Using alot of shock tactics to get his carrer off the ground, and, making another load of parents over here get all hysterical.
True, but hip hop is a form of cultural expression. No every white person has less credibility than every black person, nor does every black person have more crediblity than every white person, but the culture that produced hip hop is predominantly black - which is the reason for Ryan_Liam’s generalisation. The opinions of this culture carry more credibility however, in the same way that some of the Algerian people would have a more credible opinion of Algerian music than the guy who lives in the apartment above who likes it because it’s what’s trendy this week.
And, to answer the OP: he regularly performs with Snoop, Dre et al. That’s got to point to some level of credibility.
Sorry, I just wasn’t sure what you meant by not being down with it – it’s not a phrase I’ve ever heard outside lyrics. 
I think he has great skills, but his voice annoys me. And I hate his whole “woe is me” attitude.
Eminem doesn’t have a “woe is me” attitude. Rap is simply about experiences of you life and inspiring elements that you come across everyday, the same structure every other music is built upon. It’s all about experiences and encounters both physically and emotionally. All he is doing is writing an autobiography of his own life and beliefs as any other artist would. He may stretch the truth but that is a valuable and effective technique for “reeling in” your audience.
I am here to speak for all black people everywhere.
Eminem is a talented lyricist. He managed to contribute very nicely to hip hop without trying to ape blackness. He has some great songs.
That said, he is horribly overrated. His nice lyrics are ok, but don’t hold that good hip hop black slang that is such a great part of good hip hop. But, I like him. Or liked him. Haven’t followed him lately.
Also, it seems that rap is stereotypically associated with the “ghetto” life, which doesn’t match ALL blacks in the US.
Also, stereotypically, working class blue collar white people are into heavy metal, but I’m sure you can find middle and upper class white people who like it as well as non-white people who do.
I can’t believe this is true. In fact, I can’t believe “most white people” acknowledge a term such as “credible rapper.”
Is that Stan’s girlfriend breaking her way out of the boot of the car, walking her way out of the river and up on to the bank?
The ones who understand what the words valid, musical, and form mean do.
Black person (and fan of a lot of different rap music) checking in and speaking for just myself. Yes, I have liked Eminem’s music (I use the past tense because I don’t really follow ANY current music these days). He’s got his own deal, and he’s not, so far as I can tell, trying to “be black” or really be anyone other than who he is. In my opinion, he and Vanilla Ice are both white guys who made rap music, but that’s about where valid comparisons end.
How the hell have I missed that you are black, Asmovian?
I am pissed that I hadn’t known, and pissed that I care, or had somehow assigned you a picture like a young Asimov…
I am as white as can be, or more accurately, rather pink, and sometimes red or translucent.
But the folks I know with more pigment to them do like him quite a lot, IME.
I remember my friends tripping out when they realized he was white- but since I didn’t listen to him at all until he had his second or third album out.
Personally, I love the crazy fucker, but I still don’t know enough about him to say I admire his entire body of work. I threw away the recovery album about an hour after I bought it, and it is the last album I bought on plastic.
I was impressed that he has such a popular spot in the music world, according to Wikipedia.
Professional Black Guy here. I used to be a massive hip hop fan, now not so much.
Eminem is definitely talented, came up the right way (mad street cred from his battles with the Detroit underground hip hop scene). He’s a hip hop fan as well, and didn’t try to “act Black” in his depiction of his own life. He speaks authentically (and crazily) about growing up poor and white.
More importantly, he’s been a force in hip hop since the 1990s and nobody really has beef with him on his credibility. He is without question one of the most talented MCs I’ve ever heard. I’ve got no problem with him, he seems to have grown up quite a bit since he first came on the scene.
I can’t stand him. I think it’s his voice and the stupid novelty crap he would do (“Without Me”, “My Band”, and the like). I think there are a lot of much more talented White rappers out there but they get overshadowed by this whiny kid from Detroit.
Moving this reanimated zombie thread to CS.
Speaking for myself (and most of my circle), I think he’s an incredible rapper, but I don’t like much of his actual music anymore. I was a huge fan when he first came out, when his production was more typically hip hop. His music now is… still hip hop, I guess. But he has developed his own sound that no longer appeals to me.
Still an amazing lyricist, though.
Does he deserve his hype? Sort of. But there is a ton of equally talented black rappers who don’t get nearly as much attention or reward. Speaking for other black people, I think a lot resent him because of that.
It may be retarded, but, it’s a goldmine of marketing to young people!
I (middle aged white boy) find him pretty irritating. In any of the few rap/hip-hop videos I’ve seen lately, he’s the only one still doing gang signs. Does he still have his ball cap on askew?
and then there is “shizzle”
Yes, but what was decided about him on the last Secret Reunion of Black People?
Seriously?
I like him, or at least used to, no idea what he’s up to lately. I’m a white chick though, so what the hell do I know?