F Eminem

Parental Units are Adviced!!

Kind of like Jesus... everyone has an opinion about Eminem. Everyone wants to believe they have the final word on who he is and what he means. And, even though I don’t think I have the final say on either one of those men… I can still pretend to. Actually Jesus and Eminem have a lot more in common than seems immediately obvious. They are both interpreted in variously opposing ways. Everyone wants to claim them as their own - from the KKK to social activists. And, there is a strange resemblance to Jesus' question "Who do people say that I am?" and Eminem's chorus in his song "The Way I Am":

I am, whatever you say I am
If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
In the paper, the news everyday I am,

...but comparing Jesus to Eminem is a whole different post waiting to happen. This post is about turning Eminem into a feminist and social activist.

Eminem first became my gurrl after hearing his song “Slim-Shady”. I don't know, maybe it was the following lyrics that did it for me:

Feminist women love Eminem
"Slim Shady, I'm sick of him
Look at him, walkin around grabbin his you-know-what
Flippin the you-know-who," "Yeah, but he's so cute though!"
Yeah, I probably got a couple of screws up in my head loose
But no worse, than what's going on in your parents' bedrooms.

He’s hated by groups that work to eliminate hate crimes because his lyrics sometimes have derogatory words and elicit violent images against certain people like women and gays, for example. I don’t know what it was. But one day I just realized – this man is one of the best social commentators of our time (next to Homer Simpson, of course). Sure, he has a song about killing his wife but he makes up for it in style right? Actually, I don’t love all of his songs or listen to them… in fact, some of them disgust me (which is the point I’m sure) but some of them I really like. And I think that sometimes his derogatory words point out the hate that already exists.

The public uprising over his lyrics actually feeds his fame and is exactly the response he is going for… but at the same time the idea that his lyrics could actually incite violence haunts him I think. For example, in his song “Stan” he addresses a fan who takes his lyrics literally by saying:

I really think you and your girlfriend need each other
or maybe you just need to treat her better
I hope you get to read this letter, I just hope it reaches you in time
before you hurt yourself, I think that you'll be doin just fine
if you relax a little, I'm glad I inspire you but Stan
why are you so mad? Try to understand, that I do want you as a fan
I just don't want you to do some crazy shit

And his song “Sing for the Moment” is another good example of how the possible power of his lyrics haunt him:

Yet everybody just feels like they can relate, I guess words are a
mothafucka they can be great
Or they can degrade, or even worse they can teach hate
It's like these kids hang on every single statement we make
Like they worship us,
~~
It's all political, if my music is literal, and i'm a criminal how the fuck
can I raise a little girl
I couldn't, I wouldn't be fit to
~~
They say music can alter moods and talk to you
Well can it load a gun up for you, and cock it too

You know how he's called "wigger" because he's a white guy who thinks he's black? Well, I've affectionately renamed him “Feminem” because of his effort to use his so-called lyrical power to disarm our president before he invaded Iraq. (Lyrics below) Unfortunately in this case, we all found out just how ineffective his words can really be.

But, I like his rebellious spirit and politically conscious mind. He’s my gurrl.

Mosh:

Fuck Bush,
until they bring our troops home
~~
Maybe we can reach Alqueda through my speech
Let the president answer a higher anarchy
Strap him with an Ak-47, let him go, fight his own war
Let him impress daddy that way
No more blood for oil, we got our own battles to fight on our own soil
No more psychological warfare, to trick us to thinking that we ain't loyal
If we don't serve our own country, we're patronizing a hero
Look in his eyes its all lies
The stars and stripes, they've been swiped, washed out and wiped
And replaced with his own face, Mosh now or die
If I get sniped tonight you know why,
Cause I told you to fight.
~~
And as we proceed,
To Mosh through this desert storm,
In these closing statements, if they should argue
Let us beg to differ
As we set aside our differences
And assemble our own army
To disarm this Weapon of Mass Destruction
That we call our President, for the present
And Mosh for the future of our next generation
To speak and be heard
Mr. President, Mr. Senator
Do you guy's hear us...hear us...[laughing]