Eminem "Stan" Guests Include Rihanna, Elton John, Dido - MTV

Marshall and Rihanna practically broke the Internet with their performances of “Stan,” “Love The Way You Lie” and “The Monster” during Em’s Lollapalooza set, which made us ask: How does Rihanna stack up against Eminem’s past guest stars?

He has a long history of picking out unlikely collaborations and awesome singers. Here’s a list of some of the most interesting personalities who’ve joined Slim Shady on stage.

1. Dido

Dido, of course, is the original “Stan” guest. Producer 45 King sampled Dido’s first verse on “Thank You” for “Stan’s” chorus, which became a haunting hook about morning rain and grey skies on the concept track. Dido also joined Eminem in the song’s music video, which featured Devon Sawa as “Stan” and Dido even joined Em to sing along in some live performances.

2. Elton John

In 2001, Eminem shocked people when he teamed up with Elton John for aperformance at the Grammys. Em and Elton both received backlash from gay rights groups as a result of this duet, but they performed a memorable rendition of “Stan” despite the criticism. This performance has also proven to be a life-changer for Em, as he explained during a 2004 interview with MTV about how this performance impacted him. “I didn’t know he was gay,” Em said of Elton in ’04. “I didn’t know anything about his personal life. I didn’t really care. But being that he was gay and he had my back, I think it made a statement in itself saying that he understood where I was coming from.” Later, both artists would reveal that Elton John also helped Eminem battle his addiction issues.

3. Marilyn Manson

Since both Eminem and Marilyn Manson are something of outsiders, it made sense when they teamed up for a rendition of “The Way I Am.” Especially since the track alludes to how Manson has been a scapegoat for many people when he’s been “blamed” for school shootings. This may have been a shocking duet at the time but retrospectively, it makes perfect sense.

4. Skylar Grey

Skylar Grey has performed with Em a ton of times, lending her vocals to several tracks including “I Need A Doctor,” “Survival” and having Em on her own“C’mon Let Me Ride.” Interestingly enough, Grey and Em also linked up because of Eminem’s Rihanna collaboration “Love The Way You Lie,” which Skylar co-wrote. In 2011, Grey told MTV about why she went to Eminem with the cut. From there, their chemistry has shined on with Eminem becoming the executive producer of Skylar’s debut album, Don’t Look Down.

5. Bruno Mars

Eminem and his Bad Meets Evil brother Royce Da 5’9 met Bruno on stage for “Lighters” in 2011, and the trio also filmed a music video for the song that year. The clip features Em and Royce escaping darkness while Mars does what he does best—pensively plays the piano. This may not be the most likely collab, but with Marilyn Manson and Elton John in the books, can you really be surprised by anything Eminem does?

6. Rihanna

Of course, Rihanna’s also on the list after yet another Eminem duet at Lollapalooza. Rih-Rih and Em definitely have history with “Love The Way You Lie,” “Love The Way You Lie 2,” and “Numb.” It’s more than likely this won’t be the last time Rihanna joins Eminem on stage this year, since their Monster Tour begins August 7. Re-live their Lolla performance above and keep your eyes peeled for more duets in the coming weeks.

Which collab do you think was the best? Does Rihanna take the cake? Let us know in the comments.

Eminem And Rihanna Unleash Dates For ‘Monster’ Tour - MTV

It’s time to check the bank balance because one of the biggest tours of the summer is about to go on sale and you’ve only got three chances to catch it.

After teasing news of a joint outing 
 last month, Eminem and Rihanna finally announced the dates for their Monster Tour on Wednesday (March 19).

The co-headlining stadium gigs by the frequent studio collaborators will kick off on August 7 with a show at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles before moving to New York’s Metlife Stadium on August 16 and wrapping up in Slim Shady’s hometown with a gig at Detroit’s Comerica Park on August 22.

The general public on-sale will take place beginning at 10 a.m. on March 28, through the Live Nation mobile app and at www.livenation.com.

It will be preceded by presales for American Express card members (March 20), a Facebook presale (March 22) and a Live Nation app presale (March 27).

