Month: November 2005

Rating 4 stars and a half
Eminem is certainly the best known rap artist and also the most misunderstood: when he shows his dark side spreading his wicked lyrics inside of his songs, people say that he’s a bad person. When Eminem pours his heart out, allowing people to penetrate into his mind and showing them what’s going on inside of his head, some other people complain that Marshall keeps « whining » and that they are tired of his tears.
If you’re not willing to listen to my explanations and to open your mind about what I have to say, you’d better not read to the end.
Marshall Mathers is a star. A superstar. The only one who made me realize that stars are normal people with a heart too. In the past, I used to despise celebrities (I’m still not the kind of person who find their world so much interesting). I used to think that all of them were very superficial persons whose only interest was to participate to some annoying shows and to hang out with each other.
I totally changed my mind about a world that I used to picture as a glitter world. Marshall Mathers is famous, but so much different from the other stars. He is touching, because he expresses things the way he felt them. Since he became famous till now, Marshall never stopped being true to himself and he has my full respect for that.
Some of you complain that Marshall is « whining about Hailie ». Have you ever considered, lucky guys and girls, family mothers and fathers, that you have your kids with you nearly 24/7? Have you ever considered how your life would look like if you were separated from your kids very often during the year? If you pretend you wouldn’t be nostalgic about your family, you must be whether heartless or hypocritical.
Since 1999, life has been rather hectic for a man who grew up in the Detroit ghetto. Since the beginning of his career, Eminem has never stopped performing, touring, participating to TV shows etc…The brilliant artist hasn’t stopped battling with his personal problems either.
He has sacrificed a lot of time that could have been dedicated to his daughter.
I do consider that people have no right to judge him, since most of them don’t live the same kind of life style. Also, most of them haven’t been through the same dramas and difficulties he has been trough.
Don’t judge…open your mind, your ears and be ready to watch Eminem’s brand new video:
Meet Eminem at Narcotics Anonymous. He is sitting in the middle of a crowd During a reunion, a man shares his 6 year battle against drugs.
As he finishes his success story, the organizer gently asks if anyone has something else to say. Marshall raises his hand and walks up to the podium to share his story. Strangely, Marshall’s first words will take you back to his first video, Just Don’t Give A Fuck, and remind you of his former words « My name is Marshall Mathers, I’m an alcoholic » while people answer « Hi Marshall! » in the background. The only difference is that Marshall exposes his recent dependency to sleeping pills.

Marshall exposes his life struggles in his own words, showing his very artistic and beautiful Hailie tattoo:
« 
Have you ever loved someone so much you’d give an arm for?
Not the expression, no, literally give an arm for?
When they know they are your heart
And you know you are their armour
And you will destroy anyone who will try to harm her
But what happens when karma turns right around and bites you… »

The « Narcotic Anonymous » room is dark on purpose. No sunlight seems to be allowed to penetrate in this bottle green background. It symbolizes a shadowed life full of pain and struggles. As the video guides us through Marshall’s life, it transports us into his house where you will meet daddy and daughter in a poignant dialogue…
The sunlight might be present, but clouds seem to occult daddy and daughter’s relationship. Marshall has no time to see his daughter’s paper shapes. Hailie feels quite helpless between a mom she is unable to find and a dad who is constantly busy writing his song.
At the very moment Marshall makes the following statement,« Daddy’s writin’ this song, this song ain’t gon’ write itself », the viewer will see a sentence magically put on paper:

