Paul Rosenberg talked to a Detroit newspaper about Eminem’s upcoming induction ceremony, 2022 being his “celebratory year”, and further recording plans.
Eminem will represent Detroit at the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. Over 30 musicians with Detroit and Michigan ties were inducted into the Hall of Fame. So his name will be enshrined there in the excellent company of Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, John Lee Hooker, the Isley Brothers, The Jackson 5, Madonna and many more.
Eminem was unavailable for this interview, but his manager and business partner Paul Rosenberg talked to The News Herald.
Paul says that it has never been a dream of a career goal until recently:
“I didn’t even think about something like (the Rock Hall) until probably three, four years ago; somebody mentioned to me that eligibility for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is 25 years after you release your first album. I was like, ‘Wait a minute — that’s not too far away.’”
And now it is here. In the very first year of his eligibility, Eminem received overwhelming support from music fans and professionals alike and was chosen as one of this year’s inductees. Neither Marshall nor his manager takes it lightly. Rosenberg describes the event as follows:
“Hugely significant. It’s part of somebody’s legacy, to get that recognition. And this is the first time on the ballot, so that’s a big honor. It’s one of the big trophies in the case. Marshall is an extremely humble guy, and he doesn’t love people fawning over him in that way. But like anybody else who works hard at what they do, he appreciates being recognised for it. What it means to him…you’ll have to hear him when he gets up on stage”.
There should not be debates about whether hip hop belongs to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Em is not the first hip hop artist to receive this recognition. He was personally involved in inducting Run DMC and LL Cool J. But for those who are still in doubt, Paul has an explanation:
“In the traditional sense, does Marshall do rock ‘n’ roll? Of course not. But if you look at (what) rock ‘n’ roll is created from and what hip-hop is created from, they stem from the same musical tree, but at the same time very different in style, in culture, all of the above. So if you think about those aspects and the emotion and you combine that with how many rappers are already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I would say he certainly fits.”
And to those worried that Eminem focuses more on retrospective projects this year than on new music, Paul gives some reassurance. This induction indeed acknowledges Marshall’s legacy, and he recognises its importance. But he keeps creating and is moving forward:
“It’s a little strange; you don’t want to look like you’re looking back when at the same time you’re trying to create and move forward. It’s a little bit of a difficult balance, figuring out the right way to walk that line, and for him it can get a little frustrating. He doesn’t want to seem like he’s done being a currently recording music artist, because he very much is.
He’s very consumed with the process of creating, and he never really stops recording. I don’t think he really needs a reason to continue. It’s just what he does.”
Read the article in full on The News Herald website.
