Mariah Carey, It’s Like That | Music Lifts

In the 20th edition of Music Lifts (2025), we’re uplifted by Grammy-winning R&B/pop legend Mariah Carey performing “It’s Like That.”

Welcome to Music Lifts , a column highlighting songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs exuding fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the 20^th edition of Music Lifts (2025), we highlight “It’s Like That” as performed by Mariah Carey.

“I came to have a party / Open off that Bacardi / Feeling so hot tamale / Boy, I know you watchin’ me / So what’s it gonna be?” Say, what?! Hmm, I know what you’re thinking.  Those lyrics don’t signal an uplifting experience, particularly when you add the likes of “Purple taking me higher / I’m lifted, and I like it.” That’s weed for ya! No, the vibes are not spiritual or religious.  But, on “It’s Like That”, the lead single from the 2005 Mariah Carey comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey feels freed, liberated, stress-free, and simply wants to have fun!  If anyone has told her what to do and how to live her life in the past, she has cast them aside.  In the pre-chorus, she asserts fearlessly, “‘Cause it’s my night / No stress, no fights / I’m leavin’ it all behind / No tears, no time to cry / Just making the most of life.” “It’s Like That” was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, Johntá Austin, and Fatman Scoop. Dupri and Carey produced this gem, which samples Run-DMC (“Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)”).  It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA.

“Them chickens is ash and I’m lotion .” Woo! Carey radiates with confidence throughout “It’s Like That.” Was this always the case with Mariah? Probably not, or so the lyrics imply. In the second verse, she adds, “It’s a special occasion / Mimi’s emancipation / A cause for celebration / I ain’t gonna let nobody’s drama bother me.” I know that’s right, diva! Tell ‘em, Mimi! Carey slays in the vocal department, catching the ears from the get-go.  She is at her best in the pre-chorus (excerpted earlier) and chorus, particularly when she ad-libs:

“Everybody is livin’ it up

All the fellas keep lookin’ at us

‘Cause me and my girls on the floor like what

While the DJ keeps on spinnin’ the cut

It’s like that y’all.”

“It’s Like That” is uplifting because Mariah Carey has decided to free herself of the BS.  She’s liberated, and liberation never sounded better than this groovy, mid-2000s gem. IT’S LIKE THAT, Y’ALL!

Mariah Carey // The Emancipation of Mimi // Mariah Carey / UMG Recordings, Inc. // 2005

Mariah Carey, It’s Like That: Music Lifts No. 20 (2025) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Mariah Carey / UMG Recordings, Inc.; BD Jewel, Dave H, Jean-Daniel Francoeur, Joshua Brown, Vansh Mehta from Pexels; AcatXIo, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]