Jermaine Dupri recently revealed the unexpected story behind one of Mariah Carey’s most enduring hits—and how Wu-Tang Clan helped shape its creation. During his appearance on the 150th episode of the R&B Money podcast, hosted by Tank and J. Valentine, the Atlanta producer recounted how “Always Be My Baby,” one of Carey’s signature songs, was born from a surprising and bold creative moment during their first-ever studio session. According to Dupri, the collaboration almost didn’t happen. When Carey arrived at the studio, she had a very specific vision—and it was far from what he expected. “She came in and said, ‘I want to make a record like this,’” Dupri recalled. The track she played was Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.” Dupri was stunned. At first, he assumed she was joking. “You want to sing over this?” he asked, still trying to process the request.

But Carey was serious. She followed up with another gritty record and told Dupri she wanted to bring that same street energy into her next song. Caught off guard, he wrestled with doubts. “I’m thinking, this is Mariah Carey,” Dupri said. “If this goes wrong, I’ll be the one people blame. I didn’t want to be that guy.” Despite his hesitation, Carey persisted. She had a vision, and Dupri eventually chose to follow her lead. That decision proved pivotal. Carey described what she wanted as “something like ‘Just Kickin’ It,’” Dupri’s hit for Xscape, but with a polished, melodic edge layered over gritty urban drums. She wanted soul and sweetness with the rough texture of the streets beneath it.

Dupri began experimenting. As he played around with the elements, Carey took charge of the arrangement. She asked for key changes, pushed for specific production touches, and helped mold the song’s final form. With her steering the sound and Dupri building the track, “Always Be My Baby” came to life. He added 808s. She fine-tuned melodies. Together, they struck gold. Released in 1996, the track soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually earned 4x Platinum certification from the RIAA. It also marked the start of one of the most successful creative partnerships in pop-R&B history.

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Reflecting on that session, Dupri credited Carey’s instinct and fearlessness. “That was the beginning of me and Mariah’s relationship,” he said. And in a roundabout way, fans might owe part of that success to Wu-Tang Clan. Their influence helped inspire a timeless anthem.