ she now deliciously plays on "Ugly Betty"; when Clive Davis came after me, knives sharpened, for dissing Rod Stewart and Justin Timberlake (complete with a hand-signed letter that hangs at home); and digs at Mariah, actually credited, in part, for her temporary insanity in the New York Post. (click right, below)

In another time, Billboard indulged single reviews that were less than complementary. As singles reviews editor since 1998, my reputation was forged on delicious venom: If I loved a song, you got the sweetest embrace, but established artists that took a misstep were demonized. So when Mariah turned toward hip-hop, I attacked, writing several just plain mean reviews.

Meanwhile, Mariah was the first artist I had the pleasure of meeting when I started at Billboard. Around Thanksgiving 1995, my Billboard muse Larry Flick took me to her Madison Square Garden TV special taping, where we met her. It was magic.The photo below really tells the story here. After so many rude reviews, Ayhan and I attended a Z100 concert and, with all-access credentials, squeezed into Mariah's dressing room-and eek, there she was with some guy named Randy Jackson, who, of course, is now the renowned "American Idol" judge. Mariah comes forth, I introduce myself and she announces, "I know who you are." Pause. I say, "Are you gonna hit me?" She laughs, and I launch into a diatribe about my reviews that, to this day, I'm convinced was inspired by angels. I say something to the effect of, "You know, I have followed your career since the beginning, so when you disappoint, I hold you to the highest standard. I expect nothing but the best, given what I know you're able to achieve."
Her response: "Really? Oh, thank you," with total sweetness." Then we posed for the pic here... Of course, I was never again able to write a negative word, given Mariah's humility. Fortunately, she came back with "We Belong Together," rediscovering melody, making my job much easier...

Now Sony has released "Mariah Carey: The Ballads" (above. left), an album I adore... Ah, the memories... the good times... the '90s... and then the third meeting with Lady M, with Kristina in 2007. Amen!

[image]
Bootylicious

Last Edited By: marypoppinsmyass Dec 26 08 11:33 AM. Edited 2 times

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Kevon

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Posts: 37,621 'Showing receipts and offering seats'

#6 [url]

Dec 26 08 12:37 PM

I'm glad she reacted the way she did, that's pretty big of her (and it paid off).

BTW that third photo from the 'TEOM' era - it so looks like that girl is clutching Mariah's tit, not a drink

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The legendary Wing returns. The new CD 'Memwahs of an Impefect Angew'. In stores now!
Includes the 'Angews Cwy', 'Wibbon', 'It's A Wap' and the #1 single 'Candy Wing'.

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#8 [url]

Dec 26 08 1:08 PM

kevo2002 wrote:
I'm glad she reacted the way she did, that's pretty big of her (and it paid off).

BTW that third photo from the 'TEOM' era - it so looks like that girl is clutching Mariah's tit, not a drink image

image It does!!!

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BeyondIdolization

Posts: 24,919

May we always be together...
In the sands of time

#10 [url]

Dec 26 08 8:26 PM

That write-up is pathetic and only made me lose all respect for him. What, if Mariah hadn't been nice to him that time, his reviews would've been even harsher? How can you take a reviewer seriously who so blatantly admits to being biased?

I also love how he was so condescending in that NY Post article, and still 7 years later won't admit to being wrong and that in fact Tommy was bent on destroying Mariah's career.

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#11 [url]

Dec 26 08 8:34 PM

I don't get that either. It has been proven by countless talents such as Irv Gotti and Ja Rule to radio personalities such as Miss. Jones, Wendy Williams and Star and Buckwild that they were given instructions to spread lies and rumors about her. And when you think about it, these are radio stations (Mostly owned by Clear Channel) that hire these personalities to spread dirt and that effects airplay if you are instructing on-air personalities to do something about said artist.

The industry is very political. And how could it be a suicide attempt if there was no ambulance at the scene but just a cop car? I mean things were clearly blown out of proportion during this era...from the media coverage to album reviews. One second Rolling Stone loves the album calls it some of her most inspired work...and after the "breakdown" it's only worth one star and not worth buying?

The things that make you go hmmmm...and these journalist lack artistic integrity if you are going to be biased about what you are reviewing. I guess ethics in the field of journalism doesn't exist when it comes down to favortisim.

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MisplacedValidity

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Posts: 39,260 He bites the metaphorical carrot.

