Eminem the best rapper ever [mtv]

Before typing a single word or even giving birth to a single thought, I can already imagine the barrage of responses this editorial will get. I can already see the opposition, which feels as if Eminem is nothing but a pop culture gimmick created in order to further water down the integrity of Hip Hop. I can smell the casual fans from a mile away. Of course, I mean those fans who have most likely never taken a deep whiff of his lyrical content or portfolio of work. Yeah, I¢m talking about those fans who only know Eminem by a couple of his hot tracks. This will cause stiff controversy and heated debate among the beloved Def Sounds faithful. Each opinion will vary, some being relevant and others not hitting any particular point. With that said, I will start by making this statement: Eminem is the best rapper alive.
When thinking about what makes a good rapper, you have to take a lot of things into consideration. A great rapper is more than just hot lyrics and good flow. For a rapper to truly be considered a complete package, he must have the following: flow, delivery, punch lines, wordplay, originality, content, metaphors, writing skills, creativity, and less importantly, record sales (record sales should really be followed by an asterisk since Hip Hop is only just starting to sell to the mainstream market).

So, to put things in perspective, let¢s look at some other great rappers.

2Pac

2pac, one of the greatest rappers to walk the face of this earth, was a master at writing songs. He had the ability to capture you with his lyrics, never letting you think of them as one-dimensional; yet his freestyle skills, as well as his punch lines, were suspect. His songs could be compared to some of the greatest lyrical poetry, but put him in a battle situation and he just might fall short.

Biggie Smalls

Biggie Smalls (“Biggie Smalls is the Wickedest Niggaz think I¢m pussy I dare you to stick your dick in this”) was a pure monster when it came to punch lines, flow, delivery, creativity (with his punch lines), wordplay and writing. He was close to being the perfect rapper, but he always fell short when it came to content (songs like Give me da loot are a prime example). He could blow your mind with some of his punch lines and ran circles around 99% of today¢s rap community, but he only had a one track lyrical prowess. If you look at the body of his work, he only raps about selling drugs, killing people, and having promiscuous sex. Outside of those topics, he never really broadens his lyrical outlook.

Now back to Eminem.

Eminem, unlike many rappers, has his own flow. He sounds like no one else in the game right now. Although, at times, you can hear glimpses of Nas and AZ, his ability to change his vocal pace and style multiple times throughout a song without losing the beat separates him from the hip hop mass. He can change the tone of a song within a fraction of a second and not seem at all altered by the beat. What makes him even more of an individual when it comes to his flow is that the delivery, tone, speed and mannerism of every song can differ, and while with some artist this might come as an unpleasant change, for him it works.

A great example of the differences between songs is from tracks “Say What You Say” and “When the Music Stops” on his album “The Eminem Show”. In “Say What You Say” he favors a more aggressive tone emphasizing every word, sending a clear and calculated message to the enemy, while in “When The Music Stops” he¢s more introspective, calm, and reflective, then bursts out into a fast pace lyrical rendition of what could happen if lyrics are taken too seriously.

When it comes to punch lines and wordplay, he is one of the top ten quotable rappers with lines that make you hit that rewind button or even venture to lyric websites so that you can make sure you heard right. Take his verse on the late great Notorious B.I.G¢s song “Dead Wrong”. He lyrically went toe to toe with one of the best and didn¢t break a sweat. If that doesn¢t convince you, then listen to Renegade or any freestyle that he has ever done and you will be thoroughly convinced. This is the man that placed second in the freestyle rap olympics; he is built off of lyrics, never shying away from multi syllables and complex rhyme schemes.

His songs vary not only with tone and lyrical approach but also with content. The topics cover politics, racism, drugs, family problems, Hip Hop in general, spoofs, beefs, his failed relationships, and his daughter; he raps about life. He relates to more people than 50 cent or all of NWA could ever hope to. His songs may not directly speak of an ordinary joe¢s problems, but the way in which he conveys them as well as the truth behind them remind you that he is only human.

As for his writing skills, it is an obvious no brainer. He has come out with four mainstream solo albums, two of those considered classics. Even his earlier work puts to shame some of today¢s hottest artists. Everyone has at least one Eminem song that they can connect to. It may be “Cleaning Out My Closet”, “Stan”, “The Way I Am”, or even “Criminal”, but there is at least one track that any red-blooded Hip Hop fan will say really captured them and made them think. Not many artists have that skill that will take you into their world while never leaving your own.

Pound for pound he¢s one of the best to ever step foot into a booth; his record sales prove it. Selling over 75 million records world wide, he has clearly left his mark in the Hip Hop hall of fame. These are facts, plain and simple, that can be backed up; yet even after all this, he will still never get the respect he deserves. People will argue that he¢s not as good as others. They will say that he has had the help of Dr. Dre, but all Dre has ever done was supplying him with a beat and a contract. It seems as if it is the color of his skin that makes him lose credibility. The question will always be asked – if he was black, would he get as much attention? Because of this, he is always tossed to the side of the top 5 or 10 dead or alive conversations. White, black, green, yellow, or invisible, Eminem is the best Rapper alive… maybe even the best ever.