Rap superstar EMINEM slept through his OSCAR win on Sunday (23MAR03).

The hip-hopper scooped the Best Song ACADEMY AWARD for Lose Yourself, from the soundtrack to his 2002 movie 8 MILE.

But rather than slip into a tux for the glitzy Hollywood bash - Eminem chose to snooze through the three-and-a-half hour-long event, at his home in Detroit.

Lose Yourself co-writer LUIS RESTO, who stepped up on stage at the KODAK THEATER to accept the statuette from BARBRA STREISAND says he called the rapper to congratulate him - and found him fast asleep.

Resto explains, "He was asleep. It wasn't out of any disrespect. We just didn't expect to win."