** Hello, is this thing on.. As she taps the mic***
A friend of mine recently sent me an article written about Eminem, primarily knowing that I am a big fan of Em's and wanting to get my thoughts on the critique written about him.
The
article "Five Reasons Why Eminem will never be my icon" spends time critiquing Eminem, his fans and an industry that supports him.
The author begins with a confession, noting that she wasn't allowed to listen to Eminem growing up. She's proud of that, and should be. It's what makes her, who she is and it definitely speaks to the values and beliefs that her family founded in her and she continues to live today. But it doesn't mean that those of us who grew up listening to Eminem should be discounted or discredited or as she notes "walk the f off the planet."
Confession: I grew up listening to Eminem. Not because my parents had much of a choice or say in what I listened to. Eminem came around for me at a time when my family was changing. This was at a time for me, when growing up on Hip Hop music, meant the world of this culture was changing. TuPac and Biggie were killed, there wasn't much coming out that could speak to the masses, and it was this white boy from Detroit that changed the way that Hip Hop functioned.
The author lays out five reasons why Eminem will not be her icon. What I find myself not agreeing with in this article is that she makes large claims about who Eminem WAS and doesn't account for areas of growth or where he has changed or developed.
1. "Because he doesn't respect Christina (Aguliera) or anyone else really"
The Christina reference was more than a decade ago. Yes, he has gone in on other artists as the author mentioned- Mariah Carey and the like. But Mariah did go after him first and true to hip hop culture is the diss of others around you. While what he says might not always be agreeable, the rap battle and expressing your discontent with someone or something is part of what rap and hip hop are all about. But the "feuds" as she refers to them, haven't even been in existence since his last album Recovery dropped. And to assume that the people he was going after weren't involved or didn't have a hand in his responses to them is a little ignorant.
2. Because he explicitly endorses violence and violence against women
I will agree with this point here. Rap and Hip Hop are often very vulgar and violent. Eminem's music is not absent of this and probably pushes this limit a little more than other people might. The author states " The Marshall Mathers LP 2 proves one thing: 'Eminem hasn't changed.' It's been almost 20 years since Eminem released his first album, but he's still just as obsessed with encouraging violence--violence against women in particular."
If you haven't listened to Eminem's album, how can you say he hasn't changed. Yes, is he misogynistic in his music, yes. As a female, do I condone it, no. But the author will argue that due to the fact that I am buying his music on some level I am choosing to, fine... But remember that this music industry is a financial business. He doesn't remain popular with songs like "Lose Yourself," or "Not Afraid," alone. Every rapper has their schtick and for Eminem it is bringing out these different personas and sometimes they are often violent.
But what I think is unfounding is to discredit the work that he has produced that isn't misogynistic. To overlook the body of work that has had some powerfully positive impact is disappointing and misleading and failing of anyone who is critiquing him.
3. Because his vocabulary is limited (and Awful)
I don't at all disagree with this point. The author comments on Eminem's use of the gay slurs. And while I agree with her here, and understand the argument- "How can you make this individual a global icon," when words he uses are so degrading. There is no argument against that and one of the many faults that I do find in his music.
This is a fault of the world of Hip Hop in general.
4. Because he wants to see his Mother burn in hell.
For me, this is the fundamental issue I have with the argument the author made. When it comes to families, we don't have a right to say what or how people should function. The reality of the situation is we were NEVER in his shoes and his anger and frustration about his mother is HIS to release. I understand people's feelings towards him releasing his frustrations for all the world to hear and that when he does that he gives the world the ability to critique him and judge him, but I don't think this is a fair assessment or one validation of the author's point.
The author writes the following:
In perhaps the most thankless ode to a single mom the world has ever seen, Eminem buries his mother in a metaphorical grave in the rain, wishing her well on her journey to hell.
We can talk the validity of open, honest discourse on parents who failed us all we want, but those experiences don't justify the use of violent imagery and lyrics (again and again and again, no less). Period. We already know that violence is never the answer, and to see a grown-ass man perpetuating death fantasies about his mommy is plain old sad shit. But the effects can be far-reaching, and that's where it goes from sad to dangerous.
