After a decade of waiting, this could be the year that Eminem finally takes home at least one of the top Grammy Awards. His chart-topping “Recovery” is expected to contend for Album of the Year while the No.1 single “Love The Way You Lie” should vie for both Record and Song of the Year.
“Recovery” is also a shoo-in for a Best Rap Album bid. Eminem has won that award a record four times. And “Love the Way You Lie” is also likely to be nominated for both Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration while another hit track from the album — “Not Afraid” — should land bids for both Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Peformance. Eminem has taken home that solo prize three times already.
Altogether, Eminem has amassed 11 Grammys, ranking second only to Kanye West (14) among rappers. Unlike West in 2005, Eminem was not even nominated for Best New Artist when he broke onto the music scene in 1999. Christina Aguilera won that award against Macy Gray, Kid Rock, Britney Spears and Susan Tedeschi. Eminem had to be content with the first of his wins for Best Rap Album (“The Silm Shady LP”) and Best Rap Solo Peformance (“My Name Is”).
Eminem has contended twice for Album of the Year, losing in 2000 for “The Marshall Mathers LP” to Steely Dan‘s “Two Against Nature” and two years later for “The Eminem Show” to “Come Away With Me” by Norah Jones. He lost his Record of the Year bid in 2002 for “Without Me” to Jones (“Don’t Know Why”) and the following year for “Lose Yourself” to Coldplay‘s “Clocks.” “Lose Yourself” also lost the Song of the Year race to Luther Vandross‘ “Dance With My Father.” This tune from Eminem’s first film “8 Mile” had prevailed at the Academy Awards in 2002 winning the Best Song Oscar.
This year, Eminem also submitted tracks in the following categories: Record of the Year and Best Collaboration with Vocals for “Airplanes II” (with B. O. B. and Hayley Williams); Best Rap Song for “Drop The World,” and “Forever (More Than A Game)”; Best Music Video (Short Form) for “Love the Way You Lie” and “Not Afraid”; and Best Music Video (Long Form) for “Eminem Live at the Voodoo Festival 2009.”
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Image: “Recovery” album cover (Aftermath)
