Defending Eminem

[Sekou]

Imagine you got into a discussion with somebody about music, and the person you're talking to happens to be strictly against Eminem's music.
What would you, as Eminem-supporter, have to set against the following statements?

1) - "Eminem is only successful because he is white"

2) - "He feels the need to swear 18 times every sentence; he is an uneducated idiot"

3) - "Eminem is a sellout, he used to constantly hate on popstars and now he's working with Rihanna and Bruno Mars - what's next, Rebecca Black?"

4) - "All of his songs on any given CD are exactly the same, he is always angry and raps about hating women, homosexuals and his mother"

5) - "Eminem's music teaches kids curse words and teaches them to slander women and homosexuals, sending out a hateful message. He is a horrible role model"

[SG.]

1. Artists like Jay-Z have sold close or more and they are black.

2. Swear words are flexible words, as they can be nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs... whatever you wish. Using them helps Eminem's flow and structure.

3. Everyone changes their mind. Eminem works with people he wants to work with.

4. Eminem always talks about something different. ( )

5. There's a reason it says Parental Advisory on the front.

[Mr Change]

1) Him being white has nothing to do with his rhymes being held as some of the best and most complicated of all time.

2) He is probably smarter than we are. He was raised around it, so he's gonna do it, it shouldn't matter anyway. Plus they help him rap better and thats a fact. Doesn't mean he isn't a civilized person.

3) He got older. It's not that he doesn't want to hate on popstars, and it's not like he hates them anymore either. He just doesn't feel the need to be the angry blonde boy anymore and make enemies with everyone. He wanted Rihanna on that track for a reason and Bruno Mars is a respectable artist.

4) He has plenty of songs that have nothing to do with that, even if they are reoccuring themes. If he talks about women and his mom, then let him. That's HIS subject matter. Sorry he doesn't have his rap basis around rims, gangsters, and pimpin.

5) Whoever once said that ANY Eminem song was for kids? His album will ALWAYS have a parental advisory sticker. It's not like he walks the streets of New York giving his albums to little kids, does he? He's not trying to be a good role model, and if you take him seriously on the sick stuff he says then you're sicker than he is. And he is all for gay marriage.

Oh, and he doesn't slander women. He slanders bitches.

[Sekou]

^ Valid points on 1) and 3)

The person would probably reply to 2) saying:

"If he has to use them to "help his flow and structure" and they "help him rap better", this only goes to show how uneducated he actually is and how he has to resort to the same cuss words all the time"

4) - "Fine, maybe it's just HIS style and a diversion from the same old gangsta rap, but it's idiotic how he always has to attack women and homosexuals, how can this hateful music be enjoyable?"

5) - "He knows exactly that little kids buy and listen to his music but he doesn't care. But of course he won't let his daughter listen to it. He sells a product aimed at young people and then bans it in his own home - that's hypocritical"

[Rollimeo]

3) - "Eminem is a sellout, he used to constantly hate on popstars and now he's working with Rihanna and Bruno Mars - what's next, Rebecca Black?"

I can only dream

[Mr Change]

^ Valid points on 1) and 3)

The person would probably reply to 2) saying:

"If he has to use them to "help his flow and structure" and they "help him rap better", this only goes to show how uneducated he actually is and how he has to resort to the same cuss words all the time"

4) - "Fine, maybe it's just HIS style and a diversion from the same old gangsta rap, but it's idiotic how he always has to attack women and homosexuals, how can this hateful music be enjoyable?"

5) - "He knows exactly that little kids buy and listen to his music but he doesn't care. But of course he won't let his daughter listen to it. He sells a product aimed at young people and then bans it in his own home - that's hypocritical"

Dangit. Got me there

What would you say?

[Devil'sAdvocate]

I never will get in an argument with a person that dumb.

[StanBase]

He sells a product aimed at young people

[EG.]

We stick up for his ass all the time and it's not always easy.

[Sekou]

^ Valid points on 1) and 3)

The person would probably reply to 2) saying:

"If he has to use them to "help his flow and structure" and they "help him rap better", this only goes to show how uneducated he actually is and how he has to resort to the same cuss words all the time"

4) - "Fine, maybe it's just HIS style and a diversion from the same old gangsta rap, but it's idiotic how he always has to attack women and homosexuals, how can this hateful music be enjoyable?"

5) - "He knows exactly that little kids buy and listen to his music but he doesn't care. But of course he won't let his daughter listen to it. He sells a product aimed at young people and then bans it in his own home - that's hypocritical"

Dangit. Got me there

What would you say?

Dunno, I can't be arsed to get all thoughtful and argumentative now

I made this thread 'cause I met a person who said that whenever he attacks an Eminem supporter with valid arguments the responses you get only go to support his belief that Eminem's fans are dumb or they simply facepalm at you (like StanBase just did). So he was wondering why I listen to Eminem even though I didn't seem stupid to him.
This made me think and I thought of this thread to see if it's true that Eminem fans can't defend his lyrics when confronted with the controversy around them.

