news archives

December 30, 2001 - Our sister site rapdirt.com is running a poll asking 'What was the top rap song of 2001?' with D12's 'Purple Pills' being one of the nominated songs. Vote for the track here.

December 30, 2001 - In rapdirt.com's just completed poll asking 'Who's the most talented of today's current (living) male rappers?' Eminem barely beat out Jay-Z by less than 2% of the vote.

December 28, 2001 - US Weekly lists the 'Stan' duet from Eminem and Elton John at the Grammy Awards in February as the #7 story of the year 2001. Topping the list, of course, were the events of September 11.

December 22, 2001 - Residents from Highland Park in Detroit who were protesting Eminem burning down a house for his movie '8 Mile', have had to withdraw their protests after most of its police force was disbanded. The residents mounted a protest after finding out that the film makers planned on torching an abandoned home, but after finding itself in debt, the town has had to rule out the option of taking legal proceedings.

December 22, 2001 - WENN reports '8 Mile' cast member Eugene Byrd has admitted the rapper has given the cast of his movie a sneak preview of his latest album cuts. Byrd said of Marshall's involvment in the movie, "He's taking this seriously. He really wants this to be a good project, and it will be. He's evolving; taking his work to the next level. In fact, we've been privy to some of the cuts from his next album. It's some great stuff." 

December 21, 2001 - AOL revealed Thursday that Eminem was the 8th most searched for person on their website for the year with Britney Spears taking the top spot.

December 21, 2001 - You can check out a near 2 minute trailer to the new Eminem starring movie '8 Mile' at the movie's official website which also has more details on the movie due out this summer. The trailer is scheduled to begin its run in theaters this weekend.

December 21, 2001 - WENN reports '8 Mile' cast member Eugene Byrd has admitted the rapper has given the cast of his movie a sneak preview of his latest album cuts. Byrd said of Marshall's involvment in the movie, "He's taking this seriously. He really wants this to be a good project, and it will be. He's evolving; taking his work to the next level. In fact, we've been privy to some of the cuts from his next album. It's some great stuff." 

December 20, 2001 - Rob Clark of the Dallas Morning News spoke with Art Asylum president 'Digger' who said Eminem was very pleased with his company's action figures featuring Slim in a chainsaw wielding outfit. Said Digger, "He's persona-driven. The way he opens his show with the chainsaw and the mask instantly lent itself to being an action figure." Digger added, "Em called us up, and he was freakin. He loved it." Read more.

December 20, 2001 - Star reports Alec Baldwin is furious over reports that Eminem and his estranged wife Kim Basinger are having an affair on the set of their movie '8 Ball'. An insider said, "He couldn't believe Kim would be interested in someone like Eminem, who's almost 20 years younger. He's jealous."

December 16, 2001 - EminemWorld.com has a few more photos of Eminem with Taryn Manning in his upcoming movie '8 Mile'. Manning was interviewed having great things to say about Slim gushing, "He's the lead. He's in every single scene. He just knows he has the power to create something that could have a lot of longevity. He can feel it inside. He's focused. He's intense, but he's also really goofy." Check out the pictures here.

December 16, 2001 - D12world.com has a series of diary entries and Proof TV episodes in Real Video format where Proof from D12 and the MC for Eminem talks to fans. Check out the clips including his latest diary entry on December 5 where he explains the Disturbance Forum's purpose and offers words of wisdom here.

December 13, 2001 - Radio 1 has an audio interview with Jay-Z where he addressed his collaboration with Eminem on 'Renegade' saying, "It was just a mutual respect that we had for one another. We are both the victim of people judging us, you know pre-judging us, critics and things like that. We just wanted to give our side - we like the renegades of the industry - the outsiders. It just worked perfectly." Check out the interview here.

December 12, 2001 - According to the Sun, Eminem's biopic will be called '8 Mile'. The movie, which is due out next year, has been named after 8 Mile Road, which is seen locally in Eminem's home town of Detroit as the dividing line between white and black neighborhoods.

December 11, 2001 - Cindy Pearlman of The Chicago Sun Times talked with Brian Grazer who's producing the new Eminem biopic who insists, "It's so not 'Glitter.' You'll go, 'This is so far from "Glitter." It's more like 'East of Eden.' I'm not kidding." Grazer also dismissed the Slim & Kim Basinger rumors saying, "These rumors are probably a good thing for the movie, but they're not having an affair." Read more.

December 10, 2001 - White female rapper Princess Superstar talked with MTV UK about comparisons between her and Eminem or Vanilla Ice, prompting her to say, "Vanilla Ice? Ha ha! Sure, I’ve been compared to Eminem, but if you listen to my whole record, I’m really nothing like Eminem. We’re not alike at all, but I don’t mind the comparison. It’s better than being compared to Britney Spears." Read the full interview here.

December 9, 2001 - The UK Star reports Eminem's mother Debbie has labeled her son a softie, as she revealed that as a child, he had a security blanket called 'woobie'.

December 9, 2001 - The Detroit Free Press reports DeAngelo Bailey of Roseville, is striking back at a song Eminem wrote about him entitled "Brain Damage," depicting him as a school bully who thrashes him against bathroom urinals and shoves him into lockers while stomping and choking him. Bailey has filed a $1-million lawsuit claiming the Macomb County hip-hopper damaged his reputation. Read more.

December 7, 2001 - Chart Attack talked with Bubba Sparxxx about comparisons between him and 'the other white rapper' Eminem. Sparxxx said, "The comparisons between me and Eminem end at skin color. We're like night and day." Check out the full interview here.

December 4, 2001 - The National Enquirer reports Eminem's ex-wife Kim Mathers is said to be furious over reports he's been romancing Kim Basinger on the set of his new movie. A source blasted, "Kim Mathers is on the warpath -- and Kim Basinger had better watch out." While the couple had a long and turbulent relationship, the friend added, "Even though Kim filed for divorce earlier this year she still carries a torch for him. They were married for only 18 months but they'd been boyfriend and girlfriend since Kim was 14. Everyone is worried this is going to set off Kim. It could get really ugly."

December 3, 2001 - Anonymous writes "There are 2 pictures from Eminem's new movie-one Em talking to Brittany Murphey and another with Em preparing to take on a rival gang. Check them out here."

December 2, 2001 -  N. Bedford Couch of the Village Voice is blasting the culture of black popular culture and white artists like Eminem, Bubba Sparxxx, and others that embrace it. Said Couch, "Our children—our young white children—are in crisis, trapped in the grip of a culture that glorifies drug use and debauchery, slovenly dress, and lack of respect for authority. A culture whose worship of antisocial behavior and debasement is rivaled only by its amoral concessions to the dictates of mammon. This can largely be attributed to the unfortunate dominance of black popular culture, and—more specifically—hip-hop." Read more.

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