Dr. Dre Says Eminem/Jay-Z Shows ‘Inspired’ Him To Work On Detox

When Dr. Dre surprised the crowd at Eminem and Jay-Z’s historic first Home and Home Tour stop in Detroit, fans greeted the elusive rap king with epic chants of “Detox!” after he spit memorable bars from his last LP, The Chronic 2001. During a recent sit-down, Dre said the warm response motivated the beatmaster to hit the lab and get his much-anticipated and long-delayed follow-up into the hands of those screaming fans.

“Being on the stage with Eminem and Jay-Z was one of the most incredible feelings I’ve felt in a long time. It inspired me, it made me want to hurry up and get back in the studio and put more effort and more work into my own project,” Dre told MTV2’s “Sucker Free” on Wednesday during an event for his latest successful venture, Beats by Dre.

The much-lauded producer said rocking the stage with his protégé-turned-pop phenomenon, Eminem, and his “Under Pressure” collaborator, Jay-Z, validated his current efforts and demonstrated that more than 10 years into the wait for Detox, hip-hop heads are still hungry for more Dre-helmed bangers.

“The response from the people out there was just incredible,” Dre said. “It let me know that I still got love out there and I’m not wasting my time in the studio with what I’m doing, with the music or with all the Beats product that we’re putting out.”

After stacking hip-hop hits for decades, nurturing the careers of superstar MCs such as Snoop Dogg, Em and 50 Cent, releasing two almost undeniably classic solo efforts, 2001 and 1992’s The Chronic, and shaping the way the latest generation of rap lovers hears music with his Beats by Dre headphones, the Doc has crafted a game-changing legacy. Even boasting that singular résumé, the deafening shouts from die-hard Dre acolytes still excite the rap icon.

“I can’t explain it,” he said. “It’s an incredible feeling. It’s not something that can be bought. You have to earn it, and it just made me feel just amazing.”

What do you think Dr. Dre’s Detox will sound like? Sound off in the comments!

Eminem, Lil Wayne Turn Mutual Respect Into ‘No Love’

Eminem fans have plenty of love for their beleaguered hero. But that won’t stop him from premiering the highly anticipated video for his Lil Wayne-assisted single, “No Love,” at 7:56 p.m. ET on Thursday night (September 30), on MTV, mtvU, MTV Hits, MTV Jams and MTV Tr3s. The song, from his double platinum-selling LP, Recovery, is set to be released October 5.

On the 30-second teaser for the video, Eminem sings the chorus to the song while in a recording studio. Just Blaze, who produced the track using vocal samples of Haddaway’s 1993 dance hit “What Is Love,” looks on. The accompanying narrative finds a young student being picked on by bullies in what appears to be a school cafeteria.

Lil Wayne, who is still serving out his sentence at Rikers, doesn’t appear in the teaser. But the two have co-starred in music videos before, most notably “Forever,” with Kanye West and Drake, and “Drop the World,” the third single from Lil Wayne’s Rebirth LP.

The two lauded lyricists have somewhat of an awkward relationship. Back in 2008, during an interview with BBC radio personality DJ Semtex, Wayne alluded to Eminem being scared to collaborate with him on Tha Carter III. “I’ve never done a song with Eminem,” Wayne said. “I sent him a song, and he ain’t do it. I didn’t like that, but it’s all good. People be busy and stuff, or a.k.a. just scared to get on a song with me.”

This past June, as Em prepped Recovery for release, he admitted to Spin’s Jonah Weiner that during his time away from rap, he considered dissing Weezy. “I thought, ‘Man, I can do that sh–, he ain’t that dope,’ ” Em said. “I’m hearing this dude say some clever, witty sh– and I’m not doing it, so I feel f—ed up. [But] it would have been career suicide. They would have f—in’ murdered me.”

The proposed Wayne dis track never saw the light of day, and the rivalry gave way to mutual admiration. “I’ve always respected what Wayne does,” Eminem said in an interview with Paris’ Skyrock FM, also in June. “Wayne to me is definitely one of the greatest in the game right now.”

