Month: February 2013

A lot of ink has been spilled about Eminem and a lot of authors will probably write about him within the next years. From controversial to acclaimed, the famous rapper barely leaves people indifferent.
Yet a lot of misconceptions about him are prevailing about Marshall Mathers and some of them are due to the fact that he is too often presented as a white rapping artist, while his connections to the Detroit rap scene are occulted by many Eminem biographers. This is one of the main reasons why I decided to write ” Eminem and the Detroit Rap Scene- White Kid in a Black Music World”.
It would be really hard for people to understand who Eminem actually is without mentioning the Detroit scene that birthed him as an artist.
Why you can trust my book

I have ten years of expertise in music journalism during which I have been expressing on Eminem, the Detroit hip hop scene and numerous hip hop related subjects. I have gathered a lot of verified facts about Marshall Mathers, the man and the artist.
Because of his warped sense of humor contained in his wicked lyrics, Eminem has often been depicted as a hate monger by the press, often by people who were quite ignorant of the world of hip hop. You could barely separate Eminem from his musical environment.
Wanting to go deep into the roots of Detroit hip hop, I have been in touch with numerous local rappers, I interviewed and reviewed many of them, debatting with them: My journalistic curiosity lead me to investigate about how Eminem was introduced to the Detroit black rapping scene. People ought to know that African- American rapper Champtown played a major role (that is underlined in my book) in Eminems early rapping years, around 1992. Champtown was the first to offer him some consistent musical collaborations.
Besides presenting Eminem in depth, my intent was also to unveil some known and hidden local Detroit emcees talent ( sorry about the ones that didn t get a mention, there are so many talents in Detroit).
I interviewed some key rappers in Detroit, including Big Proof of D12.
I also gave voice to local rappers who don t necessarely agree with Eminem and his role within the Detroit scene, like 5 ELA.
If you want to understand Eminem from an objective perspective and learn more about the extraordinary Detroit rapping scene, get your copy on Amazon.
I promise you a good read!
Eminem and the Detroit Rap Scene reviewed: my book is getting positive reviews so far…thanks to all of you who took time to read and review it:)
Journalist at Michigan Citizen , Steve Furay, gave my book a review in Michigan Citizen. Have a look!
Donna Kshir, writer and SEO, publisher of Hayden Kian, Detroit Examiner columnist
Rating of the product: 5 stars
If you want to know Eminem the rapper, you first have to understand who Marshall Mathers is, where he comes from, what inspired him, his fight and struggle to succeed as an artist, and how those events made him the man he is today.
A young Marshall came from very humble beginnings. Those early beginnings also came complete with a dysfunctional family and a history of drug dependency. He knows what it feels like to be different, to be bullied and experience racism. Experiencing life on both the black and white sides of the Detroit ghetto provided a young Marshall with a valuable look into two very different, separate cultures giving him a love for music that would set the stage and eventually change rap music forever.
Marshall would spend a decade perfecting his rhyming skills and writing lyrics, but also building a reputation. His dream of rapping appeared impossible and maybe foolish to some; his family, friends and even his educators. No one wanted to believe in Marshall, making it that much harder for him to believe in himself, but his best friend Proof would give him enough courage, strength and inspiration that eventually made him one of the most successful artists of our time.
Marshall had several approaches to music, but using his turbulent youth and relationships with his mother, Debbie, and girlfriend, Kim, created a rebellious alter-ego that would set the stage and make him the superstar he desired to be.
Whether you have been a fan of Eminem for years or if have recently discovered him, this book is for you! I highly recommend EMINEM and the Detroit Rap Scene: White Kid in a Black Music World. Isabelle answers the tough questions so many fans desire to know. This book goes deeply within the reach of Eminem’s early years, the Detroit Rap Scene, what it is like to be a struggling artist in Detroit and his rise to the top with many added bonuses.
Isabelle’s insight alone gives the book credibility, but she digs much deeper showing how Eminem and the Detroit Rap Scene has impacted our American culture. This book is more than a well documented biography of the rapper’s life. Isabelle has been given her readers a level of access to Eminem that I feel no other journalist has come close to. Her insight takes the reader deep into the heart of the Detroit ghetto long before Eminem was a superstar.
