S. Samuel
Grammy-winning rapper Eminem is banking on a formula that's helped mega hip-hop stars like Jay Z and Kanye West succeed in light of new albums hitting store shelves by appearing on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" next month.
According to reports, Slim Shady will grace the weekly sketch show days prior to his new Marshall Mathers LP 2 album releases.
Eminem will make his sixth trip to Studio 8H as musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” on Nov. 2, NBC announced on Wednesday. The Detroit rapper’s performance will hype his eighth studio album, “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” out Nov. 5, and viewers should expect to hear first single “Berzerk,” which peaked at No. 1 on the Rap Songs chart. On Monday he released another track off the album, the six-minute “Rap God.” Eminem has performed on the show in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004 and most recent in 2010, when he paired up Lil Wayne. (Billboard)
Hollywood actress Kerry Washington will reportedly host the highly anticipated broadcast.
UPDATED, 9:45 AM: Kerry Washington found herself in the middle of Saturday Night Live’s new-cast kerfuffle this morning when the NBC late-night show announced it had booked her to make her guest-hosting debut on November 2. While SNL first approached ABC’s Scandal star last season, and booked her weeks ago, the timing of SNL’s announcement could not have been worse, putting her at the epicenter of the latest media storm over SNL’s performers. In case you were off the grid yesterday, SNL cast member Kenan Thompson made some news when he told TV Guide that, yes, it’s the show’s sixth consecutive year without a black female cast member because, turns out, there are just no black female comics out there who are qualified for the gig. “It’s just a tough part of the business,” Thompson said. (Deadline)
On the live broadcast’s season finale last May, Kanye West performed his “Black Skinhead” and “New Slaves” tracks.
After unveiling “New Slaves” on Friday night in “the most Kanye way possible,” Kanye West took to the Saturday Night Live stage and did it again, this time live and in the flesh. The rapper’s new album has been described as “dark”; on SNL, he yelled while dodging in and out of dark shadows (“Black Skinhead”), then delivered an equally intense rendition of “New Slaves” in front of a projection of his face in extreme close-up. “Dark” seems accurate so far. (Slate)
A day after “SNL,” Slim Shady will grace a star-studded stage for YouTube’s first-ever awards show.
The popular online video giant is launching its first YouTube Music Awards, an ambitious 90-minute effort that will take place live in New York City’s Pier 36 on Nov. 3, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Filmmaker Spike Jonze, who has directed music videos for Beastie Boys and Weezer, has been tapped as creative director, while Jason Schwartzman will host the 90-minute event, presented in partnership with Kia and live-streamed across the world. Top-tier talent like Eminem, Lady Gaga and indie favorite Arcade Fire are on the bill as performers, along with YouTube breakouts Lindsey Stirling and CDZA. (The Hollywood Reporter)
