Yet another reason to dislike Eminem

[GrantDawg]

I can't believe this guy who makes fun of (and verbally attacks) so many people is not allowing Weird Al to make a video of a Eminem parody song. Check the story here.

For the lazy:

Eminem Won't Allow Weird Al Parody Video


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May 9, 8:29 PM (ET)

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY

(AP) Weird Al Yankovic, shown portraying the rapper Eminem in this recent photo, won't receive...
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NEW YORK (AP) - Eminem may poke fun at himself in videos, but he doesn't want "Weird Al" Yankovic doing it. Eminem won't give Yankovic permission to shoot a video for his new song, "Couch Potato," a parody of Eminem's Oscar-winning tune "Lose Yourself," Yankovic said.

"The only reason I could glean was that making a Weird Al music video would detract from his legacy as a serious hip-hop artist," Yankovic said Thursday. "It's very disappointing. This could have been my best video ever."

Eminem parodies himself and other celebrities in some of his most famous videos, including "Without Me," where he depicts himself as a fat Elvis Presley.

But an Eminem spokesman said "Lose Yourself" was special to the rapper, who didn't want the song's serious tone undermined by Yankovic's humor.


"It's an important personal piece of music for him, a piece of art," spokesman Dennis Dennehy said Friday. "He doesn't mind him doing the song, (but) he didn't want to change kids' visual perception on what that image was. He wanted to make sure the image would remain intact."

Artists who have allowed Yankovic to parody their songs and videos over the years include Michael Jackson - whose hits "Beat It," and "I'm Bad," became "Eat It," and "I'm Fat" - and Madonna, whose "Like a Virgin," which became "Like A Surgeon."

Yankovic said the rapper allowed Yankovic to redo the theme song from the hit movie "8 Mile," but said he would need to hear the final mix before granting the video rights. After receiving the final version of the parody - which pokes fun at television addicts - the rapper's representatives said he would not allow a video.

"We started preproduction on (the video) already, because we just assumed that there wouldn't a problem," Yankovic said.

Yankovic said Eminem also refused to allow him to release the song as a commercial single. It's the first cut on his 11th album, "Poodle Hat," which also parodies songs by Avril Lavigne and rapper Nelly. It's due out May 20 on Way Moby/Volcano Records.

Although Yankovic says he's grateful to Eminem for allowing him to parody his song, he's still lamenting what would have been his "most ambitious" video ever - heady words, coming from a man who dressed up like Jackson in a fat suit for the video "I'm Fat."

"You'll just have to listen to the song and close your eyes and imagine what might have been," chuckled Yankovic.



This guy takes himself way to seriously.

[Craptacular]

Hmm, I have no clue what Eminem's song sounds like, but if Al does as good a job as he did on "It's All About the Pentiums", I'll be happy.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by GrantDawg
This guy takes himself way to seriously.

Word.

[NoMyths]

Sounds like the kid who can dish it out but not take it.

By "it" I mean "feces."

[TroyF]

Originally posted by NoMyths
Sounds like the kid who can dish it out but not take it.

By "it" I mean "feces."

Bingo.

TroyF

[SackAttack]

Y'know...I can't say as I'm surprised he's parodying an Avril Lavigne song. I'd even put money on the song in question being a parody of 'Sk8er Boi'. That one just cries out for Weird Al's talent.

But back on topic, yeah, it's a crock. If anything, being parodied by Weird Al is like being an answer (question?) on Jeopardy - it means you've made it, in a perverse sort of way.

[Craptacular]

Kurt Cobain was quoted as saying he knew he finally made it when Al parodied him.

[Mega]

At first I was like "Weird Al still makes albums?!?". Then I was like, "Eminem still makes albums?!?". Then I was like, "Zzzzzzzzzzzz. mmmmmmm.... M&M's.... arrrrggghhhhhhh....."

[The Afoci]

It isn't that he won't let people make fun of him, but just this song. To him it was a serious song that was very personal to him. I think he has the right to not want someone to make fun of something he feels so strong about.

