Mariah Carey Reclaims Her Throne with Bold and Cinematic “Type Dangerous” Music Video

16 June 2025

Mariah Carey in 'Type Dangerous'. VEVO

Mariah Carey has catapulted herself back into the pop cultural eye with the release of the music video for “Type Dangerous,” the commanding lead single from her forthcoming sixteenth studio album, her first solo original material in seven years. Directed by frequent collaborator Joseph Kahn, the video premiered on June 14 and showcases Carey as a glamorous, steely assassin navigating a world of high-stakes allure and playful peril .

The clip unfolds like a cinematic mini-thriller, divided into seven discrete acts that introduce a succession of male archetypes: Mr. Player, Mr. Dancer, Mr. Traitor, Mr. Racer, Mr. Dealer, Ms. Danger and finally, Mr. Beast. In each segment, Carey dispatches her suitors with lethal precision, all while maintaining perfect poise and immaculate styling. She negotiates glitzy casino rooms, throttles motorcycles through neon-lit tunnels, and even orchestrates explosive CGI showdowns testament to the production’s high ambition.

At the heart of the narrative is Carey’s signature wit. In perhaps the most theatrical moment, YouTube phenomenon Mr. Beast makes a cameo and approaches the diva only to be dismissed with a glancing barb and the iconic line, “I don’t know him,” before he vanishes in a puff of cash, adding a meta wink to her viral “I don’t know her” moment. The clip concludes on a rooftop finale, with Carey surrounded by obeisant dancers under a glowing billboard reading “Bianca Industries,” a nod to her alter ego Bianca from the 1999 “Heartbreaker” era

Sonically, “Type Dangerous” is a seamless celebration of hip-hop soul and R&B, underpinned by the instantly recognizable groove from Eric B. & Rakim’s 1987 classic “Eric B. Is President” Co-written and produced by Carey alongside Anderson .Paak, NWi, and Daniel Moore, the song leans into a confident new jack swing beat laced with swaggering percussion. Lyrically, she celebrates her appetite for romance that comes with risks: she’s drawn to the untamed, the unpredictable, the “dangerous” type.

Carey’s return with “Type Dangerous” was strategically timed for impact. She first teased a teaser clip on social media in early June, stirring speculation about her sixteenth album, an anticipation she teased with a license plate labeled "MC16" and a file named “T:D_MC16.mp3”. The single officially dropped on June 6 via Gamma, and the video followed a week later on June 14, preceded by Kahn’s promise of an “earth‑shattering surprise”

The timing coincided with Carey’s live debut of the song at the 2025 BET Awards on June 9, where she shared the stage with Rakim and Anderson .Paak, delivering a powerhouse performance that fused “Type Dangerous” with her 2005 anthem “It’s Like That” That night, Carey was honored with her first-ever BET Award, the Ultimate Icon Award, standing alongside luminaries like Jamie Foxx, Snoop Dogg, and Kirk Franklin. Her acceptance speech bristled with charm and defiance: “be a diva, be a boss, be anything you wanna be. But be iconic while you’re doing it,” she urged the audience

Praise has streamed in from both the mainstream press and fans. Billboard’s Ashley Iasimone remarked that the video “captured Carey’s glamorous vibe and her humor,” while Slant Magazine’s Alexa Camp highlighted its “special effects-laden” flair and the way Carey humorously shades exes like Tommy Mottola, whom she calls “an evil king”

Fan reactions on Reddit have been mixed—some applauding the high-budget spectacle and the diva’s commanding visuals, while others found certain moments stiff or the cameo too green-screened—but even detractors acknowledged the unapologetic, bold energy galore .

Commercially, “Type Dangerous” is already tracking as Carey’s strongest single in over a decade, topping the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts and making waves on rhythmic, adult-contemporary, and pop formats—marking her return to radio prominence since hits like “Touch My Body” in 2008 and “#Beautiful” in 2013.

In the context of Carey’s storied career, this release feels both familiar and pioneering. Since 2018’s Caution, she has maintained a presence through holiday music and anniversary edition releases, but regular solo material had all but stalled until now “Type Dangerous” is unambiguous in its aim: to reassert Mariah Carey as a force in modern pop and R&B while brandishing her trademark vocal prowess, diva mystique, and penchant for turning eye-rolls into art.

With her sixteenth studio album on the horizon, “Type Dangerous” sets expectations sky-high. Fans anticipating that next body of work are now treated to a confident statement: Carey is in command, unafraid to take risks, and very much in control of her narrative. If this single and video are any indication, the “Songbird Supreme” is singing on her own terms and doing so with deadly style.