America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 131. Judging by Music

As night fell, Amyam woke up in her own bed to the incessant ringing of her cell phone.

His head was still spinning, and he saw double images everywhere.

"OMG! My head hurts so much, it must be because the alcohol and drugs haven't worn off yet."

His morning grumpiness at being woken up made him want to smash his phone, but seeing that it was his manager calling, he held back and answered.

"Paul, what's up? Don't you even know what the hell time is?"

Hearing Eminem's agitated voice, his agent, Paul Rosenberg, shouted angrily, "Are you drinking and doing drugs again? Didn't I tell you, you can't do this, Eminem!"

"Stop talking nonsense and just say what you need to say. I need to sleep; my head is killing me."

"Amu, I'm talking about something big concerning your future and health. Drug use and alcoholism will not only ruin your brain, but also your body. You can't continue down this path."

But people who are already addicted to drugs are unlikely to listen to others easily, especially Amy Am, who is known as a scoundrel for a reason.

Amyam's voice, however, was extremely impatient: "I've said it many times, it's none of your business! If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up!"

"Wait, don't hang up! It's your body, you're in charge. What I want to talk about is the song; our strategy worked."

"What?" Amy Am's dazed mind couldn't process it at all.

"I said our hype strategy worked. Michael Jackson is generating so much buzz. It was the right choice to insult him. Now your new song is climbing the Billboard charts."

Amy América punched herself in the head a few times before she came to her senses.

"You called me in the middle of the night just to tell me this? Are you out of your mind? I expected this, otherwise why would I specifically criticize Jackson?"

"No, that's just one point. What I'm telling you is that Jackson's supporters are starting to fight back now. Many people are criticizing you, and reporters will definitely be staking out you. All you have to do is keep your mouth shut and let me answer everything, understand?"

"Paul, do you think I'm a child? This isn't the first time I've used insults as a tactic. I know how to do it; I'm a pro at it."

"Okay, so this time it's Michael Jackson. He's not in the same league as the people you've insulted before. You better remember, don't say anything out of line!"

Doodle

Paul Rosenberg wanted to emphasize a few more points, but the call was disconnected. A surge of anger welled up inside him, and he slammed the phone onto the bed in frustration.

"That damn guy, if it weren't for your talent, and if we hadn't successfully packaged you up, do you think I'd be putting up with this?"

On the bed, the woman who had been hit by the phone opened her eyes: "Paul, what are you doing? Who are you cursing at?"

After gulping down half a bottle of water, Paul Rosenberg roared, "Who else could it be? Of course it's that son of a bitch, Amy Am! He's over thirty, but his mentality is that of a teenage street thug."

Did he upset you again?

"This guy always makes me angry! He's a huge problem, even more troublesome than those black rappers!"

"But he can make money for you."

"Yes, but this is all that's left."

The sun returned to the earth, and a good night's sleep finally relieved Emiam of his headache. He washed his face and went out of the house.

As soon as I got into the car, a number of reporters who had been waiting there rushed out.

Everyone knows that Emiam is a troublemaker, and following him often yields news, so there are always quite a few people loitering around his house, but today there are an unusually large number.

He opened the car door and got out of the driver's seat to be interviewed. He liked and enjoyed being watched, which made him feel powerful and confident.

"Hey! Benny, Charlie, come closer, you can't hear me if you're too far away."

He smiled and beckoned the familiar reporters to come closer. As for his agent's instructions from last night, he had long forgotten them. The combined effects of alcohol and drugs made him feel dizzy, and he was probably having a dream.

"Eminem, a lot of people are criticizing your new single. Are you deliberately insulting Michael Jackson?"

Amy Ahm scoffed, "Of course not. I don't mean to insult anyone. It's just my musical style, and I've always been this way!"

"So what do you think of the criticism? Especially Eric Cooper's criticism?"

"Eric Cooper, who is this guy? What did he say?" Emmy blurted out.

