For what it's worth,
on Eminem and the Grammies
Gays Frustrated by Eminem
Updated 12:19 PM ET February 17, 2001
By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) - When gay college student Matthew Shepard was beaten
to death three years ago, Elton John spoke eloquently about the
need to
eradicate hatred and discrimination against homosexuals.
"When I fly over America on my broomstick, as I often do a lot, I
get to
feeling what a big country this is - it's big enough for everyone,"
he said at
an anniversary observance of Shepard's death in 1999. "And despite
all the
progress that has been made in rights and tolerance, we are still
living in a
world of hate."
Two years later, John has outraged many in the gay community by
saying he
will take the stage at the Grammy Awards ceremony Wednesday with
Eminem - the rapper whose album is riddled with derisive or violent
references to "fags."
To activists' added frustration, there also has been little
interest among other
celebrities - gay or straight - in condemning Eminem.
"Overwhelmingly, artists have been very silent on this," said Scott
Seomin, spokesman for the Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). "We're hearing
neutrality, and 'Off the record, Scott, I'm
really horrified by Eminem's lyrics, but I can't risk speaking
publicly against him."'
Worse, he said, musicians from Sheryl Crow to Wyclef Jean have
described Eminem's album as one of
their favorites. Even Melissa Etheridge, the lesbian singer and
outspoken proponent of gay rights, has
declined to criticize him, describing Eminem as talented while
acknowledging that his words were hurtful.
Etheridge declined to comment to The Associated Press.
Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" has been nominated for the
Grammys' highest honor, album of the
year, and he is also nominated in three rap categories.
He has said his lyrics should not be taken literally.
"I think that Elton John, I think he gets it," Eminem said
backstage during a concert last month. "Because
the kids ... they are taking my music for what it's worth, you know
what I mean? They're taking it with a
... grain of salt."
Eminem's lyrics call gays "sick" and joke about stabbing them. In
the song "Criminal," he raps: "My words
are like a dagger with a jagged edge/ That'll stab you in the head/
whether you're a fag or lez/ Or the
homosex, hermaph or a trans-a-vest/ Pants or dress - hate fags? The
answer's `yes'."
Women's groups also have criticized the rapper for violent lyrics:
One song depicts the murder of his wife,
Kim, and another mentions raping his mother.
Eminem's spokesman, Dennis Dennehy, said the music industry has not
flogged Eminem because "Artists
are tuned to artistic expression, and I don't think any of them
would favor stifling that."
One of the few gay artists who has voiced disdain for Eminem is Boy
George, whose gender-bending ways
with the band Culture Club pushed the boundaries in the 1980s.
"Nobody wants to sort of battle against success. It's one of those
things; if you slag him off, you on the one
hand will appear bitter, and on the other hand you will appear
uncool," George said.
"If Pol Pot had a successful record, people would probably be
running around him as well."
He accused John of performing with Eminem simply to bolster his own
hipness.
"Eminem is a really cool young artist, and Elton I guess feels it's
good for his career. I don't think it's
anything deeper than that," he said.
"The thing is, Elton John is fine, Elton John is a multimillionaire
- Elton John lives in a bubble," George
said. "But what about all the little kids who live in the projects,
the effeminate boys or lesbians and gays out
there in the real world, getting beat up? What about people like
Matthew Shepard? They don't live in that
bubble."
John has said he does not believe Eminem is hateful.
"I'm a big fan of his music, and I said I would be delighted to"
perform with him, the British superstar told
the Los Angeles Times. "If I thought for one minute that he was
(hateful), I wouldn't do it."
When Eminem's Grammy nominations were announced last month,
Recording Academy President Michael
Greene defended artists' right "to say things that anger people."
He called Eminem's lyrics "truly some of the most repugnant things
that we've heard recorded this year,"
but added: "He hates everybody. He hates himself. He uses the
microphone as a therapist most of the time
and doesn't edit himself."
Gay activists plan to picket the awards ceremony. George supports
the rally, but wonders whether attention
paid to Eminem isn't counterproductive.
"I think sort of blacklisting him is just as bad," he said. "The
more people moan about him being there, the
more people moan about what he's saying, the more records he seems
to sell."
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On the Net:
Eminem: http://www.interscope.com
GLAAD: http://www.glaad.org
Grammys: http://www.grammy.com
