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Contribution of Marshall Mathers to modern Rap Music
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As one of the world’s most successful musicians, Marshall Mathers is the target of intense controversy. Mathers, better known by his stage name Eminem, is often written off as violent, misogynistic, and homophobic. Activist groups have picketed his concerts, parents have condemned his songs, and countries like Canada and Australia have even tried cancel his concerts. However, underneath the controversy, Mathers has revolutionized hip hop, turning it into a mainstream form of music. Mathers’ story indicates how artists must ultimately work without fear of controversy because that conflict indicates the presence of creativity and open thinking, which are both necessary for the progress of art. Thus, artists must forge on, working their craft despite criticism. …show more content…
Since his first popular album, “Marshall Mathers LP”, released in 1999, Mathers has been criticized for his violent, angry lyrics.
Around the world, people have rejected him for having “absolutely nothing to do with the culture right now” (D'Addario). Journalists like Lauren Duca from the Huffington Post have noted that Mathers’ career “is really hateful and nasty” (Duca) and is “built on a foundation of normalizing hatred toward women” (Duca). They argue Mathers’ messages create a threatening environment for women and gays, like when he said he’d “punch Lana Del Rey right in the face twice, like Ray Rice in broad daylight“ (Eminem). Mathers even acknowledges this discord, using it in his songs under the persona “Slim Shady”. In “Without Me”, he says the world needs him “cause we need a little, controversy/ cause it feels so empty, without me” (Eminem). Shady recognizes the “controversy” and plays on people's objections, saying the world would be empty without his
profanity. The way Mathers recognizes and uses the criticism against him indicates how he embraces controversy, which in turn allows him to produce revolutionary art. Mathers has won countless awards including thirteen Grammys and an Oscar, which crowned “Lose Yourself” as the best original song of the year. Mathers even “sold more than 32.2 million albums in the 2000s, edging out the Beatles to claim the title of top-selling artist” (Montgomery) of the decade. Mathers made rap mainstream, converting millions into fans. In doing so, Mathers drastically expanded hip hop’s demographic, which began as a secluded, underground art form. By putting rap on the same level as common artists like the Beatles, Mathers changed rap into a widespread form of music. Indeed, Mather’s influence has even reached people outside the music industry. Seamus Heaney, the nobel laureate and famous for translating the old english epic Beowulf, said “[Mathers] created a sense of what is possible. He has sent a voltage around a generation” (Heaney). Writer Giles Foden even claims “A brief examination of Stan [by Mathers] reveals it to have all the depth and texture of the greatest examples of English verse” (Foden). While Mathers probably isn’t a Harper Lee or Mark Twain, both Foden and Heaney’s support for Mathers indicate his music’s excellence. However, if Mathers had given in to critics and softened his lyrics, his art wouldn’t be the same. He told 60 Minutes that his songs are harsh because “[T]his is music, this is my art, this is what I do” (Mathers). His art is defined by the very profanity that critics want gone and his “depth and texture” arise from his own personal style. Thus only by ignoring critics and thinking freely has Mathers maintained the creativity that’s revolutionized hip hop and excited the world. Despite both the intense support and criticism for Mathers, his story isn’t the first of its kind. Historically art evolves when artists learn to embrace controversy and allow the underlying new ideas to take hold. When Jazz first developed, it was labeled as the “devil’s music”. White Americans feared that the predominantly black music would infect America’s minds, turning people into savages. One neighborhood even prevented the playing of jazz music by “convincing a court that the music was dangerous to fetuses” (PBS) However, despite this backlash, jazz musicians kept playing. Jazz artists like Louis Armstrong forever changed music with innovations like syncopated rhythms and improvisation. Only by tenaciously holding on to the newfound jazz could Armstrong and others revolutionize music. Similarly, despite intense controversy, in the 1950’s Elvis Presley became the King of Rock and Roll while embracing controversy. Elvis’ music was rejected by many for “ its ‘appalling lack of musicality,’ [and] for its ‘vulgarity’ and ‘animalism.’” (PBS). Many believed that Elvis’ lyrics, and especially his “pelvis-shaking intensity” (PBS) were immoral and would corrupt America’s morals. Regardless, Elvis kept playing his music, and according to “US History for Dummies”, ultimately brought rock and roll music into the mainstream listener base. By keeping his style despite criticism, Elvis forever changed rock and roll by turning it into a widespread artform. Furthermore, it’s important to note that while Elvis’ hip thrusting and Armstrong’s offset rhythms may not seem as threatening as Mathers’ threats to murder his wife, in all three cases, the controversy highlighted an underlying conflict of ideas. Ultimately, regardless of why the music was criticized, the presence of free thinking allowed music to evolve. Truly, controversy, which indicates new ideas, often helps art grow. Regardless of whether Marshal Mathers is a homophobe or misogynist, his music has reached incredible heights. Critics have shunned him for damaging America’s culture, but Mathers keep making music, regardless of criticism. In “Without Me”, Mathers writes “Though I'm not the first king of controversy, I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley” (Eminem). In this homage to previously controversial artists, Mathers embraces the controversy surrounding him, making him both a “king of controversy” and a king of music. He realizes that the criticism towards him has made him “king”, telling us that if we want to to keep developing, artists will need to accept the controversy.
