The Eminem Blog

D12 member Kuniva has many aliases. He is also known as Hannz G aka Rondell Beene. His real name is Van Carlisle.
He was born in Detroit on December the 10th 1976. He and Kon Artis belong to the group Da Brigade.
It is known that Kuniva battled Eminem in a freestyle battle to prove his credibility.
He won the 2000 Underground Young Gun Award for ‘Funky Fresh In The Flesh’.
D12 member Kuniva doesn’t like to talk to much, but rather to observe people’s conversations:
‘It’s best to remain silent and be thought of as stupid, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.’ (Kuniva)
Like his other D12 fellows, Van Carlisle is attached to Detroit:
‘I’m proud of where I’m from. Detroit has been overlooked for so many years as far as hip-hop and there’s a lot of talent here. Just like Eminem came back and got us, we want to do the same thing with other artists. It’s about being somebody
and doing something with yourself.”
Besides their hard work, one of the D12 crew’s main goals is the promotion of their hometown and to make people discover some other local talents made in Rock City.
Kuniva, who states that the D12 crew is “here to bring the sick, the obscene, the disgusting”, has contributed to the success of the best rap group of all times: D12.

When people talk about D12, they usually talk more about Eminem or the D12 group globally. People rarely talk about the other D12 members individually, although there is a lot to say about a member like Kon Artis, for instance.
Denine Porter aka Mr Denaun Porter aka Kon Artis was born on December the 7th, 1976 in Detroit.
He had a passion for basketball and wanted to play in the NBA, but unfortunately, he got shot in the leg and had to stop playing basketball.
It is also known that he loves bowling.
Kon Artis grew up at 7 Mile Road.
Some bad mouthed people also say that he used to steal cars before being famous. True or not, you can hardly grow up in a ghetto like 7 Mile Road without being a real gangsta. And the D12 crew is composed of Runyan Avenue soldiers, as we know.
Most of the people ignore that Kon Artis has produced most of the Infinite album with Eminem. Besides the D12 group, Kon Artis used to belong to the group Da Brigade with his fellow Kuniva. They both had an unreleased CD that was supposed to be released on Federation Records, but the label broke down before the Cd could be released.
When his group D12 was targetted by the media about violence, Kon Artis reacted this way and justifiedly pointed out their hypocrisy:
‘You can’t just ridicule us for being real, the media is real. ‘Faces of Death,’ that’s a movie you can buy in a video store. I can’t even watch that movie for 10 minutes. I’m not that sick.’
When he’s not recording, Kon Artis spends time producing. He has worked with some other famous artists such as Method Man, as he points it out in an interview given to Chronic Magazine:
‘I stayed in the studio. I was working on other people’s
albums. I [produced] “P.I.M.P.” and “Stunt 101” [for G-Unit]. I
worked on the 8 Mile Soundtrack. I worked with Method Man, Redman,
Bilal, Rah Digga, Snoop Dogg.’
Kon Artis also revealed some interesting infos about the upcoming D12 album in the same interview:
‘It’s not the same sound of the last album. “Loyalty” is a
good song. It [describes] our relationship as D-12 – our loyalty to
each other before our loyalty to the label. Sometimes that’s more
important. People look at us as a group that was just put together,
but we really grew up together. We’re really a group. “Good Die
Young” focuses on early demise. I wonder what Pac and Biggie would
be doing right now if they were still alive. “Bitch” is funny. You
would expect us to be doggin’ a chick, but it’s a funny story about
men v. women. This album is different from a lot of music that’s out
right now.’
It is so true that the D12 group is a story of loyalty. True friends who grew up in the same part of Detroit and who will stay friends for life.
Being asked if stardom has had negative effects on him, Kon Artis responded:
‘I used to like to go to the hood a lot to free my mind and
get it away from being in a place where my friends couldn’t live
next door. But, I had to learn to [let that go]. They’re still my
friends. It’s hard for me to have relationships. I haven’t been able
to have a person life. I already have trust issues with women. My
personal life is “let me go to the studio with Dre.” He’s works in
the back room and I work in the front room. I work that close to him
everyday. I had to move to California. That was tough. I’m so used
to Detroit. I can’t go certain places that I want to go. Niggas that
don’t have nothing or anything to lose don’t have respect for life.
So, a little chain or some diamonds will make them want to take from
you. I’m not going to put myself in that predicament, so I go to the
club deep. If you’re going to go at me, you’re going to go at the
rest of these niggas ‘ period. It has to be that way. Other than
that”
His point of view on fame is also summarized in ‘When The Music Stops’:
‘I was happy having a deal at first,
Thought money would make me happy but
It only made my pain worst,
It hurts when u see ur friends turn their back on u dawg
When u ain’t got nothing left but ur word and ur balls
N ur stress full of cause
Of ur new friends they beggin with their hands out
Checking for ur record when its selling
When it aint, that’s the end, no laughs
No friends no girl
Just the gin u drink till u car spin u then
Screech
Damn!
Crash
U slam into the wall and u fall
Out the car, trying to crawl with one arm
About to lose it all in a pool of alcohol
If my funeral’s tomorrow, wonder if they would even call when the music stops…’
If you want to listen to some former songs featuring Kon Artis, you will be able to listen to ‘Skull Therapy’ and ‘Searchin” here:
http://d12_israel.tripod.com/links/kon.html
You may find some additional info on Kon Artis’ personal webpage:
http://www.djknice.com/KonArtisArtistPage.htm
As Kon Artis points it out ‘ Everyone in my group is just dope lyrically’. So dear fellow Eminem and D12 lovers, take time to study each MC of the group. Each of them brings a particular note to the Dirty Dozen group

