PRESS RELEASE: MARIAH AT THE PALMS, LAS VEGAS July 31, 2009 Superstar to perform special engagement at the Pearl Concert Theater at the Palms Casino Resort With worldwide sales of more than 175 million albums, Mariah Carey – the most successful female recording artist in history – is set to perform the most intimate shows of her career in a special engagement at The Pearl Concert Theater inside the Palms Casino Resort. These performances will take place on Friday, September 11; Saturday, September 12; Friday, October 9 and Saturday October 10, 2009. Show time for each performance is 8 pm. These once-in-a-lifetime, up-close-and-personal performances at The Pearl are the first of its kind and surround the highly anticipated release of Mariah's latest album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel which features the current hit single "Obsessed." "Obsessed" was written and produced by Mariah, The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, who are responsible for the majority of tracks on the new album. Memoirs is scheduled to arrive on September 15, 2009. Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, the 12th studio album of Mariah's career, is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to her RIAA platinum-selling album E=MC² (released April 15, 2008), and her worldwide 10 million selling The Emancipation Of Mimi (released April 12, 2005). Both were Soundscan #1 debut albums that made chart history for Mariah in the U.S. and numerous territories around the globe. The Emancipation Of Mimi generated three Grammy awards (including Best Contemporary R&B Album), two #1 singles and countless more honors during its 18-month chart stay. The album debuted at #1 with first week sales of 404,000 copies, Mariah's highest first week sales total (until E=MC²). Soundscan's biggest-selling album of 2005, Mimi featured "We Belong Together" (Grammy winner for Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song) and "Don't Forget About Us," Mariah's 16th and 17th #1 career singles respectively. They tied one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley's 17 #1's. Three years later, E=MC² debuted at #1 with first week sales of 463,000 copies, which now stands as the highest first week sales total of Mariah's career. The album's success brought total sales of Mariah's albums, singles and videos to more than 175 million worldwide, distancing her even further from the pack as the top-selling female recording artist in history. E=MC² spun off four singles: "Touch My Body," "Bye Bye," "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time," and "I Stay In Love." Of these, "Touch My Body" made history when it became Mariah's 18th #1 Hot 100 hit, thus surpassing Elvis Presley. The track's two weeks at the top also marked Mariah's 78th and 79th cumulative career weeks at #1, which tied Elvis' long-standing all-time high of 79 weeks at #1, as calculated in Billboard.com. At the same time, Mariah is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles' all-time high of 20 #1 hits. This event is presented by Andrew Hewitt and Live Nation. The Pearl Box Office is open from noon – 7:00 pm. daily. Doors will open at 7:00 pm. and show time is 8:00 pm. Show dates: Friday, September 11, 2009 at 8:00 pm, Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 8:00 pm, Friday, October 10, 2009 at 8:00 pm, Saturday, October 11, 2009 at 8:00 pm. On-sale date: Saturday, August 8, 2009 at noon. Prices: $254, $179 and $129, plus any additional service fees. On-sale locations: The Pearl Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.livenation.com. (MariahDailyJournal)

EMINEM SLAMS MARIAH CAREY, NICK CANNON IN NEW DIS TRACK July 31, 2009 When will it end? No time soon, apparently. The battle pitting Eminem against Mariah Carey and husband Nick Cannon - which began with Em's "Bagpipes From Baghdad" and continued with Carey's "Obsessed" - took another turn Thursday night (July 30), when Slim Shady dropped a new dis track against Mariah called "The Warning". Before he starts rapping, Em tells Carey, "Only reason I dissed you in the first place is because you denied seeing me. Now I'm pissed off." He doesn't stop there. "You wanna hear something wick wack? I got the same exact tattoo that's on Nick's back," the Detroit MC says a few seconds into his rap. "Oh gee, is that supposed to be me in the video with the goatee? Wow Mariah, didn't expect ya to go b---s out. B---h, shut the f--- up before I put all those phone calls out when you was wilding out. Before Nick, when you was on my di--." From there, Em goes onto graphically describe what he alleges was his one full sexual encounter with Carey, labels her a "liar" and other ugly names, and threatens to reveal personal pictures and phones messages he has of the Carey. Eminem then plays bits of what sounds like it could be Carey's voice at the end of song: The unidentified woman refers to herself as "Mary Poppins". "[If] you gonna ruin my career, you better get one," Em advises Nick Cannon. In recent weeks, all three parties have denied any hard feelings: When asked about his angry blog post about "Baghdad", Cannon emphasized there was never any beef; Em has the song's lyrics were "misinterpreted"; Carey and Cannon both denied that the male-stalker character she plays in the new video for "Obsessed" - a character with a striking resemblance to Eminem - was supposed to be a parody of Slim Shady. Carey has denied having a previous relationship with Eminem; Eminem has insisted there was one. "My wife doesn't beef," Cannon told MTV News recently. "She's Mariah Carey. She's not beefin', she's a vegetarian. People keep saying ['Obsessed'] was directed at certain people. To be completely honest, she did the record 'cause she's a huge fan of this movie 'Mean Girls', and there's a line in the movie where one of the girls is like, 'Why are you so obsessed with me?' She says that at the beginning of the song, and that's where the concept came from. But, you know, art imitates life." Carey told MTV News, "Everybody started having their own speculations about who the stalker [in the video] was. I'm like, look, when I look at that stalker and me with the beard and the whole nine yards, I look like my cousin Chris. I do. I look like my brother and my cousin Chris. So basically, you know, all the speculation about who I'm playing in the video, it's not accurate." (MTV News)

SUPERSTAR MARIAH CAREY TO PERFORM SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT AT THE PEARL AT THE PALMS!!! July 29, 2009 Friday, September 11 - Saturday, September 12 Friday, October 9 - Saturday, October 10 Tickets On-Sale - Saturday, August 8 at noon (STAY TUNED FOR NEWS ON MEMBERS-ONLY PRESALE) Please visit any Ticketmaster location, visit ticketmaster.com or livenation.com to purchase tickets LAS VEGAS - July 30, 2009 - With worldwide sales of more than 175 million albums, Mariah Carey - the most successful female recording artist in history - is set to perform the most intimate shows of her career in a special engagement at The Pearl inside the Palms Casino Resort. These performances will take place on Friday, September 11; Saturday, September 12; Friday, October 9 and Saturday October 10, 2009. Show time for each performance is 8 p.m. These once-in-a-lifetime, up-close-and-personal performances at The Pearl are the first of its kind and surround the highly anticipated release of Mariah's latest album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel which features the current hit single "Obsessed." "Obsessed" was written and produced by Mariah, The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, who are responsible for the majority of tracks on the new album. Memoirs is scheduled to arrive on September 15, 2009. Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, the 12th studio album of Mariah's career, is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to her RIAA platinum-selling album E=MC? (released April 15, 2008), and her worldwide 10 million selling The Emancipation Of Mimi (released April 12, 2005). Both were Soundscan #1 debut albums that made chart history for Mariah in the U.S. and numerous territories around the globe. (MariahCarey.com)

