MARIAH ON LATEST MIXTAPE

GHOSTFACE KILLAH GETS BEYONCE, MARIAH ON LATEST MIXTAPE "What a joy we made from the love we made." Raheem DeVaughn definitely does need to use the Auto-Tune, and despite his computer love in the vocal booth, he laces the chorus to Ghost's single "Baby". The record is the first official offering from the September release The Wizard Of Poetry. (Obviously you can tell by the title of the mixtape that it's to promote said album.) J-Love assembles over 20 Ghost R&B collaborations, such as "Summertime" with Beyoncé, the "Chosen One" remix with Jaheim and the remix to Faith Evans' "Again". Our big beef with the tape is that Love did not include Bulletproof Wallet's "Never Be the Same" with the homie Carl Thomas (C. Teezy). (MTV News)

WHY DID EMINEM DIS MARIAH CAREY?

WHY DID EMINEM DIS MARIAH CAREY?

*** Even if you're a total cynic, there's something puzzling about Eminem's latest dis track - in which he reiterates his claim that he once had some bad sex with Mariah Carey, before she met her current husband, Nick Cannon. It's a claim Carey denied while also poking fun at Em in her recent video for "Obsessed", the first single from a forthcoming album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. For reasons having apparently little to do with that awful title, and instead focusing on his thus-far violated right to be recognized as a quickly disposed member of Mimi's male harem, Eminem thinks it's cool to talk about murdering Carey. (Yeah, it's a metaphor, in that Em supposedly has a large enough reserve of incriminatingly intimate phone calls and pictures of Carey that he feels confident spitting the line "enough dirt on you to murder you". So is that really a threat, or just an over the top way of saying he'd like to hurt her credibility? Given Shady's past history of declaiming a desire to get his assault and battery on with respect to his own mother, I'm going with the former.) The video's obviously NSFW, with lots of offensive language about women, as well as a depressingly anti-sensualist attitude about sex that might make you want to become a monk for a few days.

***Now the cold, cynical economic rationalization for this generally tired and immature back and forth centers around the fact that both platinum-selling work-horses have albums out this year, during an era in which record labels are desperate for numbers. Eminem took the top of the charts when Relapse debuted back in May. But its first week sales of 600,000 utterly paled in comparison to the million plus in opening business he notched with previous records. Is there a "threaten to murder someone" button over at Universal Music Group - the owner of Interscope, which in turn distributes Dr. Dre's Aftermath label - that gets pushed whenever Slim Shady fails to move a million units in the first week? There's an odor of stale beef here that could lead one to think this is being done with a wink and nod between the two performers. (After all, Eminem proved he wasn't above a little stagecraft back at the MTV Movie Awards, as his encounter with Bruno's ass was planned well ahead of time.)
But even if the Mariah-Eminem feud isn't staged, what's strange is how witless the end product is. Diss tracks are supposed to bring some funny. Yes, they also need to devastate an opponent, but most rappers understand this is better achieved with an undermining wit as opposed to a violent spasm in the gutter. Take, for example, Inspectah Deck's recent swipe at Joe Budden - who had apparently committed the sin of comparing himself favorably to a member of the Wu-Tang Clan.
*** Around the one minute mark, in the midst of a hard-bangin' verse, Deck dares the listener to "name me three Joe Budden songs", after which we hear the Jeopardy! theme. In the background, a hip-hop head attempts to do Deck's bidding, but can only come up with "Pump It Up" as a Budden track. "Aw, this is for a hundred thousand dollars? I'm blowin' it!" the faux contestant cries in desperation as he realizes he doesn't know or like Budden's music enough about to be able to answer the question. "Still waitin'," Deck thunders as the track comes back strong. The point - that Budden isn't successful enough to back up his boasting - is effective because it makes you laugh, even if you've never heard Budden's music.
I'll say this for Eminem's diss track, though. Dr. Dre's beat is more interesting than the track Cary used for "Obsessed".

(Newsweek)

MEMOIRS OF AN IMPERFECT ANGEL

MEMOIRS OF AN IMPERFECT ANGEL *** As the most successful female recording artist of all time, as well as having written more #1 singles than any woman before her, Mariah Carey occupies her own unique place in music. Following up on the platinum success of E=MC2, Mariah is back with Memoirs of an imperfect Angel. This incredible album once again showcases her amazing virtuosity as both vocalist and songwriter. *** Partnering once again with C. "Tricky" Stewart and The-Dream, Mariah's first single "Obsessed" is an amazing track that was immediately the #1 Most Added track at its formats. Together with Brett Ratner-directed video and a national premiere on the NBC hit series America's Got Talent, everyone knows one thing - MARIAH IS BACK! The great early press hits in People and Rolling Stone confirm what we already know... *** To launch Memoirs of an imperfect Angel, Mariah will have an unprecedented number of high-profile release week appearances, including: VH1 Storytellers (this is Mariah's first ever appearance), BET 106 & Park takeover, star presentation on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a very special performance on The Today Show to close out their Summer Concert Series. Memoirs of an imperfect Angel, packaged in a beautiful 3 panel softpack, is a must-have for all Mariah fans and will include: the CD; a 2nd Enhanced CD featuring the "Obsessed" video, a remix video, and 3 remixes; and a 36 page Elle mini-magazine that's an inside look at Mariah. *** Along with a massive marketing, advertising, and online campaign, Memoirs of an imperfect Angel is positioned to be one of the biggest releases of the year! (Universal Music)

