12.14.00 Eminem and Wife cancel devorce suit Eminem and his wife, Kim Mathers, are getting back together. The couple — whose tumultuous relationship is a constant theme in the Detroit rapper's music — have abandoned their plans to divorce, Kim Mathers' lawyers said Thursday (December 14). Eminem (born Marshall Mathers) and his wife signed an agreement to dismiss their divorce claims on Wednesday, and plan to live together in their Michigan home with their daughter, according to a statement from lawyers. "Mrs. Mathers is pleased that she and her husband have been able to set their differences aside, particularly for the sake of their daughter, Hailie Jade," the lawyers wrote in their statement. "Kim strongly believes that it is best for Hailie to be raised in a two-parent home." Eminem's spokesperson and his lawyers did not immediately return calls for comment at press time. The rapper filed for divorce in August, and his wife responded a week later by filing suit against Eminem for a share of the couple's joint marital estate. She also demanded an additional $10 million in damages, claiming that Eminem's lyrics about their personal life constituted intentional infliction of emotional distress. The couple settled that lawsuit later that month, agreeing at the time to give Kim Mathers custody of their daughter. In June, Eminem allegedly argued with his wife outside a bar in Warren, Michigan, after he saw her kiss another man. That incident, in which Eminem is alleged to have struck the man with a gun, led to weapons and assault charges against the rapper. Eminem has frequently addressed the couple's on-again, off-again relationship, and the anger it apparently sparks, in his lyrics. The rapper's "'97 Bonnie & Clyde," from his The Slim Shady LP, fantasized about disposing of Kim's body after slitting her throat, and his song "Kim," from The Marshall Mathers LP, imagines an argument between the two that leads to her murder. Most recently, Eminem addressed this year's events — including a July suicide attempt by Kim Mathers — in his guest rap on "Don't Approach Me," a track from Xzibit's just-released new album, Restless. "Every day I wake up, another drama/ It's a wonder I'm alive surviving this karma/ If I can hold onto my private life for five minutes longer I might get my wife to let go with this knife," he raps. "Just got in a feud in some parking lot with a dude over Kim and she just slit both of her wrists over this shit." To Cancel Eminem Show
A week after Eminem faced accusations of violating Canadian hate speech laws, a group of 10 University of Illinois students is alleging that the rapper's music violates similar codes at the school.
The rapper is scheduled to perform at the university's Urbana-Champaign campus on Thursday as part of the Anger Management Tour with Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach and Xzibit, but the student group is urging university officials to cancel the show.
"We believe that [Eminem's] lyrics are a form of harassment categorically on the basis of sexual orientation and sex," Nick Sakurai, the group's leader, said on Wednesday. An Eminem performance would violate University of Illinois rules that prohibit discrimination or harassment because of race, religion, sex or sexual orientation, according to Sakurai.
A university spokesperson did not return calls for comment by press time, but Sakurai said school officials told his group that they have no plans to cancel the show.
Eminem spokesperson Dennis Dennehy said, "On the eve of this election day, it's heartwarming to know that everyone on both sides of the equation will be exercising their First Amendment rights."
Assuming the show goes on, Sakurai's group has asked the university to donate a portion of its proceeds to gay, lesbian and women's groups.
The group cites the lines "My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge/ That'll stab you in the head / Whether you're a fag or lez" — from the Eminem song "Criminal" — as particularly objectionable.
The students also point to "Kill You," another track from Eminem's multiplatinum The Marshall Mathers LP.
"Slut, you think I won't choke no whore/ Till her vocal cords don't work in her throat no more," Eminem raps on the song, which includes the refrain, "Bitch, I'm'a kill you."
The student group, which has no name, has begun an online petition against the concert at www.dayofsilence.org.
Also citing "Kill You," Toronto resident Valerie Smith filed a criminal complaint against Eminem last month, alleging that his lyrics violate Canadian hate crime laws. That led to unsuccessful efforts to keep Eminem from entering the country to perform at the Toronto Skydome
Since the May release of The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem (born Marshall Mathers) has repeatedly faced accusations of homophobia and misogyny. In response to such criticism, the rapper has said that his lyrics shouldn't be taken literally.
-mtv
11.1.00
Eminem Loses Notebook With Lyrics For D-12 Album
Eminem has lost a notebook
that contains the lyrics to an upcoming album with his group D-12, and is offering
a cash reward or a chance to meet him in exchange for its return.