LA REID HOLDS MEMOIRS LISTENING PARTY IN NYC July 29, 2009 IDJ Chairman L.A. Reid hosted a listening party for Mariah's new album Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel (in stores Sept. 15th) yesterday in New York and Essence magazine was there live-tweeting from the scene. "Getting another early listen at Mariah Carey's new album with LA Reid. The Dream, Tricky and Mariah wrote everything on the album. Nice. First four Mariah songs sound like hits to us. Loving 'H.A.T.E.U.' Okay, Mariah's so long song 'Standing Ovation' sounds very Ne-Yoish. The Dream is feeling 'Ribbon'. Mariah does Journey's 'I Wanna Know What Li...' oops... 'I wanna know what love is' and it sounds amazing. Naz just corrected me, that's Foreigner's song but Mariah put her foot in it." From the Twitter posts above, we get a confirmation of Mariah's cover of Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is" which was first reported by the New York Post in April 2009, and a new song title "Standing Ovation." (The Mariah Carey Archives | Essence | Mariah Daily Journal)

MARIAH CAREY DISCUSSES "MEMOIRS OF AN IMPERFECT ANGEL" July 29, 2009 MC's new album has taken anticipation to a new higher level as we continue to draw close to the release date as the days pass. With every single album she drops, the production and the lyricism has always made the album certifiable to reach platinum status in just a short period of time especially with the numerous amounts of dedicated fans she has collected over years she has dominated the game. She recently spoke to MTV News about her upcoming album and the production that was put together the new project. These were her comments: "I worked with Timbaland for the first time, I'm a fan of Timbaland's, so I enjoyed it. [The song] hasn't even been mixed yet but I think it's really cool. I worked with Big Jim Wright, who works with Sounds of Blackness a lot, and so there's live-feeling songs on the album. A lot of my fans, since I've been twittering, a lot of the fans are like, 'We want some live-sounding stuff,' so you have to find that middle ground." "I worked with JD again, I always love working with Jermaine. Every time it's just ... it reminds me of the first time we worked together, which was 'Always Be My Baby'. Once you do a song like that and you have it forever, you wanna just continue to try and re-create that magic, so that's what we do." Between both Timbaland and Jermaine Dupri, look forward to a plethora of hits. Now while she did state that it is her first time working with Timbaland on different tracks, this isn't the first time she'd work with JD. The Atlanta native has produced chart toppers such as "Sweetheart" and "We Belong Together". The recent single "Obsessed", allegedly targeted at Eminem, was produced and arranged by The Dream and Tricky Stewart. Now if the album continues on the same path that "Obsessed" provided, then it will be full of power ballads. If this continues, MC will be looking at yet another multi-platinum selling record. At press time, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" will be her twelfth studio album officially set for a September 15 release date in the U.S. with an August 24 and 26 release for England and Japan. (24hourhiphop)

MARIAH CAREY TALKS OBSESSED AND NEW ALBUM July 29, 2009 "'Obsessed' is almost, like, just jokes," says Mariah Carey of her video. The singer talked exclusively to BET.com after appearing on BET's 106 & Park to debut the song's remix version featuring Gucci Mane. The leadoff single to her upcoming album, "Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel," has caused a bit of a laugh in the industry because of Mariah's portrayal of an obsessed fan, who happens to favor Eminem. On his most recent album, Eminem made a few derogatory comments about Mariah, which led to a brief back and forth between Eminem and the Cannons. The video almost seems like Mariah's joking response to him. Though Carey claimed on 106 that the "stalker" isn't anyone in particular, the video (which happens to reenact a scene from an old Eminem music video) tells another story. "I worked with Brett Ratner [on the video] who is a comedian. We talked about a few comedienne's playing the part of the stalker, but at the end of the day, actually, I think it was Nick who said why don't you just play the stalker," she said. When asked what that was like, she replied with a giggle, "So, so bizarre." But Eminem disses (or not) aside, Mariah says her album, due out in September, is close to being finished. For producers, she worked with Tricky and The-Dream, Timbaland and Jermaine Dupri. "I love J.D. 'Always Be My Baby' was the first song we did and it was a number one record. I can't express how much I care about him," she shared. The album, according to Mimi, has something for everybody, but is about women's empowerment. "It's about overcoming a lot of things," Mariah begins. "Each song tells its own story. It may have come from my own personal experience, or from a friend of mine that may have told me their story." In the interview, Mariah opened up. She shared her personal thoughts about her relationship with Michael Jackson and her performance at his memorial service. She also talked candidly about her marriage to Nick Cannon, and even discussed how different it is from her last. Click here to watch an interview. (BET)

MARIAH CAREY DROPS OBSESSED FOR JD, B COX PRODUCED 100 July 28, 2009 Mariah Carey is said to be shifting gears and plugging a follow up to "Obsessed" titled "100%". Produced by long time friends Jermaine Dupri and Bryan Michael Cox, "100%" made its debut on New York's Hot 97 (radio) thanks to DJ Envy Monday. Confirming the new single on his Twitter, Jermaine Dupri told followers "make sure you all hit Hot 97 and request that new Mariah" after stating "Envy is playing the new Mariah record me and B Cox did on Hot 97 right now". While the reasoning behind the single's quit roll out, just days after music videos for "Obsessed" arrived at BET and MTV, has not been given, it has been speculated that the reception of "Obsessed"was simply lukewarm. At press time "Obsessed" sat at no.20 on the Billboard Hot 100, down from its no.11 position last week. "100%" is slated to make its way to radio stations between now and Monday, hopefully edging out "Obsessed". As previously reported on Singersroom, Mariah Carey's twelfth studio album "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" has been pushed back. Originally due for release August 25, the anticipated album is now up for release September 15. (Singersroom)

MARIAH TALKS ABOUT COLLABORATIONS ON MEMOIRS July 27, 2009 'Everything changes when you're in love,' she says of husband's effect on Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. It's not the first time Mariah Carey has recorded music as a married woman. In 1993 Carey wed record executive Tommy Mottola and released her mega-hit album Music Box. But the couple separated in 1997 and divorced the following year. A decade later the singer found herself in wedded bliss with Nick Cannon. It's not the first time Mariah Carey has recorded music as a married woman. In 1993 Carey wed record executive Tommy Mottola and released her mega-hit album Music Box. But the couple separated in 1997 and divorced the following year. A decade later the singer found herself in wedded bliss with Nick Cannon. So, has their marriage changed the music she's making these days? "Everything changes when you're in love," she told MTV News. "We have a connection that I've never experienced before. So that's amazing and it's something that I can't even really put into words." She added that in some ways her relationship with Cannon did affect her new album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, due this fall. She explained, "So everything that I do when I go into the studio – I mean, there are songs that are directly [about our relationship]. They come from the place where I'm at right now with him." But that wasn't the only relationship she had on her mind when she was working on Memoirs. Certain tracks touch on past relationships and experiences. "There are some songs that are about years ago," she said. "There are some songs that are about old friends, stories they told me. So it's like every time I go in to write something new we go somewhere, and it's like I don't know that everybody would know that I've been through half of these situations." MTV: With regards on who you worked with on the album, producers and collabos, who did you work with on this album? We know The-Dream did "Obsessed" with you as well. Who else? Mariah: I worked a lot with Tricky and Dream. I worked with JD again. I always love working with Jermaine. Everytime it's just like it reminds me of the first time we worked together which was "Always Be My Baby." It's just like you can't... once you do a song like that and you have it forever it's like you want to just continue to try to re-create that magic. And so that's what we do. But I worked with Timbaland for the first time... MTV: How was that? Mariah: That was really... I mean, I'm a fan of Timbaland's so I enjoyed it. It hasn't been mixed yet but I think it's really cool. And I worked with Big Jim Wright who worked with Sounds of Blackness a lot. So there's live feeling songs on the album. A lot of my fans are like, since I've been twittering a lot, "We want some live sounding stuff," "We want some stuff like this, we want stuff like that," and so you have to find that middle ground. (MTV News | Mariah Daily Journal)

