Eminem Planning Violent Game For iPhone
Rapper Eminem has revealed a gaming application that could find its way into the iTunes application store.
The rapper announced the game on his Twitter page and posted a link to the game, which is also titled Relapse.
Eminem has had a tense relationship with iTunes.
The two have battled in court twice, the first time over a commercial that featured Eminem's track "Lose Yourself," the second over downloading royalties.
In 2005, Eminem’s Eight Mile Style publishing company agreed to an undisclosed financial settlement over an iPod commercial that featured “Lose Yourself,” without permission.
In March of 2009, FBT Productions, a company affiliated with Eminem, sued Universal Records in an attempt to get higher royalty rates on all digital sales through Apple’s iTunes App Store.
FBT argued that their tracks were “masters,” which were then reproduced as digital copies.
While Eminem was not a party to that lawsuit, FBT, he would have made millions, had FBT one the case, which went in favor of Universal, after a judge ruled that a sold online is no different than a song bought in a store.
It appears that the various legal skirmishes have not impacted Eminem's relationship with Apple thus far, although the rapper's proposed game may not help the relationship.
The screen capture of The Relapse game features a tattooed figure angrily approaching a skeleton or masked-liked figure, with a studded 2x4.
The game may not meet Apple's standards for decency, as similar apps like “Slasher” and “Murderdrome” have been rejected in the past.
More recently, an updated iPhone app from Nine Inch Nails was rejected, reportedly due to the lyrical content of their album The Downward Spiral.
Trent Reznor, who is currently protesting the decision, pointed out that iTunes carries the album in the store, yet has blocked the album’s application to iPhones.
Tomorrow (May 5), Eminem’s track "Old Time's Sake” featuring Dr. Dre will go on sale in Apple’s iTunes store.
No official word is available about Eminem's Relapse application. Eminem’s album The Relapse hits stores May 19.