January the 22nd, Detroit, 8 Mile Road. A woman gets carjacked by a young man. A very common situation at 8 Mile Road. The only difference is that the woman sitting in the car is known by the public. She is even one of the most hated women in Detroit : Eminem’s mom, Debbie Mathers.
The incident took place around 11 :30 while Debbie was sitting in her honda accord. She was pumping gas at a B.P when a teenager approched her car, holding a silver gun. He forced her and her dog our of the car. It is known that Debbie suffered injuries : bruises, a broken foot, neck pain and insomnia.
Eminem’s mom has been shocked by the incident : ‘ this is something that doesn’t just go away overnight, ‘ Debbie Mathers says.
The police found Debbie’s attacker and identified him as James Antonio Knott, a local teen from Detroit. When he attacked her, he had no idea of her identity.
Quoting Sgt Frank slone of the Oak Park police :
‘ I think this was just a random carjacking. This has been happening in this area. ‘
Police arrested Knott after he got stuck in the traffic about a mile from the gas station.
Accoring to Lt John Mc Neilance of the Oak Park Public safety department, Knott forced Debbie out of the car.
When the tragic incident happened, Marshall was shooting his video in LA and he couldn’t be reached by his mom.
When she eventually got to talk to him, he reacted badly and was angry with his mom :
‘ Look bitch, of all places for this to go down, Eight Mile Road, where my movie was filmed ! Couldn’t you pick another place for this to happen ? ‘
I guess that if she could have choosen, Debbie wouldn’t have wanted this event to have taken place in her life.
Eminem’s mom wants her attacker to be punished. But she also feels sorry for him. Isn’t she a bit contradictory ? Is that just another publicity stunt to attract people’s attention on her case ?
Debbie has been followed by bad luck in the last years.
She had legal battles with Marshall who gave a true description of her addiction in his songs. But she never won those battles. Simply because there is no defamation in telling the truth.
She’s currently battling with cancer and she cannot afford the costs for an operation. And now being carjacked’
We may not doubt Debbie’s sincerity for once. Why ?
I think that Debbie shows concern for Knott’s case, because she knows that a 16 years old boy may face 10 to 18 years in jail for his action. I think that she is very conscious that in Knott’s case the sentence may be harder for a man with a dark skin. 8 Mile Road, as Eminem’s movie talks about, is also the place for racial segregation and discrimination.

