One of the biggest stories this week pertains to a fire that happened over a decade ago. A number of legends were named in a report that claims that over 500,000 master recordings were destroyed in a 2008 fire at Universal Studios. At the time of the incident, it was alleged that one park attraction and a video vault were burned down as a result of the flames. However, confidential internal statements were uncovered at Universal that reportedly detailed the damage done to some of the most iconic pieces of music of all time. Among the artists affected were Nirvana, Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson, 50 Cent, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and more. Black Thought previously confirmed that two classic The Roots albums were in the fire and now, a representative for Eminem is addressing his involvement.
Speaking with the Detroit Free Press, Dennis Dennehy, a spokesperson for Em, said that they had actually backed up digital files of his masters months before the fire happened. "I’m fairly confident that most, if not all, of the masters are backed up," he said. Joel Martin, a former member of Shady's team, added that there was an effort set in place to move all of the rapper's master recordings to one spot, confirming that the projects included The Eminem Show, The Marshall Mathers LP and "Lose Yourself."
The fire was a devastating blow to the entertainment industry, destroying sets from Back To The Future and countless other classics. Thankfully, Em's music is safe.