To RSVP for the Facebook sale for early access go to: http://bit.ly/MonsterRSVP. Mobile users can text “LNAPP” to 404040 to download the Live Nation mobile app for iOS and Android.

Can Madonna snag Oscar after Golden Globe shocker?

UPDATE: The rules for Best Song at the Oscars say that only the first music cue played over the end credits is eligible for consideration. As director, Madonna goofed when she didn't start her tune until 90 seconds into the end credits. 

After claiming victory at the Golden Globes, the Material Girl would have been a serious contender at the Academy Awards for the song "Masterpiece" from the movie she directed "W.E." She penned the tune with Julie Frost and Jim Harry. While the film was a critical bomb, the Hollywood Foreign Press has been such a supporter of Madonna over the years that it was no surprise when her name was called.

With seven career Globe nominations under her belt and now two wins -- her first was for Best Comedy/Musical Actress for "Evita" (1996) -- the controversial singer/actress almost moved one step closer to receiving that elusive Oscar. Hey, if Eminem ("8 Mile," 2002) and Three 6 Mafia ("Hustle & Flow," 2005) can be called Academy Award winners, why not Madge?

The seven-time Grammy winner would have faced formidable competition in the race for Best Original Song, including Elton John and Lady Gaga ("Gnomeo and Juliet"), Chris Cornell ("Machine Gun Preacher"), Sinéad O'Connor ("Albert Nobbs") and Mary J. Blige ("The Help"). But even if she were eligible, a Golden Globe win doesn't always translate into an Oscar. Just last year Diane Warren won for a track from "Burlesque" but was snubbed at the Academy Awards.

Madonna is the talk of the town today thanks to her banter with disappointing Globes host Ricky Gervais. When the emcee introduced her by mocking her "like a virgin" status, Madonna retorted, "If I'm still just like a virgin Ricky, then why don't you come over here and do something about it? I haven't kissed a girl in a few years. On TV." Gervais then darted across the stage behind her, making for one of the Globes' most memorable moments.

Below, Madonna takes the stage to accept her Golden Globe.

via goldderby.com

Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Jay-Z: The Conspiracy Theories that Say Pop Stars Are Illuminati Pawns

 

Is Jay-Z an Illuminati puppet?
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not sure if Eminem has yet managed to escape the grasp of the Illuminati—the secret society of string pullers whose ranks he joined years ago in exchange for wealth, fame, and power—but I know he’s been trying very hard. Numerous people online tell me so. There is, for starters, a Yahoo Answers page that poses the question “Is Eminem trying to break free from the Illuminati?” and offers spirited excavation and analysis of the hidden anti-Illuminati messages Eminem embedded in his song “Not Afraid.” There is a four-page message-board thread titled “Is Eminem an Illuminati slave?” A YouTube video called “Eminem vs. Illuminati” explains, via solemn text and creepy music, that when the Detroit M.C. titled a song “Cinderella Man,” it was not because the redemptive plot of the 2005 Ron Howard film Cinderella Man echoes Eminem’s own comeback from drug addiction, but rather because, like Cinderella with her wicked stepsisters, Eminem was “forced to do the chores for the Illuminati by sending subliminal messages through his music.” Ignore any comment-section sheep who bah that this is ridiculous: When that video ends, the hunt for truth has only just begun. From a list of suggested related videos, you can choose “Eminem: His illuminati sacrifice Part 1”; “Eminem Fights Back Against The illuminati”; “Eminem against illuminati 2011!”; “Eminem My Darling Illuminati” and on and on. Some of the Eminem/Illuminati videos have been viewed 5,000 times. Others, close to 300,000.

