User:11JORN/Sandbox4


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 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050310053204/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1496404/20050131/simpson_ashlee.jhtml?headlines=true
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 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050408080133/http://fmqb.com/article.asp?id=16688
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 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050211063528/http://www.nuage9.com/
 * https://books.google.com/books?id=XBQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050410153353/http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2005/1/31/tvnradio/10014706&sec=tvnradio
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050408094557/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/news/ny-etledew4130509feb01,0,6324963.column
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050209215238/http://www.q1047.com/
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050412080125/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1496979/20050215/carey_mariah.jhtml?headlines=true
 * https://www.you.tube.com/watch?v=Z5y_9l7pAuc March 3, 2005
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050407044227/http://listen.163.com/special/mariahcarey/index.jsp - https://web.archive.org/web/20050407024131/http://www.mariahdaily.com/corantofiles/news-archive-3-2005.shtml
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050407024131/http://www.mariahdaily.com/corantofiles/news-archive-3-2005.shtml
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 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050216030207/http://www.uk-flava.com/news/Live/templates/?a=416&z=2
 * https://the97.net/music/its-a-special-occasion-10-years-since-mimis-emancipating-its-like-that/
 * https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/dec/03/mariah-careys-30-greatest-singles-ranked
 * https://www.billboard.com/media/lists/mariah-carey-greatest-songs-top-100-9460564/
 * https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1mRHRHHYbwZ3l3rlPgJDYWW/r-b-icons-celebrating-mariah-carey-and-joe
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050409004045/http://www.melroze.com/music/one.htm
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20050428171336/http://www.vibe.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=250

"It's Like That" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). Written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin, and produced by Carey, Dupri, and Seal. Several other tracks were contenders for the album's lead single. However, plans were changed when Island Def Jam Music head L.A. Reid suggested to Carey she record a few more strong songs to ensure the album's success, thus "It's Like That" was written and chosen as the album's lead single, being released on January 25, 2005.

"It's Like That" is an up-tempo R&B club song filled with elements of hip hop instrumentation that features ad-libs by Fatman Scoop and the song's producer Jermaine Dupri. The focus of the song's lyrics (and Carey's vocal performance) revolve around the notion of Carey leaving behind her worries by going for a night out at the club partying to unwind in addition to rejoicing in her newly acquired sense of liberation; with Carey's alter-ego, known as "Mimi," symbolizing the act of being emancipated in the process. The song received generally favorable reviews from music critics, most of whom noted its catchiness and carefree message. It was also nominated for a 2006 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Commercially, the song charted well worldwide, becoming a top twenty hit in several countries, including the United States, while peaking inside the top-ten in over five other countries.

The song's accompanying music video, directed by Brett Ratner, was filmed as a two-part story with "We Belong Together". In the "It's Like That" video, Carey is shown at a masked party held at the home of her wealthy fiancé (played by Eric Roberts), who watches the party from upstairs but does not attend, when an ex-lover of hers (played by Wentworth Miller) appears. In the "We Belong Together" video, Carey and Robert's characters are getting ready to be married when Miller's character appears again, and Carey runs away with him. The song was heavily promoted by Carey in a number of places, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, BET, VH1 and more, while being performed on several of her concert tours.

Background
In 2001, Carey released her debut film Glitter, which was met with an overwhelmingly negative response critically and commercially, followed by personal and professional struggles. Its accompanying soundtrack of the same name fared slightly better, spawning a top-five single in the United States and selling over three million units globally. After posting a personally expressive letter on her official site, Carey checked into a hospital in Connecticut because of an "emotional and physical breakdown". Following the events, Virgin Records bought out Carey's unprecedented $100 million USD recording contract. The company paid her $50 million to part ways. Carey flew to Capri, Italy, after her two-week hospitalization. During her five-month stay, she began to write a new studio album, using experiences she had gone through in recent months as inspirational themes.

After being signed by Island Records and starting her own imprint, MonarC Entertainment, Carey released her intended "comeback" album Charmbracelet (2002). However, the album failed to revive her career, receiving mixed reviews and failing to spawning a hit in the US, but sold considerably well. After enduring three years of "carping" from critics, Carey planned her return to music. On November 18, 2004, she revealed on her website that she would return to music and announced that the album would be called The Emancipation of Mimi, stating, "For the first time in my life, I feel free and unashamed to be who I really am," she wrote. "I am celebrating that I've grown into a person and artist who no longer feels imprisoned by my insecurities ... I can now honestly say, 'This is me, the real me, take it or leave it'."

