Race, Representation, and Identity
...presentation early in his career, however he has matured considerably since making these statements. Literature has been reviewed from three different types of national media. These three media are not geared for young adults, rappers, or even music enthusiasts. The first is Time which is a conservative weekly national magazine. Josh Tyrangiel, writer of the music section in Time Magazine, reviews all different types of music ranging everything from classical, jazz, rock, county, and rap. Tyrangiel charges Eminem with being a “bad human and a toxic influence.” Tyrangiel then reinforces this image with words such as “nihilistic” which means to be a revolutionary rebel, “insufferably narcissistic” which means to be intolerably vain, and Eminem as a “complete lunatic.” He describes Eminem as a man who should be strapped down in an insane asylum and not at the top of the billboards. Tyrangiel calls Eminem a “scared child,” who is “deeply wounded” from his terrible childhood which is why Eminem has a “weakness for sentimentality.” By the end of the article the reviewer remains objective about the “foul mouthed” rapper, granting him the title of “greatness.” Two different view of Eminem come from the same article Cobb 3 written by the same person. This clearly portrays Eminem’s “fragmented consciousness” and “uncontrollable feelings.” Josh Tyrangiel depicted these images in his multifaceted article. The Washington Post is a powerful newspaper which is printed daily on the East Coast. David Segal, a writer for The Washington Post, had a lot to say about Eminem’s “vulgar” and “violent” lyrics and how he feels about the “little outrage” Eminem is receiving. Segal starts off by calling Eminem a “potty-mouth.” This language gives an image of a child who needs his mouth washout with soap. Segal insults Eminem’s newest CD by calling it “a soap opera of dysfunction and hostility,” and then praises the CD by calling it “witty and hugely entertaining.” Segal gives a hint that he does not like the “time” we are in right now. He makes note of the vulgar songs which rein on the Billboard charts “these days.” Segal says, “There was a time when an album that imagined diabolical ways to poison women with anthrax would stir a little protest.” Segal mentions Eminems “phenomenal record sales” and that Eminem is “now the most popular artist in the country,” but clarifies this by stating that the bulk of his audience are “kids under 18.” Segal compares Eminem to Elvis calling them “the age-old culture spaz-out” being a staple of pop culture. Segal attacks Eminem by saying “He‘s rich, he‘s popular, and nobody is complaining about him anymore,” so the “tag” as an “oppressed underdog” is “ridiculous.” David Segal concludes in comparing public outrage and a bomb saying “not even Eminem can trip it now.” CNN is a nation-wide television report and worldwide on the internet website. On the website an anonymous writer makes a review of Eminem’s new CD. Cobb 4 The unknown writer is probably unknown for a good reason because the writer blatantly calls Eminem's only love, his daughter, a “trailer-park urchin.” I don’t know what that fully means but neither trailer-park or urchin are good images to be called. The writer makes fun of Eminem for being a “so-called devoted father,” and he makes note that Eminem can’t sing but he can “crow” just fine. He calls Eminem a “whiner” which gives Eminem a cry baby images to his tough public perception, and claims Eminem is playing “the old sad clown trick.” The CNN reviewer seems to be in disbelief when he says “the supposedly real Marshall,” as if Eminem was just putting on another act. It would be unfair to have an essay on Eminem, and not to have any of his infamous nasty lyrics in this essay. Eminem is well aware of his culturally impacting language, as wel...