Waking Up From His Coma: Eminem's RECOVERY

Waking Up From His Coma: Eminem’s RECOVERY

by: Brad Weisberg

Background

Marshall Mathers, better known by his stage name EMINEM has traveled a challenging road to stardom. Mather’s was brought up in a broken home; his father ran away soon after his birth and his mother was a drug-addict who could not hold a single job. His mother and him were forced to move around, from low-income neighborhoods every few years. Being a lonely Caucasian boy forced him to survive in a society that was based on black culture and values. His disruptive upbringing was the fuel that ignited his powerful songwriting and inspiration to set a precedent for other troubled and at-risk individuals. As a lyrical artist, Eminem’s music was unique and diverse. His first album featured top-selling singles like “My Name Is”.

Though his early material is playful, most of his music was focused on his alter ego “Slim Shady”. As he began to dominate the hip-hop industry, his material was more powerful and authentic. His artistry as a genuine hip-hop artist emerged out of his second album, The Marshall Mathers LP. Songs such as “The Way I Am” and “Stan” introduced us to the troubled life of Marshall Mathers. His next albums, The Eminem Show and Encore, were a continuation of his real-life narratives. Though as he evolved into a hip-hop mogul, he felt powerless, which was evident in the negative turn he took. His songs were reflective of his original material, parodies about society and degrading for gays, lesbians, women and other groups that were targeted. On the verge of death in both reality and the music-industry, Mathers knew it was time for a change.

RECOVERY is a symbol of Eminem’s resurrection as both an artist and person. At the surface, it may seem that the album focuses on Eminem’s comeback, but it provides much more than that. It provides truth and hope for society; for Eminem’s supporters and the city of Detroit, an honest depiction that infers that everyone goes through hard times and we can overcome, but it requires being true to ourselves and self-motivation and determination.

From Death to RECOVERY

Prior to recording RECOVERY, Marshall lost one of his best friends and was still fighting the lingering emotions from his damaging relationships with both his ex-wife and his mother. Suffering from psychological and emotional scars, he turned to prescription drugs. His recreational hobby became life threatening, when he was just two-hours away from death after overdosing on Vicodin. Mather’s took action; he went to a drug rehabilitation center in hope of becoming sober. In an interview with Skyrocket, Eminem asserts that RECOVERY was a growing experience for him; a token of his salvation.

RECOVERY was a complete turn-around for the image Eminem created for himself as an individual and rap artist in his previous album, Relapse. It is an album based on the mental and physical rebirth of one of the world’s greatest hip-hop artists. In the same interview, Eminem speaks of how he knows his material in Relapse was satirical and a vocal image of society’s problems, such as racism and prejudices for gays, lesbians, and women. Eminem attributes his material on RECOVERY to the beats of producers such as DJ Khalil, Just Blaze and Boi-1DA, which invoked his emotions for writing heavy and powerful songs such as “I’m Not Afraid” and “Love the Way You Lie”. These beats encouraged Eminem to look back at his older material like “White America” and “Like Toy Soldiers”, which spoke about serious problems and challenges of society. “I’m Not Afraid” was a marker for Eminem fans and society, to see that no matter who you are, we are all faced by problems. His admittance of his problem was a symbol of his courage and strength as both a top-selling artist and common person. Steven Smith, a music and pop-culture expert says, “Show your fans that you have a problem like they do”. “Love the Way You Lie” sent a message that rung true to the claim that any relationship has problems, maybe not to the degree of Eminem’s tumultuous marriage, but there are challenges that individuals must solve.

Another interesting parallel that was pointed out in an interview was while Eminem was recovering, so was the city of Detroit, his geographical birthmark. Soon after his performance in Detorit in 2005, Eminem cancelled his European tour and entered rehab. At the same time, Detroit’s auto industry took a nosedive, leaving 40% of the population below the poverty line. His opening concert on September 4, 2010 at Comerica Park is a staple to the RECOVERY for both Eminem and the city of Detroit.

Supporters and Those in Opposition of EMINEM

Over the years, Eminem has held onto a large fan-base but has also dealt with tremendous criticisms by large activist groups. His artistic talent attracts a wide-scale of audiences, from high-schoolers to troubled individuals, who are experiencing personal struggles like drug addictions, unemployment and abusive relationships. Eminem’s powerful words and stories are weapons for those living in low-income neighborhoods to make a change.

Though some of his previous material was threatening and damaging to certain groups such as GLADD (The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) and feminist groups. These individuals feel that Eminem’s music is offensive and only further perpetuates problems and legitimizes prejudice for gays, lesbians, and other unconventional social-groups. In order to combat the lyrical styling of Eminem, protests were held outside of major venues like the VMAs. Eminem has realized that his attacks on select groups were unnecessary and his motives were not guided by his actual beliefs, but by other artists’ material. Nevertheless, he has backed away from his satirical rhymes on gays and women and focuses his music on his challenges.

On the road to RECOVERY

Eminem has utilized aesthetic practices such as “white-America freedom calls”, “trouble triumphancy” and “redemption music” to re-establish his image in the eyes of the media. Key players such as top-grossing producers and his manager, Paul Rosenberg, have played a crucial role in his recreation as an artist in the music industry. Through producing beats that invoked emotion, Eminem was able to relay his personal accounts in a creative, aesthetic style.

