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The Eminem-MTV Connection
Now when did MTV start promoting the controversial rapper? It would be nice if MTV would come clean regarding Eminem, but it can't. In discussing its plan to air the names of the victims of hate crimes for 17 commercial-free hours this week, MTV Networks programming president Brian Graden told the Associated Press that the upcoming year-long public service campaign against discrimination was prompted in part by the company's recognition of its own role in Eminem's success. From this truthful beginning, Graden seems to slip into fantasy. "Graden said MTV gave Eminem less air time when the nature of his lyrics became apparent and examined the controversy in its news programs," reports the AP. Not exactly. MTV began airing Eminem videos in 1999 when the artist's debut album, The Slim Shady LP, was released. Slim Shady is full of the same kind of hateful lyrics that abound in the Marshall Mathers follow-up. None of which stopped MTV from airing a two-hour Eminem special a day before The Marshall Mathers LP was released, placing the video for "The Real Slim Shady" in high rotation or giving the rapper a prime performance slot during the network's most recent awards show. [Monday, January 8, 2001] |