Up Out My Face

Last updated

"Up Out My Face"
Song by Mariah Carey
from the album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
ReleasedSeptember 29, 2009
Recorded2009
Studio
  • California (The Boom Boom Room; Larrabee)
  • New York (Honeywest Studios)
Length3:41
Label Island Def Jam
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Carey
  • Stewart
  • Nash

"Even though this version [...] was originally meant to be included on the Angel Advocate remix album that never materialized, the buoyant clap-back anthem with Mariah and her future American Idol co-star/frenemy took off with its own set of wings. The Nicki Minaj-assisted hit serves up a double whammy that hoisted the song onto the Hot 100, like both stars' scornful hand gesture from the dolled-up music video."

— Heran Mamo, Billboard writer [21]

Upon release, the song received generally positive reviews. Bill Lamb of Dotdash placed "Up Out My Face" in his list of the album's top four tracks. [12] Although J. Edward Keyes of Newsday described the track as "exuberant", he was critical of its placement on the album: "The production, courtesy of the reliable Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, feels boilerplate at best. At 17 songs, the record is far too long, and by the time the exuberant 'Up Out My Face' arrives, it feels like it was grafted on from a better record." [22] Ann Powers of Los Angeles Times thought that Carey lacked conviction in her approach to the song, writing that despite its aggressive tone, "restraint stops serving her agenda". [23]

Similar to the original track, the remix had a blended reception. The Washington Post Alison Stewart praised the track, writing that the addition of Minaj made it more lively: "Sometime in the past six months, Minaj became the go-to girl for artists who wanted to add some skank to their tracks without sullying themselves in the process. Here, she enlivens an otherwise polite track from Carey's upcoming remix disc". [24] Robbie Daw of Idolator felt that the track was too reminiscent to one of Carey's previous singles "Don't Forget About Us", which he thought in turn was very similar to another preceding single, "We Belong Together". He contained to add "But still, if Mimi's going to mine from her own extensive back catalog of ballads, those are the primo melodies to go for." [15]

Billboard placed the remix at number 28 on their 100 Greatest Mariah Carey Song list in 2020, during the release of Carey's The Rarities . [21]

Live performances

Carey has performed the solo version of the song many times on the Angels Advocate Tour. [25] [26] She also performed the song on her four-evening promotional concert residency, Live at the Pearl, which was among nine other songs released on an iTunes digital album in 2014, called At the Pearl Palms Concert Theatre. [27]

Music video

Nicki Minaj (pictured) was featured on the remix of the song and praised Carey for working with her MinajHammersteinBallroomNYC.jpg
Nicki Minaj (pictured) was featured on the remix of the song and praised Carey for working with her

Background

The accompanying music video for the remix of "Up Out My Face" was directed by Carey's husband, Nick Cannon. [28] Minaj spoke about filming a video with Carey and how she did not believe that the video would ever be released: "I didn't even tell anyone I shot a video with Mariah, because I didn't even believe. In the back of my mind, I felt like, 'This video is not gonna come out. There's no way I'm gonna do a video with Mariah Carey before I even put out my album.' Then, when it came out, I think it was the number one video on YouTube in one day, something crazy like that." [3] It premiered simultaneously with the video for "Angels Cry" with Ne-Yo on Vevo on January 28, 2010. [28]

Synopsis

Carey and Minaj play different characters, including Barbie dolls who escape from their boxes, sexy nurses in matching outfits, two women in a nail salon and two divas shopping. Carey's doll box has "She sings" written on the front, while Minaj's say "She raps". Cannon makes a cameo appearance in the video, which Chris Ryan of MTV Buzzworthy thought was a reference to the 2002 film, Drumline . [16] According to Anna Pickard of The Guardian , the escape from their packaging demonstrates a theme of being independent women and that they will not be restrained by men. [29]

