Post by The Curmudgeon on Apr 11, 2007 11:42:09 GMT 2
Someone kill this mockingbird.
First of all, I have a lot of respect for Eminem. I'm not a massive fan or anything, but he genuinely did bring something new to the rap table, something which is still beyond most of the hopeless, bling obsessed, identikit idiots on MTV right now. He didn't rap about cars and girls and money like EVERY SINGLE OTHER RAPPER, he instead talked about his life, politics, controversy, celebrity.. he could be funny. He could be serious. Really - he could do it all. Oh, and forgive the past tense, but he's quit the business, apparently. I give THAT about a year.
Anyway, like I said - a lot of respect for Eminem for saying something NEW in hip hop. That's not to say he didn't say the same things over and over and over again (how many times did we have to hear that he hated his mother? We get it, guy).
Yes, family did play a large part in Eminem's music. When he wasn't "dissing" his mother or his ex-wife, he was throwing love at his daughter, Hailie. Like on this catastrophic effort, quite simply the worst single Eminem ever released (D12 efforts notwithstanding, that's more crap for another day).
Singing about (and indeed, to) your daughter is fine, but it's got to be done in a way, especially when it's coming from Mr Controversy Eminem, that doesn't make you want to gag. And when the opening lines are "Straighten up little soldier" the alarm bells begin to ring. When the song continues with "I'mma (sic) give you the world, buy a diamond ring for you, sing for you, I'll do anything to see you smile" you're not so much being sick as laughing hard and heartily.
And oh yes, he's going to sing for Hailie. Which means he's going to sing for us, too, giving one of the most fingernails down a blackboard chorus in years. You rap. You don't sing. Get Dido to do it for you next time again or something. Just.. don't ever sing. No matter how great the urge is.
This would be one of the last singles Eminem put out, but not before another (admittedly superior) vomit-fest about Hailie called "When I'm Gone". Seems that his biggest inspiration in life was also his creative Achilles heel. Go figure.
Not sure what Eminem is going to start rapping about when he inevitably returns. He milked the War/Bush ordeal to death (because, like, he really cared about it and stuff) and so I guess we can look forward to more verbal diarrhoea directed towards Hailie . Hold me back.
See Eminem: Mockingbird
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FSYRo-BpMs