Welcome to the world of pop-music trutherism, a bustling, grassroots exposé industry in which Eminem is one of many performers called out by anonymous instigators for Illuminist sympathies. The best conspiracy theories go all the way to the top, and this one goes all the way to the top of the charts. Jay-Z? An “Illuminati puppet.” Lady Gaga? An “Illuminati whore.” Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Beyoncé, Rihanna—Illuminati agents all. (Michael Jackson and 2Pac, it turns out, were victims of Illuminati-ordered assassination.) The Illuminati investigation unfolds sloppily but vigorously across countless sites, from YouTube to Twitter to fan discussion boards to dedicated shops like VigilantCitizen.com. The trained eye can spot Illuminati sartorial choices, like goat-themed jewelry and T-shirts, worn in ostensible tribute to Baphomet, a horned pagan deity who intrigued Aleister Crowley. There is Illuminati semaphore, such as framing one’s eye with the palms tipped together in a pyramid shape or otherwise isolating an eye to evoke the “all-seeing eye” on the back of a dollar bill, an image with Masonic origins. There are Illuminati lyrics, like Eminem’s mention of a “New World Order” on “Lose Yourself” or the references he and Jay-Z have made, separately, to a mysterious, powerful figure they call the “Rain Man” (the theorists are apparently unfamiliar with Dustin Hoffman’s IMDb page).

Spend some time sifting through this stuff and your eyes will roll so far back into your skull you’ll look like you’ve been possessed by Baphomet. The theorists’ “revelations” are presented, variously, in portentous tones and with exclamation-point-riddled urgency: The Illuminati, intent on global domination, treat pop music as a powerful mind-control weapon, weaving secret messages and dark imagery into hits and videos;  there is much inveighing that we “wake up” to the “brainwashing.” The Illuminati truthers make 9/11 truthers seem as rigorous and compelling as Woodward and Bernstein on Watergate. The evidence they haul out boils down to little more than far-fetched, oblivious misreads (i.e. Eminem and Cinderella), a stunning allergy to the possibility of metaphor (Lil Wayne rapped that he sold his soul to the devil—smoking gun!), and a hysterical attitude toward occult imagery befitting Ned Flanders. With so many voices chiming in, and with so many of them doing so anonymously, it’s hard to say which of the “theorists” are just having a laugh, but the most prominent—like Vigilant Citizen or the Philadelphia morning-radio host Miss Jones, who grilled 50 Cent at some length about secret-society infiltration in hip-hop—communicate total earnestness. 

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The Illuminati-in-pop meme has tremendous traction. References to the secret society began popping up in hip-hop songs back in the early ’90s, but with the rise of broadband Internet, Illuminati conspiracies have enjoyed the same steroidal super-boost as pornography and cat photography. The theorists occupy music’s margins, and yet their message has splashed into mainstream waters. In late 2009, a CNN reporter saw fit to ask Lady Gaga to address the Illuminati rumors (she balked at the question). Rihanna mockingly acknowledged accusations of Illuminati entanglement in her “S&M” video. (Fake headlines flash onscreen describing her as a “Princess of the Illuminati.”) And on a 2011 song with Rick Ross (who may also be under Illuminati control), Jay-Z dedicated a verse to denying his membership in the Freemasons: “I said I was amazing, not that I’m a Mason.”

Who are the Illuminati, and why are so many pop-music observers obsessed with them? The Illuminati were an actual group, founded in Bavaria in the late 18^th century by a philosopher and law professor named Adam Weishaupt. In The Fate of Reason: German Philosophy from Kant to Fichte, the historian Frederick C. Beiser describes the Illuminati as “a secret society devoted to the cause of political reform and Aufklärung”— the German Enlightenment. In Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition, the author Glen Alexander Magee notes that the group was marked by its “opposition to traditional religion, superstition, and feudalism” and its “advocacy of scientific rationalism and the rights of man.” It is hard to say precisely why the Illuminati became wedded in the paranoid mind with devil worship, but seeming reasons include Weishaupt’s anticlerical streak and a popular “history” of Freemasonry written in the late 19^th century by Frenchman Léo Taxil, who purported to expose Masons’ Satanic rituals. (Taxil later revealed that his “journalism” was actually a satirical hoax.) The melding of secret societies and occultism persists today, of course, in pop-cultural representations of creepy, chamber-congregating Skull and Bones members or masked, orgy-prone captains of industry in Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.

