No doubt at all that Eminem is a talented rapper, but his songs and his life (the things that he wants to act-out about) seem to center around his mommy and his ex.
Now, is his success due to:
His talent?
His marketing/pushing buttons skill?
or 3) That there exists a large group that can ‘relate’ to his issues? (i.e., are there a lot of people out there with mommy issues, hang-ups with women in general, etc. ?)
His ability to garner the attention of the media, coupled with excellent producers who mix amazing beats on his albums. IMHO.
He seems to go for more comedy than anything or being so outrageous that no one takes him seriously That and saying a lot of things people want to say but cant
Also his technicial skills seem to be pretty good for what there worth hes fast he keeps the song going and his word play is good
according to all biographies and interviews with the rapper himself his mother and him have never been able to get along
In fact his mother was suing him for things hes said in public and on his albums about her
He seems to go for more comedy than anything or being so outrageous that no one takes him seriously
You forgot
I’d say that his success is due to your no.s 1 and 2, and my no. 4. And, as N&IS says, the producers he’s worked with have helped (although, to his credit his work has largely been self-produced of late).
a white rapper from nyc named necro raps harder than that schmuck ever will, this guy is a maniac and is virtually unheard of…i hope he stays that wya…
Eminem’s mom is a sick bitch. She did awful things to him as a child. She deserves every bit of venom he spits at her.
I think his popularity is due to the fact that teenagers (and adults) can relate to his anger and his honest. I admire him greatly.
Is his mom really that bad, or has it been hyped up by Em to sell records?
Don’t forget about Slim Shady.
I think I’ve figured out part of his appeal.
Most white rappers in the past attempted to ‘sound black’, and generally rapped about the same subject matter as black rappers. Eminem, however, raps with the same kind of voice and mannerisms that you often see black comedians using when they are making fun of whites. He raps a lot about seriously dysfunctional family situations, which I think also plays up to the ‘white’ stereotype (I’ve known lots of black people who have said that white people’s families are generally ‘messed up’, probably based from watching too much Jerry Springer). Basically, I think he’s played up his ‘whiteness’ and a lot of people find his music more honest than many other white rappers.
Eminem is very angry: his mother was a warped bitch, his dad was a non-presence, he got picked on in school, he moved around a lot as a kid, he’s been with the same woman since he was 13 and they’ve hurt each other in every possible way, dropped out of school in 9th grade, etc. Everything he raps about, he lived. Rapping is Eminem’s therapy, and he calls it like he sees it without any urge to censor himself or temper his rage. Yes, he does say awful things just to shock people. Realizing that and seeing past it, you can actually watch this guy grow up from album to album.
I think he’s great.
He seems pretty incisive about the role his own whiteness has played in his fame. The song White America says it all: “Let’s do the math, if I was black, I’da made half.” Indeed, a lot of that record is all about exactly why and how he’s famous, and not all of it is self-aggrandizing.
“Half of this shit I just make up to make you mad”
Well, his growth remains to be seen. If he does grow as an artist, I’ll call him a true artist and have respect for him.
But if he continues on about his mommy and women, then he’s a one-trick pony who’s 15 minutes were up long ago.
The one thing I respect about him now is that he makes fun of himself (mostly).
But, his (or his cronies’) attack on the Insult Dog at last year’s Grammy’s was unforgivable.
And why go after Moby or even care what Moby says? Moby’s a self-proclaimed wimp. Don’t pick on the pencilneck geeks. Pick on someone your own size.
I managed a music store last year and put his cd’s in the comedy section instead of rap.
They’re not really music, more of a novelty.
I’d compare him to Weird Al Yankovick in terms of lyrical wit.
Both guys write some funny tunes.
Quite frankly, he makes me ill. I don’t care if he was venting “Kim” is disgusting.
It scared the living crap out of me.
I sometimes get the feeling it’s supposed to though. The song “Superman” on his latest album is simply hateful… but the whole subtle thrust of the song is “the sweet nothings of R&B are utter bullshit: here is what I (and lots of other men) are really like: don’t be stupid” It’s almost like a wake up call for women in the end. Of course, that still doesn’t make me any happier about it. Some of his songs, like COMC, just have so much anger and hatred boiling in them that it makes me cry. Litterally. It’s just really really sad. I can’t deny that he’s got talent. The whole section from “Square Dance” about terrorism and war is pretty darn good too.
Eminem says things hoping to shock you and make you sick. If you are, as he would say, “you have just kissed his ass.” The first time I heard Kim I was…disturbed. But you know what? Many, many people in screwed up, miserable relationships have dark fantasies about such things. Eminem just has the guts to talk about it. At least he’s not doing it, and if he continues to talk about it, he’ll probably get over it without going to prison. I think he’s being honest about his dark side, which is prodigious, and his honesty hits the mark for a lot of people who are angry about similar things in their own lives, only to be told their anger is wrong and that they should not talk about “such things.”
As for Eminem growing up, here’s one example: I have seen his attitude towards gays change over time, that’s for sure. I suspect he didn’t know too many gay people well, but now that he’s actually met some gay people and liked them (like Elton John) he’s changing his opinions (witness his treatment and defense of a gay character in 8 Mile for proof).
Also, he seems genuinely bemused at the reactions he’s gotten: being blamed for Columbine, being accused by Bill Clinton of being everything that’s wrong with America, being blamed for kids committing suicide. He’s just talking on a CD; we’re the ones who are taking him seriously. He even admits that talk is cheap, and wonders about the caliber of parenting in America these days, which I agree is often sorely lacking.
As for how he behaves in real life, I honestly don’t give a damn. I’m sure he’s just as unpleasant as he claims to be in “What I Am” and that’s of no moment to me. What I care about is his music, which is incisive, funny, shocking, articulate, absurd, and gutsy by turns. I like him for what he is, bullshit and all.