"Eric Cooper is a Jackson supporter. He called you a mad dog who only bites people randomly, trying to use Jackson's fame to promote himself and boost song sales. He said you are just a pathetic kid who uses his unhappy childhood to gain sympathy."

The reporters relayed Eric's words from yesterday's interview to Eminem verbatim, and to a petty thug like him, every word felt like a real blow.

The criticism, especially regarding her childhood, made Eminem feel like she was about to explode with anger.

At this moment, a reporter from Pravda, never one to shy away from a good show, pulled out a freshly printed newspaper and handed it to her: "Auntie, perhaps you could read the report first before answering your questions."

Emiam didn't take the newspaper, but after glancing at it, he still saw the big headline.

"The more time I spend with people, the more I like dogs. A dog will always be a dog, but sometimes people really aren't human!"

Under the influence of alcohol and drugs, the anger that had been suppressed exploded instantly, and Amyam began to curse loudly.

He kept uttering words starting with "F," his expression becoming ferocious and manic.

Upon seeing a Black reporter holding a camera, they rushed forward and tried to snatch it.

"What are you recording! I said what are you recording! Stop the fucking recording! FXXX!"

The scene instantly descended into chaos, but even so, a reporter continued to stir things up: "Emmanuel, Eric Cooper said you're a racist, are you really?"

"F*** you! Stop filming, get out of here, get out of my territory!"

Just then, a car sped closer, and agent Paul Rosenberg hurriedly jumped out of the car. Despite his haste, the worst thing that could have happened still occurred.

He rushed into the crowd, pulled Amy Am out, and shouted, "Am is not giving interviews right now. I'll answer any questions you may have."

Eminem, however, continued waving his fists and shouting angrily until his manager glared at him fiercely: "Go back, Eminem!"

Huff. Huff.

After catching his breath, the hoodlum's brain finally reconnected. Thinking about his behavior, he felt incredibly remorseful and slunk back home.

The paparazzi, of course, dared not trespass on private property again, so they could only point the microphone at Paul Rosenberg and repeat the question they had just asked.

Rosenberg's expression was stern: "No, Eminem never meant any harm; he respected Michael Jackson."

"What hype? We're certainly not hyping anything, nor do we need to. Eminem's talent is undeniable; he was the first rapper to win an Oscar."

"Eric Cooper's comments are absurd, and we are dissatisfied and regretful about them. It is clear that this white elite does not understand hip-hop or what rap is."

"His remarks are infuriating, and we reserve the right to take legal action."

"Alright, that's enough, gentlemen. Eminem is a singer; you can't defeat him with words and public opinion. If you want to prove Eminem wrong, then show us your music!"

After finishing his statement, Paul Rosenberg ignored the reporters, knocked on the door, and launched into a tirade of abuse.

"Amm, are you fucking crazy? I warned you not to talk nonsense, and every time you say something wrong, I have to clean up your mess!"

Amy Am lowered her head, a rare occurrence for her: "Sorry, Paul, what about those people outside?"

"I don't know what you said, or how they'll report it, but you must insist on one thing: music should be judged solely on its musical merit."

"From now on, stop bringing up your unhappy childhood and stop making racist remarks, or no one can save you, understand?"

"I understand. I can't lose to anyone when it comes to music, not even Michael Jackson. Besides, this pedophile is embroiled in lawsuits right now and has no energy to create anything. I've got this in the bag!"

"Good to know, Mother. You must quit drinking and drugs, or you'll be finished sooner or later! Think of your daughter, don't go on like this!"

Entertainment news is always something the public loves to see. From Eminem releasing a new song the day before yesterday to Eric Scofield's scathing critique yesterday, both online and offline, things have been in an uproar.

Since MJ's case has not yet gone to trial, many people still believe that his child molestation case is true, with the opinion being roughly split between belief and disbelief.

Therefore, the number of people criticizing and supporting online is roughly equal.

Supporters say that Eminem is a true character, someone who dares to criticize and do things that others wouldn't dare to do.

Those who criticize him say he is making unfounded accusations and fabricating facts, showing no respect for his seniors.

