scriptgirl said:

What was the deal with Brenda K Starr and where is she now?

Mariah got her first big break in the music industry as an opening act & a backing vocalist for Brenda K Starr. Brenda was also responsible for giving Mariah's demo tape to Tommy that got Mariah a record deal at Sony Music Entertainment.

Even till this very day, Tommy gets too much credit for "discovering" Mariah, when it was Brenda that first seen Mariah as a waitess at some diner (Denny's?!?) back in the day.

Edit to add correct info

[Edited 1/7/13 15:46pm]

Well...she should be and probably is..but it would be unnecessary for her to wake up each morning saying "thank God for Tommy, thank God for Tommy" I think he's more bothered by the fact that after she left him, he thought she was going to fall flat on her face, with her career gone to the gutter when in fact the opposite happened. Though I enjoy the music she created when he was "dominating her" more than the music she released afterwards, I can respect any woman who can rise above the folks who feel they "made" them and continue on to higher heights in their career calling their own shots. Kudos Mariah

TonyVanDam said:

Should Mariah also be grateful that Tommy also had to screw over Brenda K. Starr in the process?

And while we're thinking about it, should Mariah also be grateful for Tommy's failed attempt to pass her as "less ethnic-looking", which was also damn nearly THE SAME marketing idea that Clive Davis tried to use on Whitney Houston's debut album years earlier?

[Edited 1/6/13 23:03pm]

Brenda NEVER EVER had a chance to be a spoltlight artist, she should be glad for her few hits, her talent was very limited, great sexy lady, but not that good of a singer or performer at all. Shit would have caught up with her after 1 album

raffi said:

lastdecember said:

Well lets be honest hear, HE did make her a star, yeah she had the talent, but out the box she was everywhere, it wasnt like Billy Joel or u2 or Prince, where they had about 5 albums to catch fire, she caught on fire before the CD was even out. Yes he was strict and i dont know how that was behind their doors, nor do i want to know, its easy to say he was this or that as she was breaking free, but where was the talk where you were selling 10 million an album and getting more response than really anyone deserves. I love Mariah but she lost me musically awhile ago, her albums all seem to blend into one another without form of identity, and you can take an album of hers that sold 10+ million like "Daydream" and its never even on ONE Greatest albums of all time list of anyone, and YES i know thats when she was with Tommy, but again Identity is her issue, she doesnt have it and to me has never really carved her place in music. Years ago there was all this talk about #1's and breaking the Beatles record but honestly now even if she does, its not even relevant cause of the time it took, it took them 7 years to have 20 and she is now in her 23rd year of creating music, and most of her number ones are not even memorable songs. NOW to me this is her crossroads album, where are you going with it, is it going to be the same painting by numbers albums you have been doing the last 15 years? or is it time to become an artist that is looking for an identity?

What do you mean where was all this talk when she was selling 10 million? Why would she shit talk someone she was married to at that time? I'd see your point if she walked away, and talked shit after releasing a flop. However, she was coming off of Daydream hardly a flop. Mariah's ex best friend Damizza painted a really great picture of how badly Mariah was treated. This was an 18 yr old girl fresh out of high school with some serious "daddy issues." As for her work that ish is the childhood soundtrack for a lot of girl's growing up in the 90's. You're right she has some number ones that aren't memorable. However, she also has those non hits like Breakdown, The Roof, and Underneath The Stars that will always be memorable for a lot of people. You can't minimize stuff like All I Want For Christmas or Fantasy. No, Mariah was never a critic's favorite so due to that her work is of no importance. Lord knows, there are tons of artists that were never appreciated until they died. And, Mariah's going to fall into that category.

No im saying why does everyone talk shit AFTER THE FACT, all the things she said came out after she was out the door, not while she was selling millions and having hits nonstop. People always talk after the fact, i remember STYX Behind the Music and after they booted Dennis De Young from the band in 1999 for being "controlling" and a guy who would only write TOP 40 hits, where was this talk when they sold 20 million albums in 4 years and were having those hits, people never walk away from the golden goose till the eggs are gone.

lastdecember said:

Brenda NEVER EVER had a chance to be a spoltlight artist, she should be glad for her few hits, her talent was very limited, great sexy lady, but not that good of a singer or performer at all. Shit would have caught up with her after 1 album