MARIAH ADDED TO MTV VMAs July 27, 2009 Mariah Carey will join the line-up at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. The "Obsessed" singer is set to take the stage at this year's show, an insider exclusively reveals to Rap-Up.com. The 26th annual event will air September 13 from Radio City Music Hall in New York City. An official announcement is expected soon. Previously announced performers include Taylor Swift and Muse. The appearance comes on the heels of Mariah's new album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, scheduled for release two days later on September 15. The last time she performed at the VMAs was in 2005 when the show was held in Miami. Russell Brand will host the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, airing live on Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. (Rap-up)

MARIAH SORRY TO 'MISS' GRAMMY DEADLINE July 27, 2009 The deadline is a month early this year for eligibility. The reason is that the Grammys are a week early – Jan. 31 instead of Feb. 7, 2010. Huh? That means we'll be awarding music at the end of next January that came out between Oct. 1, 2009, and the end of this summer. What about all the music from this fall? It will have to wait. For Mariah, this means only her witty single, "Obsessed," will make the cut-off. Her album "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" will be released on Sept. 15 but won't appear on a Grammy show until 2011. That's not exactly instant gratification. Mariah told me the other day: "I'm sorry to have missed the deadline. We were trying to make it. But we also realized the material we had was so special, and we didn't want to rush and do it wrong." Carey says she feels "Angel" could be her strongest collection yet. She's working so hard on it that this is the first summer in years that she hasn't left muggy, sluggish New York during the dog days and headed to Sardinia off the coast of Italy. "No, I'm staying in NYC," she said, "and getting this done." (Showbiz 411)

MARIAH CAREY TWEETS ABOUT HER ALBUM July 27, 2009 Mariah Carey was on back on Twitter talking about the push back of the album release. She also refers to certain "press" being a little dramatic: "So I'm up sequencing the album. (Actually, I should say I'm up listening to the sequence I made a few nights ago as a test.)" "After some people got a lil dramatic, lil dramatic about the album date moving a few weeks later, I had to tweet and say something good to you. Anyways, I am happy to have some more time. Although I really want my fans to have this album right away, the decision was absolutely the best for the good of this album so things can be up to par (in terms of promo etc.). And now I feel like I can have my best." "Sorry, duhhh. Seriously, I'm really happy to be able to release this album properly because I yet again have too many songs and I wanna be able to share as many as possible with everyone who has supported me and honestly shown me so much happiness since 1901. Haaaa. Kisses." (Mariah Connection | The Mariah Carey Archives)

MARIAH CAREY SAYS DOING DRAG FOR 'OBSESSED' WAS NICK'S IDEA July 24, 2009 I look like my brother and my cousin Chris,' Mimi says of video character everyone compares to Eminem. Is it Eminem or isn't it? Well, Mariah Carey herself insists that the stalker she played in her "Obsessed" video looks more like one of her male relatives than the rapper. "Everybody started having their own speculations about who the stalker was," she told MTV News. "I'm like, look, when I look at that stalker and me with the beard and the whole 9 yards, I look like my cousin Chris. I do. I look like my brother and my cousin Chris. So basically, you know, all the speculation about who I'm playing in the video, it's not accurate." Since Nick Cannon and the video's director, Brett Ratner, have also said that the song and video aren't about Eminem, maybe it is just a crazy coincidence. So who thought to put Carey in drag for the video? Ratner has said that Carey was the brain behind the getup, but the singer said that it was actually her hubby, Cannon, who thought up the idea to dress his ultra-feminine wife as a man. "Well, I live for a disguise, but ... I love the anonymity of it," she said. "But actually it was Nick's idea, 'cause we were going after different comedians, comediennes." Though Carey credits Cannon for the brilliant idea, she also says she was able to pull it off thanks to all the acting she's been doing. "The thing is that Nick was like, 'Why don't you just play the stalker?' and I'm like, 'I could do that 'cause I've been acting lately,' " she explained. "I've done a lot of different things and I'm very proud of the work that I've done lately, but the thing is that this was the chance to work with Brett Ratner." Click here to read the article from MTV News. (MTV News | Dean | Jocelyn Vega)

SUPERSTAR MARIAH CAREY TALKS ANONYMITY, 'OBSESSED' July 24, 2009 There aren't too many artists in music who can be called legends, but Mariah Carey is definitely one of them. I haven't had many opportunities in my career to interview her, but when the opportunity arises to chop it up with an artist who has sold over 175 million records worldwide, then it's my pleasure. With her new album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel almost complete, it's an interesting time to catch up with MC. Uptown at BET's "106 & Park," Mariah was premiering her new video for her remix of "Obsessed," featuring Gucci Mane, one of the hottest MCs in the game. Not enough is said about Carey's ear for hip-hop. Don't forget that she was the artist who collaborated with rappers like Jay-Z, ODB, Nas and the Lox early on in their careers. Gucci Mane is another great choice. It's not difficult to know when Mariah is in the building. You may not see her at first, but you'll definitely see her entourage. The girl doesn't roll light, but that's just another reason to love her. After all, she is Mariah Carey. As we walked in, Mariah was looking glam, surrounded by a team of stylists and make up artists getting her ready for the interview. Nick, my producer, set up the shot and we were away. We spoke in detail about the new album, her musical direction and progression from the last album. For Memoirs MC worked with several producers for the first time (including Timbaland and The-Dream) and old friends like Jermaine Dupri. We got to the bottom of the big question: Is the video for "Obsessed" directed at anyone in particular? Turns out she was more inspired by a family member than anybody else. But perhaps the most insightful moment of the entire interview came when we were speaking about how Mariah dressed up in disguise on the shoot for "Obsessed." With her hair tied back and wearing a hoodie and a fake beard, the unrecognizable Mariah actually braved it alone for the first time in years as she walked around New York sans bodyguard. So when I asked her what she would do if she could be totally anonymous for a day, I was genuinely taken aback by her answer. She said "I'd like to make friends." It might sound strange but if you think about it, Mariah has been a star since her teens. Ever since she first broke into the scene, Mariah has been Mariah Carey: Superstar. With that immense talent comes the fact that she will never know if people speak to her because she's a nice girl or because she's a star. I didn't feel sorry for her when she said it, but I did acknowledge that it was an incredibly honest answer from a woman who just happens to be one of the biggest stars in the world. (MTV News)

MARIAH PREMIERES NEW REMIX VIDEO, FRAGRANCE ON BET July 24, 2009 Mariah made an appearance earlier tonight on BET's 106 & Park for the world premiere of the music video for "Obsessed Remix" featuring Gucci Mane. She was also there to introduce her new fragrance, her third with Elizabeth Arden, called "Forever" which will be available at fine department stores later this year. In the interview with host Terrence J, Mariah talked about the Michael Jackson memorial, her Precious movie, and new album Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel. Asked about when the album would be released, she said: "I'm working. I'm trying. We're going back and forth with a lot of different songs and I have too many songs. So basically I got to finish up this week and then hopefully September. Trying to go for August." (MariahDailyJournal)