The D12 thugs are back with a brand new song and video : 40 oz. You gotta love this song that puts you in the typical athmosphere of the Detroit underground. ‘ 40 oz ‘ is an ode to beer. Beer that makes the D12 crew act weird and become a real menace to the Detroit clubs.There are explicit references to guns and drugs which belong to the Detroit underground scene.
Bizarre starts rapping and appears as a real menace in the video. Drunk as much as possible, Bizarre is ready to start fighting. He’ ready to start some problems in the club and shows a very provocative side. You’d better be careful :
‘We fucked up
let us in the club
One of y’all niggas gon’ catch a slug
I’m so drunk i could hurl for a month
Any nigga pop’s, go to the trunk
D12 start shit, nigga come get us…’
Bizarre reminds people of his roots: 7 Mile Road. One of the scariest place in Detroit:
‘7 Mile Runyan, wild niggas wit us
cause all my niggas is talkin’ that shit
Ain’t got no problem, with smackin no bitch
I’ll have my wife, cut your throat
Blunts, gans , that’s all we smoke
Wile the fuck out, stab you with a knife
It’s D12 nigga, we ready to fuckin’ fight…’
Bizarre and Eminem both make a reference to Runyan Avenue at 7 Mile Road.Two other references of this place can be found in D12 lyrics such as ‘Shit Can Happen’ and ‘Fuck Battlin” featuring Bugz.
The Detroit underground is very inspirational to many artists. You will find Bizarre’s former track ‘What What’ and Eminem and Swifty ‘s work with Da Ruckus ‘We shine’ on the ‘Silent Records’ website. You will also discover some Detroit underground artists like ‘Uncle Ill ‘ on the same website. Check it out:
http://www.the-s.com/index_frames.htm
Eminem impersonates the next drunk thug. Nobody will be secure against him. He is ready to attack you and you’d better react on time :
[Eminem]
Who tryin’ to be the first one to catch this blade in their throat
You know the po-po don’t let me hold them toasters no mo’
I just clapped three people, you gon’ be number four
If you don’t back the fuck up, and get the fuck up off the flo’
My crew is takin over as soon as we hit the do’
You hit the door then we comin’ in and you goin’ home
Security that can’t even stop us because they know
Runyan Avenue soldiers hold it down wherever we go
Suckin on our 40’s and holdin up .44’s
We come with toasters like we just opened saving’s and loans
And we don’t need your brew tonight homie we brought our own
So grab whatever you sippin on and let’s get it on!!!!
Kuniva follows Eminem. He makes a sarcastic comment about the crew’s weapon possession.The security guards will let them in, they don’t seem to handle the situation. They are probably afraid of the drunk Runyan avenue soldiers:
[Kuniva]
‘We deep as a muvafucker, we ’bout to get it crunk
you just another punk in the club about to get jumped
I settle my vendettas with AK’s, berettas
We dont supposed to be in here with our weapons but still they let us
Switchblade, brass knuckles, nickel plated belt buckle
Broken beer bottles, when we walk in you can smell trouble
Elbows flying, bitches crying, niggas bleeding, you retreating
Run into your car and skatin off free g-ing
We make examples out of you haters runnin’ your mouth
You the reason why your peoples is pourin their 40’s out
Dirty Dozen wiling, beat niggas bloody
And you gon’ have to pour out a keg for all your homies’
But Proof will probably be their worst nighmare: alcoholic, raised by drunks. He is ready to beef as the real gangsta he is. Blunts and alcohol belong to his crazy way of life and he will heat the beef.
Don’t forget that ‘because of Proof they put the G in the alphabet’.
It is a matter of fact D12 has often been accused of promoting violence. Little did you know : violence is an every day reality in the Detroit ghetto.
Urban violence in Detroit is something common. It often happens that kids become victims of this violence :
http://www.freep.com/news/metro/shoot14_20020514.htm
The D12 haven’t created it. They just talk about in their songs.
The ‘ 40 oz ‘ video will make you penetrate in the thug universe of Detroit. An atmosphere that you have discovered through the ‘ Devil’s Night ‘ album and that you have probably enjoyed a lot. As well as they made you appreciate their former work, the D12 crew will make you enjoy their newest ode to beer.
What! What! ………..
[Intro: Kuniva]
Yeah nigga!
Its D12 up in this mothafucka
you know how we get
We wilin’ in the club
Everybody get crunk
Detroit too nigga
So wile the fuck out!
[Chorus:]
Pour your 40 out and guzzle it! [ x 8 ]
Bitch!!!
[Bizzare]
We fucked up
let us in the club
One of y’all niggas gon’ catch a slug
I’m so drunk i could hurl for a month
Any nigga pop’s, go to the trunk
D12 start shit, nigga come get us
7 Mile Runyan, wild niggas wit us
cause all my niggas is talkin’ that shit
Ain’t got no problem, with smackin no bitch
I’ll have my wife, cut your throat
Blunts, gans , that’s all we smoke
Wile the fuck out, stab you with a knife
It’s D12 nigga, we ready to fuckin’ fight
[Repeat Chorus]
[Eminem]
Who tryin’ to be the first one to catch this blade in their throat
You know the po-po don’t let me hold them toasters no mo’
I just clapped three people, you gon’ be number four
If you don’t back the fuck up, and get the fuck up off the flo’
My crew is takin over as soon as we hit the do’
You hit the door then we comin’ in and you goin’ home
Security that can’t even stop us because they know
Runyan Avenue soldiers hold it down wherever we go
Suckin on our 40’s and holdin up .44’s
We come with toasters like we just opened saving’s and loans
And we don’t need your brew tonight homie we brought our own
So grab whatever you sippin on and let’s get it on!!!!
[Repeat Chorus]
[Kuniva]
We deep as a muvafucker, we ’bout to get it crunk
you just another punk in the club about to get jumped
I settle my vendettas with AK’s, berettas
We dont supposed to be in here with our weapons but still they let us
Switchblade, brass knuckles, nickel plated belt buckle
Broken beer bottles, when we walk in you can smell trouble
Elbows flying, bitches crying, niggas bleeding, you retreating
Run into your car and skatin off free g-ing
We make examples out of you haters runnin’ your mouth
You the reason why your peoples is pourin their 40’s out
Dirty Dozen wiling, beat niggas bloody
And you gon’ have to pour out a keg for all your homies
[Repeat Chorus]
[Proof]
I was raised by drunks, so I became a drunk
80 Proof on this vodka, that’s the name I want
I’m in the club to beef, you gotta murder me then
Only talk to a bitch with burgundy hair
Or the aisle in the back, bump a seven deuce
See that top on that 40, you know it’s comin’ loose
See me on the Ave. daily, we runnin’ this shit
If your chick get loud, I g-money that bitch
Packin mags and clips, I’ll smash your clique
Because of Proof they put the “G” in the alphabet
Smoking weed, drinking henny, remy, in that Jimmy
Don’t worry if we run out the corner store got plenty

