jimrex's Full Review: The Eminem Show [PA] [Limited] by Eminem
Overprotective mothers of the world rejoice! Eminem, Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers, whatever you care to call him, is done. The much vilified king of ultra offensive rap is no more. The game... to quote someone famous who I can't think of at the moment... is up.
Where do I get off making such bold pronouncements despite the fact Mr. Eminem is at the peak of his popularity, riding high in not only the charts but with his new movie '8 Mile'?? Who am I you ask?
It's who I'm not that's significant.
I'm not a disillusioned 14 year old pushed around by his stepfather, bullied at school, ignored by all the hot girls in grade nine.
I'm definitely not an inner city kid, misunderstood by the world, carrying a gun under his trench coat.
I can't even pretend I'm a hip 20-something music lover with his finger on the pulse of what's hot in American music anymore.
Which is exactly my point.
I'm in my 30's, short hair, sensible shoes, carry a briefcase. I didn't spend the weekend hip-hopping in some illegal gangsta bar in an abandoned warehouse near the river... if places like that even exist. I painted my bedroom actually, light blue, really brightens the place. I also had a soccer game, then went to the pub afterwards with some of my teammates, all married or divorced, receeding hairlines, pictures of small children in their wallets. We ordered a heaping plate of greasy nachos, couple pitchers of beer, then leaned back in our barstools, a free hand stuck in the wasteband of our muddy shorts, and shot, as they say, the breeze.
The conversation flowed from the game, to Man this is Damn Fine Beer, back to the game, and finally settled on music. We all agreed. That new Eminem CD 'The Eminem Show' is pretty awesome. It's dope. It's happenin'. The dude can SING. He the man. I believe someone even called it hep.
It's the lyrics... they speak to us. What guy pushing 40 up to his eyeballs in lawyers and ex-wives can't relate to the classic line of 'I just settled all my lawsuits, %*$&# you Debbie!' Or what about the touching song he lets his daughter sing at the end, 'My Dad's Gone Crazy'.. I mean, come on, that's just.... precious. All fathers want to show off their kids. In 'Superman' he sings about sleeping with strippers. Not that any of us have done that, but that doesn't mean we can't relate. Want to relate. Want another example... tell me what teenager out there understands the line 'I know that you got a job Mrs.Cheney but your husband's heart problems complicatin'? I don't recall knowing who the VP was when I was 12.
The music is catchy, the beat is .. hell, it's addictive. The lyrics are inventive, unique, funny. You can plop the CD in as background music while you're signing those contracts, clearing up your paperwork, even entertaining clients. It's upbeat, lively, sure to spark conversation. Sure they lyrics are offensive, but if you don't read the CD jacket you'll never have a clue what he's saying, so you can safely sing along in front of anyone, just make up the words as you go: Oh the fcc won't let me be or let me be me dee deeedle dee they try to shut me down on MTV shoodle whap shoodle wee... see, it's fun. Look kids! I'm a rapper!
Somewhere along the line Eminem stopped speaking to the youth of the world, and started speaking, well.. to us. The youngsters just haven't realized it yet. His wife, his baby girl, his lawyers, his hassles trying to make his way through the trials of adulthood... Eminem was forced to grow up fast, and the reason kids loved him is he pulled no punches, always told it like it was. Adults may lie, but Eminem told the truth. But he grew up too fast. He accelerated past his target audience and landed smack dab into a group of suburban soccerdads who still think it's cool to carry those little combs in their backpockets.
We like him. We really do.
And tell me, what self-respecting teenager wants the same CD collection as his girlfriend's FATHER?
CYA Slim Shady. It was fun while it lasted. In two years you'll be sandwiched between Sting and Elton John on the K-Lite FM's of the world. Excellent new album by the way, good show. Love it.
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