[Phil Hinton]

I used to hate so called gangsta rap and the explicit language used by many of todays rap stars, and I was never really interested in Eminem.

But recently, and i dont know why, i have found myself listening, and infact buying his albums, and have to say i really do think he is very talented and his stuff is really funny, once you get it, which took me a while but i got there.

What are your thoughts?

[karkus30]

errr not a genius, I have a couple of his albums, dont play them much as they get a bit repetitive after a time and extended listening can be a bit tiring.

He is good, just not a genius.

[groundy]

He is very good and has perhaps done more for hip-hop than any other rapper in the past few years. It was never my type of music either until Eminem came along. I've now found I quite like a range of hip-hop from other musicians that I would otherwise not have listened to.

I leave the description "Genius" to the likes of scientists and academics though.

[Lex]

He is defintiely someone who thinks he is a genius! I don't listen to his stuff, but from what I have seen and heard he seems to be all hype and not much substance...

Thought he was crap when he came out with his fisrt song and even he second. I think it took The Slimy Shady LP before I got hooked and yes I think he's genius. Along with Dre. I have now got a mutlitude of Gangset Rap/Hip Hop CD's. Love it all. Back to Eminem. He has matured so much and he just get's better and better.

[Spligsey]

Sgt C.

and yes I think he's genius.

I'd say people like Stevie Wonder, James Brown are musical genius'...


Adz

M&M is a no genuis, but he does seem to be a better producer than a rapper.

[tommymuldy]

He has done will to bring rap more mainstream. Obviously help-ed by his use of easily recognisable samples from massive songs of old

He was certainly a genius businessman to realise an opportunity to sell black music to blacks but also cross-over to a white/general audience who, in the majority, would previously have overlooked his genre of music.

As has been said by many more closely involved and knowledgable than I, Eminem is the new Elvis.

[tommymuldy]

I like that Eminem is the new Elvis bit. Very true...

Originally posted by juboy
As has been said by many more knowledgable than I,

I haven't seen youir granny for ages. Is she getting along well with her new hips

M & M is no genius. Dre does all the music and sampling - all M & M does is the lyrics .

He has done one thing right. He's taken rap from a style of speaking with rhythmn and turned it into setting poetry to music.
Speaking of James Brown, I was subjected to 'Beat the Devil' last night - that guy get's cooler even whilst getting older.

Originally posted by Spligsey
Sgt C.




I'd say people like Stevie Wonder, James Brown are musical genius'...


Adz

I guess we all have a cross to bear.

Originally posted by tommymuldy
Eminem is the new Elvis

What has Eminem done to deserve such a lofty compliment?

Originally posted by Alice
What has Eminem done to deserve such a lofty compliment?

he's a fat b*****d

I prefer peanut M&M's myself.

*There was a man who entered a local paper's pun contest. He sent in ten different puns, in the hope that at least one of the puns would win. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.*

I would say he is a genius,


cant think of anything else to say

Originally posted by Alice
What has Eminem done to deserve such a lofty compliment?

Other than sold millions of records, sold a hell of a lot of film tickets and played black music at it's own game.... nothing

Originally posted by juboy
sold millions of records, sold a hell of a lot of film tickets and played black music at it's own game....

Surely the same could be said of the Spice Girls!

I hated Eminem when he first came out, I just thought the guy was a joke but his more recent music is starting to grow on me I guess because his music is maturing. I also really enjoyed 8 Mile, the guy can act but there again he was playing himself. Is he a genius no he is just very good at what he does. If you are going to say that he is a genius then you have got to put him up there with the likes of Einstein, Beethoven, Newton, Darwin, Shakespeare and possibly Elvis and the Beetles and for my money he has got to go a long way to compare with these greats.

[Phil Hinton]

I am quite surpirsed by the reponse to my original question. I never called him a Genius, but rather asked the question as most of the Music press seem to be calling him that. But the quote about him being the new Elvis is proberly the most accurate, i.e millions sold, black music being used by white artist to great effect.

Lets see how much longer the Shady quest continues before giving him to high an accolade. He is damn good though

I suppose it is a matter of taste, but the quality of Elvis' music was/is fantastic. I am not sure the same can be said of Eminem. And Elvis didn't express hateful or homophobic sentiments either!!

[Stuart Wright]

Is Eminem's material suitable for 12 year olds? That's who it's aimed at and that's who's buying it.

Spectre, where'd you get that from? I'm 30, and I've got some of his stuff.

If we're talking single sales: fair enough. But surely he's more of an album artist? I bought his first album and listened to it endlessly (and normally I don't like rap/hippity hoppity, or whatever it's called this week).

Kids have always listened to stuff that would shock their parents. As Jilted John said, it's all part of growing up.

Originally posted by Sgt.Colon
... and yes I think he's genius. Along with Dre.

If anybody can be considered a genius for an ability to write lyrics then Eminem deserves that accolade as much as anyone. I'd rather compare him to Bob Dylan or a great poet than Elvis... few if any lyricist can say so much, so poignantly and with so much passion. Eminem can pack more into a single line than most do into an entire song....

And yes don't Dre. in this equation, quite possibly the best producer of recent years. That Dr Dre 2001 album is the best produced album I have in my collection (of 100's)

Sharon

Originally posted by Spectre
Is Eminem's material suitable for 12 year olds? That's who it's aimed at and that's who's buying it.

That's a part of his audience, of course. That demographic could nowhere near account for the sales he's had though. I also disagree that his music is aimed at that age group, even though they might listen to it.

To be honest, I doubt most 12 year olds are able to really understand much of what you might consider unsuitable in his music. For example, talking about killing your wife doesn't mean much to someone who has no concept of marriage or getting married (and, probably at that age, still thinks they never will). Do you think a 12 year old really gets the lyrics to 'Stan'?

8 Mile was a pretty big cinema hit over here and it had a 15 certificate... whilst I realise underage kids frequent the cinema, I doubt many 12 years olds would have enjoyed the film or even seen it. Although that will no doubt change once a few of them get a hold of the DVD.

[Stuart Wright]

juboy - I don't know the lyrics to Stan because I haven't heard anything by Eminem. I don't like rap.
But the record companies are eager for EVERYONE including 12 yearolds to buy the stuff even though it's clearly not appropriate.
I'm not having my kids listen to stuff which condones killing your wife.

Originally posted by Spectre
But the record companies are eager for EVERYONE including 12 yearolds to buy the stuff even though it's clearly not appropriate.

And you think they try and stop 12 year olds buying Cradle of Filth and Slipknot CDs? Rap is no worse than many other forms of music.

Kids love a bit of (supposed) rebellion and anything that shocks their parents will see them handing over their pocket money. The funny thing is that these bands are designed to shock the parents not the children. The kids see them as a harmless laugh whilst the parents have heart attacks over grown men in masks.

Come on, it's no different that what the WWF empire is doing.

Originally posted by Spectre
I'm not having my kids listen to stuff which condones killing your wife.

Then Eminem will be fine for your kids to listen to because he talks, fictionally, about him killing his wife. He doesn't condone it or suggest others (real people) do it...

Originally posted by Spectre

I'm not having my kids listen to stuff which condones killing your wife.

If Eminem is condoning killing your wife, then South Park is condoning killing you schoolmates (Kill Kenny) - the level of fantasy/fiction is about the same. 12 year olds are very adapt at understanding this and tend to appreciate the openess of being treated like an adult...