Music is the primary means through which people convey their deepest desires, visions, and troubles, among others. Almost every ceremony such as funerals, weddings, and parties are accompanied by music. Notably, music has evolved dramatically over the years. The contemporary musical genres are highly distinctive from those of the past. This musical evolution can be demonstrated by Eminem’s music. Eminem is a prolific contemporary rapper. His raps are characterized by overly aggressive beats and lyrics. Explored in this paper are his musical contributions and achievements as a hip hop artist.
Notable Events
Even as a young child, Eminem had a passion for rapping. At the age of fourteen, the young rapper participated in local open-mic contests with his peers. A few years later, Eminem had established ‘D12’, a group comprised solely by rappers. It was through this group and its music that he gained fame and attracted a famous record producer known as Dr. Dre. Just like any other music producer, this one saw talent and great potential in Eminem and dedicated most of his time to nurture the young talented rapper (Meekin, 2015). Eminem was thereafter able to produce successful albums such as ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ with the help of his new producer. Eminem’s raps are unique and roaring hits. Additionally, the majority of his rap songs narrate the problems that he has faced with his family and in his career. Notably, the themes in his rap have brought him closer to his fans since they are able to connect with him on an emotional level. Nonetheless, one of the most controversial aspects of his music is the lyrics that he uses. The famous rapper is known for his explicit use of words and the tendency to convey aggressive signals in his music. Despite all this, he has won the hearts of both his fans and those who critique his music.
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Marshall Mathers, otherwise known as Eminem is a prodigious rapper who narrates his personal and professional struggles in his songs. Mathers was born in 1972 into a poverty-stricken family in Missouri. However, he mostly stayed in Detroit, where he was known as M & M, which was his stage. Eminem’s popularity began at the age of fourteen when he became a battle rapper. In the years 1997, the rapper produced his first ever album “The Slim Shady EP” presenting his music brand which was dark, distressing, and fuming lyrics (Meekin, 2015). Notably, the message conveyed in the album symbolized his troubled life. During this time, the rapper had a complicated relationship with his on and off girlfriend who had just borne him a daughter. Additionally, he suffered from alcohol and drug abuse and was particularly estranged from his mother. Eminem even tried to kill himself at a particular time in his life. Even so, instead of dwelling on these problems and using them as an excuse to stop the music, Eminem drew inspiration from these issues, developing even more belligerent and offensive lyrics.
Impressed by the rappers authentic and bold rapping style, Jimmy Iovine, a producer from Enter Interscope Records approached the young rapper and connected him to a famous music producer who offered him a great musical contract. Apparently, Eminem’s first big hit “My Name Is” was produced one hour after he met Dr. Dre, the music producer. The rapper also released The Slim Shady LP afterward in the year 1999. However, not even this new album could match Marshall Mathers LP. Remarkably, two million copies of the hit song were sold during the first week after it was released. The album also made Mathers the public target and stirred a lot of hatred for him by the public. Specifically, it resulted in overheated conflict between Eminem and Christina Aguillera, a pop princess. Furthermore, the song also forced his mother to file a defamation complaint against him even though the case was later laid off by a judge. Eminem was further blamed of homophobia and chauvinism especially due to the songs “Kill You” and “Kim.” Nonetheless, the rapper prospered on the controversy and became determined to produce more albums.
Notably, not even convictions and assault charges have deterred Eminem from producing music. The rapper has had his share of experiences with the criminal justice system. For instance, he was sentenced to community service at a particular time in his life after finding his wife with another man. Nevertheless, he persevered and recorded more songs such as the “Devils Night” even at such difficult times. Eminem is not only a musician but an actor as well. He is one of the characters in the film “8 miles,” which narrates his life, from tatters to riches. Eminem has won his share of awards over the years, which are worth mentioning in his bibliography. In the years 2001, he attained the Academy Award for the song ‘Lose Yourself, which was derived from the ‘film 8 Mile.’ The award was the first of its kind, and Eminem was the first rap artiste to be presented with it due to his authentic raps (Meekin, 2015). Furthermore, in the year 2010, Eminem was entitled the ‘Emcee of the year’ by a well prominent website HipHopDx as well as ‘the hottest Mc’ by MTV. In addition, he has also named the Global icon in 2013 at the MTV EMA Musical Awards. He has also earned the “Grammy” for the majority of his albums which is one of his recent achievements.