And word @ Geno.

[stella222]

I would say this:

1) If he's famous because of his skin color, how come the crowds of white rappers aren't occupying the charts and airwaves? Name the other white rappers that made it to the iTunes top 100. Then compare this number with the number of black rappers that achieved this.

2) show me at least one sentence where he said 18 swearwords, then show me a rapper that doesn't swear.

3) He used to hate on Jive Records artists (Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync) strictly for their typical music as he was compared to them for being able compete with them on charts. It's true he made fun of some other pop stars but his list includes also the famous actors, sportsmen, socialites, politicians, other rappers, his family etc. He never said he hated all popstars. After all, he worked with Dido, performed with Elton John, gave props to Shakira...Besides, people change their opinion all the time.

4) play him some good songs where he don't rap about these three topics.

5) Show him a parental advisory sticker that is on every Eminem CD and ask him if he knows what it means. If a parent still allows it, the parent is the teacher because he's responsible for the kid. Tell him that Eminem teaches ADULTS curse words and teaches them to slander women and homosexuals, sending out a hateful message, just like the movie directors, screenwriters, video game designers etc. In other words, Eminem is not a role model.

[Sam.]

The Image that Eminem had years ago has changed,although what he says in his Raps is still questionable and might still fosters haters ,it's a known fact that Rap is an art form that many people don't understand or refuse to accept anything we as listeners say in defense .

The same applies for Eminem he had this "Bad Boy" image stamped so hard on his career that some people fail to see the new and sober Eminem and thus the veil of hate is still held high with irrelevant arguments pointing towards the past .

As far as dealing with such people i would only do one thing is i'll show facts showing the No of fans he has and the impact he had on the music Industry and ask him/her, are these Millions of people stupid to be a fan of his music ?.

[SG.]

^ Valid points on 1) and 3)

The person would probably reply to 2) saying:

"If he has to use them to "help his flow and structure" and they "help him rap better", this only goes to show how uneducated he actually is and how he has to resort to the same cuss words all the time"

4) - "Fine, maybe it's just HIS style and a diversion from the same old gangsta rap, but it's idiotic how he always has to attack women and homosexuals, how can this hateful music be enjoyable?"

5) - "He knows exactly that little kids buy and listen to his music but he doesn't care. But of course he won't let his daughter listen to it. He sells a product aimed at young people and then bans it in his own home - that's hypocritical"

To 5), it's because that's not Eminem's responsibility. That burden belongs to marketing and regulators. Em's just making music.

[Sekou]

The Image that Eminem had years ago has changed,although what he says in his Raps is still questionable and might still fosters haters ,it's a known fact that Rap is an art form that many people don't understand or refuse to accept anything we as listeners say in defense .

The same applies for Eminem he had this "Bad Boy" image stamped so hard on his career that some people fail to see the new and sober Eminem and thus the veil of hate is still held high with irrelevant arguments pointing towards the past .

As far as dealing with such people i would only do one thing is i'll show facts showing the No of fans he has and the impact he had on the music Industry and ask him/her, are these Millions of people stupid to be a fan of his music ?.

Well, the new "sober Eminem" hasn't exactly softened and stopped hating on women/bashing celebrities if you listen to H:TS.

And the number of fans mean nothing. Nothing at all. Saying that a person has millions of followers justifies nothing, take Hitler as a (rather far-fetched) example.

[Sam.]

The Image that Eminem had years ago has changed,although what he says in his Raps is still questionable and might still fosters haters ,it's a known fact that Rap is an art form that many people don't understand or refuse to accept anything we as listeners say in defense .

The same applies for Eminem he had this "Bad Boy" image stamped so hard on his career that some people fail to see the new and sober Eminem and thus the veil of hate is still held high with irrelevant arguments pointing towards the past .

As far as dealing with such people i would only do one thing is i'll show facts showing the No of fans he has and the impact he had on the music Industry and ask him/her, are these Millions of people stupid to be a fan of his music ?.

Well, the new "sober Eminem" hasn't exactly softened and stopped hating on women/bashing celebrities if you listen to H:TS.

And the number of fans mean nothing. Nothing at all. Saying that a person has millions of followers justifies nothing, take Hitler as a (rather far-fetched) example.

Yes i know that ,maybe that's why i said earlier "what he says in his Raps is still questionable and might still fosters haters" .

Eminem and Hitler were totally different personalities ,what Hitler did was crime and what Eminem has/is doing is not a crime ,i mean rapping about violence doesn't mean that he is wrong or believes in those things and w/e happened to "Freedom Of Speech" .

Both Hitlers and Eminem's fans/followers believed in him ,they are not at fault ,are they ? .If yes then we are responsible for listening to such music that is so profane .

BTW he is not the only rapper to say those things