A disappointed and lonely Hailie and flashback :Slim Shady, the evil persona dissing Kim on a record.
Eminem perfectly knows that his amazing success story caused a lot of pain inside of his family. A lot of problems remain unsolved and Marshall struggles with karma.
While the chorus starts, you can see Eminem dressed in his Detroit jacket and praying for his daughter, while Hailie swings in the garden.
Marshall wants his daughter to know that he is there, in Detroit, with her, at least in mind, even when he is at the other end of the world.
Second part of the drama. Marshall always promises his daughter, that « he ain’t leaving no more ». Sometimes, adults have to lie to their kids in order to make the reality look more bearable. But kids are very clever in detecting the truth. Hailie is just fed up with her daddy’s lies and as Marshall is ready to leave , she pulls boxes in front of the door, trying to block it, in a desperate attempt to keep her dear daddy at home.
The sunlight penetrates into Marshall’s house, unlike the « Narcotics Anonymous » room, but the boxes prevent the room from being clear and sunny. Darkness is present in two people’s lives despite the fact they literally adore each other. Hailie offers a little picture to her daddy in order to keep him safe.
Time flies away and Marshall is back on stage. He wears a dark suit and a red tie. He has become Eminem aka Slim shady again. The dark suit and the red tie contrast and make the viewer feel the pain. A daddy’s heart is bleeding. He holds the mic and the crowd acclaims him. Loving fans are throwing roses at his feet:

Suddenly, Eminem can’t believe his eyes; Hailie is standing in the middle of the crowd, holding her necklace, crying for help because her mom slit her wrists.

Bad and scary memory from 2001. Hailie speaks with Marshall’s voice, which allows us to think that what happens is an inner dialogue. Marshall is tortured and can feel his daughter’s reproaches hammering into his head. He wants to be efficient in performing and keeps swallowing his pills. The more he swallows his sleeping pills, the less sleep he actually finds. This part is a clear reference to what happened to Eminem during the Anger Management Tour III.

Eminem looks at himself into the mirror and symbolically destroys his made up Slim Shady persona. Dr Jekyll has killed Mr Hyde.
The real Marshall is symbolized by his natural hair color, while the public person is the dyed blonde Eminem you all know very well…
Marshall has visions of nighmares until his life goes back to normal. Back home, he finds Kim, Hailie and her little sister who welcome him.
The pain has vanished and Eminem has become Marshall again: a happy family man.

The video is touching and well made. Eminem, who is known for his sincerity towards his public, has fully exposed his inside dramas. He has exposed his harsh fight with sleeping pills and has accepted to fight one of his former demons from the past.
When I heard about Eminem’s European show cancellation and about what had happened to him, I immediately knew that his hospitalization and rehabilitation program were no joke. Despite the fact some people told me that Ambien was harmless and prescribed to older people, you gotta consider that Marshall Mathers has been hooked with pills since his childhood, because his mom took him for an hyperactive kid.
Eminem’s drug dependency goes back to the period he was living with Debbie and fighting it is more than a harsh struggle. However, Marshall had the honesty to envision that he had a serious problem and did everything possible to get it fixed. He is now confident in winning this fight against addiction.
Good job with the emotional When I’m Gone video, Eminem! I liked it from the beginning to the end. Once again, tears filled my eyes while watching it. I gave it 4,5 stars.

I have downloaded it and seen it this morning…Eminem has done a great job….to those who haven’t seen it yet expect a moving video, a tearjerker (different from Mockingbird, though).
I will review this video for you and keep you updated!

