Eminem: Rise, Talent, and the Manufactured Celebrity Debate

Introduction: Celebrity, Pop Culture, and Eminem

Popular music has become an essential part of American — and increasingly global — youth culture, especially since the 1960s and the era of Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Music has branched off into different forms and genres since then and has become an important part of what is generally termed "pop culture." Initially an American trend created through the interaction of communities, artists, and the music industry, it has gradually taken on a global shape and grown into a major money-making enterprise. The commercialization of music has made it necessary for the industry to create stars and celebrities, giving rise to the phenomenon of the "manufactured celebrity."

Apart from commercial factors, there is also an urge in contemporary society to have stars who can be followed and worshipped. This urge is more pronounced in adolescents and youth, and is part of the growing-up process. Due to the unprecedented development of communication and media technology, the appeal and reach of such celebrities has grown tremendously. Such popular figures now command a wider audience and exert a more widespread influence than ever before. Moreover, they fulfill an important need — especially among the young — for hero-worship and serve as objects of love, but they also evoke more complex emotions, becoming objects of hate, ridicule, and derision. Celebrities are often the catalyst for major changes in fashion, style, and taste, and are mirrors of the culture they inhabit.

This paper traces the life and career of one such celebrity — Eminem, a.k.a. Marshall Mathers — the controversial rap artist and actor. It also attempts to explore the reasons behind his rise to prominence. Is he a "manufactured" star created by handlers, managers, spin doctors, and the media? Or is he someone with genuine charisma and special talent? Or is he simply a creation of circumstance — a response to a need felt by the American public?

Early Life and Discovery of Rap

Eminem was born on October 17, 1973, in Kansas City, Missouri, to a teenage mother named Deborah, who named her baby Marshall Bruce Mathers III. ("Eminem" represents the initials of his name — M and M — which he adopted when he began his singing career.) His father abandoned the family while Mathers was still an infant. "I don't know who my dad is. He left when I was a few months old and I don't want to see him now," the rapper has said. While growing up, Mathers and his mother rarely lived in one place for more than six months, often moving to dodge landlords demanding rent from his unemployed mother. At other times they lived in trailers or stayed at relatives' homes in cities such as Warren and Kansas City. He thus had an unsettled and unhappy childhood and never found it easy to make friends. He was a timid child who was once beaten so badly by bullies that he was in a coma for nine days. Predictably, he retreated into comic books and television ("Eminem," All Stars Celebrity).

The best thing that happened to Mathers during his unhappy childhood was when his uncle Ronnie introduced the nine-year-old to rap music. He recalls that Ice-T's "Reckless" was the first rap song he ever heard. His other favorites included LL Cool J, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube. When Mathers was twelve, his mother finally settled on the east side of Detroit. There, he attended Lincoln Junior High School and Osbourne High School, hanging out with friends and listening to 1980s rap music. He got into many fights while in school and did not concentrate on acquiring an education. Skipping school became a habit that led to his failing the ninth grade three times in a row, and he finally dropped out altogether ("Eminem," bio from MTV.com).

In the period after leaving school, he became involved in several shooting incidents and was even arrested once. Another event that affected him deeply was the suicide of his uncle Ronnie — the only stable role model he had known. Devastated, Mathers found solace in practicing rhythm and rap while working several minimum-wage jobs, including that of a grill cook. He also began dating a tall blonde girl named Kim — the one he figuratively "kills" in his song "97 Bonnie & Clyde." The couple had a daughter, Hailie Jade, in December 1995. He continued to develop his rapping skills by performing with groups such as Basement Productions and Sole Intent, and established a reputation as the only white rapper on the Detroit music scene ("Eminem," All Stars Celebrity).

First Album, Big Break, and the Slim Shady Era

Mathers had changed his name to Eminem — based on his initials M and M — before releasing his debut album, Infinite, in 1997 through the independent label FBT. The album was poorly received, with Eminem drawing unfavorable comparisons to leading rappers such as Nas and AZ. Despite the setback, he showed determination by continuing to appear at shows and on radio stations in Detroit to promote himself (ibid.).

His persistence was eventually rewarded by a prominent feature in Source's Unsigned Hype column, and when he won the Wake Up Show's Freestyle Performer of the Year award, followed by a runners-up finish at Los Angeles' annual Rap Olympics. Always looking for an opportunity to promote himself, he gave someone from the Rap Coalition a copy of his debut album, Infinite, while in LA. His big break came when his music was played on an LA radio station and Dr. Dre — former NWA member and Aftermath Records producer — happened to hear it. Dr. Dre was suitably impressed and marked Eminem as someone to work with.

The following year, 1999, Eminem brought out his second album, The Slim Shady EP, again independently. The album was named after his sinister alter ego and featured vitriolic attacks on his detractors. "Slim Shady is just the evil thoughts that come into my head," Eminem has said, describing the persona as a form of catharsis that allows him to release his angry, pent-up emotions. The standout track was "Just Don't Give A *****," which became a highly popular underground hit.

Following that success, Dr. Dre signed Eminem to Aftermath Records and adopted the young rapper as his protégé. Dre acted as co-producer on Eminem's full-length debut, The Slim Shady LP — a reworking of the earlier EP that also contained new tracks. Bolstered by Dr. Dre's beats and a provocative collection of violent, twisted lyrics, The Slim Shady LP was a runaway success. The album was further buoyed by the commercial success of the singles "My Name Is" — with a striking, MTV-friendly video — and his collaboration with Dre, "Guilty Conscience." The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard album charts and has since gone triple platinum, which still pales in comparison with the success of his next release ("Eminem," All Stars Celebrity).

The album also brought him significant recognition, including an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist and two Grammy Awards: one for Rap Solo Performance for "My Name Is…" and one for Best Rap Album.

Conclusion: Genuine Talent or Assembly-Line Star?

Eminem (a.k.a. Marshall Mathers III) has come a long way since he shocked parents and offended liberals and conservatives alike with his profanity, anger, and undisguised violence. As the shock effect of his act has worn off, some have begun to wonder whether he is one in a long line of manufactured celebrities that the American pop music industry produces on an assembly line. This paper has examined the art and career of the most successful rap artist of his era, and the evidence — in the form of his music, lyrics, and performances — indicates that he is a rare and exceptional talent. He also appears to be aware of the pitfalls that can prove to be major barriers to long-term artistic growth, and seems prepared for the long haul. All of which goes to prove that not all pop artists are manufactured by the American music industry — at least, not yet.

Works Cited

"Biography: Eminem." 2002. mtv.com. MTV Web Site. November 25, 2002.

"Eminem." All Stars Celebrity. 2001. All Star Network. November 25, 2002.

"Eminem: Poet or Bigot?" BBC News. February 7, 2001. BBC Online. November 25, 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1158391.stm

Maserati, Sarah. "Flat Rap." November 12, 2002. National Review Online. November 25, 2002. http://www.nationalreview.com/maserati/maserati111202.asp

Rich, Frank. "Mr. Ambassador." The New York Times. November 3, 2002. November 25, 2002. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/03/magazine/03EMINEM.html?pagewanted=all&position=top