Close to the Edge: the Representational Tactics of Eminem

The rest of the chapter talks about the similarity of minstrel images in 1990s hip-hop, as evidenced by the defining characteristics of greed, violence, hyper sexuality and pathos in “gangsta rap” (a sub-genre of hip-hop further defined in chapter two). Ogbar balances this landscape with challenges to what he calls “neo-minstrelsy” from both inside and outside the hip-hop community, including discussions of the Spike Lee movie, Bamboozled, underground conscious hip-hop groups such as The Roots and Little Brother, and the activist “Stop Coonin’ Movement”, to name a few. Throughout the book, Ogbar explains how rappers strive for authenticity by “keepin’ it real”. And that is defined by how they rap, walk, talk, and make their

One of the more prominent criticisms of hip that Rose points out is that there is a large amount of misplaced blame in the world of hip hop. She writes, “increasingly, too many of hip hop’s supporters point to structural racism to explain the origins of the problem but refuse to link these structural forces to individual action and to the power of media seduction” (p. 73). In this section of the second chapter, Rose is explaining that those who defend commercial hip hop are taking a more-or-less one-dimensional approach to their arguments by solely blaming structural racism and overlooking the

The film starts with a black screen before Eminem’s white face appears. Jimmy lives on the opposite side of 8 Mile Road, which separates him from the urban blacks, and makes him a privileged suburban white. His mission in this movie to cross that literal and psychological border (8 Mile Road) and become accepted as a rapper despite his skin color. It is argued that Rabbit’s character is a tourist who ventures into black culture, and on the way, masters their art and dominates their industry (Jennings 2008). Therefore, Eminem, and the director Curtis Hutton, white people writing about an African-American dominated industry, have now commodified the culture (Jennings 2008). This translates to Eminem’s career and his success in the industry. But Eminem’s success is ultimately due to his ability to encompass the characteristics of black culture while maintaining his position as a white male: “affiliations with black masculinity provide cultural acceptance and authenticity, which fuel his entry into hip-hop culture. White masculinity provides mobility, ambivalence from white audiences, and commercial success” (Dawkins 465). Therefore by “walking” the spaces between black and white masculinity and never committing to one, he masters the industry. Somehow he uses both racial characterizations as privileges (Dawkins 464-465).

McBride begins the essay by telling the readers of his nightmare. He once feared that his daughter would arrive home one day with a stereotyped rapper husband with “ mouthful of gold teeth, a do-rag on his head… and a thug attitude” (McBride 1). He came to realize that he in fact, hip-hop, a genre that he once didn’t believe was music, had become one of the most known genres in the world. The speaker first heard his first rap song at a college party in Harlem in 1980. The jazz lover he was, cringed at the rap music he claimed to be so poorly thought out and written. For the next 26 years of his life, he went out of his way to avoid hip-hop music all together, as if It was never there in the first place.

“The Way I Am” conforms to the conventions of rap in hip-hop through its structure and the use of literary devices. Eminem uses allusions to the Columbine Shooting and Marilyn Manson’s association with it. This allusion supports his claim that the media “points a finger” at artists when controversy arises. He also alludes

“…the appropriation of hip-hop cultural forms suggest not that whites want a black identity: rather, they want characteristics of blackness.” (Perry 2002, 109). This is quote by Pamela Perry, a sociologist as University of California Santa Cruz, from her book Shades of White:White Kids and Racial Identities in High School. Pamela Perry is a sociologist from University of California, Santa Cruz, throughout her book she touches on the idea of white children developing a sort of identity crisis depending on their environment. This quote helps put the appropriation of African American culture in its simplest terms. In most cases people associate Hip Hop culture with African Americans. With that being said, many artist of different genres who attempt to have a more hip hop vibe, fall subject to appropriating African American Culture. Various artist have been appropriating culture in several different ways whether it’s through dance, sound, or even image.

‘From the margins to the mainstream: the political power of hip-hop’ by Katina R. Stapleton

Dawkins, Richard. The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design. New York: W.W. Norton, 1986.

