Dr. Dre: Eminem 'Robbed' of Album of Year

Feb. 23 -- As the dust settles from the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards, everyone's got an opinion on the outcome — in particular Steely Dan's netting three awards — including Album of the Year — from the jazzy duo's quiet return from a 20-year absence.

Rap innovator Dr. Dre, who produced favored candidate Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, isn't shy about his view: "To be perfectly honest, I think we were robbed," Dre told Access Hollywood in an interview aired on NBC.

He speculated that the Grammy voters did not give Eminem the top prize because of the controversy his nominations engendered: "It was probably something the Grammys had to do because of the backlash that they were going to get from giving him the award."

Diverse Group of Voters

Michael Greene, president and chief executive of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, said the album's lyrics had nothing to do with the vote. "I don't think the content of Eminem's album had anything to do with it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been nominated or won the other Grammys. The voters truly don't care what the critics think or how they're perceived. They're very independent," Greene said.

"Eminem's nomination was a very positive opening up of the minds of the membership. Now our job is to take that open-minded condition and really continue to drive home the point that we do need to make sure we don't discriminate by trying to get too hip or too conservative," he added.

With the Grammy winners determined by the votes of the 13,000 members of NARAS, the logic is hard to pin down. Members include vocalists, producers, songwriters, and other professionals with creative or technical credits on six commercially released songs.

Paying His Dues

While a substantial portion of the voters may have found Eminem's lyrics too offensive, and therefore not deserving of the prize, some may have also felt it was not his turn. Cutting-edge pop performers such as Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones were all shut out in their early days. Others feel that the academy's vote is logical: Steely Dan is well known for meticulous, seamless work in the studio — something that the numerous recording professionals of the academy have a deep appreciation for.