DETROIT (AP)–Eminem’s mother wants to see a 16-year-old punished for carjacking and robbing her, but she’s also distressed to think he could spend the next decade or more in prison.
http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/featr/content/features/entertainment/ap_story.html/Entertainment/AP.V0046.AP-People-Eminems.html;COXnetJSessionID=A8KtUEQ7Hs2UoAD1jdzH9I2yF1djRLdFmqRaEZgeO7gsoZSWFKFf!-1088967648?urac=n&urvf=10818873416070.43037152920450017
Debbie Nelson said she’s struggling to get over the Jan. 22 gas station robbery on Eight Mile Road, a strip that divides Detroit from its suburbs and was made famous by her son’s movie, “8 Mile.” She said she suffered bruises, a broken foot, neck pain and insomnia.
“This is something that doesn’t just go away overnight,” Nelson, 49, said in an interview Monday.
She said she was in her car, resetting the trip odometer while getting fuel, when her attacker waved a silver revolver in her face, punched her in the head and dragged her and her dog, a lab mix named Itchy, from the car.
James Antonio Knott is scheduled to be sentenced next week and could face 10-18 years in prison on charges of carjacking and armed robbery, said Oakland County prosecutor Margaret Scott.
Knott pleaded guilty and has said through his attorney that he used a BB gun in the robbery, not a handgun. Scott said investigators never recovered a weapon.
Police arrested him after he got stuck in traffic in Nelson’s 2002 Honda Accord about a mile from the gas station. He ran from the car and was caught, Scott said.
Nelson said Monday she hadn’t received the contents of her handbag, which was in the car and contained her cell phone, identification, house keys, pictures of her two sons and more than $3,100 cash.
Nelson’s rocky relationship with her son, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, has been well-known since the Detroit rapper became a star. He has disparaged her in his music and she has settled two defamation lawsuits over his statements that portrayed her as an unstable drug user