Development
By November 2004, Carey had already recorded several songs for the album. Following this, her record company head L.A. Reid suggested Carey travel to Atlanta for a period of three days to work with Jermaine Dupri as he thought they had recorded some of the singer's best work together. The duo wrote and produced "Shake It Off" and "Get Your Number", which were eventually released as the album's third and fourth singles. When Reid heard the Dupri-helmed songs, Carey recalled, "He was like, 'Oh no! Now we've got to change the single, make these singles one and two'", and she agreed. "Nobody could tell me that 'Shake It Off' wasn't going to be my first single. It was my favorite song, just from the demo". Dupri had quickly sized up what he felt the album needed. "The records that I made are very melodic records, regardless of their hip-hop influence," Dupri said. "I think that's what she was missing." Carey returned to Atlanta for a second meeting with Dupri; during this trip, Carey and Dupri penned the last two songs to be included on the album, "We Belong Together" and "It's Like That". The latter was selected as the album's lead single as Reid envisioned a song "with a little bit of tempo" to start, while Carey considered "the right fire-starter".

Release
Originally, "Stay the Night" or "Say Somethin'" were considered to be the album's lead single. However, following Carey's sessions with Dupri in Atlanta, "It's Like That" was chosen instead. In early 2005, "It's Like That" was leaked to several radio stations across the United States, with no formal annoucement it was the album's lead single. It aired first on Hot 97 in New York City; after the leak, over 40 stations begun playing the track. On January 11, a sound clip of the wong was posted on her official website, while members of her official fanclub, Honey B. Fly, were granted access to the full song. Ultimately, "It's Like That" was sent to mainstream and rhythmic radio in the United States on January 25, 2005, as the lead single of The Emancipation of Mimi.

A nine-track EP containing remixes of the song was released to streaming services on January 29, 2021.

Recording and composition
"It's Like That" was written and produced by Carey, Dupri, and Manuel Seal, with additional writing by Johntá Austin. It features additional rap verses by Dupri and Fatman Scoop. Maryann and Sherry Tatum were featured as background vocalists on the track, while engineering was done by Brian Garten and John Horesco IV, with assistance by Tado Mingo. It was recorded at Right Track Studios in New York and at Southside Studios in Atlanta, with mixing being done by Phil Tan, while being mastered by Herb Powers at The Hit Factory in New York, along with all tracks present on The Emancipation of Mimi.

Musically, "It's Like That" is a hip hop-influenced R&B and club song. It is set in common time with funky R&B tempo and a metronome of 100 beats per minute. The track is set in the key of A minor, with Carey's vocals spanning from G3 to D5. It starts with "hand claps and a playful whistle" accompanied by Dupri's ad-libs for four bars, until Carey starts singing over "hand claps and throbbing bass, while the chorus spawns a chord progression with strings and piano". The song ends with a call and response chant by Fatman Scoop, "Let's go now, what?!". Julianne Escobedo Shepherd of Pitchfork wrote that the drum machine present on the song "has a dinky clink at first, a common tic in the crunk era, but it’s a proportionate amount of dink that allows Carey to soar between the kick drums and cowbell". Newsday's columnist Glenn Gamboa noted the "sheer lack of Mariah-ness" on the song: "No high-end screams. No overwrought high notes. Just laid-back cool". The lyrics talk about Carey going out for the night at the club to relax and forget her troubles, refusing to give in to stress, strife and sadness. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine went further, writing that in the song Carey arrives at the party "already shit-faced": "I came to have a party/Open off that Bacardi…Purple taking me higher/I'm lifted and I like it."

Mariah Carey's album catalog is a celebration of girliness: Charmbracelet, Rainbow, Butterfly, uh, Glitter. But the title of her new album, due out April 12, shows a flash of rebellion: The Emancipation of Mimi. And there's more in the classically rhymed lyric of "It's Like That," her current single: "It's a special occasion/ Mimi's emancipation/ A cause for celebration." Does anybody have a clue here?

From Mimi’s opening track, “It’s Like That,” Carey signals her desire to put an end to the past. Over Dupri’s whistling synths and drum machine, she sets a boundary, drawing the line at “stress” and “fights”: “Mimi’s emancipation/A cause for celebration,” she chirps. “I ain’t gonna let nobody’s drama bother me.”. On the triple-time verses, she telegraphs that no matter her superstar status, her ears are angled toward the club: “All the fellas keep lookin’ at us/Me and my girls on the floor like, what?/While the DJ keeps on spinnin’ our cut,” she sings, cocksure in a fashion that would inspire two decades of dancefloors to mimic her pose, before unforgettably rhyming “Caution, it’s so explosive” with “Them chickens is ash and I’m lotion.”

The mood is established right away, with the Jermaine Dupri–produced single “It’s Like That.” It’s a spare club bumper—the verses feature little more than a thudding bass-drum and the odd old-school ping—that opens up into a lilting chorus: “It’s my night/No stress/No fights/I’m leaving it all behind.” Here’s the part where the old Carey would have unleashed a terrifying, ululating, highly stressful series of vocal variations on the theme of stress-free living. But she lays back, content to croon, and the song glides enchantingly past.