The songs have not yet been recorded, according to the rapper's spokesperson,
Dennis Dennehy.
Eminem last saw the spiral notebook on Friday during a Delta Air Lines flight
from Cincinnati to New Orleans, according to a statement from his label, Interscope.
The notebook sports a picture of Britney Spears on its cover.
Eminem's first album with D-12, a group of Detroit rappers whom he's known since
before he found fame with 1999's The Slim Shady LP, is expected in March or
April, according to Dennehy.
Eminem recently released the single "Sh-- on You" with D-12, which includes
the Everlast-dissing B-side "I Remember."
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Eminem's notebook can call 1-888-311-4343,
or send e-mail to found@eminem.com.
-mtv
10.27.00
Eminem Enters Canada Despite Hate-Crime Allegations
"I dedicate this next song to that bitch Valerie Smith," Eminem said before playing the critic-bashing track "The Way I Am," from his multiplatinum The Marshall Mathers LP, according to the Canadian Press wire service.
Smith, a Toronto resident, filed a criminal complaint against Eminem earlier this month, alleging that his violent lyrics violate Canadian hate-crime laws. That led Ontario's attorney general to demand on Wednesday that immigration officials bar the rapper from entering the country.
But Eminem (born Marshall Mathers) entered Canada without difficulty on Thursday after officials determined that they had no grounds on which to keep him out.
Eminem reportedly began his set at the Toronto Skydome with "Kill You," one of the songs that sparked Smith's complaint.
"Slut, you think I won't choke no whore/ Till her vocal cords don't work in her throat no more," Eminem raps on "Kill You," which includes the refrain, "Bitch, I'm'ma kill you."
"Bet you didn't think I was going to do that one, did you?" he said to the crowd after performing the song, according to the Canadian Press.
Smith said on Friday (October 27) that she wasn't bothered by Eminem's attack.
"I consider this a major achievement," she said. "If you work on these issues and your enemies don't know who you are ... you might as well pack up your tent and go home."
Detective Rob Cooper, a hate-crimes investigator with the Toronto police, said Friday that no charges will be brought against Eminem, in part because women are not a protected category in Canada's hate-crime laws. He added that he had received no complaints about Thursday's show.
Smith had asked that Eminem's songs be classified as hate propaganda under Section 319 of the Canadian Criminal Code, which prohibits "communicating statements, other than in private conversation, [that] willfully [promote] hatred against an identifiable group." In the code, "identifiable group" refers to color, race, religion or ethnic origin.
Eminem is scheduled to play another show in Canada with the Anger Management Tour on Friday at Montreal's Molson Centre. The tour also includes Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach and Xzibit. - MTV
10.26.00
Eminem Enters Canada Despite Hate-Crime Allegations
Despite efforts to stop him, Eminem crossed Canada's border without difficulty Thursday afternoon, and is preparing to perform as planned at the Toronto Skydome as part of the Anger Management Tour, according to Dennis Dennehy, a spokesperson for the rapper.
Despite efforts to stop him, Eminem crossed Canada's border without difficulty Thursday afternoon, and is preparing to perform as planned at the Toronto Skydome as part of the Anger Management Tour, according to Dennis Dennehy, a spokesperson for the rapper. The nation's citizenship and immigration authority determined on Thursday (October 26) that there are no legal grounds to keep Eminem out, despite a call from Ontario's attorney general to deny him entry because of his violent lyrics, said Derek Hodgson, press secretary for Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Elinor Caplan.
"The guy's [getting] in, as abhorrent as his lyrics are," Hodgson said.
Ontario Attorney General Jim Flaherty said on Wednesday that immigration officials should prevent Eminem from entering Canada because he is likely to perform songs that advocate violence against women (see "Canadian Officials Asked To Stop Eminem At Border"). Flaherty could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Earlier this month, activist Valerie Smith of Toronto filed a criminal complaint about the lyrics of such Eminem songs as "Kill You" and "Kim," accusing the rapper of violating Canada's hate-crime laws (see "Eminem's Lyrics Spark Criminal Complaint"). Both songs appeared on Eminem's multiplatinum The Marshall Mathers LP, released in May.
