Monday, February 14, 2005

Screw EMINEM

My wife normally watches E TV's E True Hollywood Story. Yesterday they played the EMINEM True Hollywood Story. Well there is a point when they are ooohing and aaahing over how great 8-Mile was and how hard EM tried to be a good actor. So, for all of EM's teenage fans who weren't born when I first saw 8-Mile I wanted to explain something. I liked 8-Mile the first time I saw it. Back then it was called Purple Rain. Funny thing is the musician who tried to act in it the first time around was controversial just like EM. However, he was controversial because of overt sexuality not because of homophobic and mysogynistic lyrics. Other funny thing, he was actually talented. I know EM's "talented" too. But see, this musician actually wrote songs (music and lyrics) and even wrote songs for other artists. Somehow that seems better than EM who just steals music and beats and writes hate speech. Finally, 20 years later that artist still managed to win 2 grammys. Not that I put much emphasis on Grammys but somehow I don't think anyone will care about EM in 20 years. I don't care about him now.

--Chuck

2 Comments:

Blogger Claire said...

prince, loretta lynn, ray charles, all won a grammy. but then they discredit themselves by giving a grammy to britney spears "toxic". i refused to watch.

2/14/2005 12:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The category was best Dance recording. Britney's track was superior to the Scissor Sisters, Kylie Minogue (though Slow is a good song, not the tempo that carries favor in the category), The Chemical Brothers Featuring K-OS, and Basement Jaxx Featuring Lisa Kekaula. I fail to see how it discredited anything. Remember, this is the same awards show that gave a  Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal Or Instrumental award to Jethro Tull. They have little credit to begin with.

The argument against Eminem is a little more convoluted. True, he has sampled some beats, but most he has created with his songwriting team. He has written several beats for himself and other artists, such as 50 Cent and Tupac Shakur.

Eminem has also ghost written lyrics for Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, The Game and 50 Cent, among others.

Like it or not, Eminem has been canonized in rap lore. He will be cared about in 20 years, much in the same way that Sugar hill Gang (talk about rip-off artists!), Fab Five Freddy, NWA, Rick Rubin/Russell Simmins/Def Jam, Suge Knight/Death Row have elevated rap in their respective times (for better or worse), so has Eminem.

2/15/2005 6:06 PM  

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