April 2004

D12 Storms The Gate - Posted by Denz on Thursday, April 29 2004

This week, D12's early numbers are poised to earn the dirty dozen a no.1 spot and Ghostface registers the lowest first week sales of his solid career. According to early reports, D12's D12 World is flying off the shelves and on pace to move as many as 550,000 units in its first week. Further down, at no.6, Ghostface's Pretty Toney stands as the only Hip-Hop entry this week. Lead by the Missy Elliot assisted "Tush," Ghost sells a disappointing 69,000 copies according to Nielsen's Soundscan.

D12 to Perform At Movie Awards - Posted by Denz on Wednesday, April 28 2004

D12 and the Beastie Boys are headed to the movies. Those acts have signed on to perform at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards, set to air June 10 at 9 p.m. ET. D12 (complete with Eminem) come to the show fresh on the heels of their second release, D12 World, which hit stores this week, while the Beasties' latest, To the 5 Boroughs, is expected this summer. The show will catch the Yeah Yeah Yeahs well into their support of Fever to Tell, which was released a year ago. Other guests and presenters are expected to be announced soon. "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" heads into the night with a pack-leading six nominations, including nods for Best Movie, Best Villain, and Breakthrough Female. "50 First Dates," "X2: X-Men United," "Finding Nemo" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" will battle Johnny Depp's pirate epic for Best Movie honors. Bill Murray, Tom Cruise, Jim Caviezel, Queen Latifah, Halle Berry, Charlize Theron, Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Demi Moore, Ludacris, Lindsay Lohan, Jim Carrey and Jennifer Aniston are also among those in the running to take home the golden popcorn.

D12 To Show Critics It's Their 'World' - Posted by Denz on Tuesday, April 27 2004

Three years after their Eminem-fueled debut, Devil's Night, D-12's sophomore effort, D-12 World hits record stores today. This time, Shady pokes fun at the tension his stardom causes within the six-member band, yet critics don't seem to get the joke. "Now, right now the rest of the fellas get jealous / Specially when I drop the beat and do my acapellas," Eminem teases on the first single, titled "My Band." "So like every single night them people fight with me / But when we fight it's kind a like sibling rivalry / 'cause they're back onstage the next night with me / Dude, I just think you're trying to steal the light from me." But critics aren't very impressed with the new album, which is being called a "placeholder." "In marketing terms, "D-12 World" is a placeholder, meant to tide fans over until Eminem's new CD comes out later this year," wrote Glenn Gamboa in Newsday. "Too bad that's exactly what it sounds like." Despite the critics, there looks to be a large group of people waiting to snatch the new D-12 off the shelves. The new album, D12 World, promisingly waited at #23 on Amazon.com's Top Sellers list the night before its release and expectations are that the group will take a top ten position on charts next week. "It sounds a little more put together, but it still doesn't have any real heart to it," Gamboa, comparing the debut album to the new. D12's first album, Devil's Night, sold more than 122,000 copies in a single week and was certified platinum.

D12 World - Posted by Denz on Monday, April 26 2004

The long awaiting D12 album, D12 World, has now been released in the UK and in Europe.

Eminem Kicks Some Cybersquatter Butt - Posted by Denz on Friday, April 23 2004

One of the main complaints music types have about the Internet is that because of the world-wideness of the Web, it’s nearly impossible to govern the legalities of the Net. For example, how can a Canadian court regulate copyright violations that are taking place on a German site? International bodies are starting to pop up to make sure that fair is kept fair in cyberworld and Eminem just found out that the system does indeed work. According to Reuters, the United Nation’s World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently found in Em’s favour in a high-profile cybersquatter case. Em was steamed that a British cell phone company called Visitair Ltd. had set up shop at eminemmobile.com, selling his songs "The Real Slim Shady" and "Stan" as ring tones. Even though the site posted a disclaimer stating that Eminem had no official ties to the site, the rapper complained that the site name was misleading. WIPO appointed a Canadian by the name of Nelson Landry to arbitrate the case. Landry found that Visitair had no right to use Eminem’s name. The site name will be transferred into Em’s position in 10 days unless Visitair challenge the decision. Eminem isn’t the first music artist to use WIPO to fight cybersquatting and, with his victory (and, as you’ve surely noticed the remarkable number of misleading URLs on the ‘Net) more are sure to follow. Previous WIPO cybersquatter victors include Celine Dion, Robbie Williams and Madonna.

Listen to the whole of D12 World - Posted by Denz on Friday, April 16 2004

Listen to the whole of D12's brand new album, 'D12 World' @ http://www.d12network.com/audio_d12world.shtml. Be sure to support D12 and buy the album when it gets released on the April 27th, 2004.

