People did the same thing when 36 chambers came out. Rap has always been a genre that gets a lot of criticism. I don't think his response to that is particularly special. If anything, he's defensive about it, where others are assertive.

Album Rating: 4.5

well obviously he stood out because he was white but the guy also has undeniable talent

they may have saw because he was white, but they stayed because he was pretty. fucking. good.

Album Rating: 4.5

also lol, white people knew about and listened to hip-hop long before eminem...are you forgetting that the beastie boys, one of the pioneering groups of the genre, were all white?

You could literally say the same thing about a million other rappers. The only reason Eminem faced that criticism is that he associated himself with a genre that was created and popularized by black people, who received all the same criticism he did AND faced real world repercussions for it.

@Shadow the beastie boys are dope. Not gonna argue that. They also represent a fraction of late 80s early 90s hip hop that was absolutely dominated by black artists.

Album Rating: 3.5

ok but if ur denying that waaaaay way more white people started listening to hip hop because of this album ur just being silly

i mean, as deathschool mentioned this was a lot of people's introduction to hip hop and many of those people were white if we're being hoenst. not sure if this is specifically appealing to white people as skeames said as i can't really see anything other than the fact that he's white i guess

Album Rating: 3.0

Personally I always felt this is a Massively over rated record for what it is. Riding a wave of controversy and (deserved) Hype for Eminem. This was different for a lot of people, some who had never really listened to hip hop before. And it was no doubt because it gave a lot of white fans an access point into hip hop through an angry white guy who they could relate to. He had the mic skills to back it up of course but he was always Cage 2.0 with a push. The beats on this bar a few tracks are/were mediocre at best. Theres no denying the effect this record had on many people though and I couldnt deny its a classic for many people even if I think its overhyped personally. There where plenty of dope white rappers about at the time. He just appealed to the mainstream, angry kid.

@deezer yeah.

Ya'll are seriously denying race as a cultural force if you're gonna argue that eminem would have been even half as notable as he is now if he was black. He was a good rapper. There a LOT of good rappers. I don't think he stands out.

Album Rating: 4.5

I've never listened to this entirely but I think it is genius that Kill You is followed by Stan.

Album Rating: 4.5

@skeames but how can you say that when his flow is both undeniably unique and undeniably interesting/catchy/raw

Album Rating: 3.0

It wasnt unique though. It was unique for people who didnt listen to a lot of hip hop.

It was unique for people who listen to the radio.



"I bought Cage's tape, opened it and dubbed over it"

Album Rating: 4.5

his sound and what he did was unique yes no one else sounded like him there's still no one like him.

@Jaq the criticism he faced was rooted in the fact that he was a white man playing in and finding success in a black man's sandbox. He made some white newspeople uncomfortable. Okay, so does a fucking slightly overcooked bagel. Does that make his music worthy of immortalization?

I don't even think he's bad! He's a fine rapper! Above average, even (at least in his early career).

Album Rating: 3.0

He quite clearly bit Cages style early on.

Album Rating: 4.5

this is not the thread I was looking to be involved in lol



and besides color isn't even a thing duh

his success is due to a combination of all the reasons mentioned, not one or the other. which at the end of the day made him unique. boiling it down to he was white and white people liked him is oversimplifying things and ignoring everything else that contributed to his success

Album Rating: 3.0

but the MAIN contribution to his success was that he was white and white people liked him

Album Rating: 3.0

he wouldnt have been half the star he was if he was black, simple

Album Rating: 4.5

oh wow are you sure it wasn't because he was killing shit and went on warped tour and got all kinds of exposure because he worked for it?