I disagree.Brenda is a remarkable singer.She would have made it big,too,if she had married the president of a major record company

SoulAlive said:

lastdecember said:

Brenda NEVER EVER had a chance to be a spoltlight artist, she should be glad for her few hits, her talent was very limited, great sexy lady, but not that good of a singer or performer at all. Shit would have caught up with her after 1 album

I disagree.Brenda is a remarkable singer.She would have made it big,too,if she had married the president of a major record company

i dont know if she had the staying power and drive that Mariah has, she had a family quick that i rememeber took time off, right there you are toast

lastdecember said:

TonyVanDam said:

Should Mariah also be grateful that Tommy also had to screw over Brenda K. Starr in the process?

And while we're thinking about it, should Mariah also be grateful for Tommy's failed attempt to pass her as "less ethnic-looking", which was also damn nearly THE SAME marketing idea that Clive Davis tried to use on Whitney Houston's debut album years earlier?

[Edited 1/6/13 23:03pm]

Brenda NEVER EVER had a chance to be a spoltlight artist, she should be glad for her few hits, her talent was very limited, great sexy lady, but not that good of a singer or performer at all. Shit would have caught up with her after 1 album

I still like this freestyle/dance-pop classic:

At least Brenda didn't lip-sync this performance. It was live or nothing.

Brenda has this godawful nasal tone to her voice that emphasizes her Noo Yawk accent

Hmmm what do you guys and gals think of Butterfly?

I'm not a huge Mariah fan but that was her album after Tommy... and it's the album from her after the ''independence'' from him.

And i like Butterfly it's her only album i have heard( I have only listened to 5 or 6) That i liked every track almost.

Otherwise her albums even in her prime days were spotty for me anyways. I also never listened to Rainbow or whatever the hell she released in 1999 cause i heard it's mess

Gunsnhalen said:

Hmmm what do you guys and gals think of Butterfly?

I'm not a huge Mariah fan but that was her album after Tommy... and it's the album from her after the ''independence'' from him.

And i like Butterfly it's her only album i have heard( I have only listened to 5 or 6) That i liked every track almost.

Otherwise her albums even in her prime days were spotty for me anyways. I also never listened to Rainbow or whatever the hell she released in 1999 cause i heard it's mess

"Independences" from her ex-husband Tommy really meant that Mariah could do the hip-hop/r&b sound and finally cut down on the adult-contemporary. She succeed doing just that with the Butterfly album.

missfee said:

Though I enjoy the music she created when he was "dominating her" more than the music she released afterwards,

TEAM TOMMY

missfee said:

Well...she should be and probably is..but it would be unnecessary for her to wake up each morning saying "thank God for Tommy, thank God for Tommy" I think he's more bothered by the fact that after she left him, he thought she was going to fall flat on her face, with her career gone to the gutter when in fact the opposite happened. Though I enjoy the music she created when he was "dominating her" more than the music she released afterwards, I can respect any woman who can rise above the folks who feel they "made" them and continue on to higher heights in their career calling their own shots. Kudos Mariah

Yep...often there comes a time when these types begin to think they actually own somebody and in that situation you have to assert yourself or else. It was probably worth more to her to do that than to remain in that situation, hits nothwithstanding.

uPtoWnNY said:

Didn't Mariah confirm Michael Jackson's statements about Mottola being a racist? Thought I read that somewhere.

From my knowledge it was the complete opposite - Mariah said she had her own issues with Tommy, but never considered him as a racist.

raffi said:

lastdecember said:

Well lets be honest hear, HE did make her a star, yeah she had the talent, but out the box she was everywhere, it wasnt like Billy Joel or u2 or Prince, where they had about 5 albums to catch fire, she caught on fire before the CD was even out. Yes he was strict and i dont know how that was behind their doors, nor do i want to know, its easy to say he was this or that as she was breaking free, but where was the talk where you were selling 10 million an album and getting more response than really anyone deserves. I love Mariah but she lost me musically awhile ago, her albums all seem to blend into one another without form of identity, and you can take an album of hers that sold 10+ million like "Daydream" and its never even on ONE Greatest albums of all time list of anyone, and YES i know thats when she was with Tommy, but again Identity is her issue, she doesnt have it and to me has never really carved her place in music. Years ago there was all this talk about #1's and breaking the Beatles record but honestly now even if she does, its not even relevant cause of the time it took, it took them 7 years to have 20 and she is now in her 23rd year of creating music, and most of her number ones are not even memorable songs. NOW to me this is her crossroads album, where are you going with it, is it going to be the same painting by numbers albums you have been doing the last 15 years? or is it time to become an artist that is looking for an identity?

