Rapper Eminem, aka Marshall Mathers, has been working hard overseas promoting his new album, Recovery, which debuts June 22. But the promotion tour will switch to the United States this weekend (June 5) when the video for his lead single officially debuts on MTV.
Eminem has a lot riding on the album. With rap and hip hop fading from dominance, Em must now prove he is still relevant.
Last March he said he would be releasing two new albums that year. Relapse, the first album, dropped on May 19, and it quickly became the No. 1 album in the country. But Mathers held off on the second, which was slated to be named Relapse 2.
Then in April, he revealed that he would be releasing a whole new album.
“The music on Recovery came out very different from Relapse, and I think it deserves its own title,” he said at the time.
He told BBC’s radio 1 on Friday (June 4) that he has a special reason for picking “Not Afraid” as the lead single.
“It was one of them records that, as soon as it was finished, I felt like it should be the one,” he said on the show.
Although Eminem is solely a rapper, he delves into R&B by adding Rihanna on a track called “Love the Way You Lie.”
“I felt like it would be more special with her on it. Rihanna is super talented too,” he explained.
Eminem also lines up some power female vocals fro the second single, “Won’t Back Down.”
Punk rocker Pink laid down her vocals after Em had recorded his part to help punch up the song.
“When I did the song that I did with Pink, I laid my parts first and kind of heard her on the record and felt that she would smash this record,” Em said.
Eminem’s “Not Afraid” video premieres Saturday at midnight on MTV, but you can watch the full video below. “Not Afraid” debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
The preview opens with Eminem standing on the ledge of a roof, then in a basement throwing a chair against the wall and walking the streets of Newark, NJ.
Keith Girard four decades of experience as an award-winning reporter, editor-in-chief, and senior media executive. Keith’s career began in Washington, D.C., where he was a reporter for The Washington Post and a contributing editor for Regardie’s and Washingtonian magazines. He also worked as a writer/producer in CNN’s Washington Bureau and has written one book on the U.S. Marines in the Gulf War.
OMG! what a song eminem is the best rapper ever alive in this planet keep the good work up em ur fans are going crazy!!!! ever time u make a hit
eminem 4 life
i really like this song, but the music video doesn’t fit the lyrics to me, i don’t know, maybe i just missed it. love the song though. i’ll be buying the album
outstanding video, well done Em!!!
awesome video man , i really enjoyed it
He is the most talented artists of our time his compassion and passion in his word’s is what keeps us wanting more he will and always be the 1 hip hop artists of our time!!! No one compares!!!
M4 love
give me wuvs
@holly
When he is in the one basement type deal he is talking about getting out, “i’m not afraid to take a stand” he will stop i think it’s all about him recovering from his drug addiction hence recovery his album and he says everybody take my hand well walk this world together through the storm whatever weather cold or warm etc. he is saying follow in my lead
this song is a awesome song and i noticed it was filmed in Newark, NJ and Part of NY
Unbelievable song and album by Eminem – my favorite so far; so glad he took control of his life – the entire album shows that he’s back stronger than ever and not going away anytime soon. Awesome job!!
I like eminem. I am 50 year old grandmother and know he is a very talented man. I wish him well and much success in his career and home.