Ditzian, Eric. “Eminem Talks About His Friendship With Elton John.” MTV. 4 Jan. 2010. Web. <http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1629030/eminem-talks-about-his-friendship-with-elton-john.jhtml>.
In this MTV article, Eminem discusses his 2001 Grammy performance with Elton John. The performance came following a barrage of criticism against Eminem for his use of homophobic language in his lyrics. Eminem stated that he refused to perform at the Grammys unless it was with Elton John and that he was initially unaware of Elton John’s sexual orientation. Eminem found Elton John to be very supportive for still performing with him despite being homosexual. The two continued to be close, and Elton John later helped support Eminem through his recovery from prescription drugs. The information in this article helps to show Eminem’s relationship with someone who is openly homosexual, which adds an interesting element to the widely held belief that Eminem is homophobic.
“Eminem.” Rolling Stone. Wenner Media Websites. Web. <http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/eminem/biography>.
This biography appears on Rolling Stone’s website, and it explains the life of hugely famous rapper, Eminem. The article begins with Eminem’s childhood and works its way through his discovery by producer Dr. Dre. Each of Eminem’s albums is discussed, along with the many controversies that came along with each one. The biography also includes information about how Eminem was perceived by his critics—quite favorable, except for the controversies. Unfortunately, this article has not been updated following Eminem’s release of his album Relapse, which was in 2009. However, this article was extremely helpful for establishing the layout of Rolling Stone as it appears online.
Eminem, and Sacha Jenkins. Eminem: The Way I Am. London: Orion, 2008. Print.
This biography offers a personal look into Eminem’s life. He takes his audience through his journey to become the success that he is today, starting with his childhood in the rough parts of Detroit. He explains his struggle to fit in and the bullying he faced as a kid. He discusses one of his closest friendships, with fellow Detroit rapper Proof, and how Proof’s death affected him. He shows his fans his song-writing process with pictures of scribbled lyrics on any random scraps of paper he could get his hands on. This book is a really interesting look into Eminem’s life from his own point of view.
“Eminem’s Road to Stardom.” Interview by Anderson Cooper. YouTube. CBSNewsOnline, 7 Aug. 2011. Web. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pJKb-h2iV0>.
Eminem’s interview with Anderson Cooper explains a lot about his life, from growing up as a minority in Detroit to his current fame and status as one of the greatest rappers. The two talk about Eminem’s childhood and how Eminem constantly changed schools and was only ever good at English. Eminem shows off his rhyming skills, demonstrating his ability to rhyme words with orange by changing his pronunciation of the words. Anderson asks Eminem about his derogatory and vulgar lyrics, to which Eminem explains that it is just the way he was raised to battle in rap battles. This interview explains a lot about why Eminem uses the language that he does, although he fails to fully explain himself and instead appears to just make excuses.
Hill, Marc Lamont. “Scared Straight: Hip-Hop, Outing, and the Pedagogy of Queerness.” That’s the Joint! The Hip-Hop Studies Reader. Ed. Forman and Neal. 2nd ed. Routledge (2012): New York. 382-398.
Marc Lamont Hill breaks down the common hip-hop practice of utilizing homophobic slurs and anti-gay language in lyrics. He provides numerous examples of the ways in which rap artists use such derogatory language, and he shows that some of the most famous and well-respected rappers use this language in their songs. Hill explains that this serves different purposes, with some of the most common being to emasculate opponents in rap battling or to boost their own masculinity by showing that they love women and not men. Hill provides a very interesting analysis of the homophobia that exists in the hip-hop industry.
Jay-Z. Decoded. New York (2010): Spiegel & Grau: pp. 10-18.
In Jay-Z’s autobiography, he explains not only his life but the ways in which his life experiences are inextricably linked to hip-hop and his music. He talks a lot about his responsibility to share his personal experiences in his music and to tell the truth to his listeners. He feels that not fully explaining his past, good and bad, is being dishonest. Jay-Z explains the conditions in which he grew up and how the rise of cocaine affected his environment and the people in it. Ultimately Jay-Z discusses how his music reflects his life and that hip-hop, to him, is storytelling.
King, Martin Luther, Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen’s Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear. By Paul Rogat Loeb. New York: Basic, 2004. 281-87. Print.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is a beautifully written letter explaining why he was jailed. However, it is not limited to this—King recalls the horrific treatment of African Americans he had witnessed so far and details his efforts in leading his nonviolent campaign for equal rights. A very interesting part called on those who do not participate in the injustice but also do not help to stop it. King writes that these people who prefer order over justice are most detrimental to the civil rights movement, more so than those who fight openly against it. This letter was a great example of a call for change and progress, and reminiscent of Macklemore’s “Same Love.”