When Eric's interview came out, the people who were criticizing him started using the word "mad dog" to refer to Eminem.

He was labeled with terms like "childhood misery," "racism," "immature brat," and "uncultured hooligan."

The main battleground this time wasn't MGM's official website, but rather the website and forums of Emi Aem's record label, Aftermath, where all sorts of profanities flooded the screen.

After two days of fighting, the heated exchange between the two sides cooled down, mainly because everyone was waiting for Amy Am's reaction, and everyone knew that he was not one to take insults lying down.

Sure enough, just after lunch ended, around 1 p.m., media outlets began releasing interviews with Emiam.

Those who supported Eminem had hoped to see a fierce counterattack, but instead discovered that their idol in the video was a complete violent madman.

His grimacing appearance was exactly as Eric Cooper had described—no different from that of a mad dog.

The contrast is striking, especially when Eric's interview video is shown for comparison: one is logically sound and elegant in his insults, while the other just barks like a madman.

In terms of looks, Eric is ten times better than Eminem.

In terms of status, Eric far surpasses Eminem.

In terms of financial resources, the two are simply incomparable.

In terms of talent, Eric's works have not yet been released, so he is somewhat weak in this aspect.

After this comparison came out, some teenagers who had originally sided with Eminem began to quietly withdraw, and many young girls even secretly switched sides and became supporters of Eric.

This is true in the United States, or rather, all over the world: people who are good-looking, rich, and tasteful have always attracted the attention and envy of young people.

Otherwise, why is Wang Sicong so popular? And why are so many people keen on flaunting their wealth?

The key point is that Eric is young enough, a full 10 years younger than Emi Am, so in the eyes of young girls, his charm naturally far surpasses that of a thug.

Some people quietly withdrew, some changed their appearance, and the rest were speechless.

If even the eldest brother is this incompetent, how are they supposed to charge forward?

It wasn't until Paul Rosenberg finally said that the music itself was the deciding factor that these critics regained their footing.

No matter what others say, the point is that musicians should be judged by their music. If they're so capable, let Michael Jackson release a song, and he can totally retaliate.

But everyone knows that MJ has neither the time nor the energy to focus on new songs. Last year's "Invincible" did not sell as expected, and now he is even more mired in difficulties.

Eminem's supporters knew this perfectly well and happily used it as a way to mock MJ, saying he was outdated and an old monster whose glory should have faded long ago.

Just when everyone thought MJ wouldn't accept the challenge, he gave a public interview to Fox News.

"Michael, there has been a lot of discussion about you lately, with some people criticizing you and others supporting you. Do you have anything to say?" the host asked.

Michael calmly replied, "I don't want to explain anymore. The law will prove my innocence. My trial is coming up soon, and everyone is welcome to pay attention."

"So, you're saying you consider yourself absolutely innocent?"

"That's right, I have never done anything illegal, not in the past, and I never will."

"Okay, everyone will remember what you said today. Let's wait and see."

"Then, the next question is about Amy Eminem's new song. The internet is buzzing about it these past few days. What's your opinion?"

Michael shook his head slightly: "It's just a silly kid's trick. He's trying to get attention, like a little kid yelling for candy, except he's not cute at all."

"Ha ha ha ha."

The host immediately burst into laughter.

"So, what about his challenge, the musical duel?"

"Very well, I accept!"

"What?"

"I said I accept the challenge."

The host was somewhat surprised by this answer. This interview was conducted by a guest who was changed at the last minute, and there was no script at all. MJ's answer was really beyond his expectations.

Michael, do you have time to record a new song right now?

"Of course, I've already recorded it, and it'll be released soon."

"OMG! This is really big news! Can you reveal the song's content?" the host asked hurriedly.

Michael nodded slightly: "This song describes my state of mind, containing some painful struggles. The lyrics are from my good friend."

"Who is it?"

"Eric Cooper!"

Host: "Huh? (Confused face)"

My body is half recovered, but now I'm still sore all over. Everyone should take care of their health and get some rest.

(End of this chapter)