"Slut, you think I won't choke no whore/ Till her vocal cords don't work in her throat no more," Eminem raps on "Kill You," which includes the refrain, "Bitch, I'm'ma kill you."
On "Kim," a woman occasionally screams and whimpers while Eminem angrily yells at her, accusing her of cheating and then plotting to kill her. The rapper has said the song was inspired by real-life arguments with his estranged wife, Kim Mathers.
In interviews, and even in songs such as "Stan," Eminem has repeatedly urged listeners not to take his violent lyrics literally.
Michael Bryant, Ontario's attorney general critic for the opposition Liberal Party, said Wednesday that Eminem should be prosecuted after his performance for violation of those laws, but Dennehy said that the rapper doesn't expect any legal problems in Canada.
Detective Rob Cooper, a hate-crimes investigator with the Toronto police, said Wednesday that he doubts any action will be taken against the rapper because Canada's hate-crime laws don't include women as a protected category. Cooper did not return a call for comment by press time on Thursday.
Smith had asked that Eminem's songs be classified as hate propaganda under Section 319 of the Canadian Criminal Code, which prohibits "communicating statements, other than in private conversation, [that] willfully [promote] hatred against an identifiable group." In the code, "identifiable group" refers to color, race, religion or ethnic origin.
While Canada's hate-crime laws don't address gender or sexual orientation, Smith claims that another section of the country's criminal code guarantees women equal protection. If Eminem were successfully prosecuted for hate-crime violations, he could face up to two years in prison for performing his work in public. The Anger Management Tour also includes Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach and Xzibit.
9.19.00
Eminem Gives Deposition In Mother's Lawsuit
Eminem was back in a Michigan court on Wednesday to address charges in the $10 million defamation lawsuit filed by his mother, Debbie Mathers-Briggs, last year.
Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, was flanked by his criminal and civil attorneys at the three-hour-long deposition in Circuit Court. Em's mother was not present, but her attorney Fred Gibson told MTV News that Eminem confirmed that he made not-so-nice comments about her in "Rap Pages," "Rolling Stone," and "The Source" magazines.
Gibson alleged that the rapper was "coached" to retract one statement, and that Eminem now claims that when he spoke to publications of his mother's drug use, he meant "prescription" not "illegal" drugs. Gibson also said that Em confirmed making the statement "Every time a relative sues me, I sell more records" at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Gibson said that Eminem retained his composure throughout the hearing.
At press time, the rapper's record label, Interscope Records, had not issued any formal comment on the case.
As we previously reported, Em's mother filed suit against him almost exactly one year ago, claiming that she was slandered during interviews her son did with "Rolling Stone," "The Source," and "Rap Pages" magazines and on the nationally syndicated "Howard Stern Show".
It's proving to be a busy week for Eminem, but unfortunately all of his news is coming out on the legal front. On Wednesday, the rapper found himself at the center of a Senate committee hearing on violence and America's youth. The rapper was singled out by Lynne Cheney, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (and wife of Republican vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney), who said that Eminem "promotes violence of the most degrading kind against women" in her statements to the Senate committee. Using the rapper as an example, Cheney called for the entertainment industry to regulate itself and the material it markets to young people. -mtv
9.14.00
Eminem Targeted At Senate Hearing
Testifying before a Senate committee investigating how violent imagery is presented to young people, the former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities set her sights on Eminem on Wednesday.
Former Chairman Lynne Cheney (who is also the wife of Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney) argued that the rapper "promotes violence of the most degrading kind against women" in her statements to the Senate committee.
Wednesday's hearing was staged after the Federal Trade Commission issued a report on Monday that stated that the entertainment industry was directly marketing material with adult themes to an underage audience.
Cheney held up Eminem as the most scathing evidence of that practice, saying, "I want to focus on one company, Seagram, that is currently marketing Eminem, a rap singer who advocates murder and rape. He talks about murdering and raping his mother. He talks about choking women slowly so he can hear their screams for a long time. He talks about using O.J.'s machete on women, and this is a man who is honored by the recording industry." [RealVideo]
Cheney delved into specific Eminem lyrics during her time with the committee, delving into his track "Kill You."
