December 2003

Interscope Investigating Eminem Leaks - Posted by Denz on Monday, December 29 2003

Interscope is conducting an investigation into leaks surrounding music from Eminem's upcoming album. The rapper is recording his album in a Los Angeles recording studio and despite security precautions, three unfinished tracks have found their way to Internet auction site, Ebay. The recordings were being offered to the highest bidder. Ebay promptly canceled the auction, but the recordings have surfaced several times since being shut down. Security during the sessions has been tight and Eminem reportedly knows everyone that attends each session. Interscope is interviewing every person with access to the studio and considering a special "security team" to prevent further recordings from being leaked. There is no release date for Eminem's untitled album.

Tapes back on - Posted by Denz on Tuesday, December 23 2003

The Source magazine has won a court ruling against Eminem that allows them to use 20-second snippets of his early recordings, which feature racist remarks. The magazine went to war with the rapper when an old tape of him performing racist lyrics was played to press and media at a conference held by the magazine. However, Eminem won a court ruling prohibiting The Source from including the rhymes in a cover-mounted CD for readers to make their own judgements about the controversial verses. Now U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Lynch has ruled that 20-second snippets of the material in question can be considered fair use of copyrighted material with the intent to criticise. The Source has yet to publicly reveal it's plans for the recordings but it is thought likely that they will feature in the February issue of the magazine that will be in shops mid-January. Eminem has apologised for the recordings, made some time between 1988 and 1993, saying: "I will say it straight up: I am sorry I said those things when I was 16."

Pleaded guilty - Posted by Denz on Monday, December 22 2003

Eminem's ex-wife has pleaded guilty to a drug and driving offences. Kimberley Mathers accepted the charges as part of an agreement to resolve two drug cases in which she is involved. As a result of a traffic stop carried out in June she was charged with possession of 25 grams or less of cocaine and failing to give adequate space to an emergency vehicle. Two other charges against Mathers - driving with a suspended license and maintaining a drug house in which police discovered marijuana and Ecstacy - will be dropped. Mathers, 28, appeared in a Michigan court after turning herself in, having previously failed to attend a November 1 hearing and removed an electronic tagging device used to monitor her movements. "Probation is an outcome that's recommended here within the state guidelines," David Portuesi, chief of the Macomb County drug crimes unit told reporters.

Eminem Cuts The Source - Posted by Denz on Friday, December 19 2003

Eminem has secured an injunction against a US music magazine, preventing them distributing a racially questionable track by the hip-hop superstar. Eminem and the co-owner of 'Source' magazine Ray Benzino have become notorious rivals in recent years, culminating in the high-profile current spat. 'Source' hosted a press conference last month to air an old song recorded by the rapper, featuring a number of lines abusing African American women. The magazine planned to issue copies of the track with next month's issue, but have now been barred by the rapper and his legal team, after they filed a lawsuit in New York on Monday. A federal court judge granted the injunction against 'Source' yesterday, after Eminem accused the magazine of copyright infringement. He is seeking unspecified damages. Emeinem has defended himself from allegations of racism following the unearthing of the tape. In the aftermath, he issued an apology, claiming he was only 15 when the song was written and had just split up with an African American girlfriend.

Eminem of the state - Posted by Denz on Tuesday, December 9 2003

Eminem has apparently provoked the ire of the US Secret Service following the emergence of a bootleg recording on the internet. On the track 'We Are American', Eminem allegedly says he'd like to the "see the president dead". The lyric runs: "F**k money. I don't rap for dead presidents. I'd rather see the president dead. It's never been said, but I set precedents and the standards and they can't stand it... We as Americans. Us as a citizen. We've got to protect ourselves..." "Dead presidents" is a common slang term for money, as most bills depict a former president of the United States. Secret Service spokesman John Gill said: "We are aware of the lyric and are in the process of determining what action, if any, will be taken." A spokesman for Eminem told CNN that the song was merely a work-in-progress: "This was an unfinished song, either lost or stolen. There was no determination where, when, how or if it was going to be used."

Top 40 Timeless Albums - Posted by Denz on Monday, December 8 2003

Stand out LP's from Eminem, Public Enemy and NWA are the only Hip-Hop albums to be featured among Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder on USA Today's "Top 40 Albums" list. Spanning 50 years, the list chronologically ranks timeless albums that have set precedents in various genres. Coincidentally, all three Hip-Hop selections were highly rebellious in their time and are regarded as Hip-Hop landmarks to this day. At no.32, NWA's debut, Straight Out Of Compton, which stands as Ice Cube's only CD with the group, is the highest ranked Rap album. Right behind NWA, another influential and revolutionary group, Public Enemy ranks at no. 33. While many in the Hip-Hop community herald, It Takes A Nation Of Million To Hold Us Back as PE's best offering, USA Today elected Fear Of A Black Planet as the group's most stellar work. Meanwhile, Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP ranks at no. 39 joining Neil Young's Greendale as the only other project released past the new millennium. Though plenty are likely to scream foul at the omission of Hip-Hop classics like Illmatic, Ready To Die or Reasonable Doubt for Em's inclusion, Slim's LP does register as one of the most critically acclaimed and best selling sets in Rap's history.