Reception

Melina Newman of HitFix thought that it looked like one of Carey's lowest-production budgets for a music video to date, but explained that it was not necessarily "a bad thing", and that Carey looked "adorable" in a nurses outfit. [28] She likened the use of a red and white color scheme for the video to a Target commercial. [28] Furthermore, the red and white aesthetic of the music video led many fans to also compare it to a "Target commercial", especially with the scenes involving Barbie doll-like characters, shopping carts, as well as Mariah Carey's Jack Russell terrier Jack reminding some of the Target mascot bull terrier. [30] Anna Pickard commented that Carey and Minaj looked "grumpier" than what dolls usually do because "their men are low-down dirty dogs who should henceforth get up out of Mimi and Nicki's faces". [29] She compared the use of a red and white palette to Kylie Minogue's music video for "Can't Get You Out of My Head", Cheryl Cole's "Fight for This Love" and Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance", and that it appeared to be a "go-to device for directors who want their pop video to pop visually, without the need for too much pesky plot to worry about". [29] Minaj herself went on to praise Carey in an interview with MTV News noting that,

"A lot of times, more famous artists or more confident artists take from a younger artist but they’ll never include you in that. I feel like she liked the whole doll thing and she wanted to do it with me. But she said that: She said, 'Everybody’s gonna say 'she’s doing Nicki.' But I told her, she’s always had a doll persona, like all that 'doll baby' [stuff]. So it goes perfect with Barbie and we had fun. That's all that matters". [3]

Chris Ryan thought that Minaj outshined Carey in the video. [16] In a review of Minaj's ten best videos in December 2014, Rolling Stone ranked the video for "Up Out My Face" at number eight, and wrote that Carey and Minaj had "great on-camera chemistry". [31]

Charts

"Up Out My Face"
Up Out My Face Mariah Carey.png
Single by Mariah Carey featuring Nicki Minaj
ReleasedJanuary 26, 2010 (2010-01-26)
Recorded2009
Studio
  • California (The Boom Boom Room; Larrabee)
  • New York (Honeywest Studios)
Length4:23(main version)
3:58 (radio edit)
Label Island Def Jam
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Carey
  • Stewart
  • Nash
Mariah Carey singles chronology
"H.A.T.E.U."
(2009)		"Up Out My Face"
(2010)		"Angels Cry"
(2010)
Nicki Minaj singles chronology
"BedRock"
(2009)		"Up Out My Face"
(2010)		"Knockout"
(2010)
Chart (2009-10)Peak
position
South Korea International (Gaon) [32] 25
US Billboard Hot 100 [33] 100
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) [34] 39

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [35] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabel
United StatesJanuary 26, 2010 Rhythmic contemporary [4] Island Records
Urban contemporary [5]
February 16, 2010 Digital download [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariah Carey</span> American singer (born 1969)

Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. An influential figure in music, she is known for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whistle register. Referred to as the "Songbird Supreme" by Guinness World Records, she was ranked as the fifth greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023.

Diane Martel is an American music video director and choreographer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariah Carey videography</span>

American R&B singer Mariah Carey has had an extensive career in film and television throughout her career, in addition to "hundreds of music videos, a dozen or so feature films, and several TV guest-appearances". After topping charts, filming and directing multiple music videos for well-acclaimed songs such as "Vision of Love" and "Fantasy" throughout the 1990s, Carey made her big-screen debut in the rom-com, The Bachelor (1999). In 2001, Carey starred in Glitter which followed the story of Billie Frank, a young woman rising to fame as a pop-star, and was released on September 21, 2001. It was a major commercial failure and critical flop being ranked number 21 on IMDb's Bottom 100 Movies of All Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicki Minaj</span> Trinidadian-born rapper (born 1982)

Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, known professionally as Nicki Minaj, is a Trinidadian-born rapper, singer, and songwriter based in the United States. Often referred to as the "Queen of Rap", she is known for her dynamic rap flow, witty lyrics, musical versatility, and alter egos. She first gained recognition after releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009.