"He begins by describing the satisfaction of raping and murdering his mother and then goes on to imagine the joys of murdering any woman he might come across," Cheney said. "'Wives, nuns, sluts,' whoever 'the bitches' might be, he will kill them slowly, leaving enough air in their lungs so their screaming will be prolonged. He will paint the forest with their blood. 'I got the machete from O.J.,' he shouts, 'Bitch, I'm a kill you.'"
Cheney then shifted her focus to Seagram, the parent company of Eminem's record label, Interscope Records. Cheney invoked last year's shooting at Colorado's Columbine High School in drawing a link between entertainment and action, and called on Seagram and the entertainment industry to take responsibility for the effects of its work.
"The time has long passed when we can shrug off violence in the entertainment industry by saying that it has no effect, by saying it's just coincidence that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the murderers of Columbine High, were fans of the shock rocker Marilyn Manson, also distributed by Seagram," Cheney said.
While not calling for an outright ban of the rapper or explicit material, claiming to "have long been a vocal supporter of free speech," Cheney did call on regulation within the entertainment industry and, specifically, for a detailed rating system for music. Cheney argued that this "age-labeling" would allow record labels to regulate themselves, as the movie industry does, and would "also give retailers information they need in order to decide who should be able to buy certain materials and who should not."
Wednesday's committee hearing also saw Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman tee off on the entertainment industry, testifying that young Americans are engulfed in a "culture of carnage."
Long an outspoken opponent of Hollywood violence, Lieberman said that parents today are "locked in a losing competition with the culture to raise our children." Like Cheney, Lieberman also evoked the shooting at Columbine High School in his comments to the committee, calling the event "a psychic breaking point for our country.... It was a warning that the culture of carnage surrounding our children may have gone too far."
Lieberman and Cheney were part of a string of speakers at Wednesday's hearing. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, Senator Mike DeWine of Ohio, and a parade of Republican and Democratic congressmen addressed the committee and railed against Hollywood.
Speaking on behalf of major U.S. record labels, Recording Industry Association of America President Hilary Rosen emphasized the music industry's current voluntary warning label policy.
Rosen also took aim at the theory that violent music and movies can affect behavior, pointing to a study that found that when "parents were asked what most influenced their kids, they said television, movies, the Internet, games, music, and their friends. When teenagers were asked, they said, overwhelmingly, parents, teachers, and their church were the most important influences on their lives. I am sympathetic with parents who feel that their children are no longer under their moral control. But it just isn't the case. "
Artemis Records President and CEO Danny Goldberg went on the offensive, telling the committee that he believes "15 years of youth culture entertainment bashing in Washington has greatly contributed to alienation and apathy on the part of young people in politics."
DreamWorks/SKG principal Jeffrey Katzenberg, Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein, and Sony Pictures chairman and CEO John Calley were invited to the hearing to represent the entertainment industry, but they did not appear. The committee is expected to reconvene in two weeks to give Hollywood a chance to discuss the issues at hand.
9.12.00
Eminem, 'NSYNC Tie At Top Of VMA Heap
The much heralded showdown between outspoken rapper Eminem and popsters 'NSYNC (who he's been known to speak out about quite frequently) came down to a draw Thursday night, as both acts turned their six nominations into three awards at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.
The controversial rapper earned a share of the top VMA spot with nods for Best Male Video, Best Rap Video, and Video Of The Year. Em's "The Real Slim Shady" was named Best Male Video, which also took the night's top honors for Video Of The Year, while his work with Dr. Dre on "Forgot About Dre" earned the Best Rap Video Moonman.
From the moment he arrived at Radio City Music Hall with six nominations and hundreds of look-alikes at his side, it was apparent that Em would be a force to be reckoned with. In addition to his pack-leading three wins, Em hit the stage with vengeance (and a hefty entourage of doppelgangers) for a performance of "The Real Slim Shady" and "The Way I Am" that gave network censors a healthy workout.
Comedian Jim Carrey played with the controversy surrounding the rapper while introducing Em's performance: "His lyrics are completely socially unacceptable, but you know what, if we all spend a little time with our kids, I think it will all be OK."
9.8.00
Eminem Faces Protest At VMAs
Eminem may get the chance to dis fellow performers Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera onstage Thursday at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, but the rapper will come under fire outside the awards ceremony, where protesters plan to rally against lyrics they see as homophobic and misogynistic.
