Music Blogs

Mariah Carey is a legitimate superstar. She was named the best-selling female pop artist of the millennium at the 2000 Music Awards. Only the Beatles have had more #1 singles than her. And she's the third-best selling female artist in the history of the United States.

It hasn't always been gravy for Ms. Carey, though... in 2002 she was dropped by her record label and made a widely-panned, low-grossing movie, Glitter. It appeared her career was in irretrievable decline until 2005's hit album, The Emancipation of Mimi. Kanye West, the Neptunes and others joined in on producing, and Mimi was the best-selling album of the year. Mariah was back!

The Mimi tour was the biggest of Mariah's career, and her next LP, E =MC², sold more copies in its first week of release than any of her previous albums did. (The album's clever title evidently refers to "emancipation" and "Mariah Carey squared." It also, of course, hearkens to Albert Einstein's famous science equation).

This week's video is "Bye Bye," from E =MC², which is sitting on top of Y! Music's Top 100 Video Chart even as we write this. The vid appears to be a homage to Mariah's (now-deceased) father, although she has said she hoped "Everybody could kind of be healed by the song and have their own experience listening to it."

Our hope, too! Please enjoy Mariah Carey at her best and let us know what you think!

Important blog note!  It seems we wrote a caption that has enflamed the entire blogosphere! And by that we mean "elicited a dozen or so comments from our great readers!"

It all happened a couple weeks back when we pulled the following Godfather-esque still from Alicia Keys' "Teenage Love Affair" video, and wrote the following caption to accompany it:

After two terms in office, President Obama was most proud of deceiving the nation and enslaving white America.

Well, say!... you would've thought we'd attacked motherhood, apple pie and country, judging by the response we got! (Wait a minute, we guess we did attack "country" a little bit). But, moving on...

Readers were quick to weigh in. Here's a sampling of comments:

Singer4Life said: "Number 4 caption is a little racist in a way. Sorry but doesn't sound appropriate but the other captions are funny." 

Yahoo! Music User was harsher: "yeah i saw the parts degrading Obama as racist too. This guy should get a real life. instead of trying to push his political agendas on music." 

A different (we guess) Yahoo! Music User added: "I also found number 4 to be very insulting. As African Americans we are the last race to want anyone enslaved because we know first hand how it feels. I do however find it very interesting that a caucasian person would want to try and paint Obama in this kind of light."

bignblac was also pissed: "I agree number 4 is very insulting then again you are well aware of an offensive statement since you are of the caucasian race."

staple_93 joined in the chorus, taking a swipe at Framed: "Alicia Keys is a great singer and i also think that caption 4 was kind of wrong. especialy coming from the person that it did. I know that it was supposed to be a joke but it wasnt funny."

Finally, a third Yahoo! Music User said this: "Are you people serious? This is a clever, funny blog. The fact that Obama would enslave the white race during his presidential career is ironic. Moreso, because it plays against the ridiculous claims the the Republican Party and conservative groups insinuate against Mr. Obama."

We're pleased, of course, that--in addition to expert video analysis--Framed is doing a bang-up job of covering and commenting on the presidential race. We urge all of our readers to register to vote, get involved with the process, and work hard for your candidate of choice. Remember, it’s not America until you say it is!

1 - "Dear Diary: Do I vote for McCain, or hope for an even older, crankier and more war-like candidate?"

2 - The ground wins!

3 - "Bad girl, Beyonce! Bad girl!"   

4 - "Should I join the X-Men? Or not join the X-Men??"

5 - "It's OK, son. George Bush can't run again. Seriously."

6 - Maliciously, the candles made light of an otherwise-fine video!

7 - Michael Jackson's "new look" has people talkin'!

8 - Mariah's ability to occupy all nine dimensions simultaneously has actually remade science!

9 - "Oh, I'll fight you, Eclipso!"

10 - Maliciously, the headlamp made light of an... oh, wait.

11 - In a disgusting display of cowardice, appeasers in the balcony surrendered to the Wermacht without a struggle!

12 - "And this is just phase one of my plan to become, quite literally, the cat's pajamas!"

13 - It's entirely possible that Mariah, armed with "superstar knowledge," simply told Jack where the Island is!