Mariah at America's Got Talent Taping

MARIAH'S "MEMOIRS" CD TO INCLUDE MINI-MAGAZINE WITH ADS

MARIAH'S "MEMOIRS" CD TO INCLUDE MINI-MAGAZINE WITH ADS ***As music sales continue to drop like they're not so hot throughout the industry, Island Def Jam Music Group is jamming on a new business model: integrating brands into artists' CD booklets. The first deal, created for the Mariah Carey release "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" on Sept. 15, is a 34-page co-production with Elle magazine that includes lifestyle ads from Elizabeth Arden, Angel Champagne, Carmen Steffens, Le Métier de Beauté and the Bahamas Board of Tourism. Providing the experiment goes well, the label is eyeing bigger brand deals for booklets of CDs by Rihanna, Bon Jovi, Kanye West and other artists. ***The mini magazine contains Mariah-centric editorial ("VIP Access to Her Sexy Love Life", "Amazing Closet", "Recording Rituals") and lifestyle advertising along with lyrics and other CD booklet elements. Elle contributed the editorial and designed the layout. ***The booklets were created for the first run of U.S. CDs (1 million) and the first 500,000 overseas, said Jeff Straughn, svp-strategic marketing for Island Def Jam Music Group. It will also be available in a digital format for those who buy music online. A condensed version of the Mariah mag, sans the 14 pages of CD-specific material, will be inserted into 500,000 subscription copies of Elle's October issue, which arrives mid-September. ***"The idea was really simple thinking: 'We sell millions of records, so you should advertise with us,'" said Antonio "L.A." Reid, chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group, a unit of Universal Music Group. "My artists have substantial circulation-when you sell 2 million, 5 million, 8 million, that's a lot of eyeballs. Most magazines aren't as successful as those records." ***Carey was "very open" to the concept when Reid showed her a mock-up of the booklet in a magazine format that included brand imagery synonymous with her lifestyle. "I wouldn't want to do Mariah Carey and Comet abrasive cleaner," Reid said, laughing. "I wanted things that really reflected her taste." ***Reid said the program was unprecedented. Terry Dry, president of Los Angeles-based digital-word-of-mouth marketing agency Fanscape, agreed, saying that the CD booklet advertising is a first, though he wouldn't be surprised if more labels look into doing the same thing: "Hollywood Records [Disney], I know they love to monetize all over the place for something like a Jonas Brothers record. Open any rap record and a couple of inserts will come flying out, usually for a business the artist is a part of. I wouldn't be surprised if 50 Cent had a Vitaminwater thing." ***Labels are looking for ways to eke out extra bucks, borrow equity and cut costs anywhere they can today. Year-to-date album sales were down 13.9 percent for the week ending July 19, 2009, compared with the period last year, according to Nielsen SoundScan (227 million units vs. 195.5 million units). Of those 2009 sales, 18.9 percent, or 41.9 million, were digital. ***Ad revenues are subsidizing 100 percent of Island Records' costs for the Carey booklet, but label execs also see the alliance as a way to expand distribution at a time when the local music store is becoming as rare as the Beatles' "Yesterday and Today" LP with the "Butcher" cover. ***"We don't have music retailers any more, so a smart consumer products company that understands the value in distributing music is going to restore the vitality of our business," Reid speculated. "If we distribute music properly and if it's done tastefully, it could be a huge profit center for all of us. That is the missing link-we need partnerships." ***To underscore the point: At one large retail establishment, partner Elizabeth Arden is allowing the label to cross-promote the release. The CD "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" will be merchandised directly outside Walmart's music aisle with Carey's new signature Arden fragrance, Forever, which has its ad on the booklet's back cover. The CD and scent will also be displayed together in the beauty department. (Billboard)

