Eminem: Our Key to Government Relevance?

Eminem (a.k.a. Slim Shady; a.k.a. Marshall Mathers) has been called "The Elvis of Rap" and "The Grandfather of the Hip-Hop Game" and is probably the most controversial musical artist alive. If you're not familiar with Eminem, then all you basically need to know for now is that he's a Caucasian rapper that's not afraid to say anything in his music.

Eminem has something in common with a lot of us here at ATS: He doesn't like what's going on in the government. But instead of blogging about it, he expresses it in his music lyrics. He has many songs dissing the government such as (but not limited to) "White America" and "Yellow Brick Road", the most popular and controversial one probably being "Mosh". There are two different music videos for the song "Mosh". In the first one, Eminem gathers up all the troupes and brings them to vote against Bush (it was made before Bush was reelected). In the second one, which was made after Bush was reelected, he marches the troupes into the White House to protest. Below I give you the first version of the video only because it was the only one I could find that cuts out swears. (If you feel that you you need to read the lyrics, they are here ).

In one part of the video, they cut out the lyrics "Strap him(Bush) with an Ak-47, let him go, fight his own war". I thought that you should hear that.

After listening to all these government-hating songs, I came to the realization that Eminem is probably the greatest person that ever protested against our modern government. Think about it: This guy holds the record for selling the most albums (for The Marshall Mathers LP) within a week of its release. If there's one person that millions of people are going to sit and listen to, it's Eminem. He uses his publicity to his advantage, and it's working. If he dissed the Bush Administration, who's to say he wont do the same for the Obama Administration in the future?

Is Eminem our key to government relevance? I think so. What do you guys think? Do you believe that Eminem's raps could really make an impact on what people think of todays government?

P.S. Please keep any hate comments about Eminem to yourself. Thank you

Problem is...not many identify him as a government protester. I have friends who are fans of his music and not one time has anybody mentioned this type of aspect in his lyrics. They'll mention his "disses" and how the beats are "sick" but I've never heard them commenting about his level of social awareness. Thats not to say others don't get the message, however many of his supporters most definitely do not analyze and just listen for its dare I say pop sensibility.

[edit on 8/1/2010 by The Endtime Warrior]

reply to post by The Endtime Warrior


I've never heard anyone refer to him as a government protester either. I think that most people who listen to him don't really take their time to get the message, especially in songs like "Mosh". I agree that most do listen to him for his "pop sensibility", as you said.

IMO hes just another cog in the wheel of the music industry. Every once in a while an artist, actually of any type is given a pass, to say or do as they wish (which is usually for controversial reasons or publicity), for an example, Alex Jones is for the angry conspirator, Pat O'Reilly/ Glenn Beck are allowed to say crazy things, because it brings money/ratings, and IMO Eminem is not only for the ratings, but to break a so called barrier between the races of rap, it has given more reason for more white rappers to try to get into the rap scene.

Other than that he raps for a label, gets paid by a label, and if they thought he wasn't doing what they wanted, you wouldn't hear his music. Hes kind of the Emo guy for the rap world.

Naw, El-P, Immortal Technique and countless others beat him concerning the matter of the government.

It's a shame that Eminem sucks nowadays. If he was a conscious rap artist instead of a dude that just hated on celebs and his mum all the time, he'd be great.

War Pigs and a little Sweet Leaf thrown in for good measure.



War Pigs lyrics-from here www.lyricsfreak.com...

Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh lord yeah!

Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor

Time will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait 'til their judgement day comes
Yeah!

Now in darkness world stops turning
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has struck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees the war pig's crawling
Begging mercy for their sins
Satan laughing spreads his wings
Oh lord yeah!

Sweet leaf lyrics-from herewww.lyricsfreak.com...

Alright now!
Won't you listen?

When I first met you, you didn't realize
I can't forget you or your surprise
You introduced me to my mind
And left me wanting, you and your kind

I love you, Oh you know it

My life was empty, forever on a down
Until you took me, showed me around
My life is free now, my life is clear
I love you sweet leaf, though you can't hear

Come on now, try it out

Straight people don't know, what you're about
They put you down and shut you out
You gave to me a new belief
And soon the world will love you sweet leaf



As for eminem, I do not listen to much rap. So, his music is not my cup of tea so to speak.