In August, Wayne shared a similar sentiment. “Em is him, and he’s back in a major way,” he told Funkmaster Flex, on a call from prison. “He’s a great dude. He’s been keeping up with me since I’ve been in here, and I appreciate his support.”

Are you looking forward to the new video? Let us know in the comments!

Eminem Declares ‘I’m Back!’ With Roaring Epicenter Concert

Detroit descended upon California as Eminem made a triumphant return to the West Coast at the Epicenter 2010 Festival on Saturday. Marshall Mathers performed just before fellow Motor City mavens KISS, and what the rapper lacked in pyro he more than made up in fanfare. Still one of the biggest-selling artists in the world, Epicenter was one of only a handful of concerts Em put on in 2010. Cali happily welcomed Eminem back, roaring, dancing and rapping their approval.

Epicenter’s first of two days was marked by sweltering heat in the 100s and a handful of performers whose absence from the stage was even longer than Slim Shady’s self-imposed hiatus. 1990s alt-rockers Bush, featuring frontman (and Gwen Stefani’s husband) Gavin Rossdale, made the fest their first major show in nine years, while House of Pain made it their first in 12 years. Oft-troubled rapper DMX rapped for a VIP-only audience.

Sponsored by Los Angeles rock station KROQ, Epicenter is only in its second year and is the brainchild of the same veteran music-industry trio who put together Rock on the Range in the Midwest and Canada. Last year’s lineup included Tool, Linkin Park and Alice in Chains. This year, Epicenter moved to the parking lot of the expansive Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, part of California’s Inland Empire.

The first major player to hit the main stage was one half of the mega-selling progressive hip-hop duo Outkast. Big Boi emerged in the afternoon, after opening sets from Hollywood Undead-spinoff Deuce and keyboard-heavy L.A. trio Crash Kings. Big Boi’s DJ complained about the heat nearly melting his vinyl, but the Atlanta MC smoothly mixed solo tracks into an otherwise Outkast-leaning set that included some freestyling.

Papa Roach may not sell as many records as they used to, but the band received a heroes’ welcome the second they hit the stage. They’ve updated their look, too, trading the nu-metal garb for skinny jeans, hipster sneakers and longer hair, all of which suits them. They unleashed a dirtier, darker side than was apparent on their earliest hits, and frontman Jacoby Shadix was the consummate showman, leaving fans hanging on his every hand motion. “Last Resort” closed the set, sounding appropriately more raw and energized than the version on their major label debut.

Gavin Rossdale may have dabbled with the band Institute and a solo career, but at Epicenter, the singer/guitarist got back to Bush, performing the music that put him all over the radio in the ’90s and touring with an opening act called No Doubt. Back then, Bush became one of the first bands to capitalize on the mainstream doors blown down by Nirvana. Bush hail from England, not Seattle, but grunge motifs are all over their numerous hits, many of which they played: among them “Machinehead,” “Swallowed,” “Everything Zen,” “Glycerine” (which Rossdale belted out solo with an acoustic guitar) and a set-closing “Come Down.”

The sun mercifully went down as the second stage prepared for hip-hop headliners House of Pain, who came on after Kinda Major, Smile Empty Soul, the Knux and Big B warmed up the crowd. It’s been an eventful journey for rapper/singer Everlast, who began his career as a scrappy solo artist, found fame with House of Pain and their massive hit “Jump Around,” before reinventing himself as a guitar-slinging country/rap troubadour after suffering a surprise heart attack.

Everlast had his guitar for most of the set as he led a full band (drums, bass, keys and a horn section!) flanked by Danny “Danny Boy” O’Connor. The pair rapped House of Pain songs like “Shamrocks and Shenanigans,” “On Point,” “Put Yer Head Out” and, of course, “Jump Around” over a variety of familiar songs, including the beats made famous by Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” and Tupac’s “California Love,” all during a rousing and lively set that included a dedication to Gang Starr’s late MC, Guru. There was also an appearance by members of their most recent project, La Coka Nostra.