The Illuminati-in-pop meme has tremendous traction. References to the secret society began popping up in hip-hop songs back in the early ’90s, but with the rise of broadband Internet, Illuminati conspiracies have enjoyed the same steroidal super-boost as pornography and cat photography. The theorists occupy music’s margins, and yet their message has splashed into mainstream waters. In late 2009, a CNN reporter saw fit to ask Lady Gaga to address the Illuminati rumors (she balked at the question). Rihanna mockingly acknowledged accusations of Illuminati entanglement in her “S&M” video. (Fake headlines flash onscreen describing her as a “Princess of the Illuminati.”) And on a 2011 song with Rick Ross (who may also be under Illuminati control), Jay-Z dedicated a verse to denying his membership in the Freemasons: “I said I was amazing, not that I’m a Mason.”

Who are the Illuminati, and why are so many pop-music observers obsessed with them? The Illuminati were an actual group, founded in Bavaria in the late 18^th century by a philosopher and law professor named Adam Weishaupt. In The Fate of Reason: German Philosophy From Kant to Fichte, the historian Frederick C. Beiser describes the Illuminati as “a secret society devoted to the cause of political reform and Aufklärung”— the German Enlightenment. In Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition, the author Glen Alexander Magee notes that the group was marked by its “opposition to traditional religion, superstition, and feudalism” and its “advocacy of scientific rationalism and the rights of man.” It is hard to say precisely why the Illuminati became wedded in the paranoid mind with devil worship, but seeming reasons include Weishaupt’s anticlerical streak and a popular “history” of Freemasonry written in the late 19^th century by Frenchman Léo Taxil, who purported to expose Masons’ Satanic rituals (Taxil later revealed that his “journalism” was actually a satirical hoax.) The melding of secret societies and occultism persists today, of course, in pop-cultural representations of creepy, chamber-congregating Skull and Bones members or masked, orgy-prone

Beiber Wins BIG at Billboard

Eminem and teen idol Justin Bieber dominated the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, winning six awards each with the 38-year-old rapper taking the top honor for artist of the year.

With Eminem absent, Bieber helped lead the way om stage beside some of pop's biggest current stars at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, marking the music magazine's efforts to revive what was once an annual event following a four-year hiatus.
Sporting his now short, spiky hair and a sparkling gold tuxedo jacket, Bieber beat singer Bruno Mars and rapper Nicki Minaj for best new artist and marveled to the audience, "I'm 17 ... every day is crazy to me because I see so many people and I get to make so many people smile."
The Canadian pop star, who has gained a huge following of "Beliebers" through YouTube and social media websites, also won awards for top pop album, streaming artist and song, as well as social and digital media artist. He thanked "everybody who helped me get out of my home town and live my dream."
Detroit native Eminem, who released the critical and commercial success "Recovery" last year, including the hit single "Love The Way You Lie" featuring singer Rihanna, won awards for top male artist, billboard 200 album, rap artist, rap song and rap album.
This was the first year that ABC broadcast the event and marks the first Billboard Music Awards show since 2007.
Eminem and Justin Bieber dominated this year’s Billboard Music Awards, tied for the most awards garnered, taking home 6 each. Eminem won awards in the following categories – -Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album, Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Song and Top Rap Album. He had won 2 Billboard Music Awards in 2002 for Best Album of the Year and Best R&B/Hip Hop Album of the Year, giving him a total of 8 Billboard Music Awards during his career. Justin Bieber, one of the fan favorites and youngest nominee, was named Top New Artist, Top Social Artist, Top Streaming Artist, Top Digital Media Artist, Top Pop Album and Top Streaming Song (video) at his first Billboard Music Awards.
Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Usher, Taylor Swift, Mumford & Sons and Taio Cruz each earned 3 Billboard Music Awards. Katy Perry, Shakira, Chris Tomlin and Train were each allocated 2 Billboard Music Awards. Bruno Mars, Lady Antebellum, Black Eyed Peas, Enrique Iglesias, Ludacris, Nelly, Neon Trees, Skillet, U2, Will.I.Am and Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina each received 1 Billboard Music Award.

