Mariah Carey - Obsessed: The Ultimate "Shade" Anthem Released on June 16, 2009, served as the lead single for Mariah Carey’s twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel . Produced by Carey alongside Tricky Stewart and The-Dream , the track is a masterclass in R&B-pop crossover, blending a thumping bassline with handclaps and Carey’s distinctively Auto-Tuned vocals. The Inspiration: Mean Girls and "Mininem"
The video, directed by , brought the "shade" to life. Filmed at New York City’s Plaza Hotel , it features Carey playing two roles: herself and a male stalker. Mariah Carey - Obsessed (Official Audio)
The stalker—later dubbed "Mininem" by fans—wore a gray hoodie and sweatpants that bore a striking resemblance to Eminem’s signature style. Mariah Carey - Obsessed: The Ultimate "Shade" Anthem
The track was widely viewed as a response to Eminem’s "Bagpipes from Baghdad," in which he taunted Carey and her then-husband, Nick Cannon. Mariah’s lyrics took a playful yet sharp approach, questioning why someone would lie about a relationship that "everybody knows" never happened. The Iconic Music Video Filmed at New York City’s Plaza Hotel ,
Decades later, the song remains a staple of pop culture, bolstered by viral TikTok challenges and its status as a precursor to modern "diss" tracks and the #MeToo movement’s discourse on harassment in music.
The song famously opens with the line, "I was like, 'Why are you so obsessed with me?'" —a direct nod to the 2004 film Mean Girls . While Carey publicly maintained the song was inspired by the movie and childhood experiences with "hair-pulling" bullies, the media quickly identified a more specific target: .