Again I say to the author, Eminem could have chosen to act on those feelings and the reality is we don't know the heart of an individual's thoughts or emotions. The truth is Eminem has allowed us to see his feelings. But for those of us who have been raised in households or environments similar to his, you can't judge us or expect us to always be thankful for the lives that we were living. Especially when parents are supposed to take care of us, kind of fail. The truth is, you will never know the burden it is that children like us continue to hold on to as we grow and continue to be adults that we are. These are burdens that we will feel for the rest of our lives and in our own ways we try to find comfort and growth from them.
But I digress, if you have taken the time to listen to Eminem's music, you understand that he wrestles with his feelings. He goes back and forth on how angry he is with his mother. "Cleaning Out My Closet" is one of those songs. He has to release the things he has held on to, that have continued to cause him pain. Unfortunately, yes sometimes releasing your story and your pain harms others, but it's his life that was impacted (want that on display, continue to read my posts). He has a right to be able to share his story, no matter how frustrated and angry he is in that display.
If the author did take the time to listen to this last album, the author would have heard the song "Headlights" in which Eminem does in his own way make amends to the pain he caused his mother.
I went in headfirst, never thinking about who what I said hurt, in what verse
My Mom probably got it the worst
The brunt of it, but as stubborn as we are, did I take it too far
Cleaning Out My Closet and all them other songs, but regardless I don't hate you, cause
Ma
You're still beautiful to me, cause you're my Mom
Cause to this day we remain estranged and I hate it though
Cause you ain't even get to witness your grandbabies grow
But I'm sorry Mama for Cleaning Out My Closet, at the time I was angry, rightfully,
maybe so
Never meant that far to take it though, cause now I know it's not your fault, and I'm not making jokes
That song I'll no longer play at shows and I cringe every time it's on the radio
He'll have his own regrets and yes the author could argue that he should have thought about what his words would do before he used them in a song. But we've all spoken from anger, pain and hurt. We have used our tongues to be sharp against other individuals and Eminem is not exempt from being human. Instead of journaling, his outlet is creating songs.
The last point the author makes about the 5 reasons why Eminem will never be her icon is the following:
5. Because he raps about killing Kim....many times
I get it Eminem is misogynistic. It comes out in the words he chooses to use, in the metaphors he uses to talk about his mother and his ex-wife/wife/ mother of his children. To constantly berate women in this fashion, especially when he is raising two young women is disgusting and hypocritical...
But again, to the author,
Kim has not been the subject of his music in the last two albums that he has drafted. And yes while his early career as you have noted in your 5 points has been filled with many reasons why you don't want to, need to or have to be his fan. The latter part of his career is why I will continue to be his fan and why I will NOT as you put it "stand up and walk the f off the planet."
There are many points that I have made that echo this next point- I think where the author would have value for me is reminding us that art, continues to live on past the behavior of an individual and Eminiem's legacy will be that of an angry individual who has misogynistic tendencies, is anti-gay and has real anger issues when it comes to his mother and his wife.
With that being said, the question I would pose wouldn't be directed at the fans- which is my biggest criticism of her. In all of her writing she comments about how it's the fans that are the problem for perpetuating "the artist" whether it be Chris Brown or Eminem. Because the reality of the situation is she doesn't know what it was like for an Eminem to grow up in the environment that he did and yes we only have one side of the story and his mother could have done the best that she could. But it doesn't change the impact that that "best" has had on him. Nor does it change the "best" that a fan experienced and hence relates to in his music.
At the end of the day the artist doesn't just continue to be relevant because they can drop a good verse here or there, they continue to be relevant because their music on some level strikes a cord with the audience. It is a release of the pain that one might deal with a connection point to recognizing that you aren't alone. I think for me that is often the misguided critique of hip hop music, that on some level people are ignorant to the fact that the reality of some of the artists and the fans that they represent, is not all fluffy, it is filled with vulgarity, violence and the like and the messaging and the music is not a highlight of that life, but a reminder that this is the experience of others.
So I will give her credit for her attempt at discrediting him, and yeah he might not necessarily be a Global Icon, but then again like she noted, she didn't offer up anyone who could have been considered a Global Icon in his place.
So for her attempt I give her a "C" on this write up.
*** Drops the mic and walks away***