The decade of hip-hop is what some may call it. Tupac, Naz, Biggie Smalls, as well as other artists, were major contributions. Not only for the people who are trying to find their footing, but Buck as well. Throughout the book various lyrics were embedded in order to create a better understanding for its readers. In addition, this book is based upon a 90s lifestyle within Philadelphia, which included drugs, gang activity, crime, hip-hop, and havoc. Malo was directly in the center of everything, the girls, the fights, the guns. His experiences shed light towards what it’s like to as an African American individual living in or near the hood. Not everyone realizes what people go through while living there, but now it gives some readers an image of what goes on. Though times have changed, not all previous feelings

Trey Ellis’ “New Black Aesthetic” represents the upcoming generation of writers who look at changing the way previous generations have been subsisting. The piece is quite provocative with Ellis calling for societal fluidity as well as improvisation which essentially encourages and agitates the reader. Ellis presents the perspective of ‘cultural mulattoes’ who are upcoming artists who have gone out of the norm of racial authenticity and easily borrow traditions from both the black and white cultures. He represents that new generation of young black artists such as comedian Chris Rock, who came of age in a post-integration period. I support the notion of Ellis that the older issues of color line ought not to be a limiting factor to this upcoming

With things, such as explicit lyrics and depiction of women, drugs, and violence an assumption can be made that gangster rap represents a masculinity that rappers portray themselves as in their songs. Dating back to its origins, African Americans had always been the face of gangster rap, with such names like Tupac, Biggie, Jay-Z, DMX, and much more, as covers of rap magazines. Gangster rap had always been seen as what people interpret it to be and that is a raw rhythmic and explicit version of poetry in motion, but gangster rap depicts more than what people interpret it to be. Gangster rap depicts the image of how a strong African American male should look like, a bold, angry, rebellious, and fierce man. Strong African American males are subjective to gangster rap, mainly because of how gangster rap portrays masculinity. In “Brotherly Love: Homosociality and Black Masculinity in Gangsta Rap Muscic” Oware argues that although gangster rap music portrays the masculinity of African American males through the use of hyper masculinity, misogyny, and violence in lyrics, gangster rap music also provides a way for rappers to express themselves to commemorate their fellow friends through lyrics that depict family/friend relationships, success by association, and have a tribute for lost friends.

This paper will open by first and foremost, explaining the different sociological meanings of the term power, so as the reader has an understanding of the arguments being made. This will allow anybody reading this paper to follow the arguments being made. Music can provide a means of resistance for challenging the power relations of racism, class and gender in a number of ways. The first way that this paper will approach this is the racial aspect and as a means of doing this, the main focus point will be Eminem and his break-through in to the Rap/ Hip-hop genre. This is relevant because he was the first white person to ever successfully break into this specific genre of predominantly Black artists. This will lead neatly onto the next element to answering the question of music providing a means of resistance for challenging power relations, It will move on to look at the class element of resisting and challenging power. This section will start off by continuing with regard to Eminem and how he used his “underclass” background as a means of connecting with his black counterparts, But still gaining acceptance from his peers and even forming a working relationship with an already massively established artist that aided him in his entrance to the hip-hop music industry and his credibility their after. Whilst still staying with subject matter of class, this

Marshall Bruce Mathers a.k.a. Eminem. Born October 17, 1972, grew up in Kansas City. From there he began his career as an individual white rapper. Not many white people are able to succeed in the rap industry, but Eminem has proved everyone wrong. He is now one of the most talked about persons on the earth. His lyrics offend some people, this sparks controversy and censorship. His lyrics containing things such as drugs, alcohol, death, homosexuals, sex and suicide. In some of his songs he includes lyrical

Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem, is recognized for his work as a rap artist who is able to connect with his audience through humor and rhythmically dicey lyrics. Eminem’s “My Name Is” music video is able signify whiteness and rearticulate race with the use intertextual editing techniques that parody common representations of whiteness. Eminem is using his “My Name Is” video as an approach to solidify his style of rapping and thus create new political and cultural authenticities that entice questions of race representation in the 1990’s and beyond. (Kajikawa).

Marshall Mathers, widely known as Eminem, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor, who is recognized as one of the most controversial and best-selling artists of the early 21st century (“Eminem”). Marshall writes most of his lyrics through his personal life experiences while adding a comical “I don’t give a S***” vibe to them. He struggled through a rough and lonely childhood, had relationship issues, became a father at a young age, and worked hard with dedication and persistence to get where he is today.