Eminem won the 1999 MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in a Video for “My Name Is.”
The award recognized the breakout video from Eminem’s major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP. Released in 1999, “My Name Is” introduced his provocative, cartoonish alter ego to a mainstream audience and became one of the year’s most recognizable rap videos.
The 1999 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 9, 1999, and honored videos released during the preceding eligibility period. Eminem was nominated in multiple categories, but his win was specifically for Best New Artist in a Video—not Best Male Video. That distinction causes a common mix-up: Will Smith won Best Male Video for “Miami,” while Eminem took the new-artist honor.
“My Name Is” was produced by Dr. Dre and sampled Labi Siffre’s 1975 song “I Got The...” The track helped establish Eminem as a major new force in hip-hop and became a defining early milestone in his career.