(idm) OT EMINEM DEBATE RAGES ON

From Kent Williams
Sent Tue, Jul 27th 1999, 18:00

On Tue, 27 Jul 1999, wells wrote:
> On Tue, 27 Jul 1999, mtheulthetant wrote:
> 
> > oh yeah, i guess poverty and drug use are just stupid problems and no one
> > wants to talk about these.  Kent was right, people are scared to admit to
> > that these things are a product of our society. how often do you talk to
> > people who say 'oh yeah my mom's a pothead'?  you think they think it's
> > stupid that their mom is a pothead? no. they're scared to admit it.
> > 
> 
> are you being serious? i can't tell. you are trying to tell me that eminem
> speaks seriously about issues such as poverty and drug use, right? 

Well, without getting into how to define 'serious' I'd say that what
he does is portray a character whose action, speech and behavior is
true to life.  The fact that this character slim shady rings true raises
the question of what does it mean that there are people like this
in society?  Why doesn't slim shady give a fuck? That is a serious
question.


> you're actually proposing that? give me a break. he's making the mockery 
> of such issues, not me. 

No. He doesn't make a mockery of those subjects, he just gives voice to
what domestic abusers, or drug abusers would say IF THEY WERE BEING COMPLETELY
HONEST WITH THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. To do so with humor only increases
the impact.

> he's a joke, his music is a (bad) joke
Nah, or rather it's a joke you don't get.

> whatever "skills" he has are completely lost on me. 
Evidentally! 

> i may not be too familiar with his music, 
Evidentally! How can you make such a blanket dismissal of an artist when
all you've seen is a couple of videos on MTV?

> but let me assure you, he's not saying _anything_ important.

In other words you aren't familiar with his music but you feel completely
comfortable making authoritative statements about it. I hate to be the
one to school you, but you're just digging yourself in deeper here.

kent williams -- xxxx@xxxxxx.xxx