Lewis, Ryan. “Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Same Love feat. Mary Lambert (Official Video).” YouTube. 2 October 2012. Web. 25 November 2012.
Macklemore’s music video for “Same Love” takes his fans through a love story between two men. It begins with a young boy taking part in the gender roles that have been presented to him. As he enters his teenage years, he begins to feel uncomfortable in heterosexual situations with his peers, like spin the bottle and a high school dance. As an adult, he is seen in a happy relationship with another man. The two date, get engaged, and then married. This video highlights the love and happiness that can exist in a homosexual relationship. The video also flashes images of past discrimination against racial groups, making the point that discriminating based on sexual orientation is no different.
Macklemore. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. N.p., 18 July 2012. Web. 25 November 2012. <http://macklemore.com/post/27481163762/this-song-which-i-wrote-in-april-is-a-response>.
Macklemore wrote a post on his blog about his song “Same Love,” which became famous for standing in support of same-sex marriage. In his post, he explains how he began writing the song and his struggles with making it feel genuine. He goes on to talk about his reasons for writing the song, with the obvious reason being that he wants to spread a message of support for same-sex marriage. He also discusses the accountability he feels regarding the hip-hop genre that he is a part of, because he admits that even the biggest rappers use homophobic language. He ends with sharing his hope that progress towards increased tolerance can be made.
Mathers, Marshall. “Interview with Eminem: It’s Lonely at the Top.” NY Rock, Feb. 2001. Web. <http://www.nyrock.com/interviews/2001/eminem_int.asp>.
This interview with Eminem focuses mainly on Eminem’s view of being famous and how being a star has changed his life. He talks about the downside to fame, explaining the incredible pressure he feels to always be perfect as a performer. He goes on to say that while it used to feel as though his life was in slow-motion before he became famous, it now feels as though his life is speeding by. Upon being asked about his controversial language and specifically his use of the word “faggot,” he explains that his language is a result of where he grew up. The interview really highlights Eminem’s realness, showing his raw demeanor and penchant for curse words.
Neal, Mark Anthony. “Postindustrial Soul: Black Popular Music at the Crossroads.” That’s the Joint! The Hip-Hop Studies Reader. Ed. Forman and Neal. 2nd ed. Routledge (2012): New York. 477-502.
In “Postindustrial Soul,” Mark Anthony Neal discusses the creation of hip-hop, stating that it did not just arise but was instead a direct response to the social neglect of African-Americans in the late 1970’s and 1980’s. Neal credits economic collapse and decaying public spaces as playing a part in the need for expression. As popular black music came to represent the black middle class, hip-hop provided a voice that truly represented those who found themselves at the bottom. This article is more than a story about the creation of hip-hop—it is a history lesson that explains the fundamental need for hip-hop at that time and the expression that it offered its people.
Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. In Forman and Neal. 477-502.
In “Black Noise,” Tricia Rose writes about the effect and purpose of rap music. While the issue of racial inequality is largely integrated into her argument, it functions to support the larger idea of how black people responded to this inequality—with rap music. Rose uses rap songs and lyrics as evidence for how music functions as a way to rebel against the powerful. She explains how rap is way for feelings of oppression and resentment to be funneled into music. Rose focuses primarily on the ways in which rap is a response to the discrimination and prejudice that African Americans faced.
“Same Love.” A-Z Lyrics. no date. Web. 25 November 2012.
“Same Love” written by rapper Macklemore is a song widely hailed as a “socially conscious” song as it tackles a controversial issue of today’s society. The song advocates for same-sex marriage, and Macklemore explains his own personal connection to the issue. He calls on society to think about the hurtful things they are saying and he reminds his audience of the religious and racial discrimination that our country endured in the past, asking how discrimination based on sexual orientation is any different. He ends the song with a call for change and increased tolerance. This song goes against the typical hip-hop songs, which often include anti-gay sentiments.
Thorpe, Vanessa. “Elton John Tells How He Helped Eminem Quit Drugs.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 2 Jan. 2010. Web. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2010/jan/03/eminem-elton-john-drugs>.
This Guardian News article explains how singer Elton John helped Eminem to recover from his addiction to prescription drugs. The article explains that after their meeting and join performance at the 2001 Grammy’s, Elton John was critical of Eminem’s use of homophobic slurs. However, when Eminem needed help with quitting his addiction, he called Elton John for help. Since then, the two have been close friends. Elton John has helped other celebrities with their drug recoveries, as he himself went through issues with substance abuse. This article documents the first time that Elton John spoke about helping Eminem with recovery.