The rapper leads the pack vying for Moonman statuettes, tying 'NSYNC with six nominations each, including Video Of The Year and Viewer's Choice (see "UPDATE: Eminem, 'NSYNC Lead Video Music Awards Nominees"). The show will air live from New York's Radio City Music Hall at 8 p.m. (ET) on Thursday.
The 27-year-old rapper has been featured prominently on MTV in the past year, garnering heavy rotation for his "The Real Slim Shady" video and commandeering airtime with his own programming for a special called "EmTV."
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the National Organization For Women don't believe Eminem (born Marshall Mathers), whose multi-platinum "The Marshall Mathers LP" contains what many perceive to be anti-homosexual rhymes and features a fantasy about the rapper murdering his wife, deserves the media attention.
"These are the words that kids hear in school hallways before they get beat up," GLAAD spokesperson Cathy Renna said of Eminem's lyrics. "For this kind of language to be put out there without any sense of responsibility on Eminem's part -- or on MTV's part -- is simply not something that GLAAD can ignore.... We are very disappointed that they continue to support him as heavily as they do... including a plum spot on the video awards."
"Don't take everything I say literally," Eminem said shortly after the album's debut, when furor over his lyrics mounted. "I might say some things that are kinda left field, but that doesn't mean that every single thing that I say, I mean. I may tend to push a lot of buttons and piss a lot of people off -- a lot of critics, and a lot of people who don't really know hip-hop. But that's, basically, what I came to do is upset that balance of everything that's normal, [of] everyday things that people are used to hearin'."
The rapper's spokespeople could not be reached for comment on the protests at press time.
9.4.00
Eminem May Not Testify In Assault, Weapons Charges Hearing
A team of lawyers representing Eminem on assault and weapons charges has not yet decided whether the rap superstar will testify on Thursday at a hearing in a Michigan courtroom.
The defense lawyers may urge Macomb County's most recognizable defendant to waive his right to the preliminary examination and proceed to trial in a few months on the two felony counts.
"In these cases, where it involves an unloaded firearm -- and I want to emphasize unloaded -- it may be best for a client to waive [the court exam]," Brian Legghio, one of the defense lawyers on the case, said on Tuesday. "You're always concerned about a witness who may reach, embellish and stretch their testimony," he said.
Eminem (born Marshall Bruce Mathers III) is accused of clubbing 26-year-old John Guerra after the rap artist allegedly saw his now-estranged wife kissing Guerra in the parking lot of the Hot Rocks Sports Bar and Music Café in Warren, Michigan, on June 4 (see "Eminem To Face Weapons, Assault Charges"). Eminem, 27, faces one count each of carrying a concealed weapon and assault with a dangerous weapon. The former charge carries a maximum five-year sentence; the latter a four-year sentence.
Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga has said Eminem could face a sentence of 11 to 17 months if convicted of the more serious charge, based on Eminem having no prior criminal record at the time and admitting the gun was his.
The case is just one in a series of mounting legal woes for the country's hottest rapper. Last month, Eminem filed for divorce from Kimberly Scott Mathers after 14 months of marriage. He cited a "breakdown in the marriage relationship to the extent that the objects of matrimony have been destroyed and there remains no reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved," according to court documents.
Eminem initially sought joint legal and physical custody of the couple's 4-year-old daughter. But in Macomb County Family Court on Monday, physical custody of the young girl was granted to Kimberly Mathers, while both parents were awarded joint legal custody. At the same time, Kimberly Mathers, 25, dropped a $10 million suit in which she alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress (see "Eminem Settles With Wife As Hollywood Calls").
Eminem's mother, Debbie Mathers-Briggs, has filed two defamation lawsuits against him over remarks he allegedly made against her in separate magazine reports. She is seeking $11 million in damages.
The rapper also faces criminal charges from a June 3 altercation involving an associate of the Insane Clown Posse at a car audio shop in Royal Oak, Michigan. Police and witnesses said the two men exchanged heated words and that a handgun fell from Eminem's pants. Prosecutors later charged Eminem with carrying a concealed weapon and brandishing a weapon in public. The latter count is a 90-day misdemeanor. In that case, Eminem has waived his right to a probable-cause hearing. A pretrial conference will be held in September, Legghio said.
