Eminem

RepresentationEminem represents the working class community of all races although people may say that he is a wannabe ‘black’ rapper as where the genre originated from. This is because when he was starting off as a musician, the rap community was dominated by a darker skin colour. He was also pointed out as the new ‘Elvis’ because they say that he was also stealing the music of the black community (in Elvis’ case, Blues). Politicians would label him as a ‘homophobe’ and a threat to society due to the nature of his lyrics. When he was doing his first major gigs, he dressed the same way as working class people would dress, as he progressed on he wore various branded clothing as he was then able to afford it. This can show that he represents those who have succeeded in their own career as he was able to wear anything he wanted, but the style/dress sense was still baggy and what we would call this day ‘SWAG’.

Without Me Lyrics Representation

[Intro (Obie Trice)]"Obie Trice/Real Name No Gimmicks"

[Refrain 1]2 trailer park girls go round the outsideround the outside, round the outside[Repeat Refrain 1]

[Refrain 2]Guess whos back, back againShadys back, tell a friendGuess who's back, guess who's back,guess who's backGuess who's back...

A reference to the song “Buffalo Gals” by Malcolm Maclaren who was an early trailblazer for Caucasians in the hip-hop world, like Eminem is nowThe original lyric is “two Buffalo gals go round the outside”, which he alters to reflect his white trash upbringingThe repetition of “round the outside” is a rip from DMX’s “Party Up In Here”

[Verse 1]I've created a monster, cuz nobody wants tosee Marshall no more they want Shady I'm chopped liverwell if you want Shady, this is what I'll give yaa little bit of weed mixed with some hard liquorsome vodka that'll jumpstart my heart quicker than ashock when I get shocked at the hospital by the Dr. when I'm not cooperatingwhen I'm rocking the table while he's operatingyou waited this long now stop debating cuz I'm back,I'm on the rag and ovulating

On his first major label album Eminem created the evil alter-ego “Slim Shady”, which he now feels fans prefer over his actual personality (his real first name is Marshall)This makes Em feel as though people value him as an entertainer only, and couldn’t care less about him as a person (“chopped liver is slang for "useless”)

He reveals that his alter ego is really just his personality when he’s drunk and high.Since he has struggled with drug problems throughout his life, we have usually seen more of the “Shady” side of Marshall’s personality in his music

It has taken him more than 2 years to release this album and when he pronounced he was doing a 4th, the critics already has doubts whether if it was up to his last standards.

I know that you got a job Ms. Cheney but your husband's heart problem's complicatingSo the FCC wont let me be or let me be me so let me seethey tried to shut me down on MTV but it feels so empty without meSo come on and dip, bum on your lips fuck that,cum on your lips and some on your tits and get ready cuz this shit's about to get heavyI just settled all my lawsuits FuckYOU DEBBIE!

Eminem targets the Cheneys because of Mrs. Cheney’s complaints towards Em’s offensive and misogynistic lyrics. In her opinion no parent should let her kid listen to him

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) regulates interstate and international communications, including radio. The FCC won’t let him play his songs; they edit and censor themEminem was never willing to edit his lyrics for national TV, he says that he is just going to let the censors do their job. But due to his fast raps, one national performance couldn’t be edited, so he got banned from performing on live TV by the FCC

Debbie is the name of Eminem’s mother; he was sued by his own mother for defamation and the case was settled before he recorded this song

[Chorus X2]Now this looks like a job for me so everybody just follow mecuz we need a little controversy,cuz it feels so empty without me

He is suggesting that his transformation from Marshall Mathers to Slim Shady is a similar to Batman and Bruce Wayne. Slim Shady is an anti-hero, providing the world with what it needs (controversy).

[Verse 2]Little hellions kids feeling rebelliousembarrassed, their parents still listen to Elvisthey start feeling like prisoners, helpless,'til someone comes along on a mission and yells "bitch"A visionary, vision is scary, could start a revolution, pollutin the air waves a rebelso let me just revel and bask, in the fact that I got everyone kissing my assand it's a disaster such a catastrophe for you to see so damn much of my ass you ask for me?Well I'm back [batman sound]

Kids feel like no music they listen to can break them away from the parents they’re so embarrassed in having, so his vulgar music gives them a way to rebel

Eminem is saying he is both a visionary (insightful, cutting edge) and thus frightening for parents and other adults

He’s saying that everyone gives him attention by being offended by him and complaining

fix your bent antennae tune it in and then I'm gonnaenter in and up under your skin like a splinterThe center of attention back for the winterI'm interesting, the best thing since wrestlingInfesting in your kids ears and nestingTesting "Attention Please" feel the tension soon as someone mentions mehere's my 10 cents my 2 cents is freeA nuisance, who sent, you sent for me?

He is probably going to enter your mind, through the spectrum of TV, possibly a comment on America’s reliance for entertainment from TV

Shady’s good enough that he can lyrically get to your emotions, and he’ll get deep, i.e. “a splinter”Another idea is that whether or not you wanna hear him, he will get through to your ears somehow

Eminem’s existence 2002 was an unending game of “What’s he gonna do next?” Like Batman’s Joker, you can never tell where he’s gonna strike and the authorities are appropriately on edge

Commenting on how he’s considered overplayed and annoying by those who don’t appreciate his music, but the irony states itself in that it is the mainstream audience that causes him to be as played as often as he is

[Verse 3]A tisk-it a task-it, I'll go tit for tat with anybody who's talking this shit, that shit.Chris Kirkpatrick you can get your ass kickedworse than them little Limp Bizkit bastards, and Mobyyou can get stomped by Obie, you 36 year old bald headed fag blow meYou don't know me, you're too old let go its over, nobody listens to technoNow let's go, just give me the signal I'll be there with a whole list full of new insultsI've been dope, suspenseful with a pencil ever sincePrince turned himself into a symbol

Moby called Eminem a, “misogynist, a homophobe, a racist, and an anti-Semite,” at the Grammys

He doesn’t expect old people to understand or feel his music and he doesn’t really want them to.

But sometimes the shit just seems, everybody only wants to discuss meSo this must mean I'm disgusting, but its just me I'm just obsceneThough I'm not the first king of controversyI am the worst thing since Elvis Presley, to do Black Music so selfishlyand use it to get myself wealthy (Hey)there's a concept that works20 million other white rappers emergebut no matter how many fish in the sea it'd be so empty without me

Even if white rappers are mainstream, it’ll still seem hollow without this one white rapper in particular

Similar to how Elvis allowed black music get through to the masses, Eminem plans on integrating rap even more.

Music Videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVkUvmDQ3HY

Target Audience

Eminem doesn’t really specify who his target audience is but from the amount of people from a certain age bracket consuming his music would probably suggest he is aiming for those young adult and teenagers. Also white working class Americans as he mostly relates himself to them.

Why Eminem?•Creative lyrics•Political messages in some of his songs e.g. ‘White America’ or ‘Mosh’•Controversial lifestyle•Grew up listening to him•First music artist I remember first listening to and remembering the lyrics to some of his songs (When I’m Gone)•Even at the age of 40 he is still active in the music industry•Skits with Dr. Dre•The different of moods he puts in his songs.