“It’s Like That” was something very different: a swaggering, of-the-moment, Run-DMC-sampling crowd-pleaser that featured rapper Fatman Scoop on top form. Mariah was most definitely – and defiantly – back on track.

Ditto for Dupri's Middle Eastern thump and tingle " It's Like That." Yep, you've heard the minimalistic beat incorporating faux snake charmer flute over stripped down bass and drum, plus the "like that ch'all" call-n-response is a throwback. But it's funky and Ms. C drops a sultry dime.

Dupri does offer a hot beat for “It’s Like That” even if the song pales in comparison to Carey’s past hits.

it had replaced the shuffling “Stay The Night” on the release schedule – a sound move as, effective as it is, that song largely retrod ground covered in Mariah’s run of slick 90s singles.

“It’s Like That,” a sleek and winding club track with party-up exhortations from Dupri and from Fatman Scoop. “It’s Like That” was the no-more-drama signal. It was catchy and immediate without being too thirsty, and it found Mariah sounding joyous and unbothered.

Radio beats such as It’s Like That and We Belong Together, are already getting good spins and plenty of requests from local listeners. They take us, along with Mariah, back to her roots — when she was just a girl with a good voice and danceable songs.

The first single from The Emancipation of Mimi is a swaggering statement of revitalised intent, its backing – complete with what sound like tabla drums and an oriental flute sample – keying into the Timbaland/Neptunes-led early 2000s vogue for stark, experimental R&B, the hook as naggingly memorable as they come.

The first, club-ready single off Emancipation, It's Like That, was produced by longtime friend Jermaine Dupri. "I'm really excited about it -- Jermaine and I have such great chemistry in the studio," Carey says. "This song to me is a fun party record, like 'We're just going out, having a good time and not being stressed about anything.'"

The first single, "It's Like That," is an aggressive, off-kilter joint with a harshly stiff beat, produced by Jermaine Dupri. Obviously, this is the kind of tune that's going to solidify her comeback to the MTV crowd. Carey's voice adds a thick layer of gloss to Dupri's heavy bass. Her phrasing is more staccato than ever, and her interplay with late-night New York radio personality Fatman Scoop on the outro gives this song a credible hip hop feel.

Critical reception
The song received mostly favorable reviews from music critics. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine picked the song as a highlight from The Emancipation of Mimi. Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian wrote a positive review for the song, praising the "headbanging Fatman Scoop rap", also noting that "Carey is very much a presence, unfurling her three octaves judiciously." Keith Caulfield from Billboard magazine assured that "Mariah Carey finally returns with a certifiably hot track. It's Like That is a sparse, bass-heavy, beat-driven cut that is primed for radio and dancefloors". Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly described the song as "almost as cool as Run-DMC song (which shares the same title), with Carey fantasizing about easing into a nightclub buzzed on Bacardi. 'No stress, no fights,' she sings, making it sound like a trip to a vacation spa." Vibe editor Dimitri Enrlich wrote that the song is an "aggressive, off kilter joint with harshly stiff beat", pointing out that it was going to solidify comeback to her MTV crowd."

Daniel Incognito of Sputnikmusic wrote that the song "offers another example of Carey taking the entire workload, and pulling it off with variety and a delicate touch." Jozen Cummings of PopMatters wrote a very positive reception, commenting that the song "is the perfect introduction for the rest of the album’s carefree feel," stating that the song "is able to go from catchy to infectious status." Adam Webb of BBC Music wrote the track "successfully re-writes Christina Aguilera's career blueprint, that even a typically bull-in-a-china-shop contribution from Fatman Scoop can't ruin it." The New York Times editor Jon Pareles wrote a more mixed review, calling it "a come-on set to bare-bones electro from the producer Jermaine Dupri to stay contemporary, sometimes reducing her voice to the processed nasality of Britney Spears."

https://www.salon.com/2005/05/12/mariah_mimi/

Accolades
In 2006, "It's Like That" received a nomination for a Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone". Raneisha Wilkinson of The Celebrity Cafe placed the song at number 5 among her "Top 10 Songs", calling it an enjoyable "catchy club banger song." Mark Graham of VH1 ranked the song at number 11 on her "43 Best Songs" list.

