@Jaq lol okay that's a reductionist non-clash argumentation but whatever. Never said he wasn't talented. There are so, so many talented rappers. He would not stand out, and he would have never faced that media backlash in the first place if he weren't white. Mass killings in America began to pick up steam around that time (perpetrated almost entirely by white people) and Eminem was an easy target because he operated in a black space, and black people/black culture are alwayyyysssss blamed for social ills.

@Storm gonna assume you're joking about that last line.

yeah, i mean who paid to see him at warped tour lol

Album Rating: 4.5

An example of 'working for it':



"The newly named Eminem released a raw debut album in 1997 through independent label FBT. Infinite was poorly received, however, with Eminem earning unfavourable comparisons to leading rappers such as Nas and AZ. His determination to succeed was given a boost by a prominent feature in Source's Unsigned Hype column, and he gained revenge on his former critics when he won the Wake Up Show's Freestyle Performer Of The Year award, and finished runner-up in Los Angeles' annual Rap Olympics"



oh and also TOURING!!!

Album Rating: 3.0

exactly, nothing freaks the white establishment out like a famous white kid acting black and saying things black people usually say. Especially back then. No ones doubting his talents (well in his EARLY days) I actually saw him on his first tour just as he was blowing up with My name is because it was cheap af to get in still. It was dope. Good fun. That first album was kinda fresh. But it wasnt totally unique at all apart from everyone seemed to be buying it.

@Keyblade I'm not boiling it down to one thing. If he was a shit rapper he probably wouldn't have gotten the attention he did. He was pretty good, and got blown the fuck up by virtue of circumstance. That does not mean MMLP is a 5, especially in a decade where a ton of better rap albums were released.

Album Rating: 3.0

Word.







Also its nothing new for a musician to tour a lot wtf

definitely agree with you there, my bad for misrepresenting your point

Album Rating: 4.5

do any of you people actually think this conversation is important/matters?

Album Rating: 3.0

hahahah they dont at all.

Album Rating: 3.0

Rapping in dive bars to 8 people

@Keyblade no worries, I tried to make my point clear from the beginning but obviously failed. I get why people are defensive of him. His new stuff is goddawful and it's easy to write off his career as a whole, and a lot of people do. Thus any criticism of him can be read that way.

That said, I'm not doing that. Dre's new album isn't great, doesn't mean I don't love NWA. Sure this album would be in the 3-3.5 range for me, but that's not too bad a rating in the strongest genre of the last 30 years.

Album Rating: 3.0

And dont underestimate the Dre Thing, That gave him Legitimacy. Thast was a massive contribution also in him blowing up.

oh yeah that was definitely huge as well. that What's the Difference feature in particular

Album Rating: 3.0

yeah,

guilty conscience also before that. I consider myself a head and I specifically remember thinking 'this kid must be legit if Dres Fkn with him' at the time

@deezer tru. And Dre's association with NWA, who had legit confrontations with police, helped with the controversy surrounding him that fueled his success. "A white man backed by a guy who doesn't respect white authority??? NOW THATS NEWS"

Album Rating: 3.0

for sure a guy with LEGIT respect in the rap game is backing this geeky looking white kid

And if you don't think dre knew the implications of backing a white rapper in the late 90s i think you're selling him short. He was and is a smart dude. *obligatory mention of his women beating asshat behavior*

Album Rating: 3.0

No doubt.

Album Rating: 3.0

And not taking the higher ground either like Guilty conscience allowing himself to get ripped on by Em on wax ,even thought its light hearted, added to the Legitimacy for maybe a lot of peeps who would not have bought in to it otherwise.

Album Rating: 5.0

BITCH IMMA KILL YOU!