Expectation was palpable for Eminem’s first West Coast concert appearance this year. Video screens projected a message written as if it were taken from news headlines. The text spelled out the dark period in Eminem’s career, when retirement seemed a possibility, before heralding his triumphant return. Looking healthy and ready for battle, Eminem was backed by huge production (including several clever, stylized videos that played throughout), a hype man, a band, and even D12 for a short medley. Like his September stadium shows with Jay-Z, Eminem kept the song selection diverse, drawing from newer material and classic tracks like “The Way I Am.” The show kicked off with “Won’t Back Down” and “3 a.m.,” setting the tone for the rest of the performance.

“I’m back, man,” he told the crowd early in the set. “You miss me? I missed y’all.”

He led the crowd in a “Free Lil Wayne” chant as he launched into “No Love.” Em asked the crowd if they had ever “had beef” with their parents just before “Cleaning Out My Closet.” A “Big Proof Forever” message was displayed on the screen when the rest of his Detroit crew D12, including a shirtless Bizarre, flooded the stage for tracks like “Fight Music.” Cell phones and lighters were raised high during the Aerosmith-sampling “Sing for the Moment.” It was a long marathon of quality tracks during which Em proved to have as much stamina as ever, despite his lack of touring.

Sandwiched right between the night’s biggest acts, DMX gave the tiny VIP tent something incredible to remember when he banged out hits like “Party Up in Here,” as well as one new track. The Ruff Ryder looked to be in good health and grateful for the audience’s enthusiasm. He made several references to his faith, thanking and praising God profusely.

What can you say about KISS that hasn’t been said? The band closed the night with pyrotechnics and dependable spectacle. There’s the makeup, the production, the costumes, the stunts, the constant marketing of everything from condoms to Dr. Pepper, sure, but you know what else? There’s the songs! KISS, who have been together for close to 40 years, crafted a catalog at their height that includes lean, mean, muscular rock anthems like “God of Thunder,” “Detroit Rock City” and the ubiquitous “Rock N’ Roll All Night.”

Founding members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss are both gone, but Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons still tear it up live for their the KISS Army, and Epicenter was no exception. Drummer Eric Singer has of course been part of the KISS family for a longtime and Thommy Thayer does an admirable job of filling Space Ace’s shoes, guitar effects and all.

Sunday (September 26), the second and last day of the outdoor festival, will feature Blink-182 in their only North American appearance this year, alongside Rise Against, Bad Religion, Against Me! and more.

Maino Says He Had Eminem Songs 3 Yars Before

New York rapper Maino says he had three of Eminem’s new “Recovery” album not only before him but three years bofore the album was released. Maino even says that the lead single, “Not Affraid,” was his along with two others, all done three years before.

“I had three records on Em’s album,” explained Maino, before revealing that the tracks ultimately became “Not Afraid,” “25 to Life,” and “Talkin’ to Myself.” “I recorded that in 2007,” he recalled of “Talkin’ to Myself.” “A lot of times, you record a lot of the album, you record a lot of music before you actually put the music out. What happens is, sometimes you don’t actually love everything you do. That particular record, I didn’t love my performance on it–to the point where I loved the hook, but I didn’t feel like I did it [justice]. I was gonna get back to it and redo it, but I had never done it.”

Eminem, Jay-Z Joined By Dr. Dre, Drake At Historic Detroit Concert

Detroit hasn’t screamed this loud at a baseball park since Kirk Gibson was hitting home runs in the 1984 World Series. Hip-hop history was made as Jay-Z and Eminem co-headlined the Motor City’s Comerica Park (home of the D-Town Tigers for the past decade) on Thursday night (September 2), the first of two shows on consecutive nights.

While Jay’s high-grossing touring schedule helped him to top this year’s Forbes’ “Hip-Hop Cash King” list, Eminem took a much-needed sabbatical to deal with a myriad of personal issues. Now beyond his darkest hour, Em had one of his brightest moments ever onstage. Not only did he gift his hometown with a seemingly endless string of hits, he pulled off some major surprises. After D12, 50 Cent and the G-Unit — acts that fans likely expected — came out for performances with Em, Slim Shady pulled off a shocker. Dr. Dre came out, first stunning the people then delighting them with smashes.

After his name appeared on the Comerica big screen, the man heralded by many as the greatest producer of his time came out to the opening notes of his world-famous “Next Episode.” Then the familiar first keys of “Still Dre” were played.