As a devoted fan and supporter of Emimen as an artist and a struggling civilian, I believe that he is a unique individual who uses his talents and own life account to help others; through giving a voice to low-income individuals to providing the strength to people in abusive relationships. His music is a symbol of his intelligence and forever fighting character.

Making It Burn Bright At Bonnaroo

Making It Burn Bright At Bonnaroo

by: Brad Phillip Weisberg

The Woodstock Music Festival was much more than a concert. It was a revolutionary development for musical artists and their wide-scale fan base. Although it could be argued that there will never be anything comparable to the indentation that Woodstock left on American culture, music festivals such as Bonnaroo and Langerado operate in a similar fashion. Even though these music festivals do not get the media exposure and society’s attention, both Bonnarroo and Langerado are social havens. Individuals who collectively appreciate the music styling’s and artistic abilities of select artists travel from all the over the nation and even the world to come experience our modern-day Counter-Culture. Artists such as Ben Harper and The Roots exercise their beliefs on topics such as marijuana usage, freedom of expression, distrust for the WTO, and other ideals through their eclectic sounds.

Listening to Ben Harper’s classic song, “Burn One Dow”, one cannot completely fully comprehend the power and emotional belief behind Harper’s words. Most artists such as Harper are not as engaged in the studio, mainly because they’re recording not performing. Once you put the artist in a venue with thousands to hundreds of thousands screaming fans, the artist breaks out of his or her shell and not only sings but performs.

“Burn One Down” is one of my favorite songs that Ben Harper has recorded and been performing for the past fifteen years. Although it is a song that unites marijuana users, that is not the only emotion and thoughts that Harper invokes upon his listeners. While listening to this song on my iPod or iTunes, I cannot fully experience what Harper had intended for me to hear and feel. His calm and smooth voice can only provide me with a sense of tranquility. Through carefully decoding the lyrics, one can understand that the message that Harper is trying to convey is purely focused on the legalization and acceptance of marijuana. From a broader scope, Harper’s music extrapolates on ideas of freedom, tolerance and acceptance. Lyrics such as “So before you knock it, try it first, for you’ll see it’s a blessing and not a curse” do not just apply to acceptance of marijuana usage, but also the acceptance and tolerance of racial and gender groups, such as blacks and gays. Ben Harper, a black American, has faced a lot of obstacles in his development as an artist. In his interview with “It’s Your Nature. Org”, Harper expands upon his belief towards acceptance and appreciation of the Earth (http://www.fanpop.com/spots/ben-harper/videos/376814/title/ben-harper-burn-one-down-interview). As you listen, you may be able to gather some of his ideas, but you cannot fully grasp the strong feelings and emotions that he has for certain issues and expresses through his music.

While watching his live performance at Bonnaroo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekd5L3a1s68) , one can get a better glimpse into the true identity of Harper as both a musician and civilian. Before he performs his song, he actively communicates with the audience through having a conversation on freedom, in the context to illegal downloading. As he states, “Free freedom, that’s my cry.” (Harper, Bonnaroo, 2008). Harper is a free-spirited, easy-going individual who is for the acceptance and tolerance of everyone and everything. An audience experiences the true passion and dedication that Harper has for the fight for freedom. While listening to the CD, you cannot watch the sweat drip down a musician’s face or the tears slowly roll down his face. Unlike Elvis Presley, Harper’s performance stems from his vocal abilities and strong stage presence. Watching an artist perform live, you can truly experience what they did when they were writing the song. At 2:10 into the YouTube video, we can see the strong emotions that Harper has for his beliefs, as he projects his voice while his eyes are closed. One can infer that the closing of his eyes is symbolic of his hope for a better day, a day in which no prejudice exists. The way Harper adjusts his voice to the words is representative of the personal attributes that he exhibits as a musician and a common individual, such as his laidback and carefree personality to his intestinal fortitude that he expresses in both his songs and live performances.

Clearly put, one cannot experience the feelings, emotions and passions that the artist intended for his committed fan-base. A live performance provides us with an authentic depiction of a musician, as both an artist and a common person. Listening to a CD, we can understand the manifest content that the artist lays out for us, but we cannot watch the artist perspire from the blood, sweat and tears that he pours into his music and performance.

Using Music To Promote Hardness and Overcome Racial and Gender Battles: The Many Sounds of "Bitches Ain't Shit"

“Bitches Ain’t Shit”, a classic of example of gangsta rap, set a precedent for other artists who classified their music as being a part of the gangsta rap genre. Over the years, the song has been performed and covered by other famous musicians such as Ben Folds, as well as notable acapella groups at distinct universities and colleges. However each performance presents a different image, as determined by the race, gender and socioeconomic status of the performer(s).

