The Eminem Grammy performance 2011 stood to be epic. However, the Eminem Grammy performance 2011 was just supposed to be one epic part of his night. Since the rap icon was the most nominated performer, and had one of the major albums of the year, he was expected to clean up in some of the major categories. But thanks to Lady Antebellum and Arcade Fire, it didn’t turn out that night. Before then, however, Eminem’s performance appeared to set a promising tone for him.
The set was one of the most anticipated of the evening – which says something, considering all the acts. Yet this routine would include one of the more controversial songs of the year, and a rare live appearance from Dr. Dre himself.
All told, Eminem’s Grammy performance combined two big hits. The first was “Love The Way You Lie” with Rihanna, which spawned controversy for its lyrics and heated video. But the major development came in the next song, “I Need A Doctor” since it featured the rapper’s mentor, Dr. Dre.
This was hyped as the first live TV performance from Dr. Dre in over a decade. But he didn’t come by alone, as folk musician Skylar Grey also joined the duo. He wasn’t the only unusual special guest, as Adam Levine played piano for “Love The Way You Lie.”
However, the Grammy performance wound up being the highlight of his night. Although Eminem won awards for “Not Afraid” and “Recovery,” he did not come out ahead in the major categories. “Love The Way You Lie” lost for Record of the Year and Song of the Year to Lady Antebellum, while “Recovery” suffered an eye opening upset for Album of the Year to Arcade Fire.
Despite the big sales and buzz for “Recovery,” his much publicized comeback, and his extra attention at the Super Bowl, it didn’t influence the voters. But it likely wasn’t anything personal against the controversial star, since the likes of Justin Bieber and Cee Lo Green also went down, despite their star power.
At the least, the rapper’s performance made an impact on the show before the late string of defeats. Since he had 10 nominations, he still managed to get a few victories, though not as many as expected.
This year has already been a massive comeback, as the rapper returned to the top of the charts and put aside the past few difficult years. Therefore, the 2011 Grammys were just a drop in the bucket, along with his surprising losses.
Sources
YouTube- “Eminem, Rihanna, Dr. Dre with Skylar Grey – Love The Way You Lie (Part 2)/I Need A Doctor”
Famecrawler- “Eminem Grammy Performance 2011 With Dr. Dre And Rihanna (Video)”
Grammy.com- “Nominees And Winners”