Mom Torn Over Carjacker - Posted by Denz on Tuesday, April 13 2004

Eminem 's mother wants to see a 16-year-old punished for carjacking and robbing her, but she's also distressed to think he could spend the next decade or more in prison. Debbie Nelson said she's struggling to get over the Jan. 22 gas station robbery on Eight Mile Road, a strip that divides Detroit from its suburbs and was made famous by her son's movie, "8 Mile." She said she suffered bruises, a broken foot, neck pain and insomnia. "This is something that doesn't just go away overnight," Nelson, 49, said in an interview Monday. She said she was in her car, resetting the trip odometer while getting fuel, when her attacker waved a silver revolver in her face, punched her in the head and dragged her and her dog, a lab mix named Itchy, from the car. James Antonio Knott is scheduled to be sentenced next week and could face 10-18 years in prison on charges of carjacking and armed robbery, said Oakland County prosecutor Margaret Scott. Knott pleaded guilty and has said through his attorney that he used a BB gun in the robbery, not a handgun. Scott said investigators never recovered a weapon. Police arrested him after he got stuck in traffic in Nelson's 2002 Honda Accord about a mile from the gas station. He ran from the car and was caught, Scott said. Nelson said Monday she hadn't received the contents of her handbag, which was in the car and contained her cell phone, identification, house keys, pictures of her two sons and more than $3,100 cash. Nelson's rocky relationship with her son, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, has been well-known since the Detroit rapper became a star. He has disparaged her in his music and she has settled two defamation lawsuits over his statements that portrayed her as an unstable drug user.

Eminem's backing band? - Posted by Denz on Tuesday, April 13 2004

Eminem and D12 have told Radio 1's Tim Westwood they're not afraid of facing their issues - and the rap crew is NOT just Slim Shady's backing band. They popped into Radio 1 at the weekend for a chat with Tim Westwood after playing a sell-out gig in London last week. The outfit, whose new single 'My Band' is out this week, were on top form when they came by Radio 1. It's their first single for two years and Eminem says they recorded it because most people still reckon D12 are just his backing group. "I think that's how they thought it was but now everyone's seen the video we just turned it into a big joke and I think everybody sees it how it really is." In true Eminem style, the video is a humorous send-up, with D12 doing their best impression of a boyband and Slim Shady dressed in a matador's outfit. Marshall says the band had the idea for the track when they were joking around in the studio and it seemed like the natural thing to do. "I don't know if you notice this about us or not but we tend to address issues that come at us and we're not afraid, we don't shy away from them."

Eminem soft in london? - Posted by Denz on Monday, April 12 2004

HE'S the hardman of rap who's been convicted of brandishing a gun, carrying a concealed weapon and was held for allegedly pistol whipping a love rival. But Eminem - who preferred to tuck into a Big Mac rather than join in the naked pool romp at his aftershow party in London on Thursday - likes nothing better than girlie pampering. We can reveal the 30-year-old peroxide blond American made the most of his time in London by indulging in lengthy spa treatments and acting like a diva. While his entourage invited more than 150 girls back to a £10million Mayfair pad after he played with D12 at the Shepherds Bush Empire, Slim Shady kept well away. While they splashed around in the jacuzzi in their G-strings, he was saving himself for something special... On Friday afternoon, after a long lie-in at his Dorchester suite, the star headed down to the hotel's luxurious spa. The chilled-out treatment area has catered for stars such as Russell Crowe, Tom Cruise, Liz Taylor and Goldie Hawn, but guests were stunned by the rapper's behaviour. "Eminem acted like he was royalty," says our source. "It's an ultra-discreet spa with lovely staff but he really gave it the big one." Understandably, celebs don't like to draw attention to themselves when they're having their spots squeezed... but not Eminem. First, while other guests relaxed in the robes provided, he strutted around bare-chested with four massive minders. "They stood guard outside the treatment rooms," continues our source. "What did he think was going to happen? That someone would burst in and laugh at him?" To make matters worse, the bodyguards - all over 6ft 6in - wore T-shirts emblazoned with Shepherds Bush, April 8 2004 on them... just in case anyone was in any doubt when the star last performed. We can also reveal that Slim is worried about his famously pasty complexionhe had a session on the sunbed. And to complete the pampering, he also got a pedicure... "It was the strangest display," says our source. "You wouldn't expect a a rapper to be there - you'd think he'd work out in the gym. "It's hilarious to think he preferred to be pampered like that. And four bodyguards to protect him? Who does he think he is - J-Lo?"

My Band - Posted by Denz on Monday, April 12 2004

My Band (single) has been released today in the UK. This is the Track Listing: 1. My Band [Explicit Version] 2. B N U [Previously Unreleased] 3. My Band [Instrumental] 4. My Band [Video] Make sure you support D12 and go and get it.

Gallery Updated - Posted by Denz on Saturday, April 10 2004

Over 500 brand new photos have been added to the Eminem Web Gallery.