I think I may have misunderestimated Eminem. The beautifully animated video to his song “Mosh” is an intense, five minute, dirge-like anthem — a call to arms, a call to vote, and maybe a wake-up call for the hip-hop masses, timed cannily for the elections.
With his history of homophobia and his long-running beef with MoveOn supporter Moby, Eminem is an even less likely lefty hero than Howard Stern. But the just-released video for his new anti-Bush song “Mosh,” makes “Fahrenheit 9/11” look like a GOP campaign spot, and it will almost certainly reach an audience that wouldn’t think of shelling out for a documentary.
Music: Joe McPhee :: Nation Time
Slut, you think I won’t choke no whore ‘till the vocal cords don’t work in her throat no more?!
Bitch I’ma kill you! You don’t wanna fuck with me. Girls leave – you ain’t nuttin but a slut to me. Bitch I’ma kill you!
OK, I’m ready to go play. I got the machete from O.J.
Eminem “Kill You”
I’m not gonna be able to top ‘Elton’s gayness’. And bum-holed into sensation by a cockney sensation at rock’n’roll stations. And I just do not got the patience to deal with these cockney caucasians who think I’m some queer who just tries to hump blacks cause I talk with an accent.
Eminem “The Gay I Am”
“My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge. That’ll stab you in the head whether you’re a fag or lez. Or the homosex, hermaph or a trans-a-vest. Pants or dress hate fags? The answer’s ‘yes’.”
Eminem “Criminal”
So, just because he release one song that says “I hate George Bush” you suddenly have a change of heart about this homophobic, mysogynistic hatemonger?
Please, get some perspective. Hate is hate. Maybe you don’t like George Bush, but do you aspire to the level of hatred Eminem proposes? Really?
I know something about opening windows and doors
I know how to move quietly to creep across creaky wooden floors
I know where to find precious things in all your cupboards and drawers
Slipping the clippers
Slipping the clippers through the telephone wires
The sense of isolation inspires
Inspires me
I like to feel the suspense when I’m certain you know I am there
I like you lying awake, your baited breath charging the air
I like the touch and the smell of all the pretty dresses you wear
There’re some lyrics for you, mneptok. I’ve never let them confuse me into thinking Peter Gabriel is a serial killer.
I’ve never liked eminem because of his music; it just didn’t do anything for me. Recently he’s released some stuff that’s caused me to take a second look. Still not a convert; but I’m also not convinced he’s a hatemonger.
I do think Eminem is a hatemonger. Never been a fan, and I’m not suddenly a fan. But I didn’t think he was capable of political thought, and I would have expected that if he was, he’d be a hatemongering Bush supporter. The fact that he wrote a protest song, that it’s this powerful, and that he stands in opposition to the hatemongering current administration surprises me enough to want to post about it.
Good to hear, Scot. But i think the line, “I think I may have misunderestimated Eminem,” confused me. I read that as one song changing your opinion of him.
And it comes as no surprise to me. He’s all about hate. Another hateful song hating something else is not really a case of the leopard changing its spots, IMO.
When it comes to mongering hate, I’d say I prefer Eminiem’s brand to George Bush’s. Marshall offers insults, controversy, humor, ugliness, courage, violence, loss, irony. I see it as an opportunity for dialoge, a challenge to the senses, and a perfect example of good old American free speech.
Certainly won’t get that from Duba.
Besides, Eminem’s new video “Just Lose It” is such crap (the song, lyrics and video) that maybe he just cancels himself out – need we worry so?
Eminiem is a pop artist. He’s a rap singer and and entertainer and a very clever one at that. He constantly makes fun of himself and anyone who takes him too seriously. When he’s not having fun (like on the “Lose It” tripe or “My Band” or “Hello (My name is…)”) his whole schtick is to to take a point of view and push it to the point of absurdity – to actually make you think. This ‘mindfuck’ then becomes his form of entertainment. If you actually spend anytime to listen to his songs (and don’t simply react) you find that he makes some pretty profound points – albeit in ugly ways.
For most of us from the white/PC/suburban world it’s quite convenient to label him a hatemonger and beat on on Eminem as an example of whatever we see wrong in the culture because at his best he’s a little scary and has that artistic edge that reminds us that art (or a pop song in this case) could make a difference.
You could certainly say that he is an opportunist, a manipulator, and an equal opportunity offender. But I think the point of his “hatespeech” is not, unlike the current government, to hold power and oppress others, but to question and entertain. Getting mad at him for some lyrics really misses the point – that is if you don’t question why you are mad in the first place.
In art all sorts of things are possible. I mean Jonathan Swift in “A Modest Proposal” suggested that the Irish solve their famine problem by eating their children and went into a lot of detail about how much food they could find in childflesh. And he didnt even wink (in the text). You could read the thing straight and be very mad. And you would miss the point. There are many more examples, (Andres Serrano’s ‘Piss Christ’ or anything by Jeff Koons), but I think it’s as easy to be kneejerk righteous and ultimately ghettoized in your thinking coming from the left as it is from the right. So check yerself PC homies! Or breathe the stale air of censorship! :)
Good to see everybody talking keep it up it’s the only way well get to know one and other
So check yerself PC homies! Or breathe the stale air of censorship!
Funny. “Watch what you say, or you’ll end up censoring people.” I do so love irony.
I’m about as far from PC as you’re going to find. And nowhere have I ever advocated taking away Eminem’s right to say whatever he wants.
But remember who makes up the majority of Eminem’s fanbase. I imagine you’ll find more teenagers among them than educated adults with a deep understanding of how an agent provocateur can operate at the fringes of good taste in order to drive home a salient point. For every one person who says, “Wow, what a hateful song about homosexuals. It really makes me think long and hard about the state of homophobia in our free nation, and how such antiquated notions can continue to exist in this age of relative enlightenment,” there are three people that say, “Yeah! Fags are disgusting and should die!”
Not many Irish actually ate their kids. Matthew Shepard really happened. Your admonition to take Eminem as a serious social commentator akin to Swift falls flat given the existence of real victims.
Maybe I’d change my mind if Eminem wrote a thoughtful piece on the injustice shown Matthew. Until then, he’s a hatemonger in my book.
I’ve always believed that some how, Eminem was capable of political thought. Just because he wasn’t one of those ‘punk rockers’ that constantly write about how the government sucks, doesn’t mean he’s not capable on having an opinion.
As for being hate-filled, all people have issues with things, it’s just he likes to talk about it in his music. Not all people put their personal dislikings out there like he does, I give him credit for it.
I am not an extremely huge Eminem fan, but i’ve never had a problem with him, or any of his music. I think ‘Mosh’ is a great song, I happen to dislike Bush as well. It relates a lot to what’s going on, and he just let it all out, like he always does. I think it’s great.
One more thing, about him hating a lot, I mean, even though he talked a lot about how Elton John this, Elton John that, he still hugged him after a performance with him when they did ‘Stan’ together, instead of Dido. Obviously he’s not an overall hateful person. He cherishes his child, and he doesn’t seem like that bad of a guy. I guess his rough image creates a view on him like he’s Hitler or something.
This is kind of out of order, but it’s my opinion.