#12 [url]

Dec 26 08 9:39 PM

While Tommy surely seemed to try to hurt her in some form, I don't know that a negative review of "Loverboy" is proof of that (as the article implies Mariah thought). It's like couldn't accept "Loverboy" was a mess as well as a pale imitation of past lead singles.

http://friendsofmariahmessageboard.yuku.com/sreply/690834/New-Album-Discussion#collapseThreeReply690834

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#13 [url]

Dec 26 08 10:32 PM

i don't think the Loverboy single review was the source of mariah's paranoia. the fact that her original Firecraker sample and the free artistic stealing of Mariah's If We with Ja Rule, which both ended up somehow on JLo's album at that time is what got mariah. irv gotti and ja rule have both confirmed it. and unfortunately Loverboy was just a mess IMO.

~Scoop me up and we can go
To that little spot where no one knows~

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#14 [url]

Dec 27 08 12:46 AM

Loverboy was a bad first single. Mariah herself acknowledged this in an interview where she said that Virgin didn't know what to do or how to handle a star of her magnitude and that another label or CEO would have went to plan B...but clearly they didn't have one. I don't think the review started the breakdown but I think its more so the fact that she had the odds stackked against her and someone hell bent on preventing her from succeeding in future endeavors.

Has Mariah ever even performed Loverboy? I have never seen one performance of the song. I'm sure it would have been borderline pornagraphic though so maybe that's a good thing.

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#16 [url]

Dec 27 08 5:39 AM

she performed it i believe when she went to kosovo. i believe her repertoire consisted of a lipped LB and a lipped Hero/NTF, along with awful blond hair.

~Scoop me up and we can go
To that little spot where no one knows~

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BeyondIdolization

Posts: 24,919

May we always be together...
In the sands of time

#17 [url]

Dec 27 08 7:04 AM

MisplacedValidity wrote:
While Tommy surely seemed to try to hurt her in some form, I don't know that a negative review of "Loverboy" is proof of that (as the article implies Mariah thought). It's like couldn't accept "Loverboy" was a mess as well as a pale imitation of past lead singles.


Chuck Taylor states in that article that he (at the time) thought Mariah's suspicions were "utterly absurd", but after that a lot of different people stepped in in support of Mariah's claims. That is easy to research, so for Taylor not to even mention it in his blog but instead kind of stick to his guns, is lame and only contributes to the idea that he is a biased, insecure a$$hole.

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MMMIII123

Posts: 2,506 Go back in time to relive
the splendor of you and I

#18 [url]

Dec 27 08 8:49 AM

Is it me or is the first paragraph kinda ...twisted. There are words missing, so I am not sure I understand what he meant to write:

when Vanessa Williams proved face to face to be the #+++$ she now deliciously plays on "Ugly Betty"; when Clive Davis came after me, knives sharpened, for dissing Rod Stewart and Justin Timberlake (complete with a hand-signed letter that hangs at home); and digs at Mariah, actually credited, in part, for her temporary insanity in the New York Post.

Last Edited By: MMMIII123 Dec 27 08 9:25 AM. Edited 1 time.

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#19 [url]

Dec 27 08 8:56 AM

BeyondIdolization wrote:
MisplacedValidity wrote:
While Tommy surely seemed to try to hurt her in some form, I don't know that a negative review of "Loverboy" is proof of that (as the article implies Mariah thought). It's like couldn't accept "Loverboy" was a mess as well as a pale imitation of past lead singles.


Chuck Taylor states in that article that he (at the time) thought Mariah's suspicions were "utterly absurd", but after that a lot of different people stepped in in support of Mariah's claims. That is easy to research, so for Taylor not to even mention it in his blog but instead kind of stick to his guns, is lame and only contributes to the idea that he is a biased, insecure a$$hole.


exactly when radio personalities claim they are told to start rumors and insructed not to play your material thats a problem. Wendy Williams, Miss. Jones and Star (From the Star and Buckwild fame) have all talked about this at certain points after the fact. Ja Rule and Irv Gotti said that they were instructed to remake the Mariah/Rule record by having Ja remixing I'm Real with the added sample. The evidence is there and he is just going to stand by the fact its absurd.

I think its a problem, when the industry Bible's top reviewer admits he is biased. I mean I already don't listen to reviews because its good to have your own backbone and stand by what you like no matter what anybody says, but that's just utterly absurd that he still has a job, but it doesn't surprise me this whole industry is based on politics it seems from the outside looking in.

imageimage


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