"Despite its grim title with its visions of messy self-absorption, The Emancipation of Mimi is - mostly - cool, focused and urban. Her buddies Nelly, Twista and Snoop Dogg set the hip-hop tone, making Carey sound like a guest on her own record, but even when she lets them dominate, it's quality domination. A headbanging Fatman Scoop rap may define It's Like That, for instance, but Carey is very much a presence, unfurling her three octaves judiciously".