We’ve endured the rumors about Eminem and Mariah since early 2001. Things have been quiet on the Eminem-front until recently. Earlier this month, Eminem, otherwise known as Marshall Mathers or Slim Shady, gave an interview on his uncensored hip-hop Sirius Satellite Radio channel, Shade 45. "Yes, me and Mariah did have a relationship for about a good six, seven months. (But) it didn't work”, he bragged. “I wasn't really into what she was into. Our personalities collided. She's a diva, and I'm a little more regular, I guess”. He later angrily bashed her for saying they never had a relationship while using a few expletives, which are far too disrespectful to use on any woman. "I can never deny her talent, but the fact that she denied we ever had something, that's bad." Nice backhanded justification, Em.

If we didn’t understand the first time, Marshall beats the horse in a new song in which he is featured titled, “Jimmy Crack Corn”.

As 50 would say our clothing lines on fire / Meanwhile your minds on us like mine’s on Mariah / And you all just like her you’re all f**king liars / but I'll just keep f**king you like I f**ked her / Right in the a** with KY, yes sir / So full of joy boy am I absurd / Even Chingy would tell you ya boy don't curr

Whether or not Mariah and Eminem had encounters beyond friendship, it seems Eminem has really had a tough time seeking a new muse. The only other person he has rapped about more would be Kim Mathers, the mother of his child and a woman that he has married twice and divorced twice. So how did they meet and what happened to make Eminem so bitter?

News of the two palling around surfaced in June of 2001 when Mariah was still dating Latin crooner, Luis Miguel and Eminem was going though his first divorce with Kim. Page Six first reported that Mariah and Eminem were seen having drinks late one night at the Church Bar in the Tribeca Grand Hotel and then later retreated to her apartment. Her then publicist, Cindi Berger, said that Mariah wished to show Eminem her latest video, “Loverboy”. The next month, The New York Daily News reported that Mariah had taken a private jet to Detroit to talk with Eminem about appearing on one of the videos for her “Glitter” soundtrack. It was rumored that she waited on the tarmac for four hours before Eminem arrived and declined. However, something must have gone right because soon after, Eminem arrived again in New York with a few family members to meet with Mariah. Again, Cindi Berger confirmed this meeting and explained that they were working on a potential deal involving a new artist. At that time, even Eminem’s rep, Dennis Dennehey, explained that the two were only friends.

As July of 2001 came to an end, Mariah and Miguel had broken up, Mariah was recuperating in a hospital from exhaustion, and MTV Asia aired rumors that she might be immediately attending Eminem’s concert in Glasgow, Scotland. Eminem reportedly even made inquiries regarding security should Mariah show up. The date obviously fell though. Mariah and Luis made a second go of it at the end of the year only to have their relationship end for good on New Year’s Eve. In February, media outlets reported that Eminem comforted Mariah during this time when she would visit him in his Sunset Marquis Hotel room in Los Angeles in the early hours of the morning while he was writing and recording his 2002 release, “The Eminem Show”.

Somewhere between February and the May release of Eminem’s album, something went terribly wrong with the relationship … friendship … whatever you choose to believe. Mariah’s name graced two songs on the album and some believe that even more lyrics “paid homage” to her. From “Superman”:

Am I too nice / buy you ice / b*tch if you died, I wouldn't buy you life / What you tryin' to be my new wife / what you Mariah / fly through twice …/ Maybe I'll love you one day, maybe we'll someday grow / Till then just sit your drunk a** on that f**kin' runway h* … / First thing you say, “I'm not fazed, I hang around big stars all day / I don't see what the big deal is anyways / You're just plain old Marshall to me “/ Ooh ya' girl run that game / “Hailie Jade, I love that name, love that tattoo, what's that say“/ “Rot in pieces, oh, that's great” / First off you don't know Marshall / at all so don't grow partial / That's ammo for my arsenal / I'll slap you off that barstool

Some believe that he is referring to the hours Mariah spent on the tarmac waiting for him in Detroit and the time they spent together in the Manhattan bar. He goes on to graphically rap about sexual encounters. Another song, “When the Music Stops” briefly mentions Mariah: “What the f**k you take me for? A joke? You smokin’ crack? Before I do that, I beg Mariah to take me back.” It’s not so far fetched to me that he would do both, after all he had a stint in a drug rehabilitation center last summer for, uh, sleep medication.

