Do You Think Other Hip-Hop Fans Understand Em's Lyrics?

[sbolli1]

In general, no. Em's music is pretty complex. I don't think a lot of mainstream rap fans would understand the genius of a song like "'97 Bonnie and Clyde", or the overall concepts of Em's albums.

[Blu]

Define "mainstream hip hop fans".

[CrashBand]

I think a lot of hip-hop fans would not appreciate the reasons why prime-em was as good as he was.

They would understand the insane rhyming and flows of course.

But the subtlety, irony, sarcasm, wit and dark themes--I'm not so sure.

[EminemInsider]

The ones who get that he's a "dope emcee" only have a very superficial appreciation for it.

"Duhhhhhehhhh, Eminem is telling kids not to be like him and to stay off drugs in 'The Kids,' Duhhhhh."

"Duhhhhh, Eminem is talking about raping his own mother in Kill You, duhhhh"

"Duhhhh, Eminem is saying he doesn't regret his drug use in Drug Ballad at all, duhhhhh"

"Eminem's great with da metaphorz"

[Slim Fiasco]

But the subtlety, irony, sarcasm, wit and dark themes--I'm not so sure.

This. It's very unfortunate but true.

[Slim Fiasco]

True, but then again I'm kinda glad that not everybody knows Em like some of us do. It makes us unique fans, which is selfish I know but who gives a fuck.

[Trimss]

Word. But that's also why he's overlooked and why only a few real hip hop fans or even rappers put him on their top 5.

[BigBoss]

Because not everyone cares for his individual lines and the secret ad libs he puts in.

[Elision]

They don't hear what we hear.

edit: It really is that simple though. I think what attracts us to this tier of music is that we listen to it at this level. It's an inevitable filter that most TR members have due to the fact that we wouldn't be attracted to intelligent lyricism without it in the first place. Let alone join a forum pseudo-focused on it.

[Blu]

Because not everyone cares for his individual lines and the secret ad libs he puts in.

[Almostlity]

Because not everyone cares for his individual lines and the secret ad libs he puts in.

[ChristinaE12]

No, not at all...As far as the regular/casual listener goes.

Look how long it sometimes takes to find/hear certain things that we do and we are into that type of shit.

[kingmathers85]

Hell no!

[Eedee]

No. I've talked to some people who listen to him and I asked why they like him and they're like "He has catchy songs..." and shit like that.

To be honest, it sounds selfish, like Slim Fiasco said, but we really are some of the more in-depth fans of his. Not everyone catches the subtleties of his music, rhyming, messages, etc.

[sbolli1]

While I am kind of happy that we are the select few who actually (almost) fully understand him, I also get extremely pissed off when people say he's only famous cuz he's white and because he talks about nothing but killing his mother, loving his daughter, and doing drugs.

It really just gets under my skin, because it's just such an ignorant stance to take on his music. That's fine if you don't particularly enjoy his music, but to deny his talent and legacy is just flat out stupid.