Up Out My Face
The lyrics for the song have been speculated to be directed at American rapper Eminem, whom Carey has a longstanding feud with since the early 2000's after his claims that they were in a relationship.
The song received generally positive reviews from music critics for its humorous lyrics and the addition of rapper Nicki Minaj on the remix.
Carey released Minaj's version as a single in January 2010 for a proposed remix album titled Angels Advocate, which was ultimately shelved.
[2] In an interview for MTV News at Dylan's Candy Bar, Minaj revealed that she had kept her remix of the song a secret from everyone she knew because she was "so surprised" at being asked to work with Carey.
[12] Brian Mansfield of USA Today highlights the lyrics "If we were two Lego blocks, even the Harvard University graduating class of 2010 couldn't put us back together again" as one of the album's "many funny lines".
[11] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine described the references to Lego, Harvard University and Humpty Dumpty as "a whole new level of lyrical ridiculousness".
[15] She adds some "spunky rhymes" including "Mariah, I was in the million dollar meetin's, he was cheatin' / All up in the church he was sneakin' with the deacon,"[15] and references Trey Songz 2009 single "LOL :-)" in a British accent.
"[17][18] Carey recorded a song called "Clown" for Charmbracelet which "ambiguously addressed the relationship" with the lyrics "Should've left it at I like your music too" and "You should've never intimated we were lovers/ When you know very well we never even touched each other.
[17][18] Mansfield thought that the lyrical content of "Up Out My Face" appeared to be a continuation of "Obsessed" and her feud with Eminem, as Carey sings "I know you're not a rapper, so you better stop spittin' it.
"[13] "Even though this version [...] was originally meant to be included on the Angel Advocate remix album that never materialized, the buoyant clap-back anthem with Mariah and her future American Idol co-star/frenemy took off with its own set of wings.
The Nicki Minaj-assisted hit serves up a double whammy that hoisted the song onto the Hot 100, like both stars' scornful hand gesture from the dolled-up music video."
[12] Although J. Edward Keyes of Newsday described the track as "exuberant", he was critical of its placement on the album: "The production, courtesy of the reliable Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, feels boilerplate at best.
"[22] Ann Powers of Los Angeles Times thought that Carey lacked conviction in her approach to the song, writing that despite its aggressive tone, "restraint stops serving her agenda".
[28] Carey and Minaj play different characters, including Barbie dolls who escape from their boxes, sexy nurses in matching outfits, two women in a nail salon and two divas shopping.
Cannon makes a cameo appearance in the video, which Chris Ryan of MTV Buzzworthy thought was a reference to the 2002 film, Drumline.
[30] Anna Pickard commented that Carey and Minaj looked "grumpier" than what dolls usually do because "their men are low-down dirty dogs who should henceforth get up out of Mimi and Nicki's faces".
[29] She compared the use of a red and white palette to Kylie Minogue's music video for "Can't Get You Out of My Head", Cheryl Cole's "Fight for This Love" and Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance", and that it appeared to be a "go-to device for directors who want their pop video to pop visually, without the need for too much pesky plot to worry about".