The incident occurred about nine hours before the altercation outside Hot Rocks Sports Bar and Music Café in nearby Warren, a city of 140,000 where Eminem grew up and still has friends. The county prosecutor said Eminem, driven to the bar by a male friend, was spying on Kimberly Mathers when he allegedly saw her kiss Guerra. Eminem struck Guerra with the unloaded handgun, officials said. Guerra later sued Eminem, claiming assault and emotional distress. He seeks at least $25,000, the threshold in Michigan for a civil complaint filed in circuit court.
Police and court officials in Warren are bracing for news agencies and fans to descend on the 37th District Court for Thursday's preliminary exam.
"We intend to have increased police security, primarily because of the anticipated large crowds, not because we foresee any problem," Court Administrator James Conrad said. "We will allow the public into the courtroom to the extent we are able to," he said. District Judge Dawnn Gruenberg's courtroom has only 42 seats.
"We may assign people for crowd control," Warren Deputy Police Chief Roger Barnett said.
Police commanders do not plan to increase police presence at the courthouse by calling in officers to work overtime. Instead, supervisors will redirect patrol officers already on duty from other areas of the city, if necessary.
Meanwhile, Kimberly Mathers awaits an October 24 trial on one count of disturbing the peace -- a misdemeanor carrying a maximum sentence of 90 days -- stemming from her role in the Warren incident. Police arrested her when she tried to intervene on her husband's behalf. -sonicnet
8.31.00
Eminem Settles With Wife As Hollywood Calls
For Eminem, it should be a familiar scenario by now: While his career continues to yield good news, his personal life remains a different story.
According to "Variety," Em is being courted by Hollywood executives for a new Denzel Washington thriller. "Variety" reports that Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures are trying to work out a deal with Eminem that would see the rapper play a villain in "Training Day," which stars Washington as a Los Angeles cop who is breaking in a rookie narcotics officer.
"The Replacement Killers" director Antoine Fuqua will start shooting the flick next spring. It would be Em's official screen debut, not counting his cameo in "The Hip- Hop Witch" (see "Eminem To Voice Web Cartoon; Wants Out Of 'Witch').
Meanwhile, Eminem's tumultuous personal life continues to make headlines. On Monday, the rapper reached an undisclosed settlement on the $10 million lawsuit filed August 21 by his estranged wife, Kim Mathers, agreeing to give her physical custody of their child during a divorce hearing held in Macomb County, Michigan.
Eminem will retain joint legal custody of their 5-year-old daughter and has been granted liberal visitation rights. -mtv
It may be up for one of the American music industry's top prizes … but that doesn't mean you can play Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady" during the daytime.
The Federal Communications Commission has threatened a Madison, Wis., radio station with a $7,000 fine for doing just that, though the station claims it played the unedited song on the afternoon of Aug. 24 by mistake.
"The rap song contains unmistakable offensive sexual references," the FCC said in an order proposing the fine. "Such a song is inappropriate for broadcast during times when children may [be] in the audience."
The Wisconsin radio station, WZEE-FM — which is owned by radio giant Clear Channel Communications — told the FCC during its investigation that a disc jockey queued up the edited version of the song, but static electricity caused a compact disk player to skip to the unedited version.
But the station also contended that the song contained only isolated profanity and was not sexually explicit — a claim the FCC rejected, saying the sexual references and expletives "appear designed to pander and shock."
The FCC has defined indecent speech as language that depicts or describes "in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium, sexual or excretory activities or organs."
The agency can restrict broadcasts of indecent material when there is a "reasonable risk" that children hear them.
The 27-year-old musician, who often seems to anticipate his controversies with his fast-paced, foul-mouthed lyrics, raps the following lines in the song in question: "And that's the message that we deliver to little kids/ And expect them not to know what a woman's clitoris is/ Of course they gonna know what intercourse is/ By the time they hit fourth grade/ They got the Discovery Channel, don't they?"
Eminem, who has sold more than 8 million copies of The Marshall Mathers LP since its release, has a chance to walk away as the big winner from the upcoming Grammy awards show, to be held Feb. 21 in Los Angeles.
"The Real Slim Shady" is up for Best Rap Solo Performance, while the LP will battle for Best Rap Album and Album of the Year. Eminem is also in the hunt for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for "Forgot About Dre," with producer Dr. Dre.
The FCC isn't the only organization to disapprove of his lyrics. Both the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the National Organization for Women raised questions about the rap star following the announcement of his numerous nominations Jan. 3.