"MEMOIRS" TO INCLUDE MINI-MAGAZINE AND ADVERTISEMENTS

"MEMOIRS" TO INCLUDE MINI-MAGAZINE AND ADVERTISEMENTS ***It has come to this: Island Def Jam revealed that Mariah Carey's new album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel will feature a 34-page booklet devoted to the diva and produced by Elle magazine, Brand Week reports. It will be stocked with articles like "VIP Access to Her Sexy Love Life" and ads for Elizabeth Arden and the Bahamas Board of Tourism, among others. ***The integration of advertisements is the latest move by record companies to increase revenues as album sales continue to plummet. If the experiment succeeds, ad-packed booklets for Rihanna, Kanye West and Bon Jovi might be next. ***"The idea was really simple thinking: 'We sell millions of records, so you should advertise with us,' " Island Def Jam head Antonio "L.A." Reid said of the promotional deal. "My artists have substantial circulation - when you sell 2 million, 5 million, 8 million, that's a lot of eyeballs. Most magazines aren't as successful as those records." The booklet will also appear in issues of Elle that coincide with the September 15th release of Carey's album and plans are underway to produce a digitized version of the booklet for the digital release. ***Back in January 2008, Rock Daily wrote that then-EMI honcho Guy Hands flirted with the idea of corporate branding an artist, saying "Football [Soccer] teams have very distinct corporate sponsorship. Why shouldn't some of the leading bands have the same sort of relationships?" (Rolling Stone)

MARIAH CAREY READIES "MEMOIRS" RELEASE.

MARIAH CAREY READIES "MEMOIRS" RELEASE ***Mariah Carey is getting ready to release her "Memoirs". No, not a page-turner which might divulge what actually happened with Eminem, but instead her 12th studio LP and the latest in questionable album titles, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel". ***The album features the much talked about first hit single, "Obsessed", which has incited rapper Eminem to release a response record, as well as The-Dream-produced slow burner "H.A.T.E.U." and cover of Foreigner's power ballad "I Want To Know What Love Is". ***Carey has also set up various promo appearances for the album release, including performing "Obsessed" on husband Nick Cannon's hosting gig, "America's Got Talent", her first ever appearance on "VH1 Storytellers", a take over of BET countdown show "106 & Park", and closing out the "Today" show's Summer Concert Series with a special performance. ***The album will be packaged in a softpack which includes the album, an enhanced CD with videos and remixes, and an Elle "mini-magazine" with photos of Mariah. "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" hits stores September 15th. (AHN)

Memoirs: High-Profile Appearances and Album Details!

MARIAH CAREY
Memoirs of an imperfect Angel

As the most successful female recording artist of all time, as well as having written more #1 singles than any woman before her, Mariah Carey occupies her own unique place in music. Following up on the platinum success of E=MC², Mariah is back with Memoirs of an imperfect Angel. This incredible album once again showcases her amazing virtuosity as both vocalist and songwriter.

Partnering once again with C. 'Tricky' Stewart and The-Dream, Mariah's first single "Obsessed" is an amazing track that was immediately the #1 Most Added track at its formats. Together with Brett Ratner-directed video and a national premiere on the NBC hit series America's Got Talent, everyone knows one thing — MARIAH IS BACK! The great early press hits in People and Rolling Stone confirm what we already know...

To launch Memoirs of an imperfect Angel, Mariah will have an unprecented number of high-profile release week appearances, including:

- VH1 Storytellers - this is Mariah's first ever appearance - BET 106 & Park takeover - Star presentation on the Hollywood Walk of Fame - A very special performance on The Today Show to close out their Summer Concert Series

Memoirs of an imperfect Angel, packaged in a beautiful 3 panel softpack, is a must-have for all Mariah fans and will include:

- The CD - A 2nd Enhanced CD featuring the "Obsessed" video, a remix video, and 3 remixes - A 36 page Elle mini-magazine that's an inside look at Mariah

Along with a massive marketing, advertising, and online campaign, Memoirs of an imperfect Angel is positioned to be one of the biggest release of the year!

Memoirs of an imperfect Angel available September 15, 2009

(Universal Music | Vag | MariahDailyJournal)

Get the OBSESSED Ringtone!

Text MARIAH6Q to 30303 to get your OBSESSED ringtone!

The OBSESSED ringtone is one of the hottest ringtones in the world right now. OBSESSED is the newest hit single by Mariah Carey and is the most popular track in America.

Get the OBSESSED ringtone now by texting MARIAH6Q to 30303!

( MariahCarey.com)

Fan Club Presale for Mariah's Vegas Concerts

The official Mariah Carey fan club, Honey B. Fly (HBF) will be having a presale for tickets to Mariah's shows at The Palms in Las Vegas on Sept. 11, Sept. 12, Oct. 9 and Oct. 10.

The presale will start Wednesday, August 5th at 10am PT for Legacy members and then at noon PT for all other members. It will continue until Friday, August 7th at 10pm PT or as long as tickets last.

HBF Members, if this is your first presale, don't forget to check out the FAQs. If you're not already a member and want to participate in the presale, join now for instant club access!

Each Legacy and Community member is allowed to buy up to four tickets for each of the four announced shows. For example, you can buy four tickets for the show on Sept. 11 and four tickets for the show on the Oct. 9 but you cannot buy more than four tickets for any one show.

(MariahCarey.com)