February 19, 2001 – In a recent poll conducted by the Loup, an interactive teen community accessed via the telephone, the overwhelming majority of the participants ages 13-18 think that rap artist Eminem deserves to win a Grammy despite the recent controversies surrounding him.

This conclusion is drawn from a recent poll conducted by the service in five markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle and Philadelphia. The teens were asked, "Does Eminem deserve to win?" Over 9,000 teens responded and the answer was a resounding "Yes."

Participant quotes in favor of Eminem include, "Why not? He keeps it real. Through his music he expresses his feelings and sings about his life."

One dissenter comments, "He's disrespectful and ignorant. He has a terrible attitude. There's no reason to talk badly about other artists, and he sends out the wrong message about gays, women and other people."

Members of the community, provided the following responses:

Market	Yes	No	Don't Know or Care
New York	75 %	22 %	4 %
Los Angeles	72 %	23 %	5 %
Phoenix	78 %	10 %	2 %
Seattle	70 %	28 %	3 %
Philadelphia	69 %	26 %	5 %
Total Responses	72 %	24 %	4 %

Eminem is nominated for four Grammy awards including Album of the Year for The Marshall Mathers LP, against a diverse group of artists including legendary singer/songwriter Paul Simon; Best Rap Solo Performance for The Real Slim Shady; Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group with Dr. Dre for Forgot About Dre; and Best Rap Album The Marshall Mathers LP.

National protest has erupted among minority organizations over the Recording Academy's decision to reward Eminem's music. One protesting organization is the National Organization for Women who charge that his lyrics are misogynistic and advocate physical violence toward women. Gay rights organizations such as GLAAD also charge that his lyrics are "the most homophobic and hateful GLAAD has ever seen."

In a poll conducted last December, the Loup found that teens are more concerned with HIV/AIDS than domestic violence, violence in schools, racial pressures and teenage pregnancy. Additional polls conducted since the service started in 1999 have covered a wide range of teen related topics.

More Eminem:

• February 17, 2001 - Pat Boone on Eminem
• January 31, 2001 - Eminem's Violent Hate Lyrics Energize Diverse Opposition; GLAAD to Rally at Grammys
• January 3, 2001 - GLAAD, Eminem and the Grammy Nominations
• August 23, 2000 - Eminem's Wife Sues Him for $10 Million
• August 23, 2000 - Eminem Wins Two Awards at Source Hip-Hop Awards
• August 17, 2000 - Eminem Files for Divorce
• June 29, 2000 - Eminem Speaks Out
• April 17, 2000 - Eminem, Kid Rock, Stevie Wonder, and CeCe Winans Among the Winners at the 2000 Detroit Music Awards
• April 14, 2000 - Eminem and Dr. Dre Take Three Awards Each at the Annual Online Hip-Hop Awards in New York City