EminemBase wrote:
A lot of people think doing a song with Rihanna is selling-out but to me that's not because the motive was quite obviously the fact she was a very public victim of domestic abuse and the song is about that, so it's an uncomfortable paradox. Like him performing with Elton in front of GLAAD.
Ahh I was just going to bring that analogy up! I was going to say plenty of people would argue with you that having people link Pink and Rihanna on his album is selling out. However, I agree with you on that he didn't sell out of that, he was very relevant to his music which is what he is all about.
EminemBase wrote:Things like that, are artistically motivated.
Ok, keep this in mind. I'm going to reference it later.
EminemBase wrote:But you can't seriously believe his main motive of a 30 second ice tea commercial, for millions of dollars, was the commercial itself. I can tell from your responses you're not dumb, so I don't believe you think that.
You're right, I don't. Clearly money is a part of this or else he would have done it for free. However the reason I draw the line is because he has always been about creative freedom and expressing himself and I just personally believe he accomplished this. I just think he managed to collaborate making money, having publicity and not selling out his image pretty well. Of course he has nothing to do with iced tea and I'm sure he doesn't even drink it and that can be brought into question, I understand that. Em has just never struck me as a guy that has done it souly for the money. He is the world's biggest artist and yet he doesn't even make the most in his field. He has had plenty of Superbowls and other opportunities to endorse I'm sure and turned them down because he felt like he would be selling out or they didn't give him creative freedom. I think Lipton was very wise in approaching him differently. Em got paid and kept his freedom, Lipton got some great advertisement time out of it. [/quote]
EminemBase wrote:So, just because the commercial itself is funny, I don't think that justifies the act. Like I say, there's different degrees of selling-out. So, let's call it the low-end then. But it's still a compromise, randomly endorsing something for a pay-off.
Ahh see I don't think it isn't selling out because it was funny, I think it wasn't because of the creative freedom. He kind of did his own thing. I will compromise with you on that there are different degrees. He did get paid for a company to promote their product. I just don't think there has to always be a negative connotation with doing that always.
EminemBase wrote:Like I say, and this is a perfectly valid analogy - if he did a song with Backstreet Boys then, but the song turned out good and he remained true to himself, would you consider that not selling-out too? If he got paid off to do it. It's still taking money to associate himself with something he wouldn't otherwise, if NOT for the money...
I don't think it would be possible for Em to stay true to himself if he collaborated with the Backstreet Boys. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say some how they pulled off a rap song with all the backstreet boys then yes I do think he would be selling out because part of the thing he stands for is working with real talented artists that he respects and I don't honestly believe Em does have respect for them deep down inside. Especially if he did it for money because he would have no other reason to do so because he doesn't respect them but is merely getting a pay check out of it. I think Em respected this commercial and the work put into it. It was well done. But people would argue just the opposite so who knows, that's the great debate haha.[/quote]