May 24th

I believe to be part of the subgroup of rap/hip hop listeners that strongly dislikes the modern music established by artists in this genre (when I say modern, I mean the last two years or so). However, one rapper's amazing talent stands out to me and keeps me interested in this type of music: Eminem. Although he has yet to release a new hit single for the past year or so, his greatest accomplishments are portrayed through the music he released at the turn of the century. In these songs, he uses certain techniques to display certain emotions towards fans, politics, other artists, and personal issues.

Firstly, Eminem, in my opinion, has an extraordinary talent that enables him to rap with a very angry tone. In many of his songs he demonstrates his anger toward a certain subject and makes it obvious to the listeners through his loud, livid voice. He often aims at certain topics or themes when he feels bothered by what they represent. Therefore, by expressing himself freely and having the courage to say what he wishes on his albums, he allows his fans to absorb an idea of what he is attempting to project. It definitely helps us understand what he is so furious about, whether it be modern day politics or marriage issues, and further allows us to construct an identity of him through his music.

Although Eminem may seem to be the rebellious, heated rapper, he also has a kind, soft side. Eminem has an 11-year-old daughter named Halie, who he obviously loves dearly. Throughout his last three, bestselling albums, he has dedicated many of his tracks to his young daughter. In fact, of these songs, about five of them are directly aimed toward her. The melody, beat, and his use of voice is much different in these songs than his famous fury songs. Here, we hear a softer, more gentle sound being applied to get a more loving, caring feel. Eminem reflects on the past, mentioning things he wishes he could have done better for his little girl. He goes as far as apologizing to Halie for having such severe problems with her mother. He never fails to remind her of how much he loves her and will always be there for her. To his fans, this basically informs them of his natural, father-like love towards his only born child. His character is much more kind that many would assume. Although he is one of the most prestigious musicians of all time and has dealt with various struggles in his life, he still displays his caring personality to his crowd.

As well as being a very serious musician and portraying himself as a successful rapper, Eminem has also demonstrated that he is quite the comedian. He illustrates this extreme humor through his songs. Eminem has been able to create some of the funniest songs and music videos by ridiculing some famous names in society today. He jokes around about certain activities these other artists take part in and goes as far as making fun of our own President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Eminem actually gained his great fame by establishing a song call "The Real Slim Shady," where he basically aims at all the big names in the "pop" industry. We, as fans, enjoy this type of humor and it allows us to separate Eminem from all other artists in the music business. By creating such songs that seek to embarrass other artists (although it may sound absurd), he makes a clear statement that he does not want to be categorized in the same musical realm as them. His entertaining, crazy behavior also creates (in an indirect manner) the idea that he contained a humorous anger towards certain subjects.