To me its kind of like Page and Plant not playing "Stairway to Heaven" live because it was a song for the whole band, not just them two.

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by The Afoci
It isn't that he won't let people make fun of him, but just this song. To him it was a serious song that was very personal to him. I think he has the right to not want someone to make fun of something he feels so strong about.

Waaaayy to serious about himself.

[Kodos]

What an ass. Next he'll be turning down a cameo on the Simpsons because he doesn't like how they draw him. Weird Al should put out the video anyway. Eminem makes a living pissing people off. Now, he should have the favor returned.

[AZSpeechCoach]

Remember when "Amish Paradise" came out? Coolio threatened Weird Al because "Gangsta's Paradise" was a "special song." It appears that for some genres, music becomes "special" when people try to have fun with it.

I'm waiting with baited breath for May 20. Weird Al and Star Trek: Nemesis. It will be a red-letter day

Kevin

[GoldenEagle]

I can see where the white rapper is coming from. He wants that song to remain inspring to others.

[Kodos]

Rap frequently inspires me... to turn of the radio.

[Balldog]

Originally posted by The Afoci
It isn't that he won't let people make fun of him, but just this song. To him it was a serious song that was very personal to him. I think he has the right to not want someone to make fun of something he feels so strong about.

I agree...

[GrantDawg]

But it is fine for him to attack everybody he wants to in his songs, and not be concerned for their feelings? Waaaaaaaaaaayyy to serious.

Or better discription...way to self-important.

[The Afoci]

People attack him all the time and he attacks back. What he is saying here isn't that Weird Al can't make fun of him, he let him make the song and I am pretty sure Weird Al has made other songs of his, he just doesn't want a video made. He isn't saying that this is his best song, or the best song in the world, he is saying it is the most important piece of art (If you don't like rap whatever, I don't like country but I respect people who make it)he has made to himself. So are Page and Plant waaaaaaayyy to serious because they don't play Stairway to Heaven anymore? I guess they don't care about the fans that want to hear it live that have never before.

[The Afoci]

Originally posted by Kodos
Rap frequently inspires me... to turn up the radio.

I know, I love Vanilla Ice too.

[AgPete]

Originally posted by AZSpeechCoach
Remember when "Amish Paradise" came out? Coolio threatened Weird Al because "Gangsta's Paradise" was a "special song." It appears that for some genres, music becomes "special" when people try to have fun with it.

I'm waiting with baited breath for May 20. Weird Al and Star Trek: Nemesis. It will be a red-letter day

Kevin

So why does Wierd Al need permission from Eminem but not Coolio? Damn, I want to see that video now! Wow! 11 records now for Wierd Al? Eminem should be flattered, it's almost a sign of having made it in the music business when Wierd Al pics your song for his next video premiere!

[Tekneek]

The way I understand it, Weird Al does not really have to get permission, but he does it because he is a nice guy. Parody is specifically allowed, legally, and Eminem could not take legal action to stop Weird Al if he went for it anyway.

Weird Al said Coolio granted permission, but then changed his mind after it was out.

[Bishop]

The reason most artist don't have a problem with Weird Al doing parodies of them is because they aren't rappers.


Rap is all about image, it has very little to do with the actual music cause all the music is talking about is how they are the man, atleast in some form or another.


Not saying it's crap, but just saying its all about self image.

Eminem is no different then any other rapper in that aspect, so I wouldn't say he's too full of himself... no more then Dr Dre, or Coolio, or Tupac or any other rapper.


and yeah, I actually put Coolio in the same sentance with Tupac.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by The Afoci
What he is saying here isn't that Weird Al can't make fun of him

If Wierd Al has gone through the trouble of previewing the song and video for him, I think it's pretty clear that he's not really making fun of him. At least not without the guy being "in" on the joke.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Bishop
Rap is all about image, it has very little to do with the actual music cause all the music is talking about is how they are the man, atleast in some form or another.

Very true. This is one of the reasons I find rap to be...not to my liking (I guess that's the nicest way to put it).

[Hammer755]

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
I can see where the white rapper is coming from. He wants that song to remain inspring to others.

