His interviews ranged from artists such as Eminem, 50 Cent, DMX all the way to Al Sharpton. The interviews were interesting and gave me enough background information about the artists (from the artists) for me to draw a more educated idea of how they are in society as well as coming from a broad spectrum of sources. Specifically, the interview with Eminem in correlation to Carl Hancock Rux's article "Eminem: The White Negro." I feel like I grew up listening to Eminem, seeing his face on MTV, watching 8 Mile, and hearing all of the news about his family life via the media. He is a human being, this is something I feel may people forget when they hear Marshall Mathers name. He is a father, a entertainer, interested in politics, and the oxymoron to social norms.
In his article, Rux defines how Eminem has been "perceived by the masses" and questions our learned definition of what reality is. Perhaps our reality is wrong an Eminem's perception is right? He is the individual, the "white guy in a black world", accepted by whites and blacks, yet still viewed as an outcast. He is as much as a minstrel as Flava Flav is to Public Enemies, going beyond the norms defined to us by what is socially correct (what if everything we think is right is actually wrong and likewise?). Rux asks us if we are "oppressed because of what we have learned" (IE: do we identify Eminem as an oppressed individual because we identify his behavior as beyond the norm? A white man living in a black mans world is surely to spark controversy).
Eminem doesn't seem to care either way. Growing up in Detroit, he was socialized in black culture ('black' culture is not "black" it is just culture to him) (21). This raises Rux's question "whom does music or race belong to? (24). I think this question is best answered in class, I don't know if I can really define/answer this question. Brainstorming session anyone?
This is the song I think of when I think of Eminem, as I am sure many of you are familiar with.
Lose Yourself
Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted-One moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip? (He relates well to people because at some point everyone has fantasized about success)
Yeah,
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti
He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready
To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgetting
What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud
He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out
He's choking how, everybody's joking now (We all have fears, and many of us have a similar response when we become nervous. Ever cautious of the approval of the masses).
The clock's run out, time's up over, bloah!
Snap back to reality, Oh there goes gravity
Oh, there goes Rabbit, he choked
He's so mad, but he won't give up that
Easy, no
He won't have it , he knows his whole back's to these ropes
It don't matter, he's dope
He knows that, but he's broke
He's so stagnant that he knows
When he goes back to his mobile home, that's when it's
Back to the lab again yo (What do you do when you have nothing but yourself? Do you seize the first opportunity or do you wait for the right moment?)
This whole rhapsody
He better go capture this moment and hope it don't pass him
x2
(You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo) (I think this relates personally to Eminem seizing his opportunity to become the first widely accepted Caucasion hip hop artist)
This soul's escaping, through this hole that it's gaping
This world is mine for the taking
Make me king, as we move toward a, new world order
A normal life is boring, but superstardom's close to post mortem
It only grows harder, homey grows hotter (The pressures of the industry)
He blows us all over these hoes is all on him
Coast to coast shows, he's know as the globetrotter
Lonely roads, God only knows
He's grown farther from home, he's no father
He goes home and barely knows his own daughter
But hold your nose cause here goes the cold water
His hoes don't want him no mo, he's cold product
They moved on to the next schmoe who flows
He nose dove and sold nada
So the soap opera is told and unfolds
I suppose it's old partner', but the beat goes on
Da da dum da dum da da
x2
(You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo)
No more games, I'ma change what you call rage
Tear this motherfucking roof off like two dogs caged
I was playing in the beginning, the mood all changed
I been chewed up and spit out and booed off stage
But I kept rhyming and stepwritin the next cypher
Best believe somebody's paying the pied piper (Perseverence?)
All the pain inside amplified by the
Fact that I can't get by with my nine to
Five and I can't provide the right type of life for my family
Cause man, these goddam food stamps don't buy diapers
And it's no movie, there's no Mekhi Phifer, this is my life
And these times are so hard and it's getting even harder
Trying to feed and water my seed, plus
Teeter totter caught up between being a father and a prima donna
Baby mama drama's screaming on and
Too much for me to wanna
Stay in one spot, another day of monotony
Has gotten me to the point, I'm like a snail
I've got to formulate a plot or end up in jail or shot
Success is my only motherfucking option, failure's not
Mom, I love you, but this trailer's got to go (The Real Slim Shady rejects his own mother)
I cannot grow old in Salem's lot
So here I go is my shot.
Feet fail me not cause maybe the only opportunity that I got
x2
(You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo)
You can do anything you set your mind to, man
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