Eminem Discusses Comeback on 60 Minutes
By Lora Neng
WWW.STREETGANGS.COM STAFF WRITER
October 12, 2010
Once the center of much controversy, even after a long hiatus from the media, recovering from drug addiction and a failed marriage, Eminem still finds himself in the spotlight of contentious debate, and his carriage reflects a maturity developed during the slow recovery. Marshall Mathers (real name) became the subject of heated criticism when his The Slim Shady LP rose through the Grammys ranks to win Best Rap Album in 1999, inundated with accolades such as being named Artist of the Decade by Billboard magazine. His recognition brought new respect for rap music in the popular eye but raised the ire of many MCs to see a white rapper reap the awards in an African-American dominated genre.
Eminem is cognizant of those lingering upsets but has transcended his old “rebellious youthful rage,” saying, “[There's] no-getting-away-from fact that I am white and this is predominantly black music and people [are] telling me, ‘You don’t belong and you’re not gonna succeed because you’re this color.’ Then you want to show those people that you can and you will.”
There is no doubt that, in addition to business savvy, branching off to found his own record label and starring in the movie Eight Mile, an indisputable talent is still the driving force behind his career success. He demonstrates his lyrical wit to refute the naysayers’ copout that there are no words that rhyme with orange. “I can think of a lot of things that rhyme with orange… four-inch, door hinge in storage,” having ”porridge with Geo-rge.”
He has become better adept at deflecting incendiary curve-balls from the press, noting that he was not the first or only artist to rap about controversial subjects but simply gets more flack because he is white. Asked point blank, “Do you not like gay people?” Eminem answers, “I don’t have any problem with nobody.” He further explains his stance on expletives in his music: “I’m a parent; I have daughters… I mean, how would I really sound as a person? … Profanity around my house — no.” Making a clear separation between his art and his personal life, the rapper is finding a balance that his audience can continue to grow with.
Tags: 60 Minutes, eminem, interview, profanity, white rapper
Posted by Lora
on Oct 12 2010. Filed under Entertainment.
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