Mariah Carey releases 'Type Dangerous,' first new single in many years, sampling Eric B. & Rakim
Mariah Carey, left, samples a classic track from rappers Eric B. & Rakim on her new single. Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images; David Corio/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Long Island’s Mariah Carey has released her first new song in several years and it samples another local act, hip-hop legends Eric B. & Rakim.
"Type Dangerous," which dropped late Thursday, is the lead single from Carey’s upcoming 16th album; her last album was 2018’s "Caution," which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200.
Intended as a slinky summertime anthem, "Type Dangerous" finds the Huntington-born singer sampling "Eric B. Is President," a 1986 hip-hop track from the Wyandanch duo Eric B. & Rakim. It begins with Rakim’s stuttering refrain "Make ‘em clap to this," then features Carey’s voice cooing, "To show my appreciation for your support, thank you, DJs" — a slightly altered version of the original intro. Rakim’s refrain continues throughout the song, in which Carey presents herself as a pampered pop star with a penchant for bad boys.
"I came in the door dripped in Balenci / Cropped leather coat and some 9-inch Fendis," Carey half-raps over a propulsive beat. "The crowd opened up and I started to strut / I need my space, but I’m signing autographs and such." The song’s hook shifts into a dreamier mode as Carey sings, "I’m lookin’ for the dangerous type."
A lyric video for the song, posted to YouTube in the early hours of Friday morning, shows Carey posing in front of a black sports car parked outside a mansion while wearing black stockings, laced-up short-shorts and a tight T-shirt emblazoned with the song title. There are also several shots of Carey driving the car as the wind tousles her hair. Another video, to be directed by South Korean American video veteran Joseph Kahn (who last teamed with Carey on her revamped 2019 video for "All I Want For Christmas Is You"), is said to be forthcoming.
Carey has been teasing "Type Dangerous" and her new album for several days on her social media accounts. A video posted June 2 to her Instagram account showed Carey getting into a car and playing a snippet of the track. The car’s rear license plate read "MC 16” — a likely nod to the new album. So far, however, neither an official title nor a release date have been announced.
Carey recently marked the 20th anniversary of her landmark album "The Emancipation of Mimi" by releasing a new two-disc set featuring remixes, bonus tracks, radio mixes and a cappella cuts.
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