Eminem’s movie has brought him acclaim and sympathy from people who would have despised him before. The day he was giving his concert in France on June 2003, I have talked to the hotel manager in front of the concert hall. He has told me:
‘I didn’t like Eminem several years before. But it went to watch 8 Mile with my son. Since then, I do respect him a lot.’
It seems like 8 Mile has brought more mainstream acclaim in Eminem’s carreer.
But his movie has also raised some controversy in Detroit from some Highland Park citizens who were protesting Eminem for burning down a house. An abandonned house that was already known as a crack house:
http://216.109.117.135/search/cache?p=Dozens+Protest+Eminem+movie+in+Highland+Park&ei=UTF-8&cop=mss&u=www.clickondetroit.com/news/1092851/detail.html&w=dozens+protest+eminem+movie+in+highland+park&d=16B017DC4A&c=483&yc=44854&icp=1
Eminem has been accused to ‘give Warren a bad name’. How hypocritical. Warren doesn’t need Eminem to have a bad name.
The burning of the abandonned house has ignited a debate in Detroit. People like City counsilman Earl O. Wheeler was totally opposed to the burning of the houses:
“Burning a house for a movie sets an example for our children. It says to them that burning a house is good.”
I don’t think he is right. The 8 Mile movie is talking about real facts. Only responsible parents will help preventing from such acts. It has nothing to do with ‘8 Mile.’
Will people held Eminem responsible for every burnt house in Detroit? That’s simply ridiculous.
The situation of Highland Park has raised numerous debates:
http://www.freep.com/news/locway/journ28_20011128.htm
Nobody could deny Highland Park is already facing financial crisis. The region of South 8 Mile doesn’t need the movie to get bad publicity.
When ‘8 Mile’ was released, in November 2002, it also raised some debates among parents whether their kids should be allowed to watch it or not.
Some parents of Detroit gave a positive appreciation of the movie:
Robin Cusman went to see the movie with her two kids:
‘The part where they were having sex, I got the hand out.The language? You hear that every day. I go to my son’s school and you hear it. That’s real life.”
Mandisa Smith of Detroit saw “8 Mile” with her 15-year-old son, Biko:
“I thought the overarching theme of the movie was being passionately committed to one’s goals and persevering in the face of all the obstacles of your environment. I think that’s an important message for everyone — particularly young people.”
Most of the negative comments I have read on the movie are focused on strong language, the use of alcohol and drugs and both sex scenes with Kim Basinger and Brittany Murphy.
I think those scenes are taken from real life, as Robin Cusman states it. I think we shouldn’t hide reality to kids. They are intelligent enough to understand real life situation. We as parents have a responsibility to explain them what is good or bad for them.
I wouldn’t be as prude as Mrs Cusman about the sex scenes. It wouldn’t help anyway. I didn’t have to explain anything about sex to my son. He had already learnt a lot from his friends as a teenager. Parents shouldn’t be so prude about sex and do as if sexuality didn’t exist. It is something completely natural, after all.
My son saw 8 Mile with me on January 2003. He was 13 when he first watched it.
Of course, he is not totally fluent in English. But he enjoyed the movie. When
I recently asked him about what he remembers of the movie, he told me:
‘The most important is Jimmy Smith’s success in the end. There is a positive message in the movie: Jimmy struggles, he suffers, but he wins the battle in the end and captivates his audience. He manages to win his audience.’
We should be confident in our kids. They are intelligent enough to memorize the essential points in a movie. Parents, don’t forbid ‘8 Mile’ to your kids. Let them watch it, it is really worth it. Why not watch it with them: you might be surprised by the positive lesson you can learn from the movie.

