Eminem: Don't Believe the Hype

By Kimberly Reyes

Don’t believe the hype: Eminem’s new album proves that his relevance goes way beyond being a thorn in the side of propriety

[September 10, 2000] - Like it or not, Eminem’s peroxide-blonde mug and middle finger are the two most recognizable fixtures in music these days. He received two Grammy awards for his last album, Best Rap Solo Performance for "My Name Is" and Best Rap Album for The Slim Shady LP. His latest album, The Marshall Mathers LP, has already sold an astonishing five million plus copies since it‘s May release, making it the fastest-selling hip-hop release in history. Most recently, Eminem grabbed two MTV Video Music Awards, Best Video and Best Male Video, for "The Real Slim Shady." His participation in some of hip-hops most successful tours, including the recent "Up In Smoke Tour", has also made him a legitimate live force.

And then there’s his infectious charm. Whether he’s flipping us the bird in one of his many magazine covers or letting Kurt Loder in on one of his many affecting childhood escapades (during the obscene amount of programming hours that MTV devotes to the rapper), it’s apparent that this Detroit based MC‘s mere presence insights a mass hysteria of toxic love and hate unrivaled by anyone else cutting records these days.

So what’s the deal with this 27-year old self proclaimed punk? Is his popularity/notoriety a well deserved reward, or scheme baked up by Dr.Dre to market his very one one-man teen dream? The answer can only be found by sorting past all of the hype, if it all possible, and simply listening to Eminem’s music, firsthand.

Upon one listen to his latest work, The Marshall Mathers LP, it’s clear that the mad poet has more talent, insight, and relevance than all of his TRL contemporaries combined.

Unlike most overly hyped artists, Eminem seems to feed on both the pressure and attention. The Marshall Mathers LP is superior to its predecessor, The Slim Shady LP, in both content and scope. It’s a far more cohesive and focused album that drives his vision of a man pushed to the brink of sanity through the persecution of a twisted and cruel society home. Eminem has progressed from the angry Slim Shady figure who pushed limits and raised eyebrows to a full blown enemy of the people who thrives on the animosity and disapproval he’s received from society.

"Kim" is a perfect example of this evolution. On this prelude to The Slim Shady LP’s "Bonnie and Clyde", instead of alluding to the murder of his wife, Eminem actually goes into amazingly powerful detail of what lead to the gruesome (and fictitious!) act. "Kim" takes the chaos, violence, insanity, and art of "Bonnie and Clyde" to a whole new level. Yet somehow, in the midst of the ugliness and gore of a jealous, murdering rampage, Eminem manages to humanize his vulnerable and ever so psychotic alter ego with humor and wit. "Kim" is as shocking as it is sad and poetic.

"The Way I Am", the second single released off the album, is Eminem’s very own "My Way" and personal mantra, Sinatra himself would have to smile. Impressively written, produced, and mixed solely by Eminem, this track’s lingering church bell chorus and poignant lyrics make it an instant anthem. Eminem’s plea for privacy in the midst of celebrity and infamy transcend his personal situation and speak to all of us who occasionally feel despondent, frustrated, or boxed in.

And then there’s "Stan", the clear artistic standout on the album. It’s this track that undoubtedly puts Eminem in a different league than most of his hip-hop colleagues. "Stan" is a lesson in what might happen if Eminem’s lyrics are taken too literally. The insight and sensitivity that Eminem showcases in this song are the very things that make him one of the most dangerous MC’s on the scene. The hauntingly beautiful r&b background riff, courtesy of Dido, plays as the perfect backdrop to this tale of obsession and loneliness. It’s the creative injection that rap needs in the age of glossiness, ice, and Bentleys.

So why can’t everyone appreciate his dark humor and uncompromising style and see it for what it truly is- entertainment? It’s because Eminem makes himself the easy scapegoat. He’s not all that approachable, diplomatic, or media friendly. He’s also not what an angry rapper is supposed to look like. His presence and popularity unnerves people because it reminds them that all isn’t well in Middle America, especially in the aftermath of a recent tragedy like Columbine.

In addition to the traditional Tipper Gore and company firing squad, Eminem, and the music corporations that support him, are taking a lot of heat these days from special interest groups. His albums’ lyrics have been interpreted as both misogynist and homophobic. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) issued the following statement, "[The Marshall Mathers LP] contains the most blatantly offensive, homophobic lyrics [the organization] has seen in many years." GLAAD went on to add that Eminem’s work encourages bias and intolerance at a time when hate crimes against gays are on the rise.

MTV, a long supporter of Eminem who once had the rapper host his own weekend on the network called EmTV, has even joined in the debate. The network recently aired a special, When Lyrics Attack, that focused on the rappers lyrics and the effects that he may or may not be having on impressionable teens. In the midst of all of the controversy Eminem’s album remained at the top of the charts and his conviction in his art and the way he chooses to express himself never wavered.

Clearly, Eminem is not the first artist to shock and appall the public; he just may be the first to do it with such cunning and wit. On the track "Who Knew" Eminem confesses, "Damn, how much damage can you do with a pen...who would have thought that Slim Shady would be something that you would have bought." Luckily Dr.Dre did, and because of his vision, his darling protege has struck a chord with millions of listeners.

The Marshall Mathers LP manages to convey what even a heavyweight like Madonna tried, but failed, to express with her Sex book and ill-conceived Erotica-period exploits. It successfully throws society’s hypocrisy in its face by showing how interested the public is in something that it is simultaneously trying to shun.

Of course not all of Eminem’s listeners (particularly his teen set) get why his music is so important and relevant these days. Then again, not all of NWA’s fans understood why the music they loved would forever change the scope of rap music and the media’s view of inner city. The kids were simply entertained, not inspired to go out and kill people, just entertained.

Ultimately, Eminem’s audience will not coincide with TRL’s. His sound will run it’s course with the whims of adolescence and, similarly to the Beastie Boys, his fan base will adjust accordingly.

Eminem’s ranting and rhymes delve into the dark and seedy underbelly of society that "Teen People" wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. His bone chilling verses of anger, frustration, and drug-induced hysteria are perhaps the best portrait of the lives that seem to fall below the radar of the American consciousness. Slim Shady AKA Marshall Mathers AKA Eminem speaks for those whose underclass lives of quiet desperation leave them with nothing but television, drugs, and elaborate fantasies of self grandeur and bloody vengeance.

Email Kimberly Reyes