The CEO of Elvis Presley Enterprises Jack Soden and RCA president Bob Jamison accepted a new batch of gold and platinum awards for the global success of ‘A Little Less Conversation’ this weekend, marking the start of the 25th Elvis Week, seven days of events to mark the anniversary of the King’s death. The success of ‘Conversation’ means the forthcoming collection of Presley number ones - Elvis 30 #1 – has been retitled Elvis 31 #1. Soden also confirmed that more song remixes may be on the way. "It was so successful that of course looking at other remix opportunities is on the table. But I think we all want to be careful not to go remix happy and just start remixing everything in sight."
Meanwhile, despite derided Elvis on the his 1989 anthem ‘Fight the Power’, Public Enemy’s Chuck D has spoken in favour of the King on a US documentary filmed for Elvis Week. Chuck says: "As a musicologist - and I consider myself one - there was always a great deal of respect for Elvis, especially during his Sun sessions. As a black people, we all knew that. My whole thing was the one-sidedness - like, Elvis' icon status in America made it like nobody else counted - my heroes came from someone else. My heroes came before him. My heroes were probably his heroes. As far as Elvis being 'The King,' I couldn't buy that." Talking about who might hold the title ‘the modern day Elvis’, Chuck responded: “Eminem is the new Elvis because, number one, he had the respect for black music that Elvis had. I think he's courteous and sympathetic to black music, though, unfortunately, he's more sympathetic to black music than many black artists themselves."