Dedicated to the haters, with all my heart
Several years ago, I read the story of an unemployed person that was published in some local newspaper and I found it so silly: I am pretty sure that many of you will get my point.
The young lady said that since she had lost her job, she was very much worried about what the neighbors could think. Because the neighbors could target her as lazy, she had to get up at 7 o’ clock every morning. Not because of a job interview nor to investigate about job opportunities. No, she stood up because of what the neighbors could think of her. Damn, how far did her stupidity go? To please her neighbors’ opinion, she went out of her house for several hours, making them believe she was « active » while she spent most of her time walking in the cold streets and entering various shops until noon. Her whole life was revolving about the neighbors’ opinion and her personal problems remained unsolved.
However, the lady never questioned herself why she didn’t see an end to her misery.
The solution is rather easy, though.
I myself used to care a lot about people’s opinion and some haters’ comments sometimes spoilt my whole day. But I guess I have matured a lot on that point, because I have decided that no neighbor and no other hateful stranger, whether on the net or in real life wouldn’t have any kind of power on me.
Neighbors talk shit about me? Keep talking shit, bitches! I don’t even care about your existence nor do I care about your pitiful lives.
Haters keep hating because they have a problem with me? You don’t like what I stand for? Just fuckoff and get out of my way. I don’t care about what you think. I will keep doing my thing and being me. Solve your own problems before talking about a person you obviously don’t know.
Some of you have a problem with my Eminem tattoo and call me names?
First of all, you idiots, this is MY skin. I will tattoo whatever the fuck I want on my skin. I am the one to carry it with me wherever I go, so what’s your problem?
You aren’t shocked to see The Game tattoo « NWA » on his skin as a tribute and you are shocked to see me pay tribute to Eminem the same way.
Because of this tattoo I have, you target me as a « crazy fan » while you keep running after people pretending to be Eminem or Nathan Mathers, begging them to give you their email address or phone number, which is something I never did and will never do! I am not some stupid « Eminem hunter » with no life unlike you.
I have this tattoo, yea, I have it and I am fucking proud of it! I might be a huge fan, but I am a respectful person who would never ever do anything that would make Eminem’s life a living hell. That’s called RESPECT, which is obviously something you have no idea of.
Some of you also seem to have a problem with my articles and my dedication to the Detroit scene?
You criticize my interest for the Detroit underground and my writing abilities? First of all, I don’t have to justify my musical tastes to any of you.
You say I’m not a good writer? Ok, maybe I’m not a good writer, so what? At least I have spent the last three years writing in a language that is my third language and I have managed to raise many readers’ interest.
Most of you silly haters are native speakers: how come that I have never read one single line from you? If I’m not that good, then do better than me. I defy you, bitches!
Oh yea, some of you don’t like my poems for Hailie? Some of you say that I can’t be a good music journalist because of those poems? Haha, how ridiculous is this?
A poet can write about any subject he or she wants to, as long as he/she puts his feelings and soul into his/her words. Who told you that I was supposed to know Hailie to write two amateur poems about her? I write what my heart dictates me to write, not what you’d like me to put on paper. I find Hailie touching because she manages to make her daddy fully happy. You have a problem with that? Then you have a problem with yourself, because this is none of your biz. You don’t like my poems, just don’t read them!
I have also been criticized the same way for my amateur freestyles: you are a writer, you are not supposed to freestyle. How the fuck not? Your definition of a writer is really stupidly restricted in your mind. A writer can write about ANY subject and it is not always supposed to be prose, it can be written into rhymes.
Words are here to be played with, when you are creative enough…but obviously- creativity is something you silly haters seem to lack most!
Some other people came up to me writing some hateful comments, telling me that since I have been teaching for years, I shouldn’t write. Who the fuck do you think you are to give me directions about my life? Next time you’d be tempted to give me such kind of advice, don’t waste you time stopping to my place, because your comments are not welcome. I am the only one to decide about my life. Nobody else has this right.
Now I also wanna address to all of those idiots who think I am to old to listen to rap music. I didn’t know there was an age limit to enjoy the music…you are the firsts to come and read my analysis of the music you think I’m too old to listen to, motherfuckers!
Yes, I am being harsh, because all of you nosey people deserve it. I want you to acknowledge that I don’t give a flying fuck about what you might think about me. I will keep doing my thing no matter what the neighbors or anybody else -whether on the net or in real life- thinks.

Paradime…he is no newcomer to the rap game and has many interesting collaborations with emcees like D12 and Hush at his active…
Also, expect a Kasey Jay (the Urban clothes designer) interview to drop soon…stay tuned, people:)