HBF CONTEST TO WIN TICKETS TO MARIAH'S AGT TAPING July 24, 2009 Mariah will be taping a special performance for NBC's hit show America's Got Talent on Sunday, August 2nd and the official fan club, Honey B. Fly (HBF), is sending fifty (50) lucky members and a guest! If you live in or around the Los Angeles area, are 14 years of age or older with a valid photo ID and can be available on Sunday, August 2nd, you could be selected to attend the taping at America's Got Talent studio located at CBS Television City, 7800 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036. To find out how to enter, log on to MariahCarey.com. (Mariah Carey.com)

MARIAH CAREY DELAYS NEW ALBUM RELEASE July 23, 2009 Alas, there will be no major Diva Face Off at the next Grammy Awards. That's because Mariah Carey has decided that the unusually early August 31st deadline is not giving her enough time finish her new CD properly. "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" was supposed to be released by Island/Def Jam on August 25th. But now Carey has asked the label to give her at least three more weeks. The new date is September 15th, although even that could change. Carey does have her hat in the ring, though, with the witty and catchy single "Obsessed" already getting lots of airplay. The song is a neat dig at Eminem, who ceaselessly needles Carey in song and and interviews. The "Obsessed" video, directed by Brett Ratner, is also a hit and should only help the single up the charts. As for that Grammy deadline: we're going to be celebrating summer music on January 31st. Does it really take that long to organize the year's recordings into categories and vote on them? It only takes six weeks in the movie world. I'm just askin'.. (Showbiz 411)

MARIAH'S "MEMOIRS OF AN IMPERFECT ANGEL" PUSHED BACK July 23, 2009 Originally slated for August 25 U.S. release, Mariah Carey's new studio album "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" has been pushed back three weeks from its schedule. It is now plotted to make its way out for U.S. purchase on September 15, according to Amazon. The lead single from the upcoming album is titled "Obsessed". It has come out along with its remix version, which features rapper Gucci Mane, since mid June. A music video for the original version has also been debuted since July 14, but the video for its remix will not be dropped until Thursday, July 23. "Quick update. Been in the studio finishing this album, hopefully coming overseas soon," so Mariah recently tweeted. "Remix video of 'Obsessed' feating Gucci Mane on Thursday." On her calendar meanwhile, Mariah Carey is set to make a live performance in NBC's reality TV show "America's Got Talent", which is hosted by her husband Nick Cannon, on August 5. She is also scheduled to sing in the "Today" show on August 28. (AceShowbiz)

MARIAH CAREY'S "MEMOIRS" PUSHED BACK July 21, 2009 Fans will have to wait to get their hands on Mariah Carey's Memoirs. The pop diva's 12th studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, has been pushed back three weeks to September 15, Rap-Up.com can confirm. It had previously been scheduled for an August 25 release. There are reports that the album was not completed in time to make the original release date. "Can't wait to get bc in the studio and finish up tomorrow. My deadline is asap, so if I don't tweet much for a few days, please forgive me," Mariah wrote in a tweet from July 12. As recently as Tuesday morning, she tweeted that she was still in the studio finishing the project. A video for the "Obsessed (Remix)" featuring Gucci Mane will premiere Thursday. The album will miss the August 31 cutoff for the 2010 Grammy Awards nominations and will now go head-to-head on the charts with Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 (Sept. 11) and Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon: The End of Day. (Dean | Rap-Up)

NEW SINGLE TO BE A BALLAD? NEW REMIX ON ITUNES July 21, 2009 According to Billboard, Mariah's next single will be an old-style ballad produced by Tricky Stewart -"Obsessed," "Touch My Body." Meanwhile, the Remix to Mariah's new single "Obsessed" featuring Gucci Mane is now available for download at iTunes. In related news, Chicago-based Hip-Hop Dance group Jump Smokers have remixed Mariah's new single "Obsessed" and transformed it into a club-banger! You can listen to the song on MySpace or their official site. (Dean | Mariah Daily Journal)

MUSIC BUSINESS HUMS A NEW SALES TUNE July 21, 2009 Mariah Carey's decision to debut her video for "Obsessed" last week on "America's Got Talent", hosted by husband Nick Cannon, is a show of mutual marital support, but also something far bigger. As the music industry's traditional infrastructure continues to erode, musicians (and their marketers) are turning to unusual partners. Both Eminem, Carey's possible target on "Obsessed", and Jack White's new band, The Death Weather, debuted videos on Cinemax. Britney Spears unveiled the vid for "Womanizer" on "20/20". Video premieres on MTV and other music channels don't carry the old punch since most of their afternoon and prime-time programming is rarely dedicated to videos. Shakira promoted her new "She Wolf" single with ABC.com. U2 got attention for its new song in a BlackBerry commercial. The partnerships extend to in-store appearances. Rob Thomas held one at Bloomingdale's for his new album. Others, like the Black Eyed Peas, skipped an in-store in New York because it was hard to find a record store big enough. "The last time we put out a record, we went to a record store," will.i.am said on "Today". "In 2009, with YouTubes, Googles, DipDives, we have that one-on-one relationship or one-to-many online." (Victoria Advocate | The Mariah Carey Archives)

MARIAH FINISHES OFF EMINEM IN NEW "OBSESSED" VIDEO July 19, 2009 After leaking briefly earlier this week, Mariah Carey's video for her Eminem-taunting single "Obsessed" officially premiered on last night's episode of America's Got Talent and is up today on Yahoo! and the singer's own Website. As Rock Daily reported when photos from the set emerged, it seems evident that Carey took her beef with the MC in front of the cameras by donning one of Slim Shady's usual outfits (a grey hoodie). However the singer continues to deny the song is aimed at anyone in particular: "I am NOT at any point in the video playing a specific person," she Tweeted yesterday. "I'm dressed as a 'stalker' in 3 different ensembles." Carey stars both as herself and as the goateed Eminem double, who takes jobs as a chauffeur and a photo-shoot assistant to get close to the singer. On her Twitter, Carey revealed the photographer is played by Patrick Demarchelier (her hint to readers: "He is mentioned several times in one of my favorite movies The Devil Wears Prada"), and that there's another plot-driven video for "Obsessed" on the way - the second, for the Gucci Mane remix, is being edited and will be out soon, Carey writes. SNL's Andy Samberg was rumored to have been originally cast in the Eminem role and backed out, leaving Carey to portray the guy who surrounds himself with images of Mariah - and has a close encounter with a bus - herself. Mariah's history with Eminem goes back to 2001, when the two reportedly dated briefly as Carey worked on Charmbracelet. In 2005, Em played a portion of alleged voicemail messages Carey left him before performing his song "Puke" at concerts, and tossed references to the star into "Superman" and "When the Music Stops" on The Eminem Show; at later shows he gave a brief tirade about the diva before the song. A year later, he went off on Mariah on his Shade45 satellite radio station. Eminem started the most recent volley between the pair when he pleaded for Carey to return to him and called out her husband Nick Cannon on Relapse's "Bagpipes From Baghdad". Though she seemed hesitant to respond publicly in the past (her manager Benny Medina has issued statements about Em's behavior, though), Mariah promptly fired back, with a little help from The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, with "Obsessed", the first single of Carey's August 25th album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. Though Mariah attempts to put a nail in their dispute with the quite final end of this clip, it's doubtful Eminem will let their public disagreement drop now - Shady, we await your reply. (Rolling Stone)

