Jan 19, 2015

Eminem has been universally accepted as one of the greatest rap artists to hold the mic, however it appears that there are two sides on this opinion.

People generally say that he is the best lyrically, technically, flow-wise, can connect with emotional songs, storytelling, has his share of "hits" and has the most records sold and greatly "changed" the game in his prime and brought rap music to "mainstream" (white people). These are more or less the reasons why people consider him the greatest.

OR

There are people that agree that he is in fact, one of the greatest (not THE greatest) but for different reasons. Yes the above reasons play a role but it has been said that the dude can rap his a--- off like no other, but they don't FEEL what he is saying. Being able to out-rap every other rapper should put you in a number 1 slot right? Maybe not, because the opinion is based largely on the fact that he knows how to rap but no longer knows how to make music. Now this is where it gets iffy, Eminem does not have records playing in clubs. You don't hear him anywhere other than the radio. Wayne/Drake/Kanye/Jay/Whoever has records constantly being played in the club. It is a very cultural thing. (I could elaborate more on this but I'm sure most of you get where I'm going with this.) Now does THIS play a role in "who is better?"

Yes, Wayne and Eminem make different (types) of music and that is the reason why Wayne has hits in clubs and Eminem doesn't. Women don't want to shake their a--- to daughters getting burned with soldering irons. Regardless of this, Eminem is considered a GOAT.

Now my question is this, at this point in his career, should Eminem try to "redeem" himself to the black community (Rap/HipHop IS a black art form above all else) and make music that is appealing to that particular audience (assuming this is even possible, could end up with more "shake that" tracks) so that black people will consider him as THE GOAT or should he continue down his lane of wanting people to simply respect him as the best to spit?

Keep in mind, over the last 4 albums he has made an attempt to please his audience by taking their feedback. (he drops accent, stopped "yelling", made more rappity rap rap songs, produced his own beats, etc) Because he is taking fan feedback to release what they want, I wonder if he has seen interviews and other artists opinion on him about how they think he's great, but lacks the cultural relatable music part and so he doesn't get named #1.

He IS respected by both groups of people. However, one group says he's the best and the other simply recognizes him as a white dude who learned the trade and earned his place.

TL;DR: Should Eminem "dumb down" (lack of better words) his music and make more "hits/club tracks" to earn the black communities GOAT vote or should he continue down his path of being a rapping a--- MFer and take the white communities GOAT vote?

 

Jan 19, 2015

i believe there are members of certain communities who will never embrace a white artist as better than their favorite black artist

regardless of how much better em actually is

I'm not sure he even wants their particular heads banging to his s--- tbh

imo he should go the exact opposite route you're suggesting, and make it all more complicated and technical than ever

enough intelligent, coherent people think of him as the goat (rubin, ll, ice cube, rakim, could go on and on) that chris rock, lil wayne or jay-z saying he's out of touch or not marketing himself properly when he outsells them all really shouldn't even show up on his radar

I'll take right for me 2 with more supersonic speed and fine line with that godly tes flow way over some s--- with a big name producer and a flow thaaat sooounds liiike heee caaan't thiiink fooor hiiimself iiindependeeent ooof aaa beeeat

 

Jan 19, 2015

He should stop making s-----y music that no self respecting person with any taste or intelligence could respect regardless of race

 

Jan 19, 2015

Just needs to make better music not about appealing to certain communities.
Start working with some good producers ( Emile,Bass Brothers if possible) & start being creative. His addictive personality is a big flaw in his music imo.
He keeps rehashing this Pop hook/Rap sound for the last 5 years along with other things that have been mentioned countless times before.Needs to stop working with yes men too. Also never work with Rick Rubin again.

 

Jan 20, 2015

I think about it in terms of 2002-2004 Eminem. That "gangsta" Em could write s--- that would be in a club.

 

Jan 20, 2015

White people overrate him and African Americans underrate him

 

Jan 20, 2015

Generalization^ I'm white and Eminem isn't in my top ten

 

Jan 20, 2015

This. I've had both skin colors overrate and underrate him, though over 3/4th the time, it's him being overrated.

 

Jan 20, 2015

i can think of a few other overrated things off the top of my head...

 

Jan 25, 2015

It's a very accurate generalization on my part. Very true

 

Jan 25, 2015

bass brothers.

 

Jan 25, 2015

He just needs to consistently make better music. Not everything he's put out since 09 has been awful. He's been all over the place since then in terms of music quality though.