Month: November 2004

To all the people who were worried about Eminem leaving the rap game after the release of the ‘ Encore ‘ album, I got some good news: Eminem is determined to keep on rapping as long as possible:
“I don’t have to prove myself to nobody but myself… I always want to top, not just my last album, but my last song… I just want to be the greatest rapper ever. And if not the greatest, then at least one of the best. That’s what I want – along with respect. But I’m not going to beg for respect, or beg for acceptance. I’m going to take it.”
His listeners might consider him as the best or at least as one of the best rappers in the world, Eminem is never satisfied with his own work, he always wants to improve it and insiders know how much time Eminem can spend on his songs at the studio.
Is Marshall what we could call a perfectionist? Certainly yes. Eminem views himself as a perfectionist:
‘ I’m definitely a perfectionist. I make my music for me. I know how I want it to sound. I don’t think about if anyone else is going to like it. I listen to it and make it for me, so that I’m satisfied with it. If I am, then everybody else will like it. If I say the word “the” wrong, I’ll go back and change it. Usually when I write my songs, I write the verses and then sum them up with a hook. But my delivery and the way I say things across the mic, I make sure that shit is perfect, for me, so I can listen to it a million times and not find a flaw in it. ‘
Each detail is important to Eminem’s ear when he composes a song. He has a precise idea of how he wants his song to sound and the only thing he takes into account is his own judgement, because he perfectly knows that if he likes it, other people will appreciate it the same way.
Marshall has been a hardworking artist since the beginning as DJ Lisa Lisa from Detroits recalls it:
‘ He was like a perfectionist. He would work with the producer mixing the track right up to the last minute before he would have to go. ‘
His friend 50 Cent will define Marshall with the same words:
‘ Em is all about the music. He is a perfectionist. He
won’t accept anything else. Em works hard and he doesn’t stop. And
even then, he can still run circles around anybody in the studio. ‘
Marshall is demanding with himself and this huge quality is also one good reason why we his fans appreciate his music. When we go to the record shop and buy an Eminem CD, we perfectly know how many hours of work it represents and that Marshall won’t disappoint us. Each new CD will bring its particular note and something better than the preceding CD. If we dare analyzing Eminem’s work from the beginning, we will see that Marshall has always improved his style, his beats, his sound, his diction. He is always better.
Marshall could have chosen to be an average rapper. Many rappers don’t put so many efforts into their musical work and place it much more on their image.
The difference between Eminem and the average rapper is that Eminem’s music is his passion. Of course, he won’t beg for acceptance or respect! Marshall is an invader, his music will be taking over the rap scene whether you like it or not.
As far as I am concerned, Marshall’s goal to be the best rapper has been reached since a long time. But I must admit that every time that he comes up with something knew, my admiration for his work keeps growing.
His Encore album promises to be surprising, dark and funny at the same time, more matured and probably explosive as well. Be ready to listen to great work from the greatest rapper very soon.

Bush’s opponent likes Eminem’s song Mosh. John Kerry expressed it publicly while asked by MTV about the recent song:
MTV-“Last time we talked, in March, you said that it’s important to listen to hip-hop because it gives you a sense of what’s going on in the street. Have you heard the new Eminem song that’s been out?”
Kerry : “You know, I heard Eminem on “Saturday Night Live” last night. I heard the song that he did. I don’t know if that’s part of his new [album] or not. I liked it. But that’s the only thing that I’ve heard in the last weeks. I’m on the trail. I’m campaigning every day.”
This doesn’t seem to be in the taste of a conservative newspaper (“Hundred Percenter Newwires”) which offered a rather bitter comment of Kerry’s point of view:
the potential future leader of the free world listens to rap music?
Scary.
More importantly, the song that Kerry said he liked is one of the most vile, anti-Bush, anti-American songs to have ever been produced. ‘
I keep asking myself why so many conservative people are so much blinded in their views. First, why shouldn’t Kerry listen to rap music ? Because he’s a politician? Because he’s ‘ too old ‘?
Ridiculous arguments in both cases’Rap music is opened to anybody who is open minded enough to get the message of hip hop movement that is obviously fighting Bush’s war policy.
I don’t know John Kerry enough to formulate an objective opinion about him, but he has my respect for taking time in his hectic life to listen to Eminem’s performance and to take his message into account.
Second, Mosh is not anti- American. Of course it is anti Bush. But anti Bush doesn’t mean anti American. Mosh is in favor of America and opposed to Bush’s policy.
It takes us back to the fundamental values of democracy, it shows a sea of people which is determined to fight against war, against injustice, against eviction laws.
The same people from “Hundred Percenter Newwires” severely criticize Kerry for endorsing Marshall’s song. Matter of fact: their understanding of Mosh is totally wrong:
‘ John Kerry’s decision to endorse a song like this is disgraceful. ‘
Disgraceful? Really? There is much more disgrace in reading your article than in John Kerry’s decision to endorse Eminem’s song.
In the animated video of Mosh, all the people who are lead by Eminem are taking over by legal means. Eminem, the main hero of the video doesn’t influence them to murder Bush, but to take the power by legal means. He takes the crowd to the urns for a brighter tomorrow.
Call the video rebellious, call it revolutionary, but also call it a patriotic act in favor of democracy.