Janet Jackson has Damita Jo, Madonna has Esther, and now, apparently, Mariah has Mimi.

Mariah Carey's private nickname is featured in the title of her forthcoming album, The Emancipation of Mimi, according to a letter she posted on



"I am celebrating that I've grown into a person and artist who no longer feels imprisoned by my insecurities." — Mariah Carey


her Web site Thursday (November 18). Carey noted that she was explaining the title a bit prematurely — the album isn't due until March 22 — because "my album title has leaked out [to the press] way before I intended."

The title, she wrote, is "very different for me." Indeed, her past albums have usually referred to her favorite things of the girlie variety (Charmbracelet, Rainbow, Butterfly and, er, Glitter). Anticipating that the new title might cause some confusion, Carey explained that Mimi is a "very personal nickname" only used by those closest to her, and is "just one of those little things that I've kept for myself in an attempt to have some delineation between a public persona and a private life." By using her private nickname this way, she said, she's "letting my guard down and inviting my fans to be that much closer to me."

As for the "emancipation" aspect, it refers to her feeling that she no longer has to live up to other people's expectations, an attitude that is also reportedly reflected in the album's music (see "With Help From Kanye, R. Kelly, Snoop, Mariah Readies New LP").

"For the first time in my life, I feel free and unashamed to be who I really am," she wrote. "I am celebrating that I've grown into a person and artist who no longer feels imprisoned by my insecurities ... I can now honestly say, 'This is me, the real me, take it or leave it.' "

The album's first single, "Say Something" (featuring Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams), was originally supposed to go to radio by the end of November, but has since been pushed back to January and will be accompanied by a video, according to Carey's label rep.

— Jennifer Vineyard

twink69 said:

you forgot to add jennifer lopez has J Lo.
Christina Aguilera has Xtina

Prince has Camille!

Marshall Mathers/Eminem/Slim Shady

R.Kelly/Pied Piper

ThreadCula said:

Did he pick that name?

BinaryJustin said:

I guess so
He's always wearing that freakin mask

BinaryJustin said:

Camille? What the hell...

Supernova said:

When Janet was born, Mrs. Jackson had wanted another boy to replace Michael because he was proving to be defective.

So, after Janet was born, Mrs. Jackson (weary in in her hospital bed) said: "Damn! Eat her, Joe!"

Luckily, she was too chewy and proved inedible.

Beyonce has Sasha

ThreadCula said:

What the fuck's all that about?

BinaryJustin said:

why does he where that stupid thing? is that because he's shamed and guilty?

BinaryJustin said:

If you were an infamous pedophile you wouldn't want to disguise yourself as The Green Hornet and/or Kato?

hey, who's that dude in the mask? where did r. kelley go? i'm confused!

dancerella said:

How old was the girl? She wasn't like a child, was she? I mean, she was teenage wasn't she?

I'm not condoning middle-aged men romping with teenagers but I don't think he's a paedophile or a child-molestor. A lot of teenagers - especially girls - look much much older than their age.

BinaryJustin said:

Then either you're naive, or you haven't seen the smoking gun evidence.

Supernova said:

I will do a quick Google right now.

Ain't nobody have more or better nicknames than Prince. R Kelly looks ridiculous in the mask. It takes a special breed of star to pull of that look.

twink69 said:

Supernova said:

It's both.

I had placed a bet that she was gonna name her album Skittles.

Now that leaves Celine Dion to break out with "Sha-Nay-Nay" and that would pretty make it played out.

LQ

Here is the actual letter Mariah posted on her websote:

So obviously my album title has leaked out way before I intended. (the single isn't even out yet...hello???)

Knowing that the title was very different for me and might cause some confusion, I had a whole explanation to go along with the press release which was supposed to come out in February, but basically that got foiled.

So here it is..."Mimi" is a very personal nickname only used by those closest to me...just one of those little things that I've kept for myself in an attempt to have some delineation between a public persona and a private life.

By naming the album The Emancipation of Mimi I am letting my guard down and inviting my fans to be that much closer to me..Most importantly, I am celebrating the fact that I've grown into a person and artist who no longer feels imprisoned by my insecurities or compelled to try and live up to someone else's vision of "Mariah Carey" I now feel I can honestly say "this is me, the real me, take it or leave it" For the first time in my life, I feel free and unashamed to be who I really am..And that's what the music of this album and it's title reflect..

As always, I love ya, appreciate ya and I enjoy ya!!! MC a.k.a Mimi.

theVelvetRoper said:

Gwen stole that "lamb" nickname I guess

LadyQ said:

Actually, I think her album's going to be called "The Emancipation of Trog".

BinaryJustin said:

or

I have "shanquisha jenkins"

you know what..i have never hade any interest in mariah scary..but, this one...this one sorta makes me actually consider buying it....if the leaks hold true and this is a true throwback to real soul/r&b and mariah stops with all the vocal acrobats and adobts a more gladys knight tone....i think ill buy it.