EMINEM: GENIUS?
Jon Mandle, writing at Crooked Timber, discusses a review of Marshall Mathers (“Eminem”) in the current New York Review of Books. (More precisely, it’s a review of three books on Eminem, one a 148 masterpice by its subject.) The discussion is an interesting one, especially the topic of racial “authenticity.”
Personally, while I find some of Mathers’ lyrics clever, I find the merits of the work overshadowed by the vile misogyny, violent overtones, and the whole “I’m such a poor, misunderstood multimillionaire” schtick. But I’m not, as they say, the target audience.
I think Eminem has a little-known niche with the ultra-groovy I’m-so-left-I’m-right-set.
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