What do you mean where was all this talk when she was selling 10 million? Why would she shit talk someone she was married to at that time? I'd see your point if she walked away, and talked shit after releasing a flop. However, she was coming off of Daydream hardly a flop. Mariah's ex best friend Damizza painted a really great picture of how badly Mariah was treated. This was an 18 yr old girl fresh out of high school with some serious "daddy issues." As for her work that ish is the childhood soundtrack for a lot of girl's growing up in the 90's. You're right she has some number ones that aren't memorable. However, she also has those non hits like Breakdown, The Roof, and Underneath The Stars that will always be memorable for a lot of people. You can't minimize stuff like All I Want For Christmas or Fantasy. No, Mariah was never a critic's favorite so due to that her work is of no importance. Lord knows, there are tons of artists that were never appreciated until they died. And, Mariah's going to fall into that category.

Too bad she wasn't 10 years older and discovered by Rick James.Another Teena Marie.I would of love to see that.She would of made some fly music,instead she was discovered by an old fart.She would of had plenty of time to do her boring contemporary R&B music.

I think Mariah is grateful to him and what he did for her career, but she simply doesn't like EVERYTHING that happened when they were working together/a couple...We obviously don't know everything that happened behind closed doors so even if it was the most successful time period of her career, it doesn't mean she was the happiest in her personal life. I'm just hoping Mariah's next album is better than her most recent single I've been a fan forever.

I'm a Brenda fan too and I read somewhere that she actually took a few vocal lessons from Mariah's mother (not sure if that was before or after she met Mariah). Unfortunately the label started focusing on Mariah exclusively once Tommy signed her so Brenda's next album had little promotion which resulted in a flop. I just think they're such different singers with different styles that there should have been room for both of them-obviously Mariah is the bigger talent but Brenda did her thing for a few years.

.

Gunsnhalen said:

Hmmm what do you guys and gals think of Butterfly?

I'm not a huge Mariah fan but that was her album after Tommy... and it's the album from her after the ''independence'' from him.

And i like Butterfly it's her only album i have heard( I have only listened to 5 or 6) That i liked every track almost.

Otherwise her albums even in her prime days were spotty for me anyways. I also never listened to Rainbow or whatever the hell she released in 1999 cause i heard it's mess

Along with Mimi, I strongly feel Butterfly doesn't have a bad track on it and is a highlight of her career, and the perfect crossover between old mariah and new mariah.

Gunsnhalen said:

Hmmm what do you guys and gals think of Butterfly?

I'm not a huge Mariah fan but that was her album after Tommy... and it's the album from her after the ''independence'' from him.

And i like Butterfly it's her only album i have heard( I have only listened to 5 or 6) That i liked every track almost.

Otherwise her albums even in her prime days were spotty for me anyways. I also never listened to Rainbow or whatever the hell she released in 1999 cause i heard it's mess

Butterfly is one of my favorites by Mariah. My favorite is Daydream (not a bad track on that one either). I also love Emancipation, Emotions, and Charmbracelet.

aardvark15 said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Hmmm what do you guys and gals think of Butterfly?

I'm not a huge Mariah fan but that was her album after Tommy... and it's the album from her after the ''independence'' from him.

And i like Butterfly it's her only album i have heard( I have only listened to 5 or 6) That i liked every track almost.

Otherwise her albums even in her prime days were spotty for me anyways. I also never listened to Rainbow or whatever the hell she released in 1999 cause i heard it's mess

Butterfly is one of my favorites by Mariah. My favorite is Daydream (not a bad track on that one either). I also love Emancipation, Emotions, and Charmbracelet.

Charmbracelet? :chills: that album was painful to listen to well imo.

Idk i am so so Mariah fan. Cause i do like Butterfly but besides that most of the other albums i heard from her are full of filler. I did kind of like Glitter & Daydream.... strangely enough but those had filler as well.

Another song i kind of like is Prisoner from her debut which i think could have been a good single.