Chart performance
In the United States, "It's Like That" debuted at number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on the week of January 29, 2005. It became Carey's highest debut on the chart in almost five years, since "Crybaby" (2000), as well as her first appearance as a solo artist since "Through the Rain" (2002). It eventually peaked at number 16, and spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart. Similarly, the song debuted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 58, her highest debut since "Heartbreaker" (1999) and her highest peak as a leading artist since "Don't Stop (Funkin' 4 Jamaica)" (2001), eventually reaching number 17. It also reached number nine on the Rhythmic, while topping the Dance Club Songs charts. The single later received a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 6, 2005, denoting shipments of 500,000 copies across the country.

In the United Kingdom, "It's Like That" entered at number four on the week ending on April 9, 2005, spending 15 weeks inside the chart; it gave Carey her highest-charting single in the region since "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" with Westlife in 2000. In November 2018, it was revealed by the Official Charts Company that the song was Carey's 20th biggest single in the United Kingdom. "It's Like That" received a silver certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting sales of over 200,000 copies in the country.

Remixes
An official remix produced by Scott Storch has a more Middle Eastern flavor and a rap by Fat Joe. Dance remixes, with re-recorded vocals by Carey, were produced by David Morales. Peter Rauhofer and Pound Boys (a.k.a. Mayhem & Craig C.) also remixed "It's Like That", but their remixes were not released. Because many singles by 2005 did not have commercial CD single releases, the remixes were only released on twelve-inch vinyl maxi single. Two maxi singles were released.

Music video
Carey initially wanted Paul Hunter to direct the music video for "It's Like That"; however, Brett Ratner, who had previously directed Carey's videos for "Heartbreaker" and "Thank God I Found You" (1999), was chosen as the director instead. It was filmed at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, California on February 10–11, 2005. The video was filmed simultaneously with follow-up single, "We Belong Together". Carey explained the story and the connection between the two videos: "In the beginning you sort of see me in this fabulous mansion at this party and you see the different characters and the story unfold as we're in there, which takes us to the part two of "We Belong Together" which further explains the story and comes out to this surprise ending".

It features a party at a mansion on the night before Carey's character's wedding to the owner of the mansion (Eric Roberts). Several guests are seen wearing masks, and there are celebrity cameo appearances by Brian McKnight, Randy Jackson, and the two featured rappers on the track, Dupri and Fatman Scoop. Carey is singing along to Fatman Scoop's outro rap when she sees a party guest (played by Wentworth Miller) taking off his mask and revealing himself to be an ex-lover of hers. The video ends on a cliffhanger, which leads to the video for the album's second single, "We Belong Together".

Formats and track listings
European CD single
 * 1) "It's Like That" (Main) – 3:25
 * 2) "It's Like That" (David Morales Radio Mix) – 3:24

International maxi-CD single
 * 1) "It's Like That" (Main) – 3:25
 * 2) "It's Like That" (No Rap) – 3:04
 * 3) "It's Like That" (David Morales Club Mix) – 8:27
 * 4) "It's Like That" (David Morales Classic Mix) – 8:59
 * 5) "It's Like That" (Stereo Experience) – 10:45

French limited edition enhanced CD single
 * 1) "It's Like That" (Main Version) – 3:23
 * 2) "Sprung" (Inédit) – 3:25
 * 3) "It's Like That" (Video)

UK 12-inch vinyl
 * A1. "It's Like That" (Main Version) – 3:24
 * A2. "It's Like That" (No Rap) – 3:03
 * B. "It's Like That" (David Morales Club Remix) – 8:27

Japanese maxi-CD single
 * 1) "It's Like That" (Main) – 3:24
 * 2) "It's Like That" (No Rap) – 3:03
 * 3) "It's Like That" (David Morales Radio Mix) – 3:25
 * 4) "It's Like That" (David Morales Club Mix) – 8:26

US 12-inch vinyl 1 (Remixes by David Morales)
 * A. "It's Like That" (David Morales Club Mix) – 8:27
 * B. "It's Like That" (Stereo Experience) – 10:45

US 12-inch vinyl 2 (Remix by Scott Storch)
 * A1. "It's Like That" (Album Version) – 3:23
 * A2. "It's Like That" (Instrumental) – 3:22
 * B1. "It's Like That" (Remix) – 3:32
 * B2. "It's Like That" (Remix Instrumental) – 3:34

It's Like That EP
 * 1) "It's Like That" (Main Mix) – 3:23
 * 2) "It's Like That" (No Rap) – 3:02
 * 3) "It's Like That" (Instrumental) – 3:22
 * 4) "It's Like That" (feat. Fat Joe) [Scott Storch Remix] – 3:32
 * 5) "It's Like That" (Scott Storch Remix Instrumental) – 3:34
 * 6) "It's Like That" (David Morales Classic Mix) – 8:58
 * 7) "It's Like That" (David Morales Club Mix) – 8:26
 * 8) "It's Like That" (David Morales Radio Mix) – 3:24
 * 9) "It's Like That" (Stereo Experience) – 10:45