This book is telling a story about two African American boys (Wes A and Wes P) who have the same name and grew up at same community, but they have a very different life. The author, Wes A, begins his life in a tough Baltimore neighborhood and end up as a Rhodes Scholar, Wall Streeter, and a white house fellow; The other Wes Moore begins at the same place in Baltimore , but ends up in prison for the rest of his life. Then why do they have the same experience, but still have a totally different life? I will agree here that environment (family environment, school education environment and society environment) is one of the biggest reasons for their different.
A child of abuse and neglect, Chris McCandless awed the world with his inspiring trip across the nation to find himself in Alaska. Leaving his well off life and his problematic family behind to be true to his ideas of life. His life impacted the people who knew him well and the strangers that drove him to his haven. When the story of this young man hitch hiking across the country broke ground, it made many people question if this boy was just crazy or did he really have a true understanding on the day to day live we were living and where we were going wrong. Although some critics have conceived the idea that Chris McCandless was just a crazed mad man with schizophrenia and the unachievable idea of true happiness. Many believe he was a new
When looking at the landscape of Hip-Hop among African Americans, from the spawn of gangsta rap in the mid 1980s to current day, masculinity and an idea of hardness is central to their image and performance. Stereotypical to Black masculinity, the idea of a strong Black male - one who keeps it real, and is defiant to the point of violence - is prevalent in the genre. This resistant, or even compensatory masculinity, encompasses: the hyper masculinity rife in the Western world, misogyny, and homophobia, all noticeable in their lyrics, which is in part a result of their containment within the Black community. The link of masculinity and rap music was established due to this containment, early innovators remaking public spaces in their segregated neighbourhoods. A notion of authentic masculinity arose from the resistant nature of the genre, but the move to the mainstream in the 90s created a contradiction to their very image - resistance. Ultimately, this in part led to the construction of the masculinity defined earlier, one that prides itself on its authenticity. I’ll be exploring how gender is constructed and performed in Hip Hop, beginning with a historical framework, with the caveat of showing that differing masculine identities in the genre, including artists
Ulysses Grant fought in many bloody historic battles but could not stand the sight of blood. Ulysses Grant was the 18th president of the United States and he made our country a strong powerful nation. He was a commanding general and he led the Union army to victory in the American civil war. He helped revolutionize America and gain rights for blacks by helping to create the 15th amendment. Our country thought that he really helped end all the inequality in our country and make a stronger nation. Ulysses Grant helped the passage of the 15th amendment which led to African American voting rights, everyone being more equal, slaves gathering and electing leaders to represent them, and African American freedom.
Rap started as a social movement during the mid-1970’s, once the 80’s arrived it started expanding dramatically, and became popular among white suburban youth. During the late 1980s and early 1990s rap became overtly political with its messages, which expanded its popularity further. Unfortunately, political rap lost its popularity in the mid-1990s; regardless of this artists and their voices have been marginalized because of corporate control. Although there does not seem to be a direct connection between rap music and its whitening, the author claims that it is not coincidental. Despite the political messages within the genre, rap has been viewed through a racist
John Brown was an abolitionist who fought for freedom of slaves in the nineteenth century leading up to the Civil War. He was remembered for his bravery and dedication while taking action through the raid at Harper’s Ferry and the Pottawatomie Massacre. John Brown was a freedom fighter, religious warrior and political zealot. Although his violent approach was seen as an act of terrorism his ultimate goal was the emancipation of slavery justified by the word of God.