Source's Power 30 - Posted by Denz on Saturday, December 6 2003

Though they've been bashing Eminem for the past few months, The Source Magazine has put Eminem, Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine atop of this year's annual Power 30. Yet, while Em and Iovine are undeniably credited for their accomplishments, the article takes a gratuitous shot at the Detroit emcee, stating how "critics" feel Eminem is "leading Hip-Hop down a dangerous path" and once again comparing Em to Elvis. At no. 3, P. Diddy stands as the only other rapper in the top 5, right behind BET's Stephen Hill and before Clear Channel's Doc Wynter. Meanwhile, the Source's Power 30 list indicates artists are eclipsing the major music biz execs in money and power. The Neptunes (no.6) and Jay-Z (no.8) both stand ahead of Arista' L.A. Reid. (no.14) and Def Jam's Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles (no.11). On the heels of a highly successful year, veterans Queen Latifah and Ice Cube respectively rank at no.12 and 13. Other artists on the list include Lil Jon, Missy Elliot, Baby, Snoop Dogg, Nelly, Ludacris and DJ Clue.

Eminem Apologised? - Posted by Denz on Saturday, December 6 2003

Eminem has apologised for an a "racist" freestyle track recorded when he was 16. The track was revealed last month by The Source magazine co-founder and rapper Benzino. Benzino claimed it was the "smoking gun" that proved Eminem was destructive to hip-hop culture. Containing lines such as "Black girls are dumb and white girls are good chicks," the track was recorded, Eminem claims, in response to his being dumped by his girlfriend. Eminem, famed for offending just about everybody else, said in a statement: "I think common sense tells you not to judge a man by what he may have said when he was a boy. I will say it straight up: I am sorry I said those things when I was 16." He went on to say that the tape in no way reflects his opinions today: "In becoming an adult, I've seen what hip-hop and rap music can do to touch millions of people," he said. "The music can be truly powerful, and it has helped improve race relations in a very real way. I want to use this negative attack on me as a positive opportunity to show that." He went on to attack Benzino and The Source, with whom the rapper has been engaged in a feud for some time: "[Revealing the tape was] really nothing more than blatant self-promotion for a failing magazine and one man's lifeless music career. They're scared of what can happen if the hip-hop community shows it can live without them."

Grammys 2004 - Posted by Denz on Friday, December 5 2003

Hip Hop and R&B will dominate the 46th Grammy Awards. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, OutKast and the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams have all received six nominations. Missy Elliott, Eminem, 50 Cent, the Neptunes' Chad Hugo, Justin Timberlake, Luther Vandross, Evanescence, Ricky Skaggs and the late Warren Zevon have all received five nominations apiece. The Record Of The Year category will be fought between Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 'Crazy in Love', Black Eyed Peas' 'Where is the Love?', Coldplay's 'Clocks', Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' and OutKast's 'Hey Ya!' Album Of The Year is between Missy Elliott's 'Under Construction' , Evanescence's 'Fallen', OutKast's 'Speakerboxxx/The Love Below', Justin Timberlake's 'Justified' and the White Stripes' 'Elephant'. Other than Coldplay the UK will be represented by Dido ('Best Female Pop Vocal Performance' for 'White Flag'), Sting with Mary J. Blige ('Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals' for 'Whenever I Say Your Name') and Annie Lennox ('Best Pop Vocal Album' for 'Bare'). The late George Harrison ('Best Pop Vocal Album' for 'Brainwashed' and 'Best Pop Male Vocal Performance' for 'Any Road'), and Radiohead in the snappily titled 'Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal' category will also lead the UK charge for honours. The ceremony will take place on February 8th 2004 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Tracks leaked online - Posted by Denz on Wednesday, December 3 2003

More unreleased Eminem tracks have been leaked on to the internet. Seven songs, ostensibly part of an EP called Straight From the Lab, are available online. They are Bully; Do Rae Me; Monkey See, Monkey Do; Come on In; Can-I-Bitch; We as Americans; and I Love You More. The EP is a bootleg release and not an official Eminem or Interscope product. The music has been circulating on fan sites, peer-to-peer networks and in hip-hop chat rooms. Bully is said to be a rebuke of The Source magazine's Benzino for unveiling a 15-year-old tape of Eminem admonishing black women with offensive language. Like that song, most, if not all, of the tracks on Straight From the Lab appear to be old.