Each century has its rebels.
Although he is so often described as sugarcoated by Catholics, Jesus of Nazareth was certainly a rebel against Phariseans’ hypocrisy.
At his time, Martin Luther was a rebel against Catholic Church. He was against social injustice and the exploitation of poor people.
Marcus Garvey is a symbol of rebellion against slavery and the exploitation of Blacks by White people . At the time Jamaica was still a colony, he used to say :

The day sall come when the Negro shall rise to power and the white nations shall fall

Rebel one had to become. Rebels are people who don’t accept things as they are, they are the ones who ‘through their attitude- can make things move in our society.
If you ask me, Eminem is certainly a rebel. A rebel with a cause. Because his character Slim Shady is foolish and weird, it is easy to minterpret Eminem’s words and sentences at first.
Of course, Slim Shady is deranging, because he has so many things to say that you might not like at all.
Because he points out society’s failures, Eminem is somebody comfortable people love to hate. Powerful persons often don’t want to hear stories about white trash and underground people. They usually want to comfort themselves in the myth of the American Dream.
To me, Eminem is a social commentator who points a mirror in front of suburban people to tell them:

We as a Americans
Us as a citizen
Gotta protect ourselves
Look at our shit has been
We better check ourselves
Livin up in these streets
Through worse and through better health
Surviving by any means
We as Americans
Us as a citizen
We are cemeritans
What do we get us in
We better check ourselves
Look at our shit has been
Take a look where you live
This is America
And we are Americans…

(Eminem ‘We as Americans’)
It is a strong call for people to acknowledge the harsh living conditions of people from the ghetto. Eminem doesn’t write his lyrics to please anybody. Not even his label. If you consider ‘The Way I Am’, this song is also rebellious towards the label’s wishes.
There is so much realism in many of Eminem’s descriptions. He pictures and parodies violence. Although his movie ‘8 Mile’ has brought him respect from people who used to despise him before, he’s often been accused to encourage the circle of violence that exists in the inner cities. It is completely ridiculous. Violence existed in the inner cities long before Eminem and has been pictured in many American series and movies.
Eminem wishes people to open their eyes ans to stop being such hypocrits, particularly on the topic ‘violence’. The same parents who allow their kids to play violent and scary games on their playstation and to watch some Schwarzenegger movies will be so negatively shocked by his lyrics. That’s exactly what he expresses, in ‘ Who Knew?’:

And last week, I seen a Schwarzaneggar movie
where he’s shootin all sorts of these motherfuckers with a uzi
I sees three little kids, up in the front row,
screamin “Go,” with their 17-year-old Uncle
I’m like, “Guidance – ain’t they got the same moms and dads
who got mad when I asked if they liked violence?

Eminem is talking about things people would love to hide. Like children abuse. Some closed minded people don’t understand that through his own example, he is addressing to the crowd of kids all of the world who actually suffer from their parents’ behavior. He wants people to open their minds, to open their eyes. Not every kid has a golden childhood. Some kids will grow up with deep wounds inside of their soul.
To his (negative) critics, Eminem has a message to deliver:
‘But put yourself in my position; just try to envision
witnessin your momma poppin prescription pills in the kitchen
Bitchin that someone’s always goin throuh her purse and shit’s missin
Goin through public housin systems, victim of Munchausen’s Syndrome
My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn’t…’
(Cleaning Out My Closet)
But Eminem also shows them abused kids that it is possible to succeed despite all.
Eminem is also against the sugarcoated world of the show business. He doesn’t ‘give a damn about a grammy’ and has also proven it: he doesn’t attend to each ceremony. He even shocked some fans in 2003 because he preffered spending some time at home with Hailie than attending to such ceremony (who could blame him for that?).
Eminem will always rebel against boy groups as he expressed it in ‘The Real Slim Shady’:
‘I’m sick of you little girl and boy groups, all you do is annoy me
So I have been sent here to destroy you *bzzzt*…’
Some people still don’t get it, but the newest D12 single ‘My Band’ is a parody of people who describe D12 as a band, not as a group.
No, D12 has not gone ‘pop’. D12 is still hip hop, don’t worry.
Eminem strongly rebels against the Bush administration. Some of his lyrics could be described as visionary. Yea, the vision is scary. But it is the truth.
To Marshall, only truth matters. He is a rebel. With a cause.