Review by Donna Kshir ~ Author, Detroit Examiner Columnist and Yahoo Contributor
Contel Bardford, Detroit writer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I introduced this book a while back. Finally got around to reviewing it. Here goes …
Love him or hate him, you’ve gotta respect Eminem for the impact he’s made in the music biz. Before the artist formerly known as Slim Shady hit the scene, white rappers were largely viewed as comedy routines. This includes noted acts like Vanilla Ice and The Beastie Boys, who some might call legends. Em changed the game, and the environment he grew up in has a lot to do with his meteoric rise to the top.
Eminem and the Detroit Rap Scene: White Kid in a Black Music World gives the reader an up close and personal look at the controversial rap superstar and the local rap scene in Detroit — past, present, and a glimpse at the potential future as well. This book features exclusive photos and interviews with many people who know Marshall Mathers on a personal level, including the legendary DJ Butter, Dogmatic, and the late great Big Proof, his bestfriend and the founder of Detroit’s D12.
In addition to the struggle that almost saw him give up before blowing up, the author sheds light on sensitive subjects like Em’s strained relationships with Kim and his Mother, as well as the drug overdose that nearly killed him. She also drops knowledge on how he is perceived by artists on the local scene, which I found very interesting seeing that many don’t feel he has done enough to put the city on the map, despite coming back for his crew in D12 and helping Detroit talents like Obie Trice and Royce D 5’9 obtain worldwide recognition.
What I enjoyed most about this book was simply witnessing how much work the author put into it. She revealed some interesting things I didn’t know about the Detroit rap game myself, and I’ve lived here all my life. It’s obvious that a lot of effort went into tracking down artists, putting these interviews together, and making sure the facts were accurate. There are several books about Mr. Mathers out there, but this one offers a perspective that is fresh, unique, and captivating from beginning to end.
I highly recommend this book to fans of Eminem and hip hop lovers in general.
Copyright by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Eminem and the Detroit Rap Scene by Isabelle Esling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I introduced this book a while back. Finally got around to reviewing it. Here goes …
Love him or hate him, you’ve gotta respect Eminem for the impact he’s made in the music biz. Before the artist formerly known as Slim Shady hit the scene, white rappers were largely viewed as comedy routines. This includes noted acts like Vanilla Ice and The Beastie Boys, who some might call legends. Em changed the game, and the environment he grew up in has a lot to do with his meteoric rise to the top.
Eminem and the Detroit Rap Scene: White Kid in a Black Music World gives the reader an up close and personal look at the controversial rap superstar and the local rap scene in Detroit — past, present, and a glimpse at the potential future as well. This book features exclusive photos and interviews with many people who know Marshall Mathers on a personal level, including the legendary DJ Butter, Dogmatic, and the late great Big Proof, his bestfriend and the founder of Detroit’s D12.
In addition to the struggle that almost saw him give up before blowing up, the author sheds light on sensitive subjects like Em’s strained relationships with Kim and his Mother, as well as the drug overdose that nearly killed him. She also drops knowledge on how he is perceived by artists on the local scene, which I found very interesting seeing that many don’t feel he has done enough to put the city on the map, despite coming back for his crew in D12 and helping Detroit talents like Obie Trice and Royce D 5’9 obtain worldwide recognition.
What I enjoyed most about this book was simply witnessing how much work the author put into it. She revealed some interesting things I didn’t know about the Detroit rap game myself, and I’ve lived here all my life. It’s obvious that a lot of effort went into tracking down artists, putting these interviews together, and making sure the facts were accurate. There are several books about Mr. Mathers out there, but this one offers a perspective that is fresh, unique, and captivating from beginning to end.
I highly recommend this book to fans of Eminem and hip hop lovers in general.
Want to know more about Detroit? Check out Mr. Bill Collector, a fast-paced street lit tale set in the grimey ghetto environment that is the Motor City.