Gunsnhalen said:

aardvark15 said:

Butterfly is one of my favorites by Mariah. My favorite is Daydream (not a bad track on that one either). I also love Emancipation, Emotions, and Charmbracelet.

Charmbracelet? :chills: that album was painful to listen to well imo.

Idk i am so so Mariah fan. Cause i do like Butterfly but besides that most of the other albums i heard from her are full of filler. I did kind of like Glitter & Daydream.... strangely enough but those had filler as well.

Another song i kind of like is Prisoner from her debut which i think could have been a good single.

So think Glitter is okay but hate Charmbracelet .... Well as long as you don't like the movie I'll respect your opinion

aardvark15 said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Hmmm what do you guys and gals think of Butterfly?

I'm not a huge Mariah fan but that was her album after Tommy... and it's the album from her after the ''independence'' from him.

And i like Butterfly it's her only album i have heard( I have only listened to 5 or 6) That i liked every track almost.

Otherwise her albums even in her prime days were spotty for me anyways. I also never listened to Rainbow or whatever the hell she released in 1999 cause i heard it's mess

Butterfly is one of my favorites by Mariah. My favorite is Daydream (not a bad track on that one either). I also love Emancipation, Emotions, and Charmbracelet.

Also this is somewhat off topic...

But on the metal forums i frequent and That Metal Show on VH1 classic have a strong hate for Mariah ever since she covered ''Bringing On The Heartbreak'' by Def Leppard.

I mean they act like she commited some sort of felony

Gunsnhalen said:

aardvark15 said:

Butterfly is one of my favorites by Mariah. My favorite is Daydream (not a bad track on that one either). I also love Emancipation, Emotions, and Charmbracelet.

Also this is somewhat off topic...

But on the metal forums i frequent and That Metal Show on VH1 classic have a strong hate for Mariah ever since she covered ''Bringing On The Heartbreak'' by Def Leppard.

I mean they act like she commited some sort of felony

It's better than the original I'm more mad about her cover of The Beautiful Ones. It's okay but it lacks the purple magic

aardvark15 said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Also this is somewhat off topic...

But on the metal forums i frequent and That Metal Show on VH1 classic have a strong hate for Mariah ever since she covered ''Bringing On The Heartbreak'' by Def Leppard.

I mean they act like she commited some sort of felony

It's better than the original I'm more mad about her cover of The Beautiful Ones. It's okay but it lacks the purple magic

I Wouldn't go that far.. but i do like it

I once saw a post by some guy saying Mariah should kill herself so he could shit in her dead vagina

Gunsnhalen said:

aardvark15 said:

Butterfly is one of my favorites by Mariah. My favorite is Daydream (not a bad track on that one either). I also love Emancipation, Emotions, and Charmbracelet.

Also this is somewhat off topic...

But on the metal forums i frequent and That Metal Show on VH1 classic have a strong hate for Mariah ever since she covered ''Bringing On The Heartbreak'' by Def Leppard.

I mean they act like she commited some sort of felony

She kinda did. That's a really god-awful arrangement. Her voice was at an all time low during this period too.

aardvark15 said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Charmbracelet? :chills: that album was painful to listen to well imo.

Idk i am so so Mariah fan. Cause i do like Butterfly but besides that most of the other albums i heard from her are full of filler. I did kind of like Glitter & Daydream.... strangely enough but those had filler as well.

Another song i kind of like is Prisoner from her debut which i think could have been a good single.

So think Glitter is okay but hate Charmbracelet .... Well as long as you don't like the movie I'll respect your opinion

Glitter is faaaaaaaaaaaaaar better than CB. I like the latter though, it has "Subtle Invitation" one of the best things that Mariah recorded in her career IMHO.

aardvark15 said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Charmbracelet? :chills: that album was painful to listen to well imo.

Idk i am so so Mariah fan. Cause i do like Butterfly but besides that most of the other albums i heard from her are full of filler. I did kind of like Glitter & Daydream.... strangely enough but those had filler as well.

Another song i kind of like is Prisoner from her debut which i think could have been a good single.

So think Glitter is okay but hate Charmbracelet .... Well as long as you don't like the movie I'll respect your opinion

The movie i watched 20 min of and that was ENOUGH

[Edited 1/11/13 16:11pm]

mimi career was better off without tommy m. he is just another record exec using another black woman to get fortune and fame.