Mariah Carey - Obsessed | (official Audio)

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.

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

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: . 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.

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 video, directed by , brought the "shade" to life

To stay incognito while dressed as the stalker, Carey even ditched her security detail, finding freedom in the disguise until she was eventually hit by a bus (another Mean Girls reference). Chart Performance and Legacy

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" Mariah’s lyrics took a playful yet sharp approach,

"Obsessed" was a massive success, debuting at number 11 on the —Carey's highest debut since 1998—and eventually peaking at number seven. It earned its 4x Platinum certification in late 2024 and recently surpassed 2 billion global streams across all platforms.