Eminem “My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge...”- “Criminal”, from “The Marshall Mathers LP” An average rap artist wouldn’t be able to grace the covers of VIBE, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Spin while on a national tour months before their major debut album is released. An average rapper couldn’t say that he’s collaborated with Dr. Dre, Elton John, and Dido, all in the same year. Then again, Marshall Mathers III, better known as Eminem isn’t your average rapper. No other artist has ever been the center of such heated and conflicting debates. He’s hailed as brilliant by some critics and deemed as indecent and disgusting by others. But the controversy isn’t as simple as that. This is an artist and a man who is as complex as he is talented. “...no labels wanted to sign me, almost gave up... until I met Dre, the only one to look past, gave me a chance, and I lit a fire up under his ass...”- “White America” Eminem was born in Kansas City, Missouri. During his early years Marshall Mathers and his mother moved between Kansas and Michigan until the age of twelve when they settled in east Detroit. During these years there would be much turbulence to get through. Tragedies including the suicide of his beloved cousin Ronnie and being abandoned by his father threw his world into what could’ve been an irrevocable downward spiral. They would prove to be haunting to the tortured youth. Without stability finding friends and staying out of trouble became all but impossible. Yet the one solace he discovered was rap music. Even while dropping out of high school and working several full time, low pay jobs, he kept an unwavering focus on his music. Between 1995 and 1997 he worked on and released the albums “Infinite” and “Slim Shady EP”. Both were considered failures which was disappointing to Eminem who was desperate to be embraced by the Motor City’s hip hop scene. Then in late 1997 while performing on, “The Wake Up Show” with Sway and Tech he was discovered by infamous producer Dr. Dre. When looking back on the performance that changed his life he’s quoted as saying, “I felt like it was my time to shine...at that time I felt as if it were a life and death situation.”. That determination and seriousness would serve him well for the roller coaster ride that was to come. “I do know one thing though, bitc*es they come they go... maybe I’ll love you one day, maybe we’ll someday grow...”- “Superman” from “The Eminem Show” The focus of many of Eminem’s most passionate, brutal, and moving songs have been inspired by the women in his life. One of them is his wife and twisted muse, Kim. She was a woman he dated and loved for ten years before marrying. Sadly their union didn’t last, and it ended eight months later with an attempted suicide from her and a file for divorce from him. Even now he says he could never go through that kind of pain again. His cherished daughter, Hailie who he shares custody with Kim and his resentful mother are also targets for his music. These three women have inspired, tormented, and betrayed him. But it is Eminem’s fans that have benefitted by gaining some of the most bone chillingly moving songs a listener could hope for. Songs such as “Kim”, “Drips”, “97' Bonnie & Clyde”, and the break up anthem “Superman” will hit home to anyone who’s sweet love has gone sour. These songs chronicle the disintegration of an eleven year long love that slowly turns to loathing. On the other hand his declarations of devotion in “Hailie’s Song” might catch some fans off guard with it’s sincerity and soul. However his strongest feelings of hate and rage are still reserved for his mother. Since his breathtaking success she has tried everything in her power to take what she never helped him to get. In fact on September 17, 1999 she went so far as to sue him for “defamation of character” . His pain over their estrangement is never so eloquently stated as in the song “Cleanin’ Out My Closet”. This compelling song cries, “...keep telling yourself that you was a mom!” “How many retards’ll listen to me and run up in the school shootin’ when they’re pissed at the teacher?”- “Who Knew?” from “The Marshall Mathers LP” It’s widely known that Eminem is his own worst critic, but that hasn’t stopped the media and activist groups from trying to overshadow his talent with protest. When “The Slim Shady LP” was released in May of 1999 congress pounced on the chance to take a stand against violence in the media. Eminem was the perfect scapegoat. His songs and persona were declared a terrible influence for the young people who were his core audience at the time. After the Columbine tragedy in April of 1999 things grew even more complicated for movie makers and musicians alike. Suddenly the words “free speech” didn’t mean anything. Things that were said in jest or in context of a particular scenario were singled out and attacked. Ironically, Eminem goes farther than anyone when portraying himself as being possibly responsible for real life carnage. His most potent weapon is his ability to counter his critics by accepting his vulnerabilities and turning them into song . “Stan”, one of the most haunting songs of the decade is a tribute to this argument. In the song a troubled fan writes to his idol and becomes increasingly unstable. He takes everything the singer says to heart. In the end he goes on a drunken muder/suicide. Eminem takes the opportunity to address his fans in the last verse. He sadly laments, “Try to understand that I do want you as a fan, I just don’t want you to do some crazy sh*t.”. In the less serious song “I’m Back” he mocks the presumption that blaming music can relive wrongdoers of responsibility. “I take each individual degenerate’s head and reach into it. Just to see if he’s influenced by me. If he listens to music... he’s an innocent victim, and becomes a puppet on the strings of my tennis shoes.”, he “Damn, how much damage can you do with a pen?”- “Who Knew” from “The controversy reached a fever pitch upon the release of “The Marshall Mathers LP”. Days before it’s June fourth release activist such as GLAAD and the National Organization for Women started demonstrating in front of record stores and writing letters to congress. They declared that the lyrics to his songs were homophobic, violent, misogynistic, and a dangerous influence. Songs such as “Kill You”, “Kim”, and “Criminal” were dissected and quoted often during debates. During this time Eminem stood up for his work and stated, “I don’t hate gay people. I just don’t go that way. Just keep that sh*t away from me.” Despite his statements to the contrary the war of words continued. Record stores were urged to boycott the rapper’s music but to no avail. It appeared that outcry was only helping the album’s sales. During the year 2000 it sold upwards of eight million copies, more than any other artist that year, aside from Nsync. “Half of you critics can’t even stomach me, let alone stand me!”- “The Real Slim
Shady” from “The Marshall Mathers LP” Even his harshest critics can’t argue that his style and writing set him far apart from his peers. After all this is a life long rap fan who consumed thousands of songs and sorted them for reference, but who’s never repeated another rapper’s words . At times he seems to have a Pentium rhyme processor for a brain, which he uses to give pop culture the breath of fresh air it so desperately needs. No matter how much he has been battered by bad press one thing has remained constant. The awards. Since the release of his first single, “My Name Is” the awards and acclaim haven’t stopped coming. In his shining rise to the top he has conquered the VMAs, (recently winning Video of the Year for “Without Me”), AMAs, The Billboard Music Awards, and most “You think I give a damn about a Grammy? “- “The Real Slim Shady.” While the fact that he’s won five Grammys in the past three years Eminem may have led a crazy life , full of drugs and abuse but in a sense that has made him a better person and a better Rap artist.