“Haters say Dre fell off,” the Doc rapped. “How n—a? My last album was The Chronic.”

After that, the Shady/Aftermath duo took it back to Dre’s Chronic days with “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang.”

“One, two, three and to the fo,” Em rapped in Snoop’s cadence.

” ‘Cause you know we came to rip sh– up!” Dre spit later.

Dr. Dre appeared to be in the best shape of his life. Wearing a T-shirt with the late Proof’s face printed on it, Dre looked strong enough to end the Undertaker’s undefeated streak at Wrestlemania.

“Got dammit, Detroit. Do I love you or what?” Eminem asked his fans. “Look what I brought out for you.”

Em then told Dre he wanted him to feel the love; Detox chants followed.

“Deeee-tox. Deeee-tox,” they yelled from the bleachers to the bullpen. Dre just smiled and said, “I’m Comin’!”

One would-be guest who couldn’t attend for obvious reasons was Lil Wayne. But Shady made sure to salute Weezy after “No Love.” And the Young Money flag did wave proudly in Detroit as Drake came out for “Forever” and gave a special nod to the Motor City.

“In Detroit, faded off the brown,” Drake rapped.

“Nino!!!!” the crowd responded.

“I’m so honored to be here to tonight. This is history in the making. I want y’all to make some noise for the muthaf—in’ legend that is Emimem.”

Em’s legend was largely built off his mastery of music and a catalog made for the kind of environment he played on Thursday: stadiums. The Detroit rapper has been making sing-along anthems throughout his career. Not just tracks you rap in the shower or in the car, but big records like “Sing for the Moment,” “Stan” and “Cleaning Out My Closet” — tracks practically begging for an audience of tens of thousands holding lighters up. Em proved he still has that rare connection with his fanbase. Grown men took off their shirts and got rock-n-roll rowdy when he rapped.

“Got dammit, Detroit, I’m back,” Em said early on in the night. “Did you miss me?”

It was clear that Em missed his fans as well. He was engaging, lively and energetic on this night. After the “Real Slim Shady” and “Without Me,” Em thanked his fans again.

“I love you. This song is for you.” “Not Afraid” followed. After screams of “encore, encore,” Em brought out the Unit, D12 and Detroit legend Trick Trick who had earlier performed on “Lose Yourself.”

Thursday’s Home and Home show kicked off with B.o.B, who came back later for “Airplanes, Pt. 2,” and set the tone with a quick set that included “Nothin’ on You.”

The audience was eventually alerted that the Jiggaman was 10 minutes away from showtime. Two clocks filled two oversize screens on the enormous stage while the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” blared from the speakers. When the countdown hit “0,” Jay rose from beneath the stage, the lyrically intricate “Dynasty Intro” being played by his band, the Roc Boys. Then a brief snippet of “Lucifer” played before Jay went into his jaw-dropping verse from Rick Ross’ “Free Mason.”

During “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune),” Jay rhymed “this might need a verse from Jeezy.” On cue, the Snowman came out for the “Dey Know” remix followed by “Soul Survivor.” His mini-set ended with “Put on for My City” and “Lose My Mind.”

After that though, it was the Jay hit parade — with assistance from Memphis Bleek. The Brooklyn duo rocked with a flurry of big records, including “You Don’t Know,” “99 Problems” and “(Originator 99).” During “Big Pimpin’,” Jay delivered Pimp C’s verse in the late UGK legend’s cadence.

“What y’all know about them Deetroit boys?” Hov asked.

A tribute to hip-hop’s fallen soldiers ensued, as the audience shouted in unison, “Prrrrrooooooooof!”

“I know y’all going through a lot, but Detroit has heart and Detroit will be back,” Jay said.

Hov and Slim Shady shared but a few minutes of stage time as Jay emerged for “Renegade” during Em’s set.

The Home and Home Tour continues Friday night (September 3) at Comerica Park and comes to the Bronx, New York, on September 13 and 14 at Yankee Stadium.

Were you at Jay and Em’s Detroit stop? Tell us what you thought of the show!