Musical Contributions
Eminem’s musical legacy will live for generations, not only due to his unique lyrics and musical brand but due to his contributions to music. One of Eminem’s significant contributions is changing hip-hop into a commercial global-conqueror. Eminem has sold over a hundred million albums globally. In the 2000s, he was the best-selling musician in every genre. Notably, his recently released album “Revival” became one of the most demanded albums worldwide. His work has enabled hip-hop to become dormant over others. Eminem proved that hip-hop could conquer the world aesthetically and commercially. Furthermore, Eminem’s rapping style has inspired other hip-hop musicians to experiment and be gallant with their flows (Embley, 2018). His music has given rise to a new genre of hip hop and a unique music style. Musicians such as Kendrick Lamar now change between voices and characters within the verses, a tactic derived from Eminem’s songs. Eminem raps which are characterized by hyper speed and irregular rhythm allow him to rap with pitch and rapidity to forge a unique delivery style. Eminem’s raps have revolutionized ordinary raps.
Undeniably, Eminem has unlocked the doors for white rappers which is another significant contribution. Initially, the whites were underrepresented in hip-hop as compared to African/Americans. Eminem’s domination in this genre has been beneficial to white rappers since they no longer care about the controversies behind white rappers and have been motivated to enter into hip-hop despite the stigma that is associated with White rapping. Eminem has given credibility to White rappers (Embley, 2018). Indeed, white rappers would not be where they are today being it not for Eminem’s bold moves. As a result, the music industry has been able to explore new talents and different music styles, which have increased the levels of profits attained in this sector. Furthermore, rap music is no longer reserved for the blacks alone; white people have also been given a platform in which they can narrate their stories through rap.
What Eminem’s Music Reveals about the evolution of Music Styles in America’s Popular Music
Eminem’s music reveals that music styles have changed dramatically over the years. In addition, it also indicates that the music styles will undergo even further evolution as the years go by. For instance, lyrics will become more unpredictable and musical equipment’s such as guitars whose use has declined over the years will be embraced and used to create more exciting music and beats. Furthermore, there is a great possibility for lyrics to become more aggressive and edgy ( Short, 2013 ). Moreover, artists have a high likelihood of becoming more daring and experimental, incorporating vulgar words into their lyrics. Notably, in the past, artists were very cautious of the messages that they conveyed in their music. Nonetheless, the evolution of music styles has significantly transformed musical content and the manner through which the message is communicated to the audience. More curse words have become a conventional norm in contemporary music. In addition, drug references and progressive politics have also become common ( Short, 2013 ). Musical styles are expected to evolve, and musicians are anticipated to become more daring and engage blatantly with query themes. Additionally, it is also likely for artists to dwell more on the negative aspects of their lives to develop aggressive and more hostile beats. Furthermore, more vivid words and imagery will be used to create vivid images in the minds of the readers.
Eminem is one of the most prodigious rappers in the twenty-first century. He has created a unique musical trademark characterized by angry, offensive, and aggressive lyrics and beats. Indeed, the rapper has been able to touch the hearts of many fans and his critiques due to the themes that are conveyed by his raps which are mostly about his life and career struggles. Eminem has depicted himself as a novelty act throughput his musical career, becoming the most dominant artists of the twenty-first century, as well as a force to be reckoned with. He has not only traversed color boundaries but genre boundaries as well with his intense and rock-tinted raps. His troubled life, hot temper, and tendency to deviate from the law, however, make his career life is very unpredictable. Yet, it is clear that his music has made history and created a legacy for this white rapper.
References
Embley, J., (2018). Five ways Eminem changed hip hop. Go London Newsletter. Retrieved from
https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/music/eminem-changed-hip-hop-influence-tour- rappers-a3887126.html
Meek in, P., (2015). The 5 most pivotal moments of Eminem’s career. Retrieved from
https://www.axs.com/the-5-most-pivotal-moments-of-eminem-s-career-46424
Short, H. (2013, January). Say what you say (Eminem): Managing verbal boundaries when using rap in music therapy, a qualitative study. In Voices: A world forum for music therapy (Vol. 13, No. 1).