<i>Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel</i> 2009 studio album by Mariah Carey

Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 29, 2009 in the United States, by Island Records. After promotion for her previous album, E=MC² (2008) ended, Carey began to work on a new album, producing songs with Terius "The-Dream" Nash and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, and revealed the album's title through Twitter. Carey said that Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel would have "big ballads", and that "each song is its own snapshot of a moment in a story".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Obsessed (Mariah Carey song)</span> 2009 single by Mariah Carey

"Obsessed" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). The song was written and produced by Carey, Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, and was released as the album's lead single on June 16, 2009, by Island Records. The song draws musical influences from contemporary R&B and hip hop, and is built around a thumping bassline. Additionally, the song is accentuated by hand claps, while Carey's voice is processed with Auto-Tune. Lyrically, the song describes Carey's dilemma regarding constant claims of a prior relationship from rapper Eminem, although he is not specifically mentioned.

"H.A.T.E.U." is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). It was written and produced by Carey, Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream. It was released as the third single from the album on November 1, 2009, for radio airplay in the United States. It is a down-tempo R&B love song about Carey wishing for the love and pain she feels from a break-up to turn into hate so she can get over the relationship. The song garnered a positive response from music critics, with many ranking it amongst the best on the album. The song's music video was directed by Brett Ratner in Malibu, and features Carey in a variety of swimsuits walking along the beach. She has performed the track live on Today and Late Show with David Letterman. "H.A.T.E.U." reached number 72 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angels Cry (song)</span> 2010 single by Mariah Carey featuring Ne-Yo

"Angels Cry" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). It was written and produced by Carey, Tricky Stewart and James "Big Jim" Wright, with additional songwriting from Crystal Johnson. On the album's track listing, "Angels Cry" is preceded by a one-minute, four second prelude called "Angel ", which consists of Carey performing purely in her whistle register. The prelude then leads into "Angels Cry", a song about trying to fix a broken relationship because true love only happens once. Carey released "Angels Cry" as a remix single featuring Ne-Yo in January 2010 for a proposed Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel remix album called Angels Advocate, which was ultimately shelved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your Love (Nicki Minaj song)</span> 2010 song by Nicki Minaj

"Your Love" is a song by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on June 1, 2010 by Young Money, Cash Money, and Universal Motown as the lead single from her debut studio album, Pink Friday (2010). It replaced the previously-released "Massive Attack" featuring Sean Garrett as the lead single of the album, after its underwhelming commercial performance a month earlier. A remix featuring British singer Jay Sean was released on August 2, 2010.

<i>Pink Friday</i> 2010 studio album by Nicki Minaj

Pink Friday is the debut studio album by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on November 22, 2010, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Motown Records. After signing a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment in 2009, Minaj began planning the album that same year and work continued into 2010. Minaj enlisted a variety of producers whose efforts resulted in a primarily hip hop and pop, album, in which sees additional influences from electronic music. The album features guest vocals from Eminem, Rihanna, Drake, will.i.am, Kanye West, and Natasha Bedingfield. Over a decade since its release, Pink Friday continues to attract wide praise from mainstream and hip hop critics alike and has developed a cult following.

<i>Merry Christmas II You</i> 2010 studio album by Mariah Carey

Merry Christmas II You is the thirteenth studio album and second Christmas album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released by Island Records on November 2, 2010. Recording began in April 2010 and continued while Carey became pregnant. She was the executive producer of Merry Christmas II You and worked with various record producers, including Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Randy Jackson, James Poyser, Marc Shaiman, James "Big Jim" Wright and Johnny "Sev" Severin of RedOne. The album features Carey's mother Patricia Carey as a guest vocalist on "O Come All Ye Faithful" / "Hallelujah Chorus". The album serves as a sequel to her fourth studio album Merry Christmas (1994). It is composed of original songs and covers, ballads and uptempo tracks, incorporating R&B, soul, and house music in its composition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monster (Kanye West song)</span> 2010 song by Kanye West

"Monster" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the third single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). The song features rappers Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj, along with indie folk group Bon Iver. All five credited acts have writing credits on the posse cut, with the production handled by West and Mike Dean. The instrumental is atmospheric and drum-heavy, and the lyrics reflect influences from horror films, creating an eerie composition which drew critical comparisons to the Michael Jackson track "Thriller".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman's Revenge</span> 2010 song by Nicki Minaj

