Eminem: Good, Bad, Naked and Sad

In order to help stopping the Internet piracy of his latest album, rapper Eminem has a newest Christmas package for his devoted fans. Eminem is reportedly offering really lucrative gifts to fans who buy a legitimate copy of his latest album Encore.

According to the sources,  Interscope Records is launching the ’Very Shady Xmas Contest’, in which fans who buy the album will have the chance to make this year’s Shady Xmas List.  

Additionally, 400 winners will get a platinum plaques, Sirius satellite radio equipment and subscriptions, exclusive Encore shoes, video memorabilia, Shady Ltd merchandise and gift certificates, and the chance to work on Eminem’s next music video. 

Original rumors had it that  ’Encore’, would break away from Eminem’s tried and tested formula of humor, shock tactics and cheap gags and see Slim getting madly… no mad politically.

The word was that there was a lot of valid social observation and criticism of the US government makes up a big part of the album with Eminem attacking President George Bush directly on a number of tracks. As the elections draw closer in the US, prominent figures elsewhere in hip hop have been doing their bit to oust Bush such as when Puff Daddy rallied people to go out and vote.

Oh my god!  WOW ! WOW!  WOW!  Is Eminem becoming a good person?  Hmmm… let’s not jump to conclusions too quickly.  Tried and tested formula of humor, shock tactics and cheap gags… is BACK!

Apparently MTV executives in New York have been laughing their heads off after Michael Jackson demanded that their cable channel pull Eminem’s latest video "Just Lose It," where Eminem mocks several celebrities such as MC Hammer and Pee Wee Herman. 

It is unquestionable that he saves his  worst mockery for Jackson. Eminem appears dressed as the entertainer a number of times, his hair catches fire, as Jackson’s did during an accident while filming a Pepsi commercial and later on he looses his nose that gets squashed on a dance floor.  This, apparently, has lots of Jackson’s fans upset.

But the most upsetting part of the video feature Eminem, again, dressed as the former king of pop, sitting on the edge of a bed as young boys bounce on the mattress behind him. At one point in the song, Eminem sings: "Come on, little kiddie, on my lap." Jackson is still facing charges of child molestation and this part of the video certainly is not aimed to make him feel better about himself. 

"I am very angry at Eminem’s depiction of me in his video," Jackson told comedian Steve Harvey on Harvey’s Los Angeles radio show. "I feel that it is outrageous and disrespectful. It is one thing to spoof, but it is another to be demeaning and insensitive."

Many critics of Eminem say that his mockery of other musicians is getting sort of old and not funny.  They suggest he looks elsewhere for inspiration other than pop stairs who are pathetic.  It’s just too cheesy to keep pointing out the obvious.

Back to Jackson.  So after the video aired, Jackson demanded that all music cable networks remove "Just Lose It" from their rotations. Only Black Entertainment Television (BET) has agreed to do so saying that they have a  long relationship with Jackson and are not interested in making fun of any celebrity on their network.  But neither MTV nor VH1 has any intention of pulling the video and the video is actually getting more air play than it should anyway because of the controversy. 

Some claim that  Eminem is now what Jackson used to be -- arguably the biggest pop star in the world. His Nov. 16 album, "Encore," is one of the most hotly awaited releases of the year, and MTV isn’t going to risk alienating Eminem to placate a faded star whose public appearances these days are basically just  his courtroom arrivals and departures.

Celebrity watchers say that there was once a time when Jackson had enough power that he probably could have coerced MTV into yanking a video. But that was ages ago, even before Jackson announced himself the king of pop.  Which he didn’t have to do since everyone knew it already. 

It is interesting that Jackson practically ”made” MTV what it is right now after making his debut in 1981.  Yes, so the fledgling cable station was already building a devoted following before Jackson released "Thriller" and redefined pop history but with "Billie Jean," "Beat It," and "Thriller," Jackson showed that videos could be lots of fun and could feature dance sequences and costumes that would inspire generations of teenagers and adults alike. 

You know Usher?  Have you seen him dance.  Heard him sing?  Enough said. 

But back to Eminemn.   MTV has no obligation to pull Eminem’s video just because it offends Jackson.  Eminem videos have offended so many celebrities that if everyone of them complained than there would be no Eminem.  It is interesting to notice however that as the current king of pop, Eminem should really pay attention to Jackson’s story but not because it is funny but because it is tragic. 

Why can’t he just… um, stick to naked instead?  The controversial rapper has been shooting a video in Los Angeles from his next CD, ”Encore” and apparently he is completely naked in it.  Okay, not completely – he is  wearing shoes and socks… and what seems to be a sock is wrapped around his penis. 

People who saw the video say that Eminem’s physique looks quite buff, but his body is strangely hairless. Whether or not the nudie footage will make it into the final cut of the video is apparently still up in the air, but in the meantime, the revealing pics of Eminem taken during the shoot by UK tabloids have been widely circulated on the Internet.

But let’s get serious for a second.  According to the sources, Eminem has been left devastated by the suicide of the uncle he regarded as his father.

Todd Nelson helped to raise the hip-hop star after his father abandoned him as a child.  Nelson shot himself in the head.

It is the second close relative Eminem has lost in recent years after his other uncle, Ronnie, killed himself after his girlfriend broke up with him.  Sources say, Nelson shot himself because the local sheriff has been terrorizing him and his family with a vicious dog.

Apparently, Nelson was so upset over the dog that he went into the backyard, got in a car and blew his head off.  The news of his uncle’s suicide is the latest tragedy to hit Eminem. Four years ago, his ex-wife, Kim, attempted to take her own life.  Also Eminem’s mother, Debbie Mathers -- who he has a strained relationship with -- is currently recovering from breast cancer.