MARIAH CAREY'S 'OBSESSED' VIDEO 'NOT ABOUT EMINEM,' SAYS DIRECTOR July 17, 2009 'I guess it's a good rumor, but I don't think it's true,' director Brett Ratner says of Carey's latest single. When Mariah Carey's latest single "Obsessed" hit the airwaves, speculation swirled that the song is directed at Eminem as a response to his track "Bagpipes From Baghdad." Fuel was added to that rumor's fire after stills from the video were released — photos that seem to suggest that Carey dressed as Eminem for the clip. But the video's director, Brett Ratner, insists that as far as he knows, the song — off Carey's latest album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, out next month — isn't about Eminem. "It's not about Eminem — we weren't like, 'Let's find an Eminem look-alike,' " he told MTV News about the stalker character in the video, which he originally wanted to be played by Ellen DeGeneres. "We weren't talking to any Eminem [look-alikes]. I guess it's a good rumor, but I don't think it's true. I don't really know. I never asked her, but then when I recommended Ellen, that's where she got the idea." Ratner had heard the Eminem rumors, but insisted that Carey never told him the song was penned about the MC. The look Mariah rocks in the video was devised simply as a way to hide Mariah's lady assets. "Mariah never talked to me about that," he explained. "You know, Mariah ... she's like the most feminine girl you can imagine, so the more I covered up the less work I had to do on the transitions of changing back and forth. I kind of told the wardrobe guy, 'Let's bulk her up with layers and stuff' — first of all, to hide her breasts, because they're prominent, and to kind of make her more boyish. A b-boy made sense." Ratner, who worked with Mariah on many of her videos including last year's "Touch My Body," explained that the video was more inspired by two films rather than Eminem: his love for the classic Martin Scorsese flick "The King of Comedy" and Carey's love for the Lindsay Lohan flick "Mean Girls." "It was inspired by a movie that I love called 'King of Comedy,' when Sandra Bernhard was stalking Jerry Lewis — and that's why I wanted to move it to New York," he said, adding, "Mariah loves 'Mean Girls.' I think it's funny [when the stalker gets hit with the bus like in the film] ..." The director explained that so many of their collaborations show the funny side of Mariah Carey because they share a special bond and are "like kids — we love playing and role playing. We love telling stories and making movies." "She's really like a kid. All her nuances ... she's like a big kid. That's what I think we're trying to capture. It doesn't have to be all serious and sexy and everyone thinks she's a big diva," he said. "She's very comfortable with me. And she's so smart. Like Madonna, she knows where her light is ... she'll know if she's out of focus." Click here to read article from MTV News. (MTV News | Jocelyn Vena)

MARIAH CAREY DEBUTS HIGH ON BILLBOARD HOT 100 July 16, 2009 Hannah Montana edges out Mariah Carey on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, as Miley Cyrus' TV alter ego claims her first top 10 on the chart. "He Could Be the One" debuts at No. 10, just above Carey's "Obsessed," which debuts at No. 11. But Carey's entry on the Hot 100 this week is her fortieth, making her just the eighth woman in the chart's history to make 40 or more appearances. Cyrus/Montana have 28 entries on the Hot 100 chart. "Obsessed," from Carey's forthcoming album "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel," is also her highest Hot 100 debut since 1998. In the top 10, the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" once again scores the week's greatest airplay increase and holds onto its No. 1 spot. Drake's "Best I Ever Had" rises to No. 2, the Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" slips to No. 3, Keri Hilson's "Knock You Down," featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo, remains at No. 4, and Sean Kingston's "Fire Burning" climbs 6-5. Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" climbs 9-6, Lady GaGa's "LoveGame" falls 5-7, and Pitbull's "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" maintains at No. 8. Jeremih's "Birthday Sex" falls 7-9. At No. 22, Boys Like Girls' "Love Drunk" notches its highest ranking on the chart and its best weekly download total, with 92,000 tracks. Texas rapper Dorrough's self-titled debut album, due August 4, should get a boost from "Ice Cream Paint Job," which rises to No. 57 from No. 64 this week. Another summer tune, Hannah Montana's "Ice Cream Freeze (Let's Chill)," debuts at No. 87. Elsewhere on the charts, Britney Spears' "Radar" debuts on the Mainstream Top 40 chart at No. 35. With "Radar," the fourth single from her "Circus" album, Spears breaks her tie with Nelly for the most Mainstream Top 40 hits of any act since 2000 - with 21. Jonas Brothers find themselves on a rather unlikely chart - the Hot Dance Club Songs tally. "Paranoid," courtesy of uptempo remixes from the likes of Soul Seekerz and Dave Aude, debuts at No. 48 on the tally. It's the JoBros. first Dance Club chart hit. Over on the Alternative radio airplay chart, Kings of Leon nets its third top 10 single as "Notion" rises 12-10. All three of the band's top 10 hits are from its current album "Only By the Night." (Billboard)

MARIAH CAREY'S "OBSESSED" VIDEO: A DIG AT EMINEM OR NOT? July 16, 2009 Mariah Carey tends to do things in a big way - and the video for "Obsessed," her new single, which debuted Wednesday night on "America's Got Talent" (the show hosted by her husband, Nick Cannon) is no exception. While Carey hasn't commented and Cannon has hedged, "Obsessed" seems to be a pretty clear dig at Eminem, who grabbed headlines earlier this year with his song "Bagpipes From Baghdad," on which he claimed to have had a relationship with Carey (which she has denied) and warned Cannon to "back the f--- up," because he wanted her back. "Obsessed" contains verses that certainly seem directed at Eminem, addressing his admitted former drug problems ("It must be the weed, it must be the E, 'cause you be poppin' "), and in the video, she dresses exactly like him, right down to the baggy sweats and aggro posturing - although she's also sporting a fake goatee, which to the best of our knowledge Em has never rocked. At clip's end, her pseudo Em is crushed by a speeding bus while attempting to snap a picture of Carey. And though Cannon has denied that Carey is aping Slim Shady in the video, ("I don't think she would take her time," he said. "My wife doesn't beef. She's Mariah Carey. She's not beefin', she's a vegetarian"), I think we can all agree that there's at least a touch of Em in her performance, even if she doesn't actually look like him (she actually kinda looks like some sort of weird combination of and Cha'ka from "Land of the Lost"). Either way, the "Obsessed" video is still plenty big - shot at New York's Plaza Hotel, directed by "Rush Hour" dude Brett Ratner - and plenty glossy. In a lot of ways, it's like her other videos, only with an emphasis on comedy (check the adoring gazes her Em-doppleganger flashes while lavishing Carey with a hair dryer). Which means that it might actually signify the return of "Touch My Body" Mariah - remember the video with "30 Rock" star Jack McBrayer? So, subtlety or no, "Obsessed" seems to speak for itself ... (MTV News)

