AIBU to think Eminem is the greatest rapper of all time?

[canary1]

Just going through those early great albums, The Slim Shady, The Marshall Mathers LP, the Eminem show...and thinking what a genius. I’ve also had some glasses of wine so am rambling. But those brilliant lyrics. Sigh....anyone agree?

Eminem was so raw, his lyrics were both angry and playful. I really struggle to listen now though, because there is genius there but also so much misogyny. I generally struggle with the misogyny in rap music, I love everything else about it really, but not that. Stan is one of my favourite songs of all time, it just worked so will combining Dido, the rain sounds, and his rap story. I love music that tells a story, and I really felt like that was done so well there. There are many other examples across the genre though. I mostly listen to female rappers and a bit of British stuff these days though.

I'm enjoying this thread and putting on some tracks in my kitchen

It is certainly weird and embarrassing according to my kids that a middle aged, middle class white professional, core Mumsnet demographic person likes rap music but I do. Always have done and always will do. I like blues, soul, funk and disco a lot too. I like don't care much about the skin colour of the person making the record but I

Eminem's verbal tricks are good but I don't like the sound of his voice or what he has to say very much.

Snoop I just love the way his voice sounds
Public Enemy, NWA, Nas, Grandmaster Flash, Gil Scott Heron I am interested in what they've got to say and how they say it.
I had actually forgotten how much I like A Tribe Called Quest and this little gem

m.youtube.com/watch?v=iLDso1d0DkE

i used to love his early stuff, hearing his life story in rap, but TBH that got a bit boring in the end, his story had been told. Not so easy to rap about how crap you life is when you're a millionaire

No he's good but come on the greatest?

Tupac, biggie, Nwa, wutangclan, common there's just too much competition

Nas, jay z, Kanye, mid def I can just keep on going

Clearly none of you have ever heard of the only rapper worth knowing, Barry “big tasty” Goldberg.

How can Big Shaq be left out this discussion. 😂

Like listening to an angry fozzy bear

@GoodbyePorpoiseSpit

YABU. Yabvvvu. He’s not the original and he certainly isn’t the best. Pretty unreasonable to consider a white guy GOAT too. Next you’ll be saying you like Macklemore ;)

How is it unreasonable to consider a white guy? It's literally nothing to do with race, rapping and making music is a talent. Talents are race specific.

Talents are not race specific that should have read

Eminem is truly a master wordsmith, just look at what he can do with language. Even if you don't like rap you should appreciate he has a talent for manipulating language on a par with the most lauded poets.

Unpopular opinion but why is rap and similar the choice music of gang members ? Why do a lot of rappers use disgusting language? Why do a fair few end up dead in violent circumstances?

@ihavethehighground

Unpopular opinion but why is rap and similar the choice music of gang members ? Why do a lot of rappers use disgusting language? Why do a fair few end up dead in violent circumstances?

@ihavethehighground

This again?

You really think this is a question?

Next you’ll be saying you like Macklemore ;) I do. Loved thrift shop.

Unpopular opinion but why is rap and similar the choice music of gang members ? Why do a lot of rappers use disgusting language? Why do a fair few end up dead in violent circumstances?

If you're genuinely interested in the history of rap and the lived experience of rappers then watch The Evolution of Hip Hop on Netflix. It's fascinating. But I doubt these are genuine questions

Eminem is a genius. I love his stuff. His angry rap is so cathartic.

He is fantastic, outstandingly talented, but he's not IMO the best. He is absolutely unique though and a very important figure.

YANBU to love him!

@ihavethehighground

Unpopular opinion but why is rap and similar the choice music of gang members ? Why do a lot of rappers use disgusting language? Why do a fair few end up dead in violent circumstances?

Where’s the opinion? Those are questions.

His later stuff is weak; he sold out and got lazy imo. Prior to that either angrily rapping about his mom or ex girlfriend......

There's so much more conscious, melodic and political mc's out there from the earlier days - MF Doom, D Jilla, Digable Planets to name a few. They break the narrative contrary to ill informed views about hip hop as seen on this thread. As for UK rappers really rate JME and lowkey.

@BatonRouge

His later stuff is weak; he sold out and got lazy imo. Prior to that either angrily rapping about his mom or ex girlfriend......

There's so much more conscious, melodic and political mc's out there from the earlier days - MF Doom, D Jilla, Digable Planets to name a few. They break the narrative contrary to ill informed views about hip hop as seen on this thread. As for UK rappers really rate JME and lowkey.

All great rappers although none of them will make any list of "the greats", just as some indie filmmakers deserve more but won't get the recognition etc

The thing is, it's such a shame this kind of list needs to get wheeled out all the time with rap.

The art form is always held to such a higher standard than other music because, well.. the perception it fosters social issues etc

Axl Rose can talk all manner of stuff about sexual violence, drugs etc, but hey! It's just bad boy Axl again.

Eminem can threaten to kill, rape, all sorts, but hey - he's brilliant and he's made it clear he's only joking!

Meanwhile a black male says some rhymes on a record and it's taken as his immediate first person testimony from the frontline and should be admissible in court as evidence of his behaviour.

from a lyric and word play perspective he is truly in a league of his own.

the double/triple meanings behind his lines are mind blowing. there is a youtuber called Knox hill who breaks down his songs brilliantly and it has given me a whole new level of respect for how difficult what eminem does actually is.

his longevity is incredible too - he is still making popular music and being spoken about today. credit where due.

Not read the whole thread.
My son likes Kendrick Lamar. He thinks that Eminem 's early hits and albums were ok, but Lamar is much more talented. He was meant to see him at the 02 last year :(
I'm not keen on any rap music at all but I thought 'Stan ' with Dido wasn't bad ( even though it was a bit depressing)

Someone being told to "ignore colour" on a about rap music is the most Mumsnetty thing I've ever seen on Mumsnet grin

Someone without a clue about rap ending anything in a grin! Look at Dr Dre discovering Eminem. I think his colour was a big factor.

Meanwhile a black male says some rhymes on a record and it's taken as his immediate first person testimony from the frontline and should be admissible in court as evidence of his behaviour.

You're clearly not familiar with gangsta rap and the recent trend of UK drill, where they actually really do the things they talk about. In the latter it's quite clear they do because a large number of the MCs die from being stabbed each year and the lyrics are full of references to traceable gang stabbings - to the point they now all wear balaclavas etc (no face no case) and 'censor' their music to avoid repercussions (e.g. "shh got shh with his rambo" etc).

I'm not really judging as it is what it is and is usually the product of a specific socioeconomic background, but it's silly to pretend that these things aren't really happening. It's one of the principle factors in the current knife crime epidemic.