Inside Look @ Eminem

by

Mike & Amy Nappa

FAST LOOK:

Marshall Mathers III, also known as Eminem and Slim Shady, has created controversy with his violent, obscene, nd sexually explicit lyrics - yet his talent and popularity as one of hip-hop's premiere performers are undisputed. Em’s devoted fan base has gobbled up millions and millions of his albums, including his releases, Curtain Call (Aftermath Records), The Eminem Show, The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show (all on Interscope). A movie loosely based on his life, Eight Mile, was also a hit at both the box office and in the DVD racks.

While not as prolific as he was in his early years, Eminem is still the voice that millions of teenagers and young adults hear whispering (well, shouting) through the earbuds on their iPods each day. His presence in pop music is inescapable - and is therefore worth exploring.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT: Eminem

“Chock full of dazzling lyrical escapades that delve into the mind of a violently warped and vulgar yet extremely talented wordsmith, the [album] contains some of the most memorable and demented lyrics ever recorded.”

—from Eminem’s official web site, www.eminem.com

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“Eminem has dedicated himself to embodying the repressed strangeness of white-bread American life: its addictions, its obsessions, its violence.”

—Crispin Sartwell for the Los Angeles Times

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“He’s an extraordinarily gifted artist.”

—Curtis Hanson, who directed Eminem in 8 Mile

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“My thing is this; if I’m sick enough to think it, then I’m sick enough to say it. Why are these thoughts in my head?…I don’t think I say the things I say for no reason. I write it down and say it. You know, I call it being honest.”

—Eminem

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“I also think Eminem appeals to people who feel a lot of anger. Listening to him can be a way of expressing their own painful feelings. The problem is, the bitterness and hatred that come through his lyrics can only breed more anger and bitterness.”

—Chris Lutes in Campus Life  

INSIDE SCOOP ON: Eminem

Take a young man with a troubled past, remove his father from the picture, be sure that he changes schools every few months, watch him drop out of high school, and then see how he expresses his rage. While this scenario describes the lives of thousands, it’s part of the driving force behind the hate-filled rap of Eminem.

The lyrics of just about any song by Eminem are too profane to print here. Mildly stated, his songs include raps about knifing prostitutes, killing his wife (in one song he tells of doing this while their daughter watches), snorting cocaine while his daughter watches, raping his mother, shooting children, and gang-rape. Eminem’s raps include slurs against other celebrities, America, the government, and just about anyone else who annoys him. In the past couple years, he’s faced weapons charges, has been in and out of courts with lawsuits involving his mother and ex-wife, and is currently on probation. Yet one of his albums, The Marshall Mathers LP sold 1.7 million copies in its first week, making it the fastest-selling rap album ever. It’s an understatement to say that Eminem is popular.

Fans of Eminem claim his rap style and lyrics are incredibly creative. One music critic says Eminem has “lightning-fast elocution, complex internal rhyme structures, and stellar vocabulary.” He’s described as dynamic, sinuous, phenomenal, and talented. Eminem sees himself as someone who tells the truth, so while most of his songs are grisly and cruel, some songs do address real problems such as hypocrisy. And since he grew up fatherless, he says that being there as a good father for his six-year-old daughter is a top priority to him.

Despite the protests of parents, churches, and various rights groups, millions of rap music lovers identify with Eminem’s rage and snatch up his albums. He’s so respected that a movie, 8 Mile, was created to loosely tell his life story. The hard truth is that Eminem and his extremist, hateful music are a part of mainstream American culture. The other hard truth is that Eminem, for all his bluster and vitriol, is still just a man and as such he is deeply cherished by God. So how is a parent to handle Eminem's influence in his or her teenagers' lives? There are no easy answers, as each family's approach will be unique to the members of that family, but consider using the questions that follow to help you and your kids work through this issue together.

LOOKING INSIDE…:      

--- Eminem’s raps are filled with expressions of rage, violence, and hatred. Why do people feel such a need to listen to and embrace these lyrics? Are these feelings ever justified? How have other people who have come from similar situations as Eminem dealt with these feelings in a more constructive manner?

---What kind of pain do you imagine Eminem feels to vent such hatred? Do you know anyone who pours forth the same kind of venom as Eminem? How can you pray for this person? How can you pray for God to touch the heart of Eminem?

---How is the music of Eminem art? How do his expressions motivate people? Is it possible that his music could motivate someone toward doing what’s right? Why or why not?

[SIDEBAR]

If members of your family like Eminem, then you may want to check out:

---Momentum by tobyMac (ForeFront Records)

Arguably one of the most creative hip-hop artists recording today, tobyMac’s hard-edged music stands head and shoulders above most mainstream and Christian rap music. It’s also unapologetically Christian, and like Eminem, tackles cultural issues as diverse as the media, racism, hatred, and God’s presence in daily life.

Highlights on the Momentum album include “In the Air”—a story-song about a friend’s eternal fate—and the duet with Kirk Franklin, “J Train.” Skit-style interludes from an electronic voice and the artist’s preschool son also add to the experience. Highly recommended.

---Collaborations by KJ-52 (Uprok Records).

Blue-eyed hip-hopper, KJ-52 (aka Jonah Sorrentino), delivers a style akin to Marshall Mathers—audio skits included—but without the profanity and verbal abusiveness of Eminem. KJ-52 describes his latest album, Collaborations, this way: “This record here is basically me collaborating with different artists, different styles…but when it comes down to it, the bottom-line foundation is Christ.”

Notable Christian rap artists who also make an appearance on Collaborations are John Reuben, Play Dough, Mars Ill, and others. This one’s a good introduction for rap fans in your household who haven’t yet discovered the ear-pleasing power of Christian hip-hop.

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[BIO LINE] Mike & Amy Nappa are renowned cultural commentators, best-selling and award-winning authors, and creators of the Internet magazine for families, www.FamilyFans.com