Katy Perry won awards for top hot 100 artist and top digital songs, while British singer-songwriter Taio Cruz won the top hot 100 song of the year for his hit, "Dynamite."
"Need You Now," by Lady Antebellum won country song of the year. The title track from their second album introduced the group from Nashville, Tennessee to audiences worldwide and is now the most-downloaded country song ever, according to Billboard.
Neil Diamond, 70, won the icon award before performing his 1969 hit, "Sweet Caroline." Other performers included Keith Urban, Nicki Minaj and singer Cee Lo Green.
The Billboard Music Awards take a holistic look at artist performance based on key fan interactions with music—finalists and winners are determined by chart performance and social and streaming activity as chronicled in Billboard magazine and on Billboard.com during the eligibility period of February 28, 2010 through March 1, 2011. The 46 award categories are based on measures provided by our data partners including sales data shared by Nielsen SoundScan, radio airplay monitored by Nielsen BDS, streaming data measured by Tubemogul and Nielsen BDS, social media consumption gauged by Next Big Sound and tour grosses tracked by Billboard Boxscore.
The 2011 Billboard Music Awards were co-executed produced by Richard Beckman, CEO of Prometheus Global Media, which owns Billboard, and Don Mischer of Don Mischer Productions.

The winners for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards are:

ARTIST AWARDS
Top Artist:
Eminem
Top New Artist:
Justin Bieber
Top Male Artist:
Eminem
Top Female Artist:
Rihanna
Top Duo/Group:
The Black Eyed Peas
Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artist:
Katy Perry
Top Digital Songs Artist:
Katy Perry
Top Radio Songs Artist:
Rihanna
Top Touring Artist:
U2
Top Social Artist:
Justin Bieber

Top Streaming Artist:
Justin Bieber
Top Digital Media Artist:
Justin Bieber
Top Pop Artist:
Lady Gaga
Top R&B Artist:
Usher
Top Rap Artist:
Eminem
Top Country Artist:
Taylor Swift
Top Rock Artist:
Train
Top Alternative Artist:
Mumford & Sons
Top Latin Artist:
Shakira
Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
Lady Gaga
Top Christian Artist:
Chris Tomlin
ALBUMS AWARDS:
Top Billboard 200 Album:
Eminem — “Recovery”
Top Pop Album:
Justin Bieber — “My World 2.0”
Katy Perry — “Teenage Dream”
Top R&B Album:
Usher — “Raymond v. Raymond”
Top Rap Album:
Eminem — “Revovery”
Top Country Album:
Taylor Swift — “Speak Now”
Top Rock Album:
Mumford & Sons — “Sigh No More”
Top Alternative Album:
Mumford & Sons — “Sigh No More”
Top Latin Album:
Enrique Iglesias — “Euphoria”
Top Dance/Electronic Album:
Lady Gaga — “The Fame”
Top Christian Album:
Skillet — “Awake”
SONG AWARDS:
Top Hot 100 Song:
Taio Cruz — “Dynamite”
Top Digital Song:
Taio Cruz — “Dynamite”
Top Radio Song:
Bruno Mars — “Just The Way You Are”
Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Nelly — “Just A Dream”
Top Streaming Song (Video):
Justin Bieber Feat. Ludacris — “Baby”
Top Pop Song:
Taio Cruz — “Dynamite”
Top R&B Song:
Usher Feat. will.i.am — “OMG”
Top Rap Song:
Eminem Feat. Rihanna — “Love The Way You Lie”
Top Country Song:
Lady Antebellum — “Need You Now”
Top Rock Song:
Train — “Hey, Soul Sister”
Top Alternative Song:
Neon Trees — “Animal”
Top Latin Song:
Shakira Feat. Freshleyground — “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”
Top Dance Song:
Edward Maya &Vika Jigulina — “Stereo Love”
Top Christian Song:
Chris Tomlin — “Our God”
About Billboard
Now in its 117th year, Billboard is the world’s premier music brand consisting of Billboard magazine, Billboard Events, Billboard Bulletin, Billboard.biz and Billboard.com—the online destination of choice for millions of music fans. The Billboard brand is built on its exclusive charts and unrivaled reporting on the latest news, issues and trends across all genres of music. Most recently, Billboard launched the new Uncharted ranking of undiscovered artists, tracking their rising popularity across the Internet. Billboard reaches tens of millions of consumers daily through many strategic relationships with major companies including Reuters, SanDisk, Telemundo, Napster, GTech, Motorola, AT&T, Sony Music Entertainment and ABC. These relationships leverage Billboard’s brand recognition, proprietary chart data and information resources to develop products, live events, print, television, radio, digital, and mobile platforms. Billboard produces conferences year-round with programming to address music’s role in media and entertainment, including music showcases and awards shows to spotlight talent. In addition to North America, Billboard operates businesses in Brazil, Greece, Japan, Korea and Russia.
Billboard is owned by Prometheus Global Media, a diversified company with leading assets in the media and entertainment arenas, including: Music (Billboard and its related conferences and events, including The Billboard Latin Music Awards), Entertainment (The Hollywood Reporter, Backstage, ShowEast, Cineasia, and CineEurope); and Advertising & Marketing (Adweek, Adweek Conferences and The CLIO Awards).
via Rickey.org & Reuters

