Eminem's duet with Elton John was one of the night's most anticipated performances. It was a sparse production with just Eminem and John, on the keyboard and background vocals, performing the song about an obsessed fan who writes the rapper a series of increasingly deranged letters. It concluded an otherwise dry night of performances by Jill Scott with Moby and the Blue Man Group, 'N Sync, Madonna, Christina Aguilera and U2. Ever since his album dropped last May, Eminem has been a cultural lightning rod. Supporters see him as a legitimate artist with tightly packed rhymes swathed in producer Dr. Dre's brilliant beats and instrumentation.
Opponents say the rapper advocates violence against women and gays.
Wednesday's result solidifies many Eminem supporters' belief that his Album of the Year nomination was a ratings ploy - not an acknowledgement of rap's cultural impact or his talent. Opponents hope his defeat means the academy won't reward music that glamorizes violence against gays and women. Jeffrey Betcher, spokesperson for the San Francisco-based Family Violence Prevention Fund, was more hesitant. Maybe they are commenting on the musicianship. Although Eminem lost Album of the Year, he won Best Solo Rap Performance, Best Rap Album and Best Rap Performance by a duo or group for his collaboration with Dre.