MARIAH TURNS "MEAN GIRL" IN "OBSESSED" VIDEO July 16, 2009 I just watched Mariah's video for "Obsessed," the first single from her new album, "Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel," due out on August 25. Good job Mariah. This video is clever and funny. It is your best video yet. I especially like when your Eminem-like character gets hit by a bus. Bam. I didn't know you could be so mean. I am impressed. Mariah's husband Nick Cannon said the song is not about Eminem. "I don't think that she would take her time," Cannon told MTV. "My wife doesn't beef. She's Mariah Carey. She's not beefin', she's a vegetarian." Nick Cannon is a good husband. He totally loves, supports and defends his wife until the end. But come on. No believes that explanation. If we just look at the video alone, it is a bit easier to pretend that it is not about Eminem who took jabs at Mariah and Nick on the song "Bagpipes From Baghdad." Nick said the video was inspired by the movie "Mean Girls" which is apparently where Mariah borrowed the line, "Why are you so obsessed with me?" In the video, Mariah isn't feuding with a rapper. She is being followed by a male stalker, a character she portrays in the Brett Ratner directed clip. The creepy goateed stalker pops up as a doorman at her hotel, an assistant on a photo shoot, and follows her as she walks down the street. She also plays a character wearing an Eminem-styled fleece hoodie and lives in a Mariah shrine with walls lined with her photos. While an Eminem slant in the video is arguable, there is no debate that the controversial Slim Shady MC is the subject of Mariah's lyrics. A week prior to the release of Eminem's "Relapse" album, the "Bagpipes From Baghdad" song leaked. Eminem rapped, "Mariah, whatever happened to us, why did we ever have to break up?" Then his sarcasm ensued with derogatory references to Mariah and Nick. A month later, Mariah released "Obsessed" and there was no argument that the song was a response to the rapper she briefly dated years ago. The song attacks a "delusional" detractor who claims to be "sexin'" her. She blames his drug use for his lies. "Tellin' the world how much you miss me, but we never were so why you trippin'," Mariah sings. On "Bagpipes" Eminem claimed to have been intimate with Mariah. It is part of the reason why Nick went on a psychopathic rampage after the song's release. And everyone knows about Eminem's drug problems. His album is called "Relapse." Who else could Mariah be talking about? I understand why Mariah would imply that the song and video are not about Eminem. It would look bad if Mariah more obviously engaged in a public feud with Em. As her lyric goes, "[he is] a mom and pop and [she is] a corporation." I actually appreciate her more subtle digs at the rapper who disses everyone. You win Mariah. (Yahoo! Music Blogs)

AS SUBTLE AS BEING HIT BY A BUS July 16, 2009 One has to give Mariah Carey credit here. She certainly knows how to stay in the headlines. Her first single from her upcoming album, "Obsessed," may or may not be a response to Eminem's recent "Bagpipes From Baghdad," and in the clip, she may or may not be dressing up as Eminem. Husband Nick Cannon says he's not totally positive but is pretty sure she isn't. And Carey took to Twitter to clarify the issue, writing: "I am NOT at any point in the video playing a specific person. I'm dressed as a 'stalker' in 3 different ensembles." All well and good, but it's still a stalker that looks an awful lot like Eminem, what with the hoodie and hip-hop mannerisms in front of a set that occasionally looks like it was ripped from Eminem's "Stan" video. Oh, celebs and their feuds. Yahoo initially said the clip would be available online Tuesday night, but it hasn't materialized, at least officially. But if the song saw Carey dropping one-liners at her undisclosed obsessee, labeling him "delusional" and snapping "You're a mom and pop / I'm a corporation," the video, directed by frequent Carey collaborator Brett Ratner, seems more about fear. The Eminem lookalike is tailing Carey out on the street, and there he is again in one of Carey's photo shoots - representing anyone and everyone who isn't part of Carey's circle. Rather than highlight the snappy put-downs of the song, it showcases the closed-off inner-sanctums of the rich and famous. But Carey still gets her revenge, albeit with the help of public transportation, in a somewhat abrupt and uncomfortable ending. (Los Angeles Times)

"OBSESSED" DEBUTS #11 ON BILLBOARD'S HOT 100 July 16, 2009 On the Billboard Hot 100, Mariah Carey returns with "Obsessed," her 40th chart entry. With the bow, Mariah becomes just the eighth female artist in the Hot 100's history to notch at least 40 charted titles. "Obsessed" Billboard Hot 100: #11 (Debut) Billboard Hot 100 Airplay: #49 (Last week #60) Billboard Pop 100 Airplay: #65 (Last week #72) Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: #28 (Last week #31) Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay: #28 (Last week #31) Billboard Rhythmic Top 40: #14 (Last week #17) Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop: #22 (Last week #25) Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay: #30 (Last week #34) Billboard Hot Digital Tracks: #4 (Debut) Billboard Hot Digital Songs: #6 (Debut) Downloads this week: 118,926 Total downloads: 119,266 Billboard Canadian Hot 100: #15 (Debut) Billboard Hot Canadian Digital Singles: #10 (Debut) (Billboard | Mariah Daily Journal)

MARIAH TO PERFORM ON AGT AUGUST 5 July 16, 2009 Mariah is set to perform on the first America's Got Talent results show which airs on Wednesday, August 5th (9-10 p.m. ET)! But before that, the much anticipated music video for Mariah's hit new single OBSESSED will make its national TV premiere on the show TONIGHT! Be sure to tune in to AGT at 9:00pm/8:00pm CT on NBC to catch your first look at what music critics are declaring 2009's #1 summer anthem. (Mariah Carey.com)

THE OBSESSED MUSIC VIDEO TO PREMIERE WEDNESDAY JULY 15TH! July 11, 2009 Mariah Carey has just confirmed that the music video of "Obsessed" will premiere next Wednesday, July 15 during American's Got Talent. Mariah, "Just wanna let you know that the world premiere of the "Obsessed" video is on "America's Got Talent(hosted by NCx0x) Wed.night..July 15th!" America's Got Talent airs on Wednesday at 9:00pm ET/PT on NBC. In related news, music video editor Dustin Robertson claims he's working on 2 videos with Mariah and Brett for the "Obsessed" videos (album version and remix with Gucci Mane). Robertson has worked with many artists previously and is not a fraud which many thought initially. This story has not been confirmed by Mariah Carey's management yet. (Mariah Carey | Dean)

DJ CLUE AND CRY$TYLE COLLABORATING WITH MARIAH July 10, 2009 According to DJ Clue's twitter page he will be going in to the studio with Mariah. On a June, 25 post he posted this "Just spoke to Mariah Carey,we gon hit the studio soon to do a joint for her album." In related news, songwriter Crystal Johnson, aka Cri$tyle, has hit the studio with Mariah once again according to messages left on her Twitter page: Me and MC in studio vibin to Breakdown...what a classic! Hmm now we vibin to Heartbreaker! "U got the best of me..." Now Honey...so many to go thru lol.. 4am... Still in studio....we In for the long run! Lol When yal wake up. I'm just goin to sleep!! Jus now leavin studio..Almost & hotel..in traffic ugh. (Dean | Mariah Daily Journal)

