Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has extended its worldwide publishing deal with hip-hop icon Eminem, as announced today by Evan Lamberg, President, North America, UMPG. The exclusive, worldwide publishing agreement encompasses all of his catalog as well as his latest album The Marshall Mathers LP 2, which was released on November 5th. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making it Eminem’s seventh consecutive No. 1 album. With 792,000 copies sold in the US during its first week, The Marshall Mathers LP 2 notched the second-biggest sales week of 2013 and the sixth-biggest sales week of the past five years.
Eminem released four songs ahead of the debut of The Marshall Mathers LP 2, including “The Monster” feat. Rihanna, “Rap God,” “Berserk,” and “Survival.” He co-wrote “Survival” with the group The New Royales, which is comprised of UMPG songwriters DJ Khalil, Chin Injeti, Erik Alcock and Liz Rodrigues. Rodrigues is also featured as a guest vocalist on the track. The single appeared as part of a promotion for the upcoming video game Call of Duty: Ghosts was the first publicly released music from The Marshall Mathers LP 2. “Berserk,” which was released on August 27th, became a Top 5 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs charts, while “Rap God,” which was released on October 15th, climbed into the Top 10 of the Hot 100. The fourth single off the album, “The Monster” feat. Rihanna, debuted inside the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 and became the No. 1 most downloaded song on iTunes shortly after its October 29th release. The song features production by UMPG songwriter Frequency.
