Dre) a steady stream of “bitch-slapping” misogyny peppered with anti-gay invective, all in the service of establishing their “hardness.” The irony, of course, is that this hypermasculine posturing – so dismissive of women - produces homoerotic tensions in the inner sanctum of hip hop maleness, which then requires Eminem and Dre (and other gangsta rappers) to verbally demonstrate their heterosexuality by attacking gays. For all of his vaunted “honesty” and presumed vulnerability, the misanthropically cartoonish “Slim Shady” persona that Marshall Mathers hides behind requires (at least publicly) a purging of anything that can be associated with femininity. Rather, it is central to his constructed tough- white-guy image. But Eminem’s homophobia is not simply a matter of specific lyrics. Other gays have embraced him in spite of this (most notably, and controversially, Elton John). In that sense Eminem’s success tells us something about ourselves – something that many progressive, feminist, egalitarian and nonviolent people in this era of white male backlash and militarism find quite disheartening.Įminem has been the target of protest from gay and lesbian activists who object to his lyrical endorsement of violence against them. As Richard Goldstein argued in a brilliant piece in the Village Voice, many of Eminem’s male (and some female) fans take “guilty pleasure” in identifying with the aggressor. For example, one disturbing way to understand Eminem’s popularity is that he has achieved success not in spite of his virulent misogyny and homophobic utterances – as many critics allege - but in part because of them. But there are other analyses that have only begun to dim the luster of this 21st century legend-in-the-making. Obviously this has much (everything?) to do with his whiteness, and critiques of Eminem have typically centered on the racial politics of his initial rise to notoriety and now to the heights of pop cultural fame. One thing is certain: he has been embraced by the cultural mainstream in a way that is unprecedented for a rapper. What is in question is the nature of Eminem’s art and image, and its significance. He is a multitalented artist: a wildly inventive rap lyricist, a charismatic performer, and now an effective actor (essentially playing a heroicized version of himself). Love him or loathe him, Eminem is unquestionably an impressive cultural player. “Put Anthrax on a Tampax and slap you till you can’t stand.” - Eminem, “Superman”
FUNNY EMINEM SONGS MOVIE
(emphasis added) But it’s a movie of hope…” - Craig Wilson, USA Today And I’m a farm boy from Upstate New York with a weakness for James Taylor…Was Eminem whitewashed, made to be more likable than his reputation as a homophobe, misogynist, an all-around unlikable performer who spews his offensive lyrics across the airwaves? Probably. “I loved (8 Mile)…probably one of the best movies I’ve seen in years. 8 Reasons Eminem’s Popularity is a Disaster for Women
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