How does a Weird Al parody video make Eminem's version any less inspiring?

[HornedFrog Purple]

The funniest thing about this thread is if you actually paid attention to what Em is saying, he is saying the same thing in a majority of his beats. Em is telling you it's all about image and he is telling you it's bs.

By the way, there are many other forms of rap.

I like Weird Al by the way, some of his stuff is funny. He should do more polka waltzes.

[AZSpeechCoach]

Really, the song is just using the "Lose Yourself" rhythm and melody. The lyrics have little or nothing to do with Eminem himself. The song is going to be about television, if I'm not mistaken. Just another case of the Man trying to keep the brother down.

Kevin

[Axxon]

I'll say this.

I am one who would never have dreamed of giving rap a chance. Period. I like to say that I'm open to all music genres and it's mostly true but rap had pretty much proven the exception. It's mainly about content (not that I am offended or anything but I don't believe that the lifestyle should be glorified even though in my history I can relate. ) I've never been ashamed or proud of stuff I've done and I certainly don't condone a lot of it. I certainly don't want it put down in music and considered acceptable.

That said, Eminem would certainly seem to be a definate no go as far as I'm concerned and for a long while he was. Two things made me consider his music.

One, Elton Johns praise of him. I've always been a fan of Eltons or more particularly the poetry of Bernie Taupin but to try and rate Bernie's poetry outside the medium he wrote it for doesn't make much sense and the finished product has always been good for me.

When I heard Elton praise EM it piqued my curiosity musically as I respect him and also because I know that EJ is bisexual and the rap on Eminem was his gay bashing. Now, I'm not even bisexual much less gay but if someone who is can praise someone who supposedly knocks that lifestyle then that even adds more to his credibility IMHO. I was curious.

The second thing is that I subscribed to listen.com's Rhapsody service which basically means for $10 a month I can listen to a whole lot of stuff pretty effortlessly ( no worries about having to download and burn stuff and no hard drive clutter ). I know it's not for everyone and I am not against downloading stuff that is unavailable if I really want it, but for learning about new genres of music or new artists it is great so to me it's worth the cash. YMMV.

I decided to listen to Eminem's stuff on Rhapsody and to me, it's really excellent stuff. There you have it. I've since admitted this embarrasing fact to my friends and taken all the shit for it. I really don't care. I like his stuff.

I don't like his "persona" but I'd imagine if I said that to him face to face he'd rightly say "fuck you." I don't want him to be someone I would pal around with, I want him to entertain me musically and he does. End of story. Actually, just like Elton John.

I find humor in Eminem but I've talked to coworkers who are "fans" and they call me heartless. True stuff. I can enjoy the humor of, for example, Stan. I've known obsessive people like that and I think Em's portrayal not only shows a level of disdain that I also feel for such needy individuals, but he manages to make them human enough to validate contemplating their circumstances while at the same time maintaining an above it all but still affected humor which is a wonderful way to approach life.

I'll admit when I first started listening to it I was so impressed that I immediately wondered who was behind it because I couldn't believe he had that sophistication. I still don't know but I no longer care. Whoever is putting his stuff together is not simply a marketing guy. I'm convinced of that, else I'd never have bought into it.

There's an artist involved and if that artist, who is most likely Em has a vision for his own work, who the f am I to criticise him for it? I don't read anywhere where he disrespected Weird Al who I also respect and Al isn't really accusing him of this either. It's about the video rights to one song. It's no biggie.

Anyway, so there. I've admitted my "dirty little secret"; I'm an Eminem fan. I still hate rap but honestly, I don't consider what he does true rap and boy have I taken a lot of crap for that view too.

Maybe they're right. Maybe I can't accept that rap can be artistic so I have to relabel something I like to make it more palatable. I don't think so. Lately a woman I work for has been introducing me to even more rap and the fact is, behind the obvious thug glorification, which she is in to, there's a lot of musical exploration and genre bending stuff going on and to invalidate the good because I don't like the bad seems wrong.

I'll stop before I make myself vomit