[edit on 8/2/2010 by endisnighe]

reply to post by nicolee123nd


I remember seeing "Mosh" on tv, and I was awestruck, it gave me goosebumps, such a powerfull track.

That was 5 years ago, it's not very relevant now.

System of a Down is another good example of this phenomenon. Though loosely they can be typified as "rock & roll", I cant really put them into a certain genre.
I have also noted this phenomenon that crosses genres, and the people who listen to them.

Much like the religions of the world the masses hear only the "great riffs" or the "sick beats", while a few look deeper and hear the lyrics....even fewer still will comprehend them. An example then, since this is the trend.

System of a Down, BYOB:
"WHY DO THEY ALWAYS SEND THE POOR!
Barbarisms by Barbara
With pointed heels.
Victorious, victories kneel.
For brand new spankin' deals.
Marching forward hypocritic
And hypnotic computers.
You depend on our protection,
Yet you feed us lies from the table cloth.
La la la la la la la la la,
Everybody's going to the party have a real good time.
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine.
Kneeling roses disappearing,
Into Moses' dry mouth,
Breaking into Fort Knox,
Stealing our intentions,
Hangars sitting dripped in oil,
Crying FREEDOM!
Handed to obsoletion,
Still you feed us lies from the table cloth.

Here's a hint, this one is for those of us in uniform.

So eminem is shown so far to be just one of many who use reputation and/or pyrotechnics to send a much deeper message, Kudos to him.

anyone who thinks eminem sucks now is a complete idiot. that # u hear on mtv is the corparate garbage they make him write. listen to his mixtape # and see what hes really about. i know for a fact hes antiilluiminati like pac was. hes being smart about it. dont let his tv image fool you

Originally posted by Whine Flu
Naw, El-P, Immortal Technique and countless others beat him concerning the matter of the government.

It's a shame that Eminem sucks nowadays. If he was a conscious rap artist instead of a dude that just hated on celebs and his mum all the time, he'd be great.

Those rappers aren't quite as big as him, and don't reach that many people.

I think you need to check his new album, Recovery, wich is much more serious and conscious.

He is singlehandedly saving mainstream rap, wich sucks nowadays.

wont be long before theres a few attemps on his life if he continues producing much more music with this type of content.

either hes working for the feds or hes against them, and there is no in between...

im the first to flag this thread, because i feel there are more artists out there who need to come together. from the inside.

reply to post by Cobra.EXE

wont be long before theres a few attemps on his life if he continues producing much more music with this type of content.

He did nearly kill himself because of a sleeping pill addiction in the past two years.

try to find the song public enemy #1 i think that song defines eminem the best

hey thanks OP i had been trying to remember that song for weeks lol
i dont know if the core hip audience would suport an "obama diss" i want hear him just shut the whole establishment down with track!

-jplaysguitar

reply to post by Point of No Return




i guess when youre living a really messed up life and you make it big having all the riches still wont make you happy.

looks like nobody can stand whats going on right now as TSHTF!

its a really powerful video, i can see MTV and other networks trying to sweep him under the carpet, but its too LATE now. for they have made him and funded him to the point where theres no stopping him..

at least without people catching on to whats really happening.

reply to post by nicolee123nd


Eminem is one of the more tolerable rap artists out there today but in no way do I think he's our key to relevance.

He also made an appearance on Immortal Technique's song about Bush blowing up the Twin Towers and mentioned heading toward a New World Order in a song. Not sure if he's just echoing opinions popular with his listeners in order to gain more support from them or if he actually believes what he's saying in those songs.

If you want a genre of music that deals with government corruption, tyranny and TPTB you'll want to check out Metal and its various subgenres.

Falsehood projects from a Day-to-day instrumental broadcast That flows through the net of mass media The lungs swell as the puppets speak To the public as their words grow Limbs to crawl and to give birth to ignorance.

Source

eminem is awesome

I just find amazing that he is still in the mainstream ... he must be really good

amazing, I just saw in the video eminem presenting bin laden video as they were FAKED hahahhaha

LOL

thats just great

[edit on 2/8/10 by Faiol]

Anyone interested in some of eminems more political based music, check out "we as americans"

did eminem write this too or what??

listen to this LOL

very amazing



is this a composition ... whats the background?

[edit on 2/8/10 by Faiol]

Eminem is cool, but Sage Francis is the truth!




just a couple of my fav..

[edit on 2-8-2010 by Ear-Responsible]