"Roman's Revenge" is a song by Trinidadian-born rapper Nicki Minaj featuring American rapper Eminem, performing as their respective alter egos Roman Zolanski and Slim Shady. Taken from her debut studio album Pink Friday (2010), written alongside producer Swizz Beatz. It was released exclusively on October 30, 2010 through the United States iTunes Store, as a promotional release preceding the album's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stupid Hoe</span> 2011 song by Nicki Minaj

"Stupid Hoe" is a song by Trinidadian-American rapper and singer Nicki Minaj. The song was written by Minaj and DJ Diamond Kuts, the latter of which handled the production. It was released through Cash Money Records on December 20, 2011, from Minaj's second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012), two weeks after the release of the album's first promotional single "Roman in Moscow".

"Betcha Gon' Know (The Prologue)" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey, from her twelfth studio album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). It was co-written and co-produced by Carey, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, James "Big Jim" Wright and The-Dream. The song was recorded at several recording locations, including The Boom Boom Room in Burbank, California, the Studio at the Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada and at Honeywest Studios in New York City. The lyrics revolve around the idea of outing a cheating boyfriend publicly on television, and Carey makes a reference to Oprah Winfrey and her chat show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boys (Nicki Minaj and Cassie song)</span> 2012 single by Nicki Minaj and Cassie

"The Boys" is a song by rapper Nicki Minaj and American singer Cassie. It was released on September 13, 2012 by Young Money, Cash Money and Universal Republic as the lead single from the reissue of Minaj's second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up (2012). It was written by Minaj, Anjulie Persaud, Jonas Jeberg and Jean Baptiste, and produced by the latter two. It was Minaj's last single to be released by Universal Republic before the label went defunct and its artists roster moved to the revived Republic Records. Initially a track recorded by Cassie for her second studio album under the title "Money on Love," it was subsequently played for Minaj during sessions for The Re-Up, who decided to keep Cassie's vocals but wrote her own verses with certain production portions also being re-worked.

<i>Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse</i> 2014 studio album by Mariah Carey

Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse is the fourteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on May 27, 2014 in the United States, by Def Jam Recordings. The record had been in development since 2011; during its production, Carey hired collaborator Randy Jackson to manage her career, before firing and replacing him with another frequent collaborator, Jermaine Dupri. The album consists of guest appearances from Nas, Miguel, Wale, and Fabolous, in addition to Carey's twins Moroccan and Monroe. On the deluxe edition of the album, R. Kelly and Mary J. Blige respectively make appearances on remixes of two songs, "Betcha Gon’ Know" and "It's a Wrap", taken from Carey's twelfth studio album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). These remixes were originally intended to appear on Carey's cancelled remix album, Angel's Advocate (2010).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's a Wrap</span> 2023 single by Mariah Carey

"It's a Wrap" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey for her twelfth studio album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). It is a doo wop-inflected R&B breakup song with minimal instrumentation and features lyrics about dismissing a lover. The track samples "I Belong to You" by Love Unlimited, whose writer Barry White is credited on "It's a Wrap" along with Carey. She produced it with Heatmyzer and previous collaborators Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and James "Big Jim" Wright. A remix features additional vocals by American singer Mary J. Blige.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Check It Out (will.i.am and Nicki Minaj song)</span> 2010 single by will.i.am and Nicki Minaj