PRECIOUS, LIONSGATES PRESENTS THE NEW POSTER! July 10, 2009 Lee Daniels’s Precious Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire is a vibrant, honest and resoundingly hopeful film about the human capacity to grow and overcome. Set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. She’s pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother (Mo’Nique), a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write. Precious may sometimes be down, but she is never out. Beneath her impassive expression is a watchful, curious young woman with an inchoate but unshakeable sense that other possibilities exist for her. Threatened with expulsion, Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school, Each One/Teach One. Precious doesn’t know the meaning of “alternative,” but her instincts tell her this is the chance she has been waiting for. In the literacy workshop taught by the patient yet firm Ms. Rain (Paula Patton), Precious begins a journey that will lead her from darkness, pain and powerlessness to light, love and self-determination. In Official Selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival - Un Certain Regard, and winner of three awards at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival including the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition, PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE stars Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz and introducing Gabourey Sidibe. Lionsgate in association with Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry present A Lee Daniels Entertainment / Smokewood Entertainment Group Production of PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE, directed by Lee Daniels from a screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher based on the novel Push by Sapphire. Click here to visit the movie's official website. (Shoshannah Cutler)

MARIAH CAREY REFLECTS ON JACKSON MEMORIAL July 08, 2009 Mariah Carey Worries She 'Let Everybody Down' At Jackson Memorial' It was a true and honest emotional moment,' she tells 'Today' of her voice cracking during 'I'll Be There.' Mariah Carey had the difficult task of being the first performer at the Michael Jackson memorial on Tuesday. And when her voice cracked in the first few moments of her cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There," she said she felt like she disappointed everyone. On the "Today" show Wednesday (July 8), Carey described how hard it was for her to sing on the show and how seeing the casket made it difficult for her to get through the performance. "I feel a little bit like I let everybody down, but I really did try and it was difficult," she said. "But you know what I think? It was a true and honest emotional moment." On Tuesday, Mariah also took to her Twitter to share with her fans her disappointment over her performance and how completely emotional she became at the show. "Trying to sing today was basically impossible for me," she wrote. "I could barely keep myself from crying." She apologized for the performance, during which she was joined by her "MTV Unplugged" duet partner Trey Lorenz. "I'm sorry that I wasn't able to pull it together and really do it right, but I was literally choked up when I saw him there in front of me," she tweeted. "One thing I know is, we will never really have to say goodbye to MJ. His legacy lives on through his music and the millions of people he inspired with his timeless music. He will be forever in our hearts." (MTV News)

MARIAH'S COMMENTS ON MJ'S MEMORIAL SERVICE July 07, 2009 Mariah comments on Michael Jackson's memorial service and her performance of "I'll Be There." Just recovering from the day. Still filled w/sadness as we listen to KJLH in LA(Stevie Wonder's radio station)paying tribute to MJ. Trying to sing today was basically impossible for me. I could barely keep myself from crying. I'm sorry that Sorry that I wasn't able to pull it together and really do it right,but I was literally choked up when I saw him there in front of me. One thing I know is, we will never really have to say goodbye to MJ. His legacy lives on through his music and the millions of people he inspired with his timeless music. He will be forever in our hearts. (Twitter | Mariah Carey.com)

MARIAH CAREY SINGS "I'LL BE THERE" AT MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL July 07, 2009 For first performance of Staples Center tribute, Carey and Trey Lorenz reprise their 1992 cover. After a slight delay, Michael Jackson's memorial tribute at the Staples Center in Los Angeles got off to an emotional beginning as Mariah Carey performed a version of the Jackson 5's biggest hit, "I'll Be There." Taking the stage in an elegant black dress, Carey began to sing alone. She was soon joined by frequent collaborator Trey Lorenz for the performance. While the duo sang, photos of the singer flashed on a huge screen above them. This was the second time since the pop singer's death that artists had performed "I'll Be There" on live TV. Just days after Jackson's death, Ne-Yo and Jaime Foxx concluded an MJ-centric BET Awards with a gospel-inspired version of the song. Upon its release in 1970, "I'll Be There" shot to the top of the Billboard chart. Co-written and co-produced by Motown founder Berry Gordy, the track was a departure from earlier, uptempo Jackson 5 hits like "ABC." Michael shared the lead vocal with his brother Jermaine. The song became the group's final #1 single, although Michael would go on to score many more during career as a solo artist. Carey and Lorenz's version at the Staples Center was a reprise of their 1992 "MTV Unplugged" cover of "I'll Be There," which also landed the top Billboard slot. The song has also been covered by New Kids on the Block, Leona Lewis (on the British "X Factor" show) and on both "American Idol" and "Britain's Got Talent." (MTV News)

USHER, MARIAH CAREY SET FOR MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL July 06, 2009 Usher, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, Mariah Carey and more stars have been confirmed to partake in Michael Jackson's memorial service tomorrow, July 7th, at Los Angeles' Staples Center. Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson and Lionel Richie will also appear at the televised event, which will additionally feature actress Brooke Shields and Los Angeles Lakers stars Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson. Johnson appeared in Jackson's "Remember the Time" video. An official press release added that the lineup was preliminary and subject to change, opening the door for rumored participants like Justin Timberlake to be involved. The Jackson family wouldn't shed any light on who will be performing what songs at the memorial, but as Rock Daily reported earlier, TMZ claims Mariah Carey will perform the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There," a hit that Carey covered for her MTV Unplugged performance in 1992. The song was co-written by Berry Gordy, who will also appear onstage at the memorial. Usher, Wonder, Carey and Mayer were among the dozens of artists who mourned the passing of Michael Jackson in the hours after the King of Pop's death. "A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us," Mayer said on his Twitter. "RIP MJ. I think we'll mourn his loss as well as the loss of ourselves as children listening to Thriller on the record player. I truly hope he is memorialized as the '83 moonwalking, MTV owning, mesmerizing, unstoppable, invincible Michael Jackson." One person who will not be attending the memorial is Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe, who said in a statement to TMZ through her lawyer, "The onslaught of media attention has made it clear her attendance would be an unnecessary distraction to an event that should focus exclusively on Michael's legacy. Debbie will continue to celebrate Michael's memory privately."  Here's the entire Michael Jackson memorial roster, as it stands now: Ron Boyd (family friend); Kobe Bryant; Mariah Carey; Andrae Crouch Choir; Berry Gordy; Jennifer Hudson; Shaheen Jafargholi (finalist on Britain's Got Talent); Magic Johnson; Martin Luther King III; Bernice A. King; John Mayer; Lionel Richie; Smokey Robinson; Rev. Al Sharpton; Brooke Shields; Pastor Lucious Smith (family friend); Usher; and Stevie Wonder. (Rolling Stone)

THE A-LISTERS ATTEND SEAN COMBS' THE WHITE PARTY July 05, 2009 It's that time of year again. Sean Combs threw his White Party yesterday, but this time it was in Los Angeles and not it's typical haunt The Hamptons. The theme of this year's bash is "We are Family" as a benefit for Malaria No More with Ashton Kutcher. The party attracted an interesting mix of celebrities. Everyone from Mariah Carey to Tara Reid to Russell Brand to Tom Green to Chris Brown. Yes, Chris Brown was there with his poor man's Rihanna, Teyana Taylor. Brown looked liked he was having a great time, and even posed for pictures with Sean Combs. Meanwhile, Rihanna was in Las Vegas partying with Jay-Z and her new rumored boyfriend LeBron James. Let's throw rumored out the door. Rihanna was seen sitting on James' lap throughout the day. Good for RiRi. (Socialite Life | Photo Courtesy of MariahDailyJournal)