Not long after, the two verbally traded grievances in magazines and sit-down interviews. Eminem told Rolling Stone, “There’s truth to that (romantic relationship). But on the whole personal level, I’m not really feeling it. I just don’t like her as a person.” Asked the same question on Larry King, Mariah insisted, "I hung out with him, I spoke to him on the phone. I think I was probably with him a total of four times. And I don't consider that dating somebody." Later, her responses broadened to, “I knew him, I hung out with him a few times, but nothing sexual occurred.” How many times did we hear the “I can count on one hand” comment?!

At the end of the year, Mariah released “Charmbracelet”, which included her own obvious retort to Eminem as she sang that nobody would care when he was no longer the star of the “Show” :

I should've left it at, how ya doin' / I should've left it at I like your music too, and / I should've never called you back when you pursued me / I should've never given you my f**king two way…/ You should've never intimated we were lovers / When you know very well we never even touched each other…

She even sings that taking her “G5 twenty minutes wasn’t nothing”, possibly directly responding to his mocking her stay on the runway in Detroit. The song was performed during the “Charmbracelet” World Tour as huge “puppets” dance around the stage. How does this relate to Eminem you ask? The backdrop spelled “The Marionette Show” with a token-Slim Shady backwards “e” in imitation of “The Eminem Show”.

Mariah wasn’t the only one to take her anger on tour. In 2003, on Eminem’s “Anger Management Tour”, he reportedly played clips from what were said to be saved voice mail messages from Mariah. He then did his best vomiting act and sang “Puke”. Months earlier, a Shady rep denied that he would use Mariah’s messages in his music. A friend of Mariah’s stated that the phone messages could only be an actress impersonating her. Benny Medina, then, her new publicist, stated, "While we appreciate Eminem as an artist, lately his work has seemed tasteless and unnecessarily mean-spirited. The public seems to agree – just look at his declining record and concert ticket sales." Mariah, herself, answered with, “If that makes him happy, yay for him. All I know is, we all have a lot of messages, don't we? And we all should remember that.”

The mess continued with potshots at award shows, Eminem’s assistant writing a book with an entire chapter dedicated to Mariah, and even rumors of a truce. The conflict seemed to fizzle as Eminem’s career began to stall. As I said at the start, we were given a reprieve while Marshall got remarried to his ex-wife and Mariah reminded us of her talent by setting even more records with her latest release, “The Emancipation of Mimi”.

Based on Eminem’s latest antics, one of two things must be true – either he sees there is benefit in associating himself with Mariah Carey or he was and still is totally obsessed with her … or both. On the hills of his second divorce, Mariah’s name is quick to roll off of Eminem’s tongue as he seems to be making a comeback to the music scene. And on the subject of his infatuation with her, there were many who testified that he had posters of Mariah hanging in his room and pictures of her in his wallet.

Did Mariah break his heart because she only wanted to be friends? Did he kick her to the curb because she wouldn't put out? Afterall, there can't be too many fingers left to save on the hand! Or did he just genuinely not like her? The latter would mean she was unimportant and if unimportant, surly he wouldn't still be talking about her nearly six years later. In “Jimmy Crack Corn” Eminem also raps, “Jealous little f**ks beg for my attention”. Poor Marshall – are you confused again? Who is the one begging for attention? No matter what happened from 2001 until the first salvo was fired, it’s simple to comprehend which of them really doesn’t want to stop reminiscing.

Past lovers Mariah Carey and Derek Jeter are sure to cross paths tonight at the Chelsea Piers during the 4th Annual Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation Gala. Joe Torre is, of course, the manager of the New York Yankees baseball team and Jeter is their prize shortstop. Mariah has been slated to be the performer at the event, which serves to bring awareness to domestic violence. It’s a riddle to me of how Mariah was booked for this charity event. It’s well known that the Yankee’s owner George Steinbrenner was not a fan of Mariah Carey. During the relationship, Derek would be asked about his girlfriend instead of baseball and her presence at Spring Training could have been seen as a distraction. Steinbrenner denies reports that he made it known to Jeter that he should keep his girlfriend away from the ballpark.