Eminem, Rihanna Heavily Nominated For Billboard Music Awards

via rapfix.mtv.com

Superstar entertainers Eminem, Rihanna and Lady Gaga have been enjoying loads of success over the last year, with all three being heavily nominated for awards by all of the organizational bodies of music. It would almost appear as if the three were intrinsically linked by their fame and notoriety and deservingly so – their chart domination and ability to appeal to an international audience has been proven time and again.

The stars once again share amongst themselves a heavy amount of nominations for the upcoming 2011 Billboard Music Awards. Bajan pop princess Rihanna leads the way with a whopping 18 nominations which include top female artist, top R&B artist and also top Hot 100 artist. Eminem nips at Rihanna’s heels with a still impressive 16 nominations, adding on to a nomination tally the rapper has never enjoyed before in his long and successful career. Slim Shady is up for the top rap artist, top male artist and top Billboard 200 artist awards to name a few.

Lady GaGa doesn’t have much to be upset about with 12 nominations herself. The eccentric singer is nominated for top dance/electronic album and has three of her releases – The Fame, The Fame Monster and a remix EP – all in contention for an award. Although she’s had a banner year as well, Nicki Minaj doesn’t get much mention although she is nominated for top new artist award battling with the likes of Ke$sha and Taio Cruz.

Eminem tops Lady Gaga in Facebook 'likes' | Bad Boy Vs Bad Girl For Social Relevance!

It's Bad Boy Vs Bad Girl As Eminem Battles GaGa For Social Relevance!
....which means the rapper has began to be more socially relevant despite being having a reputation of being a bad boy in the entertainment industry. The other side of the equation mean't that the other personality he has topped was Bad Girl of the Moment, Lady GaGa. GaGa who has been the darling of the music business recently has been topping you tube and twitter but trails little in the 'likes' department of Facebook. Despite the rapper's achievement looks like social acceptance and media relevance has only started for Eminem. He has been upstaged by the relatively newbie's in the business the very "Bad" sic' popular tween and Bad Girl GaGa in a bid to be the baddest person in showbiz! I wonder how relevant the other bad boy {Charlie Sheen} of the business would do on a 3 way Facebook Battle?

The Best Grammy Performance Was Given by? Eminem, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire Or Justin Bieber?

Did Eminem, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire Or Justin Bieber Have The Best Grammy Performance?: "Lady Gaga Her royal weirdness did not disappoint, as her performance of 'Born This Way' featured some killer dance movies and an even deadlier pipe organ solo." Lady Gaga entered the Staples Center, where the Grammys were held, in dramatic fashion, encased in an egg as dancers carried her to the stage. When she "hatched," she seemed to have turned into Madonna, circa 1987, as she sashayed across the stage to her new song "Born This Way."