BEHIND-THE-SCENES OF MARIAH'S "OBSESSED" MUSIC VIDEO July 04, 2009 After being previewed through a bunch of on-set pictures, Mariah Carey's forthcoming music video for her new single "Obsessed" is now made available for sneak peek through its behind-the-scenes footage. The footage mainly sees Mariah dressing up as a man in a gray hoody and in a bellboy uniform. Mariah filmed the video at New York City's Plaza Hotel over the weekend. In this video, she will play two characters, a female celebrity and a male stalker. The guy she portrays reportedly represents Eminem who recently mocked her in a song titled "Bagpipes From Baghdad." "Obsessed" is the first single taken from Mariah Carey's upcoming studio effort "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" which is set for August 25 U.S. release. With the song containing lyrics "Why are you so obsessed with me, boy I wanna know, lying that you're sexing me, when everybody knows, it's clear that you're upset with me," Mariah is rumored trying to fire back at Eminem. However, Mariah's husband Nick Cannon denied the speculation. He told MTV, "I don't think that she would take her time. My wife doesn't beef. She's Mariah Carey. She's not beefin', she's a vegetarian." In further explanation, Nick said the track is actually inspired by Lindsay Lohan's movie "Mean Girls." He explained, "People keep saying 'Obsessed' was directed at certain people. To be completely honest, she did the record 'cause she's a huge fan of this movie 'Mean Girls' and there's a line in the movie where one of the girls is like, 'Why are you so obsessed with me?' She says that at the beginning of the song, and that's where the concept came from. But you know, art imitates life." "I always say I thought the record was about me, 'cause I'm obsessed with my wife," Nick continued. "But if somebody's out there and you feel like you might have been obsessed, then the record's about you." (AceShowbiz)

WHY EMINEM KEEPS RAPPING ABOUT MARIAH July 04, 2009 Pictures ran this week all over the place from the new music video being shot for Mariah Carey. Brett Ratner, director of the "Rush Hour" movies, is collaborating with Carey on the first video from her new album. The song is called "Obsessed," and it's a witty comeback to Eminem's recent rap on her on his new album. The Mariah-Eminem saga has turned into a pretty swell feud, with both sides getting in their cracks. But now Mark Batson, the producer who shepherds Eminem's albums to completion, tells me it's not personal at all. "He just used her name because it rhymed," Batson told me at the BET Awards last Sunday. "It doesn't mean a thing." In fact, says Batson, "he" – meaning Eminem – "uses most names in songs because they rhyme." Well, it's a theory, but I'm not sure I totally believe it. "Bagpipes from Baghdad," the "song" in question on Eminem's "Relapse," doesn't use the word "Mariah" to rhyme with anything, actually. But Eminem does call Mariah the "c word" in the song, and mocks her husband and a former boyfriend. Now Carey gets him back in the "Obsessed" video. By the looks of it, the video is going to be hilarious. Carey is dressed in a hooded gray sweatshirt, Eminem's trademark costume. Can't wait to see the actual footage. Let Carey have the last laugh on this twisted piece of work. (Showbiz411)

MARIAH CAREY MAKES HEADLINES AS A MAN July 02, 2009 Mariah Carey sticks on a fake beard and a hoodie and people can't stop talking. Of course, she is Mariah Carey, so whatever she does is probably going to make headlines. According to PopEater, it seems that Carey's gender bending is related to a feud with rapper Eminem, who recorded a song insulting Carey and her husband, Nick Cannon. Carey has come back with a response in the form of a new song and video where she gets back at Em - and so it goes. But while the beef between Carey and Eminem might be the most interesting aspect of this whole 15-minutes-of-masculinity, that's not what the headlines are focused on. Instead, the fact that Carey put on men's clothing, supposedly to imitate the rapper, in "Obsessed," her music-video response to his attack, is what's causing all the fuss. Obviously, Mariah Carey is not trans. Her male persona is simply a vehicle in order to make a video and a point, and to mock Eminem in the process. But what, exactly, is so fascinating about a woman - even Mariah Carey - taking on a male persona, if only for the purposes of a video? Why are we so "obsessed" with gender that Carey's gender role in "Obsessed" is more important than the music - or the message - itself? Certainly, Carey's new song will get attention no matter what. But our overblown fascination with the strict divisions between male and female genders, and how Carey is supposedly transgressing them, will certainly not hurt its success. There's no problem with Carey dressing in male garb to get her point across. It demonstrates that anyone can transgress gender norms. But for some serious and entertaining gender transgression, check out the Drag Kingz of Tranzcend, a local drag king troupe that performs at various events. While Carey's statement has to do with her beef with Em, the Kingz make a statement about the folly of strict gender norms every time they perform. (Examiner)

NICK CANNON: MARIAH'S NOT DISSING EMINEM IN "OBSESSED" July 02, 2009 Despite the fact that Mariah Carey, dressed in drag, sort of resembles Eminem in her new video for "Obsessed," husband Nick Cannon isn't sure why people would think that Carey is dissing Eminem in the track. "I don't know. Honestly, I don't think so," Cannon told MTV News when asked if the song is about the rapper, who seemingly took a jab at Carey in his song, "Bagpipes From Baghdad." "I don't think that she would take her time," Cannon said. "My wife doesn't beef. She's Mariah Carey. She's not beefin', she's a vegetarian." Cannon said that the song - which will be included on Carey's album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, due this fall - was more inspired by a certain Lindsay Lohan flick than by a need to retaliate against Em. "People keep saying 'Obsessed' was directed at certain people," Cannon said. "To be completely honest, she did the record 'cause she's a huge fan of this movie 'Mean Girls', and there's a line in the movie where one of the girls is like, 'Why are you so obsessed with me?' She says that at the beginning of the song, and that's where the concept came from. But you know, art imitates life." Cannon has his own theory about just who he'd like the song to be about, and it's not Eminem. "I always say I thought the record was about me, 'cause I'm obsessed with my wife," he said. "But if somebody's out there and you feel like you might have been obsessed, then the record's about you." (MTV News)

MARIAH CAREY PULLS AN EMINEM July 02, 2009 Looks like Mariah Carey is having the last laugh in her ongoing feud with Eminem. While filming her latest music video for the song "Obsessed" in New York on Monday, Carey was snapped sporting an oversized sweatshirt, fitted baseball cap and baggy sweatpants, an outfit noticeably similar to Eminem's performance wardrobe. The pop diva may finally be responding to lyrics from Eminem's recent album Relapse, on which the controversial rapper namedrops Carey in the track "Bagpipes From Baghdad." Referencing their past relationship - which Carey has denied - Eminem raps, "Mariah whatever happened to us, why did we ever have to break-up?" before shifting his attention to her husband, "Nick Cannon, you better back the f--- up. I'm not playing, I want her back, you punk." In May, Cannon took to his blog to blast Eminem for disrespecting Carey and himself, writing that the rapper, who he dubbed "Slim Lamey," is "still obsessed with my wife, the same female that wouldn't let him get to second base from 8 years ago." Cannon also challenged Eminem to a face-to-face meet-up, before concluding, "Your legacy has now been tainted from this day forth! You will now be known as the rapper who lost to corny-ass Nick Cannon!" (People)