Dr. Dre, Daz, Snoop Dogg and Kurupt performed the original. All of these performers are Black men who were brought up in disadvantaged neighborhoods and ghettos in and around Los Angeles and Long Beach, California. Ethnographers can infer that their own experiences and their personal accounts influenced their music styling and lyrics. All of the images that are replicated by the edgy lyrics are representative of the stereotypical beliefs of hoods and Black men and women who are raised in these neighborhoods. In these neighborhoods, prostitution, violence and other forms of deviant behavior are highly valued and respected by select neighborhood residents (other Black youths). Growing up in society where hegemonic masculinity is the only true form of masculinity, black men resort to violence and sexual conquests with many women as a way to gain respect and power in an environment due to the over-dominance of the matriarchy in disadvantage neighborhoods (as a result of men getting incarcerated or death), since money is not prevalent and the major factor of power and dignity. Though others can argue that rap artists convey messages with such hard imagery because it is what the consumers the demand. In Misogyny in Rap Music: A Content Analysis of Prevalence and Meaning, the concept of hood narratives is introduced. Since the bulk of rap listeners are white youths who come from middle and upper middle class backgrounds, listening to gangsta rap is one way in which these teens can learn about another culture. Since demand is what drives the industry, the artists need to record songs that reinforce these stereotypes if they want to remain in the rap business game. Personally, I do not think that the original song was made because these rappers wanted to protect their identity as rap artists and they had to follow the orders of high profile businessman. I do not believe that artists who relay such messages actually agree with them, but do it to make the big money. In the article, it said that in order to remain in the business, you must throw away your morals and values. The tone of Dr. Dre and the others artists who collaborated on this project is reminiscent of story telling, as if these scenarios are real-life, which I’m sure many of them are. The beat and sound quality adds to the hardness of the song, which emanates violence and danger.

Ben Fold’s version produces a different image. To begin, the beat is much slower which creates a more subtle and dull tone the song. Knowing that the performer is white and from a middle-class background (originally) makes the narratives less believable, because his credibility on the subject matter is only heresy, not true-life experience. When listening to the song, an image of many students from my high school comes to mind; affluent youths driving expensive cars, smoking marijuana and hooking up with many insecure girls. As it could be argued that the original version as other forms of gangsta rap are seen as a way to legitimize one’s masculinity, I do not think that claim applies to Ben Fold’s version. His image is masculine and I do not think that was one of his motives for covering this song. In my opinion, I believe that Ben Folds covered this song because it appeals to a large audience, as does his music. His music is modern day folk, narratives about social experiences. Consumers appreciate artists who can combine different genres of music into their songs.

In the performance by the acapella group at Columbia, all the performers are college girls. Examining more closely, all the girls appear are Caucasian with the exception of one who looks like Indian or Middle-Eastern. Two of the girls are holding tennis rackets, which could be interpreted as a symbol of power and violence. Different than the male renditions (original, Ben Folds), this version is more dramaticized. In the article, it talks about how female artists usually sing about competition and fighting over man. This is exemplified in this performance, mainly by one of the soloists. The first soloist (green shirt) gets really into it, especially when she says, “That’s some real conversation for your ass” and later when she really expresses herself and says, “Man fuck that bitch”. Honestly, I cannot give you a confident answer as to why these girls choose to cover this song. The only conclusion that I can come to is that they wanted to tell the story from a girl’s perspectives, which focuses on emotion and women’s “cattiness” more so than the males performances. The way that they sing in harmony reinforces the idea that this song is a form of unity for feminism and female power, although not in the most positive light.

The Berkeley performance of “Bitches Ain’t Shit” was the most non-traditional cover. Not only was the racial and ethnic composition of the group the most diverse, but also the acapella group featured both college aged males and females. This distinct property created a different portrayal of the narrative. As Ben Folds sang softly, so did the white male in this performance (first soloist). This could imply that while he is not proud of boasting about his sexual conquests, it is something he must do with his male counterparts to prove his masculinity. Though, the Indian guy got a lot more into it, his words were a lot more emotional and emphasized in the pitch of his voice. Looking at the girls, the Asian girl made the portrayal a lot more dramatic with her tone quality, gestures and eye placement. Though, the white girl in the sweater almost seemed ashamed to say the words and spoke softly. I think that this group covered the song kind of for the same reason that other university acapella groups cover it. It is a song that most college aged students can relate to, as they grew up listening to it and hearing it in a different perspective (not by people who have real “street sense”) does not have the same implications then when the original artists recorded it. The sound quality and beat was not constant; it changed throughout the song to fit the emotional and music quality of each performer.

Each of these performances brings a different image to the table. First, you have credible sources of street knowledge, which are retelling what I presume to be actual true stories. Then, you have a popular folk artist who covers the song, probably for multiple reasons, though I’m sure he was forced by the record industry and then you have two separately different acapella groups who offer the narrative from a strict-female perspective and a coed perspective. Some ways in which these performances are alike are that they are told in a narrative manner, as this song is meant to be sung. Though it becomes more of a dramatic performance for the two acapella groups than with the original and Ben Fold’s version. They are not alike in the sense that the original version has actual Black men who come from these neighborhood conditions, while the others are all middle-class children (implied by variety of factors that include but are not limited to clothing, assumption that they can afford college tuition). While most of these performances are stereotypical as is portrayed through the clarity of language and movement, the Berkeley performance struck me as resistant when the white girl really slowed down her words, it gave it a different spin.