The stars claimed that their relationship began after Mariah’s separation from Tommy Mottola and it seems that they have moved on with their respective lives. So why is this chance meeting worth talking about? It’s about timing!

Here are the facts:
- Mariah moved out of the Bedford Mansion into her mother’s house in December of 1996
- A legal separation was announced in May of 1997
- The divorce was final in 1998

Speaking of 1998, it was that year that The New York Post ran a story about Mariah Carey’s former limo driver, Franco D’Onofrio. D’Onofrio chauffeured Mariah for four years and became very vocal about his customer’s travels. He claimed that in the fall of 1995, he began helping Mariah carry out her secret late night meetings with Derek Jeter. His account was that he would drop her off a block away from East 79th Street where Jeter resided and that he would pick her up four hours later. “She’d be wearing no makeup, looking disheveled, and he’d drive her back up to her home”, said a close friend of Franco.

1995? Is it possible that Mariah became involved with Jeter in 1995? This is the year that Derek Jeter was brought to the Major Leagues by the New York Yankees after another player was placed on the disabled list. Okay, so the timing and location coincide. 1995 may be a little too early but former journalist A.J. Benza has recollections from 1996. He records in his 2001 book, “Fame: Ain’t It a Bitch” that his first interview with Mariah was during the inception of her vanity label “Crave”. It’s known that the label was being developed during 1996 since the first album release was from a group called Allure in May of 1997. The Benza interview was mandated by her current husband Mottola to help churn better press about their marriage. It was conducted in the Spy nightclub where Mariah’s group, including Derek Jeter, was huddled on a perch. Benza notes that he found himself falling for her after a five-minute chat but was forced to lean over Jeter to get some quotes.

In his book “The Life You Imagine” Derek, himself, claims that he met Mariah at a charity function for the Fresh Air Fund in November 1996 and that their relationship lasted only 6 months. “I know some people have written and want to believe -- our romance started that day, but that's not true. I barely even talked with her that first day”, Derek proclaims. What does Mariah say about that November night? From the song “The Roof” released in 1997 –

It was definitely a little misty on that warm November night / And my heart was pounding / My inner voice resounding / Begging me to turn away … And then you casually walked in the room / And I was twisted in the web of my desire for you / My apprehension blew away / I only wanted you / To taste my sadness As you kissed me in the dark

Hey! You make your own conclusion. I’ll just again give you the fact that Mariah moved out of Bedford the next month! You may be interested in these other lyrics that have been speculated to be about Jeter, five years after the demise of their relationship. From the song “Subtle Invitation” released in 2003 –

That you're still somewhat / Attached to the dream / Of being in love once again / When it's clear they've moved on ... And if you happen to be somewhere listening / ... Baby all you ever need to do / (I'm quite sure you know) is call me and let love rush in (that this one's for you) / (cause I'm giving "My All")

“My All” was, of course, a song released in 1997 during the time of Mariah and Jeter’s relationship. From the song “Lullaby“ released in 2003 –

And we can revisit us one more time / Yes, I'll come home with you tonight ... So here we are again / All by ourselves / So familiar you know / That it actually almost feels like deja vu / Of that night on the roof / We kissed under the sky amid city lights

Here is seems that she is alluding to that November night in 1996. Songs like this fuel speculation that five years later she was still writing about a relationship that supposedly only lasted six months. Maybe this quote from a 2005 edition of Allure Magazine can explain the mystery:

“I ask if it's true that, since the Declaration of Independence states that we are ‘endowed by God,’ Jeter was more endowed than others, Carey whoops with delight. ‘Oh, my goodness!’ she squeals, and then collects herself. ‘No comment, dahhhling,’ she purrs. ‘Put it just like that. And make sure 'dahhhling' is spelled d-a-h-h-h-l-i-n-g.’”

Of course, I kid I kid. It seems that Mariah is very happy with her current boyfriend, Mark Sudack, an executive member of her current record label, a man whom she's been rumored to be dating since at least 2003, and someone who has earned a great reputation with Mariah’s fans. We certainly wish them all the luck.

However, we can all watch the drama unfold tonight and at least reminisce! Stay tuned …