He’s been described as one of the greatest artists of all time, the bestselling artist of the decade and now 18 years on from his debut solo album ‘Infinite‘ Eminem has released his eighth studio album ‘The Marshall Mather LP2‘ and we’re more excited than ever!
In his career spanning over two decades, Eminem has drastically changed the music industry and has redefined the accepted image of what a rapper is, making the genre accessible to whole new audiences. His autobiographical lyrics and refusal to hold back have taken us on a pretty tumultuous journey with him through his relationships with his mother, wife, addictions and even fans. It’s this honesty which has helped gain him a huge following and he has been a source of comfort and support for many who can relate to his struggles. With the release of his newest album it prompts us to reflect back on his career and its development.
As a fan, I’m probably a little bias, I see most of his career as a success – However, whilst I don’t see significant low points, there are notable changes in his style which have brought on criticism from audiences. In the beginning, he held nothing back, his personal life was an unrestricted, open door insight into the life of Marshall Mathers, however as his career has evolved it would seem he has revealed less and less about his personal life, this isn’t to say he’s any less honest, but fans desperate to hear the nitty gritty details of his struggles haven’t adjusted to this easily. His ‘Recovery‘ album stands out as a turning point, we saw him transform from a young disgruntled rapper, haunted by his past to an older, wiser artist. He became more insightful without losing the drive and anger from his previous albums and since this, many of his tracks have followed suit. Whilst this new style is controversial and has occasionally been viewed as negative, I see it as a positive, his more guarded approach makes him less accessible, more untouchable than ever and for fans worldwide, this only fuels the curiosity surrounding him, ensuring his novelty never wears off.
Looking back at his career as a whole, despite backing his more recent style, a track that stands out to me has always been ‘Mockingbird‘ from his ‘Encore‘ album. His music is a reflection of his life and this song tells a brutally honest story about the events leading up to his success and the strains his new career put on his relationship with his family. It strips back the glamour associated with fame and gives a new perspective on the consequences of success whilst maintaining his ‘no boundaries’ style and giving fans a deeper understanding of his transition from poverty to fame. His lyrics strike truth for many families, with the on going recession poverty is prevalent and fans can connect with the personal struggles he talks about.
His influence on both the music industry and society cannot be argued and his passion for his art has remained strong, never satisfied with the success he has already achieved, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone he claimed “Right now I’m probably working harder than I’ve ever worked in my life”… and this is why we love him! He came into the industry with a lot to prove, being a young, poor, white man in a genre predominantly ruled by black artists and the stereotype of white rappers as largely being a joke hanging over his head, he has completely redefined what it is to be a rapper in the 21st century.
He’s come a long way from the disgruntled young protégé of Dr Dre and has secured his place as a legend in the history of rap music, so let’s hope the world’s most famous rapper can keep surprising us for at least one more decade!