What is the difference between rap and hip hop?
Many people confuse both concepts. ‘Rap’ refers to the music. Hip Hop refers to the culture.
I have found 3 interesting definitions of the word ‘rap’ in the Urban Dictionnary:
1)’A form of popular music developed especially in African-American urban communities and characterized by spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics with a syncopated, repetitive rhythmic accompaniment.
A composition or performance of such music. ‘
I like this music, it is “rappin`” !
2)musical application of poetry, usually associated with the hardships of life and emotional grievances. Started up as early as the Beats (i.e. Kerouac and Cassidy) began using more experimental forms of poetry, and since has transgressed into modern pop and underground culture.
“If I could show you, you would never leave it.” –Atmosphere, the most beautiful combination of music and poetry
3)The best type of music, where harsh lyrics are combined with tight beats to create the best form of music.
Some Famous Rappers Are Tupac, Bone Thugs-n-harmony, Outlawz, and Eminem that filthy white shit
Although the first corresponds more to an exact definition of rap music, I must admit that I like the second one very much. Why? Because I do think that some rap lyrics ( not only Eminem’s, but many rapper’s lyrics) are music applied to poetry. The third definition is more subjective, but I could hardly disagree with.
Rap music comes from hip hop culture. It is one of the traditional four elements of hip hop: breakdance, graffiti, turntablism and rapping.
A good definition of the word hip hop can also be found in the urban dictionnary:
HIP HOP:
A name for the 4 elements of the late 70’s New York City renaissance which includes break dancing, emceeing, (rapping) graffiti, and turntablism.
Rap is something you do Hip Hop is something you live- KRS One
So we should use the word ‘rap’ only to define the music and ‘hip hop’ to talk about ghetto culture.
The roots of rap music can be found in the New York Bronx. You get some more precision about rap history here:
http://rap.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Frhino.com%2FFeatures%2Fliners%2F72851lin.html
It goes back to the Jamaican tradition in the early 70’s as a form of protest against poverty. Dj Kool Herc, Africa Bambataa and Grandmaster Flash are the pioneers of rap music. KRS One has also been very influentialtial to rap music:
http://www.houseofnubian.com/IBS/SimpleCat/Shelf/ASP/Hierarchy/0100.html
To me a rapper is certainly not a singer and it angers me when people talk about rappers as if they were singers.
Rapping is speaking rythmically words and it cannot be confused with singing.
The culture in which rap music was born is amazing. It requires a lot of artistic qualities.
To me, graffiti is art. Because it comes from the streets, graffiti has often been demeaned by people. Maybe also because the grapher exposes his art in an unconventional way and often on forbidden places. Taggers and graphers are rebels who may shocks so many comfortable conventional people
Most of the graffitis are beautiful and so various in their colors. It is complex work that requires lots of talent.
Not everybody can claim to be an expert breakdancer. Break dance is truly an art.
You will find some info about the birth of breakdancing on this website:
http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/patc/breakdancing/
The DJ’s have made an instrument out of the turntable. The scratches helped the DJ’s to refine their sound.
DJ Babu defined turntablism in 1995 this way:
“My definition of a Turntablist is a person who uses the turntables not to play music, but to manipulate sound and create music.”
There are two major elements in turntablism:
-scratching: it is the technique during which the turntablist moves the vinyl recors back and forth against the needle in order to produce various sounds.
-beat juggling: it is the technique that consists of using two different records and arranging the different elements in order to create a new rhythmical composition.
Although many people use rap and hip hop to refer to the music, it doesn’t refer to the same concept. KRS One gave us the right definition for us to make a real distinction between both words:
‘Rap is something you do Hip Hop is something you live’

