The Real Slim Shady

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The Real Slim Shady
While you are cruising down the road with your parents, Marshall Mathers is not someone you all would sing along too. Mathers is a caucasian boy who grew up on the wrong side of 8 mile in Detroit. He had a many different stage names: Marshall Mathers, Eminem, and Slim Shady. All of these helped to develop his loose cannon persona. Slim Shady was developed through his rude lyrics, relationships with family, and clothing.
The lyrics to Eminem’s songs are often more than just the next catchy tune, they often tell a story. Most of the time this story is dark and scary, giving insight of the struggles going on in such a peculiar man’s life. For example, in his song “The Way I Am” he sings, “I'm some wigger who just tries to be black because I talk with an accent and grab on my balls, so they always keep asking the same f***ing questions.” It is very noticeable that this is more than just a happy, feel good song. The lyrics are meaningful and speak to people who have gone through similar struggles. Eminem’s lyrics also contain many drug references showing why he is such a loose cannon. In his song “Purple Pills” he sings, “I take a couple uppers. I down a couple downers, but nothing compares to these blue and yellow purple pills. I been to mushroom mountain. Once or twice, but who's countin'. But nothing compares to these blue and yellow purple pills.” This shows that not only does he do drugs, but he has a preference and has done them on multiple occasions.
Eminem also pulls of this loose cannon persona through poor relationships with family. He gives the impression that he truly hates his ex-wife (Kim) and his mother. It is quite apparent that he hates his ex-wife in the song “Kim”, when he sings, “Oh, what's ...

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...ferent personalities. All of them were different, and all of them didn’t care what anyone thought of him. This loose cannon persona was demonstrated through his lyrics, relationships with family, and his choice of clothing. Eminem will always be the first caucasian rap star and the first to say things that most only keep to themselves.

Works Cited

Davis, Johnny. "Portrait: 'I Am Who I Am': Eminem Tells Johnny Davis about His Mum, Drugs and Kim Basinger." The Guardian. 2002. 6. ProQuest. Web. 5 Mar. 2014
Fracassa, Hawke. "Eminem's Estranged Wife Moves Home Until Divorce, Couple Will Live Together for their Daughter's Sake." Detroit News. 2000. 05. ProQuest. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.
Guarino, Mark. "The Enduring Eminem Rapper's New Album Faces a Challenge: How to be Shocking in a World that Gets More Shocking Every Day." Daily Herald. 2002. 32. ProQuest. Web. 5 Mar. 2014 .

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