Nothing says everlasting love quite like a bikini-clad (and impossibly fit!) Mariah Carey writhing around in a blue lagoon. And judging by the cutoff denim shorts, sultry bedroom eyes, and the barely-there two-piece Mariah sports in her new video, “I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time,” the third single off E=MC2, it appears this newlywed is still over the moon for impulsive-fling-turned-forever, Nick Cannon. And despite rumors that the two are only in it for the free publicity — which they fervently deny — it’s obvious that Nick’s been instrumental in helping Mariah get her groove back.
By all counts, “I’ll Be Lovin’ U Long Time” (not to be confused with “Me love you long time,” the phrase made infamous by a Vietnamese prostitute in Full Metal Jacket and later sampled in 2 Live Crew’s “Me So Horny“) is vintage Mariah. And with deceptively strong melodies and a little help from T.I., Mariah’s proving she can still get the job done without all the unnecessary bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from a top-tier performer. (Well, not counting all the Tiffany & Co. baubles Nick supposedly “surprised” her with in between takes).