Celebrity Favorites

Green Day, indeed — the group from the Bay Area has made some bucks. They are the big dogs this week, with 21st Century Breakdown set to hit the top of the charts. On Tuesday night, the punk-rock trio were in New York rocking a "secret show" at Webster Hall. While they're trekking across the U.S. for their tour, guess what they'll be listening to? Hip-hop. Yup, the fellas told us they love rappers' creativity, especially Eminem — the guy who'll have the #1 album next week.

"Looking at a guy like Eminem, the way he put his records out and how he goes from character to character and how a lot of hip-hop artists use different names, conceptually, I think that's really important to put into records," Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said. "I think that's why a lot of hip-hop records become so eventful. All of a sudden a character will come up. A dialogue will come up. The ambition a lot of hip-hop records have, that's something I can relate to."

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Another person who can appreciate Eminem is none other than consistently dope producer the Alchemist. Al has been Em's tour DJ during Shady's Relapse promo run and says Mr. Mathers has hopped on his upcoming compilation LP, Chemical Warfare.

"I ended up getting a record from Em — and a couple of other guests I didn't think I was gonna get — to make it extra special," Al said of his June 16 independent release. "I been holding my lip, hoping the record didn't leak out. But since his album is coming out, I can say yes, he's on the album."

Em has a real special slot on the album, Al said.

"He did the title track for the album. It's called 'Chemical Warfare,' " Al revealed. "I produced it. Plus, we were just overseas and on [Tim Westwood's U.K. radio show]. He did a freestyle, and I threw on a brand-new beat, and he spit on it, and it's allover the Net. Being in this circle is doing great things. It's motivating me too. The way he's moving is incredible. His head is on so ill, more than ever. He's just really, really focused. To see that at this point in his career, I'm like, 'F---, I gotta take my sh-- more serious.' "

Fabolous, Jadakiss, Three 6 Mafia, Crooked I, Prodigy, Tha Dogg Pound, Lady of Rage, Kid Cudi and Maxwell are among the other guests on the project.

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