Don’t misinterpret my intentions : despite the fact I am no Kim Mathers fan, I’m not trying to demean her. I’m just questioning myself about her whereabouts.
A little 8 years old girl in Oakland county, Michigan, is missing her mom. She probably has no idea of what is going on. Hailie hasn’t been able to see her mom for months since Kim has been jailed in February 2004.
There’s a harsh problem lying on Marshall’s shoulders.
Kim has gone AWOL. Again :
http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,13866,00.html?tnews
His baby’s mom is in danger and finds no way out of drug addiction. She doesn’t manage to get rid of drugs. Or maybe she doesn’t want to.
But Kim shouldn’t consider her interest first. She should think about her daughters Hailie and Whitney.
It is scary to see that Eminem’s ex wife acts in such a selfish and irresponsible way. She doesn’t seem to learn from her former mistakes.
Last time Kim had disappeared, she wanted to commit suicide. Marshall has rescued her from making such a mistake, because life is always worth living to the end.
While Marshall was busy appearing on German TV and making a concert in London with his D12 crew, Kim suddenly disappered, adding to Marshall’s numerous problems. Like he sings it in Hailie’s song:
‘ Now look, I love my daughter more than life in itself,
But I got a wife that’s determined to make my life livin’hell
But I handle it well, given the circumstances I’m dealt’ ‘
Marshall has invested so much in his relationship with Kim. He has also made some mistakes. He has admitted them. He has kept forgiving his ex wife and always expressed his unconditional love for her.
It seems like he’s got very little in return from Kim.
Even if Kim doesn’t want to take into account how much her ex husband has sacrificed (even financially) for her, she should at least face her responsibilities as a mom of two kids. If I was drug addicted, and the jugje would tell me : ‘ If you don’t quit drugs, you won’t see your kids again ‘, I wouldn’t hesitate one second making the right choice.
Kim has had a harsh childhood. She’s been kicked out an alcoholic home. She grew up at Marshall’s home since she was 12. She had to deal with Marshall’s fame, which is not that easy. She had to face her ex husband with the rest of the world. Her private life has been exposed in the media.
Kim’s recent whereabout are a strong SOS call. She needs some medical care. Don’t be so fast in judging her. Remember that anybody is facing dark periods in one’s life.

U.S. rapper Eminem made an appearance on German television on Tuesday and gave millions of viewers the chance to see a whole new side of him as he laid himself bare. He even attempted some rud(e)imentary German.
http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1430_A_1164699_1_A,00.html
It was asking for trouble: Take one American rapper with a penchant for scandal and offensive language and add one German television show which actively encourages such behavior as a form of entertainment. The result? German viewers being treated to the sight of U.S. star Eminem dropping his trousers and cursing, much to the delight of TV Total presenter Stefan Raab.
It all started so innocently, well, as innocently as it could possibly be when it comes to an appearance from the controversial rapper as his crew D12. After performing their latest single on the ProSieben entertainment show, Eminem turned his back to the cameras and nonchalantly dropped his baggy jeans, exposing his behind to an audience of millions. Sensing the chance to grab a slice of scandal for itself, TV Total producers lingered on the rapper’s backside for a good few seconds before it was safely encased once more in denim.
Not content with one example of Mr. Mathers’ mooning skills, presenter Raab then asked young Marshall back to repeat the feat. Happy to oblige, Eminem returned once more and repeated the airing of his nether regions for the German public. This time however, obviously aware that a bit of a flash is nowhere near his usual standard of shocking behavior, the rapper accompanied his second performance with a tirade of abuse in the German tongue.
Reveling in the freedom that German television had afforded him in comparison to the restraint of TV in his home country, the American star later commented, “We love your country!”