"Check It Out" is a song performed by American rapper will.i.am and Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. The hip hop and electropop song, written by will.i.am and Minaj, samples the 1979 hit single "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles. After release, it debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at No. 78 and on the Canadian Hot 100 at No. 48. It appears on Minaj's first album, Pink Friday, though it was not released to promote the album. The special remix released in the UK features the British recording artist Cheryl Cole. The song peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. By December 2013, it has sold 780,000 digital downloads.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hasty, Kate (March 22, 2010). "Mariah Carey's 'Angels Advocate' remix album served indefinitely". HitFix. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Vena, Jocelyn (January 15, 2010). "Mariah Carey's Angels Advocate Release Date Pushed Back". MTV News . Retrieved September 17, 2015.[ dead link ]
  3. 1 2 3 Reid, Shaheem (February 8, 2010). "Nicki Minaj Loved Making 'Up Out My Face' Video With Mariah Carey". MTV News. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Rhythmic Contemporary Week Of: January 26, 2010". Radio & Records . January 26, 2010. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Urban Contemporary Week Of: January 26, 2010". Radio & Records. January 26, 2010. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "Up Out My Face (feat. Nicki Minaj) – Single". iTunes Store. February 16, 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  7. ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (March 23, 2010). "Mariah Carey: 'Angels Advocate' remix album cancelled". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Mariah Carey scraps Angels Advocate remix album". Metro . March 24, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  9. ↑ Carey, Mariah (2009). Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (Liner Notes). Island Records (Compact Disc). Mariah Carey. New York City, New York.
  10. 1 2 3 "Mariah Carey – Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel". iTunes Store . September 29, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  11. 1 2 Rosen, Jody (September 28, 2009). "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel". Rolling Stone . Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  12. 1 2 Lamb, Bill. "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel". About.com. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  13. 1 2 3 Mansfield, Brian (September 24, 2009). "Review: 'Angel,' while imperfect, flies high nonetheless". USA Today . Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  14. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (September 23, 2009). "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel". Slant Magazine . Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 Daw, Robbie (January 8, 2010). "Nicki Minaj Sasses Up Carey's Up Out My Face". Idolator . Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  16. 1 2 3 Ryan, Chris (January 28, 2010). "New Videos: Mariah Carey, 'Up Out My Face,' Featuring Nicki Minaj & 'Angels Cry' Featuring Ne-Yo". MTV Buzzworthy. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Adaso, Brian. "A Brief Timeline of Eminem vs. Mariah Carey". About.com . Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "A History Of Eminem And Mariah Carey's Relationship". Complex . August 1, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  19. ↑ Jenkins, Sacha (2008). The Way I Am. United States: New American Library. ISBN   978-0752888668.
  20. ↑ Green, Andy (October 21, 2008). "Book Review: Slim Shady Breaks His Silence in 'Eminem: The Way I Am'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  21. 1 2 "100 Greatest Mariah Carey Songs". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  22. ↑ Keyes, J. Edward (September 28, 2009). "Mariah Carey's imperfect 'Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel'". Newsday . Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  23. ↑ Powers, Ann (September 29, 2009). "Album review: Mariah Carey's 'Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  24. ↑ Stewart, Allison (January 12, 2010). "Reviews of singles from Justin Vernon, Mariah Carey, Maino, Quasi and Tony Yayo". The Washington Post . Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Review: Mariah Carey at Oracle | A+E Interactive". Blogs.mercurynews.com. February 27, 2010. Archived from the original on May 9, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  26. ↑ Downey, Ryan J. (February 24, 2010). "Mariah Carey Wows Crowd, Pokes Fun At Herself At L.A. Show – News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News". Mtv.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  27. ↑ "At the Pearl Palms Concert Theatre (Live) by Mariah Carey" – via itunes.apple.com.
  28. 1 2 3 4 Newman, Melinda (January 28, 2010). "Mariah Carey debuts two new videos from forthcoming remix album". HitFix . Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  29. 1 2 3 Pickard, Anna (February 11, 2010). "Pickard of the Pops: Mariah Carey Up Out My Face". The Guardian . Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  30. ↑ ""Is This A Target Commercial Or A Mariah Carey Music Video?"". MTV . Archived from the original on September 8, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Vid It On'em: Nicki Minaj's 10 Best Clips". Rolling Stone. December 30, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  32. ↑ "2010년 11주차 Digital Chart - 국외". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  33. ↑ "Mariah Carey Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. May 3, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Mariah Carey Awards". AllMusic . 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  35. ↑ "American single certifications – Mariah Carey – Up Out My Face". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved September 26, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.