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Happy Mother's Day, Debbie Mathers

Eminem’s latest video, “Headlights,” is not just another Mama missive. It’s a bold condemnation of our personalized, “if you like this you’ll like that,” world.

As I explain in my book about Eminem, The Real Slim Shady's world is one that overexposes the people in it to familiar ideas and makes them overconfident in their own ways of thinking about things.



Rap God Video Premieres

Eminem world-premiered the "Rap God" video at 9AM Pacific Time on November 27th on VEVO. The controversial MMLP2 track, co-produced by DVLP and Fithy, shows us exactly how the rap god updated his operating system. Equal parts 1970s poverty and racial tension, 1980's media like Max Headroom, old school video games and comic book heroes, 1990's transhuman Neo from "The Matrix," undergound cyphers and black outlaw gangsta rappers, 2000's MMLP1 spiritual and social criticism and 2010s wearable technology. What do you think of the update? Would you download?



"Rap God" Appears Again, 2.0 Style

Here's the sneak preview for the "Rap God" video, where the real Slim Shady looks a lot like the real Max Headroom, the 1980s artificial intelligence character known for his wit and stuttering, distorted, electronically sampled voice. Only Em's head and shoulders are seen against a "computer-generated" backdrop of a slowly rotating wire-frame cube interior. The distinguishing sounds are chaotic speech patterns—as Em's voice pitches up and down and occasionally gets stuck in a robotic-sounding loop. Like the original, the Rap God's personality is interpreted best as a satire of egotistical media personalities (a/k/a talking heads) and their insincere, unqualified opinions. I feel like something's about to happen! Don't you?



Eminem Talks MMLP2 with BBC's Zane Lowe

Eminem breaks down his latest album, MMLP2, with BBC's Zane Lowe, explaining how and why he's chosen to update his overall operating system rather than create a sequel. MMLP2 fills in the gaps between his static and distinct personas, represented by his trilogy of albums that blew up the charts between 1999 and 2002, revealing a dynamic integrated perspective that rehashes old topics and adapts to new realities. It's about "growing up and growing down." Watch and enjoy!!



Google Glass Prototype Cameo on "Revenge"

Google Glass just got an upgrade. And an even more advanced iteration – not this month’s hardware update that allows Glass to work with shades and prescription frames and includes a mono earbud -- that’s implanted into existing prescription glasses is already being featured in major prime-time television. The wearable tech appeared on “Resurgence,” Season 3, Episode 7 of Revenge on ABC, in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it way.


How to Build Tomorrow: Connect Passing to Privacy and Property

What do passing and privacy have in common? An understanding of human identity as property worth protecting. I was reminded of this question and answer when Dr. Alice Marwick of Fordham University visited USC Annenberg and spoke about “networked privacy” and her new book, “Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity, and Branding in the Social Media Age.”


Em Performs "Rap God," Wins Artist of the Year @YouTube Music Awards

First SNL, now YouTube Music Awards. It's been a big weekend for the rap god, who was named Artist of the Year at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards (beating out stars including Rihanna, Justin Bieber and One Direction).


MMLP2 and Eminem on SNL

Eminem took to the Saturday Night Live stage for the sixth last night in support of The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (due to drop Tues., Nov. 5th). Late last week he released a promo skit for the appearance along with Scandal's Kerry Washington.


Eminem's "Rap God" Appears Earlier Than Expected

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come... So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." And so it was today when Eminem's latest single, "Rap God," appeared, miraculously, ahead of schedule! Check it out!!


Eminem Thrives In "Survival"

Less than 12 hours after its digital release, Eminem's latest video, "Survival," boasts over 196,000 likes. The video features Call of Duty: Ghosts gameplay augmenting a story of the rapper's social mobility.