Effects of Eminem on Rap and Black Culture
The Effects Of Eminem on Rap and Black CultureThe popularity of Marshall Mathers III, a.k.a. Eminem, in today's rap culture is undeniable; with his Marshall Mathers LP selling 1.76 million copies in its first week after release and The Eminem Show selling 285,000 copies on its first day. (mtv.com) Since his entry into a predominately African-American art form, Eminem has been thrust into the spotlight, and has done more than just live up to expectations, gaining countless loyal fans and even more bitter enemies along the way. Among the enemies is Raymond "Benzino" Scott, a rapper and co-owner of The Source, the largest Hip-Hop magazine in the country. Recently, Benzino released a song aimed to attack Eminem, entitled "Pull Your Skirt Up." The lyrics attacked Eminem's race, along with his street credibility and skill as a rapper. Eminem wasted no time answering back, releasing "The Sauce," an attack at the magazine and Benzino, in which he states that he did not start the battle, but he "will finish it;" furthermore "Nail in The Coffin," an attack aimed solely at Benzino, takes shots at his age, business practices, and promotion of his nine year old son's rap career. While Benzino insists that his opinion in no way reflect
They seem to believe that he has not had to work nearly as hard as black artists do, and has been given chances due to his marketability. He brings together White and Black people and he does it while representing rap in its truest form. "That whole s**t is just his way of trying to get people to go to the record store and buy his record. The larger he gets the larger hip-hop gets, no matter what anybody says. It is an intelligent plan, but it is obvious that he has been figured out. Thus began his ascent to the top of the charts, establishing his place under the microscope of America. The prominent magazine covers he received, the significant interviews he did seemed to come unusually early and stay unusually late. " (The Source, 91) To respond to this accusation, one could simply remind these activists of a man that I am quite sure they have heard of: Jackie Robinson. Take, for example, the fact that Scott's new album, Redemption, was set to come out less than two months after his feud with Eminem began. The magazine believes that his popularity is taking away from the record sales of other talented artists, and stealing an art form that Blacks created by giving it to White America. He is, however, expanding the spectrum of listeners to include more of the White community, thus creating more buyers for all rappers' music. Eminem has proven to the world that he can make people cry, laugh, and buy his music, not because he is White, but because he rhymes about subjects other than the common and stereotypical themes of rap (girls, cars, jewelry, etc. And more niggas in my hood listen to Eminem than they do Benzino. "(Nas, 126) If those who would be directly affected by Eminem's monopoly of the rap game feel that he is not out of line, then this writer has no justification for his opinion.
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