Bobby Creekwater aka Antoine Rogers is the second artist from Atlanta to be signed to Shady Records after Stat Quo.
Before he started performing as a solo artist, Bobby Creekwater was originally a member of the JATIS group, a group composed by Bobby Creekwater himself and his fellow emcee from Atlanta, Charlie Jangles aka Antonio Sawyer. Jatis released an album entitled « The Saga Begins ».
Discover Jatis here.
On his my space page, “Bobby Creek” will make his introduction to the world with his Who Dat Is song. As the song starts with a reggae background, Bobby Creekwater will offer his listeners the opportunity to discover his rapid flow. Looks like everybody wants to know how that guy actually is. « Bob Creek »’s name is on everybody’s lips. Who dat is? People answer: « Bob Creek ». You want to know what time it is? Bob Creek echoes the answer. A funny song with some catchy beats that you shouldn’t miss in any case.
Did my description raise your interest? If so, you will certainly be very pleased to know that you have a lot more to discover about Bob Creekwater’s musical work.
Straight Out Da Gutta, another song from his Brilliant Mistake mixtape starts in an offensive way. Shouts, drums and loud keyboard sounds welcome you to Bobby Creekwater’s street atmosphere. The whole song will make you feel unsafe on purpose. Bobby Creekwater’s words flow on the track like rapid bullets, ready to hit their target.
Enjoy a soldier’s ode to the streets and feel him running through the streets targeting his enemies while listening to his track.
Bobby Creekwater has some various other tracks to offer to his listeners on his sound click page.
Representing the A town, Bobby Creekwater’s album will be due to release for Spring 2006. Expect some great music soon!

He is from Atlanta, Georgia. His name is Bobby Creekwater. Also known as Bobby Creek, this artist has been signed to Shady Records a few months ago. Stay tuned:)

NEW YORK, Nov. 27 (UPI) — Eminem’s video for “When I’m Gone” recounts the rap superstar’s recent stint in rehab for dependency on prescription sleeping pills.
The video opens in a large room with adults in a 12-step type meeting. A speaker is describing how his life has been changed for the better since breaking his addiction — and in the group listening is a black-haired Eminem, MTV.com reported.
The rapper, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, takes the podium and announces: “My name is Marshall.” Then the song kicks in.
The video was directed by Anthony Mandler in the rapper’s hometown of Detroit and is set to make its debut Monday on MTV.
Eminem’s latest album, “Curtain Call,” is due in stores Dec. 6.

Who said that Detroit was only represented locally?
In Atlanta, Georgia, there is one dope ass emcee known as Cysion The Slickest who will please rap lovers’ ears with his astute rhymes, his nice flow and his tight beats.
Cysion has been born and raised in Detroit City. The streets of Detroit are present in his words and sounds. Cysion has some quality raps to offer to his listeners and most of his tracks probably won’t leave you indifferent. Murderous, Cysion uses his words like the sharpest knives and slices emcees with no mercy.
Signed to the Abusive Music label, Cysion reps his city with pride.
Among the songs exposed on his my space account, I particularly recommend you « The D Against The World ». Violins, drums and keyboard sounds nicely introduce you into the Detroit City sound. With an amazing sense of realness, Cysion is taking over and killing mics. The amazing emcee manages to bring the dirty Murder Mitten spirit in his rhythmic song. The soft symphony notes of the instrumentals contrast with the harsh « made in the D » lyrics. To understand the spirit of the D, you gotta open your ears and listen to the emcees from the 313. Detroit, cold city of cement is the town of the hustle and the murder.
You need to be physically and mentally strong to survive in the 313. This particular and rough atmosphere is very well summarized by Cysion’s own words:
« The streets eat weak niggas alive / only the strong survive /got to be wise and/ never slip in on the grind. It’s all about the money and respect, cash, clothes and 304s… »
Cysion has been familiar with making beats very early- even before he started rapping:
“before I start rappin. I was makin beats bangin on the lunch table and in gym class. I used to get kicked out of school like twice a week for that. Even then I keep everybody rockin though, yellin chants and hooks and all that!”
How could I describe Cysion as an artist?
The first words that came into my mind while listening to him were: « brilliant, sharp, and dope ass beat maker.. »
Cysion is one of those amazing Detroit soldiers who won’t stay unnoticed, because you cannot stay indifferent in front of their music.
Undoubtedly gifted, offensive, Cysion represents Detroit rap outside of the D town with his very particular style that you won’t find anywhere else.
Discover more about Cysion on his official website.

However, the Detroiters have a good rhymer who produces some dope ass beats to represent them in Atlanta, Georgia. With his dark voice, his hot bassline, Cysion The Slickest is taking over, representing the streets of Detroit with pride. Cysion will be featured next…stay tuned and be prepared for some murderous tracks!

The video looks interesting and I can’t wait to see the full video…I will review it as soon as it will be out:)