Marshall Bruce Mathers a.k.a. Eminem. Born October 17, 1972, grew up in Kansas City. From there he began his career as an individual white rapper. Not many white people are able to succeed in the rap industry, but Eminem has proved everyone wrong. He is now one of the most talked about persons on the earth. His lyrics offend some people, this sparks controversy and censorship. His lyrics containing things such as drugs, alcohol, death, homosexuals, sex and suicide. In some of his songs he includes lyrical slander towards bands like NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, Backstreet Boys, Brittney Spears and Puff Daddy. He views these bands as manufactured and as he calls them “faggots”. In one of his songs called “Marshall Mathers” he says “Boy girl groups make me sick, and I cant wait until I catch all you faggots in public, I’m a love it.” Most of the songs off his records he is bad mouthing homosexuals. This creates a ruckus in the media because the gay and lesbian parties protest outside of his concerts and award shows. These groups want Eminem to be either banned, have his records changed or a heavy censorship on his records. In response to these claims Eminem said “I am who I am, I don’t compromise my stuff for nobody.” That’s the way he is and that’...
...atching MTV music shows or any music channel on television. As we continue to watch these programs, we will then notice that almost all the rap and hip-hop artists being shown are African-Americans. It is the particular lifestyle, and behaviour that is connected to what particular artists chose to vocalize about. This usually can harm the image of African-Americans due to the fact that many artists aid in the misconceptions of their particular race such as the example provided with 50 Cent’s song entitled P.I.M.P. These lyrics and song titles simply reinforce the negative image some individuals may have of both Caucasian’s and people of colour. Rap and hip-hop is one of the most intimate, personal, legitimate and important art form. Instead of perpetuating injustice, and prejudice artists should be addressing these different issues in a different matter.
From its conception in the 1970's and throughout the 1980's, hip hop was a self-contained entity within the community that created it. This means that all the parameters set for the expression came from within the community and that it was meant for consumption by the community. Today, the audience is from outside of the community and doesn’t share the same experiences that drive the music. An artists’ success hinges on pleasing consumers, not the community. In today's world, it isn’t about music that rings true for those who share the artists' experiences, but instead, music that provides a dramatic illusion for those who will never share the experiences conveyed. This has radically changed the creative process of artists and the diversity of available music. Most notably, it has called in to question the future of hip hop.
These articles depict the controversies of the hip hop industry and how that makes it difficult for one to succeed. Many of these complications and disputes may be invisible to the population, but these articles take the time to reveal them.
After their deaths, Wallace and Shakur’s music can be found in many different cinematic works (examples). With the connecting over a common enemy, hip-hop has become an accepted idea that both whites and blacks enjoy today. In fact, shortly after Wallace’s death, a fresh face came into the game—Marshall “Eminem” Mathers. He went on to become one of the most significant and influential rappers of all time. Mathers is white, and would not have been able to become a part of the hip-hop scene without the conflict between the east coast and the west coast and everyone coming together because of it.
Hip hop has multiple branches of style and is a culture of these. This essay will examine Hip Hop from the point of view of the following three popular music scholars, Johnson, Jeffries and Smitherman. It will delve deeper into their understanding of what hip hop is and its relation to the different people that identify with its message and contents. It will also identify the history of Hip hop and its transition into popular music. In particular this essay will focus on what hip hop represents in the black community and how it can be used as a social movement against inequalities faced by them. This will then open up the discussion for the how this has influenced society, and the impact it has had in terms of race issues which hip hop itself often represents through music.
In case you are not accustomed with the group Public Enemy, the subtitles names is a play of their album "It'll Take a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." Being not only a white hip hop fan, but a white kid trying to become a rapper, I have obviously been faced with the problem of society's non-acceptance of my type. I interviewed a friend of mine who I rap with quite often about his feelings on the subject of the white hip hop fan, and have long pondered it on my own. I read books and web sites recommended by friends and continue to search out more information on the subject. In this paper I look at the state of the white hip hop fan and of the white rapper, focusing mainly on the social and cultural impact, the way the white fan feels and is looked at by society.
Eminem is a name that most Americans have grown to know about in the last year. Not only for his music, but for the controversy that his music brings. Many people are offended by his lyrics and they believe that he should be regulated in some way. In my paper I will give some background on Eminem, some examples of his lyrics, different points of view, and my personal beliefs on this situation.
Dixon, Travis L., TaKeshia Brooks. “Rap Music and Rap Audiences: Controversial Themes, Psychological Effects and Political Resistance.” Perspectives. 7 April 2009. .