Eminem is popular with white audiences in large measure because the African American gangsta rap icon Dr. Dre himself is one of the most misogynous and homophobic figures in the history of rap music. In other words, Eminem and Dre are modeling a perverse sort of interracial solidarity that comes at the expense of women. But Marshall Mathers, if he ever was an underdog, has long since crossed over into the role of bully.
Unlike most bullies this side of right-wing talk radio, however, he has a very large microphone and now a screen presence. One glaring similarity is the folklore that Mathers has actively constructed about his famously difficult childhood. Narcissistic batterers frequently paint themselves as the true victims.
But it is not as well-known that batterer intervention counselors hear this excuse every single day from men who are in court-mandated programs for beating their girlfriends and wives.
She pushed my buttons and I just reacted. You deserve our empathy and support. But you have no right to pass on your pain to other people.
Many people psychoanalyze him from a distance and argue that his problems with women stem from his stormy relationship with his mother.
This may or may not be true, but it is an excuse that abusive men often make for their behavior. It is hard to say what percentage of the Eminem faithful relate to his oft-articulated rage at his mother. But consider this anecdotal evidence. Mathers and no doubt other mothers by extension. Why is this aspect of the Eminem phenomenon such a cause for concern? No one begrudges Eminem, or anyone else, the right to have issues — including in some cases being very angry with their mothers.
Poor women — especially poor women of color — are easy scapegoats for many societal problems. Might we have some compassion for her as we are asked to for him?
Why was she constantly struggling financially? How did educational inequities and lack of employment opportunities affect her life, her family experiences, her education level, her dreams, her ability to be a good parent?
As a woman, how did sexism shape her choices? What was her personal history, including her history with men? Was she ever abused? We know a lot of women with substance abuse problems develop them as a form of self-medication against the effects of trauma. What is the connection between Ms. A more thoughtful approach would seek to understand their plight, and while such an understanding would provide no excuse for abusive behavior if that is what Eminem actually experienced , it would give it much-needed context.
Unfortunately, this context is notably absent from much political discourse — and from 8 Mile. Go figure. A handful of guests make appearances over the course of the track, minute album, but it's clearly the Eminem show, as his id and his demons, both personal and professional, take center stage. It's a vivid look inside the thenyear-old's headspace and remains an intoxicating portrait of fame and its trappings. But the push-pull of his private life and public persona was far from over, and Em was arrested outside a Warren bar just two weeks after the album's release in connection with a dispute involving Kim and an unloaded gun.
The album remained a lightning rod throughout a tumultuous year, right up until Grammy night, when Eminem performed a duet with Elton John as a way to address his accusations of homophobia. The album was nominated for Album of the Year but lost to Steely Dan's "Two Against Nature," which wasn't the first or the last time the Grammys have gotten things wrong. And it's that personal narrative that makes it so compelling. Prankster, villain, anti-hero, the new Elvis: "I am whatever you say I am," Em raps.
Home Opinion Columnists Blogs Editorials. When he was 12, mother and son finally settled in a small house on Eight Mile Road - the dividing line between Detroit's black and white communities which he has now captured on film.
And me growing up on both sides. Her family was as troubled as his and she moved in with the Mathers when she was But after five turbulent years under the same roof, Debbie had had enough. When she insisted that Kim move out, Eminem went with her. Working as a dishwasher and cleaner by day, he spent his nights trying to break into Detroit's hip-hop scene. The film 8 Mile describes a week in the life of Jimmy "Rabbit" Smith Jr, who lives with his mother and sister in a depressing trailer park.
But unlike Eminem, who has feuded with his mother for years, Jimmy has a loving relationship with his alcoholic mother. The star is passionate about the story. And she is unlikely to be impressed by Basinger's alcoholic character. She recently dismissed the film, saying: "I don't care about the drug-crazed mother in 8 Mile.
He's ashamed at what she is and doesn't want to become that. He wants to be able to pull himself out of that, pull his little sister out of it and maybe, eventually, pull his mother out of it, too. After all, he struggled against the odds for seven years to become a respected artist, until a second-place finish at the Rap Olympics in LA got him a record deal.
Top producer Dr Dre signed him, groomed him and wised him up the business. He may have failed the 9th grade three times before dropping out of school but Eminem has become a shrewd operator. For his film debut, he surrounded himself with the same kind of top talent that has made him the best-selling rap artist. Hanson described Eminem as a natural movie star and spent an unheard-of six weeks rehearsing with him before shooting the film in Detroit.
He believed his star would shine in his hometown and he filled most of the support roles with Detroit natives.
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