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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 18 January 2020

In this July 20, 2015, file photo, rapper Eminem attends the
premiere of "Southpaw" in New York.
Associated Press
Eminem drops surprise

album, advocates

changes to gun laws In this Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, file photo, Recording Academy President/CEO Deborah Dugan
participates in the 62nd Grammy Awards nominations news conference at Studio 43 at CBS
Broadcast Center in New York.
Rapper Eminem once reads the text at the end Associated Press
album, releasing "Music to vote at vote.gov. Make Lawyer for just-ousted Grammys
again dropped a surprise of the video. "Register to
Be Murdered By" on Friday your voice heard and help
— along with a video that change gun laws in Amer- CEO fires back at academy
calls for changes to gun ica."
laws. A link to the music video on By MESFIN FEKADU is not nearly the story that ety." Dugan's hire came af-
The follow-up to 2018's "Ka- Eminem's website encour- AP Music Writer needs to be told. When ter Neil Portnow chose not
mikaze" — also released ages viewers to contact or NEW YORK (AP) — Record- our ability to speak is not to seek an extension on his
without warning — was an- visit several gun violence ing Academy CEO Debo- restrained by a 28-page contract. Portnow had led
nounced on Twitter just af- prevention organizations, rah Dugan, who the com- contract and legal threats, the Grammys since 2002
ter midnight. including Everytown for pany announced Thursday we will expose what hap- and was criticized for say-
The Detroit rapper's new Gun Safety and Sandy was placed on administra- pens when you 'step up' at ing women need to "step
music video for "Darkness," Hook Promise. tive leave, has fired back the Recording Academy, a up" when asked about the
one of the album's 20 The cover art features in a statement through her public nonprofit," the state- lack of female winners at
tracks, depicts a shooting blood spatter and a beard- lawyer, saying: "What has ment read. "The board the 2018 Grammys during a
at a concert. The lyrics and ed Eminem clad in a suit been reported is not nearly determined this action to backstage interview. Only
storyline of the video spe- and fedora and holding a the story that needs to be be necessary in order to two female performers
cifically allude to the 2017 shovel. An alternate cover told." The academy said restore the confidence won awards during the live
mass shooting at a music features the same splatter, late Thursday that its leader of the Recording Acad- telecast and the Grammys
festival in Las Vegas that with a now hatless Eminem of just six months was put emy's membership, repair were criticized for not let-
left 58 people dead, mak- holding both a hatchet on leave following an alle- Recording Academy em- ting pop singer Lorde, the
ing it the deadliest mass and a gun to his head in gation of misconduct by a ployee morale, and allow only women nominated for
shooting in modern U.S. an homage to Alfred Hitch- senior leader at the organi- the Recording Academy to album of the year, perform
history. It closes with audio cock's 1958 album of the zation — just 10 days before focus on its mission of serv- at the show.
and video footage of news same name: "Inspired by the 2020 Grammy Awards. ing all music creators," the Before joining (RED), the
broadcasts from other re- the master, Uncle Alfred!" But in a statement released statement continued. "The AIDS organization that
cent mass shooting around Eminem tweeted. Friday to The Associated Recording Academy Board launched in 2006, Dugan
the U.S. and an appeal to "Music to Be Murdered Press, Dugan's attorney Bry- of Trustees is committed to was president of Disney
register to vote. By" is Eminem's 11th studio an Freedman said there's fostering a safe, diverse, Publishing Worldwide and
"When will this end? When album, according to his more to the story. and inclusive workplace, executive vice president at
enough people care," website.q "What has been reported music industry, and soci- EMI/Capitol Records.q
Johansson, Sterling K. Brown

among SAG Awards presenters

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Scar- Reinhart and Kaitlyn De- Johansson is nominated
lett Johansson, Sterling K. ver. for best actress in a film
Brown and Taika Waititi They’ll join previously an- for “Marriage Story,” best
will be up for Screen Ac- nounced presenters in- supporting actress in a film This combination of photos shows, from left, Scarlett Johansson,
tors Guild Awards and also cluding Lupita Nyong’o for “Jojo Rabbit” and best Sterling K. Brown and Taika Waititi, who will join Roman Griffin
handing them out at Sun- and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, cast in a film along with Davis, Jason Bateman, Lili Reinhart and Kaitlyn Dever as
day’s ceremony. as well as Leonardo Di- her “Jojo Rabbit” co-stars presenters at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on
They’re part of a new Caprio, who will present Waititi and Davis. Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020.
batch of SAG Awards pre- the SAG Life Achievement Brown, a four-time SAG Associated Press
senters announced Friday, Award to Robert De Niro. Award winner, is nominat- The 26th annual Screen EST at the Shrine Audito-
along with Roman Griffin Most of the presenters are ed for best actor in a tele- Actors Guild Awards will rium in Los Angeles.q
Davis, Jason Bateman, Lili also nominees. vision drama for “This Is Us.” be held Sunday at 8 p.m.