Eminem Essay, Research Paper

Eminem’s controversial music

It seems that wherever you turn teenagers are committing some sort of rebellious or violent act. Sociologists have analyzed these behaviors as a result of the many aspects of teenage life. One might say family, school or friends have the largest impact, however, it is believed that music is most influential. Music of today often includes severe and violent lyrics that sends a negative message throughout society. Not only is this type of music popular, but it also receives praise by being greatly acknowledged in certain parts of the media, such as music television. Most music artist do not realize how profoundly affected kids are by their music and therefore deny any such accusation. One such artist is Eminem, whose music ingrains a feeling of hatred, violence and rebellion into the society.

Even when he crosses the line, on the Marshall Mathers LP, the rapper strikes out against everyone from boy bands to Christina Augilera. “Boy-Girl groups make me sick”, his lyrics said on one of his songs of the new album. He also makes a number of inflammatory remarks about gays, to which the Gay & Lesbian Against Defamation responded with a statement saying “while Eminem certainly has the freedom of speech to rap whatever he wants, it is irresponsible for Interscope records as a company to produce such defamatory material that encourages violence and hatred.” The media thinks that the lyrics will lead people to offend each other without realizing it.

Equally disturbing are Eminem’s threat to murder his mother on “Kill You”. The Lyrics of that song rap about him going of and killing his mother. He also states that his mother was unfit, and drug-abusing. This song keeps mentioning that his mom was no good from the start and wanted to kill her then. His fantasizing on “Kim”, another song on his recent album. In this song he talks about slaughtering the title character, Kimberly Mathers, his wife of one and a half years, with whom he has a stormy relationship. This song is as dramatic as it can possibly become. In this song he acts out how he slaughters her and when your listening to this song you will hear loud screams, gun shots, her dead body being dragged through the forest in to the trunk of his car. He chokes her with his bare hands, then he slits her throat and screams with anger “bleed b–ch bleed.” This song and album has crossed the line in every perspective by far. Eminem makes no apology for his vitriolic rants. He said he only wants to make people laugh. He also said “If you take everything I say and do literally, you’re a f—ing idiot.”

Eminem himself is a terrible role model. He influences this society greatly by not only what he raps about but also how he lives his life on the edge. Other dark clouds hang over Eminem’s bright career. On June 3 in Royal Oak, Michigan, he allegedly threatened Insane Clown Posse tour manager Douglas Dail with a gun. (Eminem ended up with two weapons charges and faces up to five years in prison.) Early the next morning, in nearby, Warren, Mich., Eminem was arrested for allegedly assaulting Kim’s friend John Guerra with an unloaded gun after Guerra kissed her outside a night club. A month after the night club incident Eminem’s wife attempted to commit suicide by slashing her wrists at the sprawling two story home in Michigan. Although no one is certain what prompted her suicide attempt, her tense marriage to the man she has been involved with since they were teens may be partly to blame. Eminem’s actions causes teens all over the United States to act the same way as he does. I’m sure Kim has developed a number of defense mechanisms to handle being Eminem’s wife and to handle the content of his lyrics. I don’t know if Kim and his fans quite understand how to deal with his lyrics.

As popular as Eminems music has become, I ask myself, has he reached his peak. If he has, when will his madness end, if he hasn’t, how far will his madness go. Next time MTV gives Eminem an award for “his great music” they might as well give an award to a violent criminal.

Bibliography

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