Despite the fact Eminem has constantly been attacked by conservative people for downgrading society’s values and for being a perfect nihilist, his voice goes straight to the heart of the underprivileged of the society who have nothing else but drugs and broken dreams. Eminem is a living proof that anybody who strongly believes in his dreams and never gives up can make it. He has shown that anybody can be a hero.
Eminem also reunites white and black lower class people, his music is a strong weapon against racism. He understands the youth very well and speaks the same language as young people who often can relate to what he’s saying in his songs.
His own example as a poor white trash kid, the events he personaly went through, his determination never to give up, whatever happens, gives some hope to the poor working class.
Eminem offers some criticism about the American society and politics. The fact that he criticises American society doesn’t mean he doesn’t like his country. He’s proven to be a real patriot.
In the song ‘My Dad’s Gone Crazy’ from the ‘Eminem Show’, he compares his own pain to the pain of a little girl inside of a plane, which is a clear reference to the drama of September the 11th :
More pain inside of my brain thatn the eyes of a little girl inside a plane aimed at the World Trade, standing at Ronnie’s grave, screaming at the sky.
He shows how this drama affected him and how much he’s sensitive to people’s pain.
Among all the pop stars, Eminem is the only one to raise serious debates on serious issues like society, drugs, misunderstood children, child abuse, Freedom of Speech, love and hate, murders, politics.
Eminem’s is an engaged rapper, he considers himself a political rapper. He talks and makes jokes about the ‘Lewinsky affair’ in the ‘Marshall Mathers Lp’ and shows that he is clearly opposed to President Bush’s ‘holy crusade’ against terrorism:
The boogie monster of rap , yeh, the man’s back!
With a plan to ambush the Bush administration
Moosh the Senate’s face in, push this generation
Of kids to stand for the right to say somethin
You might not like, this white hot light I’m under
No wonder I look so suburnt
The new generation is tired of the empty speeches of the government. The young generation refuses to be manipulated and to be the government’s puppets for war purposes.
Eminem’s voice sound like the voice of a ‘White Trash Prophet’ and started opening people’s consciousness which is the first step to a new world order with more justice, hope and ,above all, free speech.