Eminem's 10 Grammy Nods: Rap Experts React

[Rash J]

The Recording Academy’s favorite rapper must be Eminem. The Detroit MC received ten Grammy nominations for Recovery, his seventh album, including Album of the Year. Slim Shady nabbed the most Grammy nods amidst a field of artists like Jay-Z and Lady Gaga who also garnered multiple nominations, which is no small feat.

"Of course Eminem deserves these ten nominations," says Chuck Creekmur, co-founder of AllHipHop.com. "The new album is a return to Eminem's old The Marshall Mathers LP glory. Personally, I felt Eminem gave fans a perfect balance, it wasn't too pop that hip-hop couldn't dig it. See 'Almost Famous' and 'Cold Wind Blow' if you need an example."

Still, there are those who believe that Eminem is receiving major props for an album that isn't his best work.

"[Eminem] is one of my favorite artists but I don't like Recovery, an album I sincerely tried to like, so I'm conflicted," said journalist Insanul Ahmed (Complex, Vibe). "If he does win album of the year (which is still unlikely) it'll suck to know he's winning for a record most his fans wouldn't consider his magnum opus. But its legend would grow and people might start thinking Recovery was as good as The Marshall Mathers LP or The Slim Shady LP. It is not.”

Recovery may not have gathered the universal critical reception of Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but it was nevertheless warmly received. The contrast between Eminem 10 years ago during The Marshall Mather LP era is sharp compared to his current album, in terms of general content. The enthusiasm for Eminem at the Grammys can be chalked up to a kinder and gentler Marshall's knack for making palatable records for a broad audience.

"10 nominations [means] that in the history books this album is going to be considered one of the all time greatest record rap albums, if not albums period," said journalist Maurice Garland (Ozone, Vibe, XXL). "That’s still up for debate. No doubt Em is one of the most skilled rappers, but it just always seems like whenever he drops an album award shows like the Grammys act like he was the only rapper to drop quality music that year."

The debate of where Recovery stands in Eminem’s catalog is only just getting started. But a common sentiment worth mentioning is that the Roots should have also received a nomination for Album of the Year.

"Eminem is deserving of his ten Grammy nominations, he had a phenomenal year," says Trent Fitzgerald of BeatsAndRants.com. "Recovery had some big songs like the Grammy-nominated ‘Not Afraid,’ which connected with his fans. The Roots' How I Got Over was a great album so I'm glad it received a nod for Best Rap Album. I wish the Roots grabbed an Album of the Year nod because, it was the best album of 2010."

There is no doubt that Eminem is having one hell of a year. If you look simply at numbers, Recovery is one of the biggest selling albums of the year, moving over three millions units to date according to SoundScan. But there are other nuances to Eminem’s popularity that can’t be ignored.

"Ten Grammy nominations would be someone great's lifetime total, not a single year's effort," says writer Dallas Penn of the Internets Celebrities. "Eminem gets the nods for several reasons ... His admitted failings with substance abuse, his reality show style life and most importantly, the Tarzan syndrome for his ability to succeed in an art form deemed 'Black.'

"Recovery album wasn't as good on a technical level as Relapse, but it had more pop music anthems and that counts in the academy's mind," Penn continued. "I shrug my shoulders at this news revelation. No Roots [for Album of the Year]? Definitely no Roc Marciano. Hip-Hop fans better look somewhere else for cultural affirmation, but it is still nice to see a rapper get ten Grammy nominations. Even if it’s the white dude …"

Along with Eminem, four of the five nominees for Record of the Year are hip-hop acts (damn right you should count Cee-Lo). Traditionally the Grammys have never been a hip-hop bastion but the recognition should be embraced.

"It’s a great look for hip-hop and is a great exclamation point that signifies his return," says Michael “Ice-Blue” Harris, Managing Editor Of HipHopWired. "Recovery was a great pop and crossover success which also puts the spotlight back on hip-hop culture. The LP was a growth for Eminem, he had to learn how to rap all over again because he did this album sober. So the ten Grammy nominations also serve as a personal triumph for Marshall who now knows he can create great music clean."

[mecuryball]

Seen this before.but hey! good job.
Some of these expert don't know what they're saying.

[xxTrigger1989xx]

Even if it’s the white dude

Okay, little comments like that piss me off. It makes me think that these people don't want Em to win just because of that fact, and they just come up with other excuses for why he shouldn't have gotten nominated. Lil Wayne could get 10 nominations and not a single one of these people would bitch about it. Even though Em makes way better music (And no, DO NOT turn this into a Wayne argument. I simply used him as an example since he's just as popular as Em is), people are still gonna discredit him

[Kez]

Guys just shut up and accept that not everyone is gonna praise Eminem and suck his balls

[Alaine]

why do some people like to think he got nominated because he's white & he's Eminem? last year when he dropped relapse they were running him into the ground, it's not like he gets love whenever he put music out.

[Kez]

why do some people like to think he got nominated because he's white & he's Eminem?

Cause that's the truth

He may not have got 10 grammy nods for Relapse but he still got Best Rap Album, it isn't like any black rapper could make an album almost entirely about horrific shit and get mainstream love for it.

[Alaine]

if jay-z or kanye in that category last year there's no way Em won, the albums that got nominated with relapse last year I can't even consider mainstream albums, that's probably why Relapse won.
They can say Em got 10 noms because he's white then how jay-z got 6 noms? because he's black?

[Kez]

They can say Em got 10 noms because he's white then how jay-z got 6 noms? because he's black?

No it's cause he makes mainstream music with specific intention to do so

You're right to a degree that it has nothin to do with Em being white, these nominations are only to do with the type of music these people all make, that's what people seem to forget.

[xxTrigger1989xx]

Guys just shut up and accept that not everyone is gonna praise Eminem and suck his balls

It was just that little comment that irked me. They're right, there are people who make music just as good as Em does and they don't get the nominations. But that one comment made me because it's just stupid to say that and an ignorant view

He got nominated for 10 nominations because he had one of the most successful albums this year. 3 million in like a little over half a year and two Number 1 singles, which stayed at the top for a long time. Whether you like the music or not, Recovery's success got him the nominations, as well as becoming 2010's Hottest MC. They were about to not pick Em, I could tell, but they did because of this album. Not because he is white

[Emshady2]

why do some people like to think he got nominated because he's white & he's Eminem? last year when he dropped relapse they were running him into the ground, it's not like he gets love whenever he put music out.

[Berry]

They so mad cuz he ain't no kanye west & he a white man. *kanye shrug*

Even after a decade in the business, the hip hop media still refuse to give him the proper respect he deserves.

It gives more meaning to the song 25 to life.

[AJS2050]

I agree that The Roots - How I Got Over should be in album of the year but i wouldn't mind it beating Recovery in Best Rap Album. Doubt it though.

[Rash J]

"[Eminem] is one of my favorite artists but I don't like Recovery, an album I sincerely tried to like, so I'm conflicted," said journalist Insanul Ahmed (Complex, Vibe). "If he does win album of the year (which is still unlikely) it'll suck to know he's winning for a record most his fans wouldn't consider his magnum opus. But its legend would grow and people might start thinking Recovery was as good as The Marshall Mathers LP or The Slim Shady LP. It is not.”

Unfortunate truth

[Alaine]

^ That comparison is as irrelevant as comparing albums sale in 2010 to albums sale in 2000, Recovery is competing with 4 other albums that came out this year, that's what relevant now, and people brought up albums from 10 years ago for what? that's a different matter.

[Mikey1990]

i think em will win AOTY
Arcade Fire will be the main threat