Introducing the real Slim Shady
By John Patrick Lawlor
Staff Writer

      Rap legends Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. are now dead, and rap music has few leaders and innovators. Hip-hop, in the eyes of music journalist Daniel Kuyepers, has become "materialistic club music without a voice." It seems that hip-hop in the year 2000 is in a transition period. The fan base of rap has become increasingly white, the music style increasingly vulgar and its popularity larger than life. A new legend has stepped into the picture with his latest release, and has done so by accident.

      Marshal Mathers, also known as "Eminem" or "Slim Shady," has naturally and accidentally risen to the forefront of rap music (with a good deal of help from veteran west-coast producer Dr.Dre). And gues what, Eminem is white. No, he's not like pseudo-rapper Vanilla Ice. Marshall Mathers has risen to the forefront of rap music's most hard-hittig and talented lyricists And quoting a song off his first release, "he doesn't give a f---." Eminem's first album, "The Slim Shady LP," hit the charts like a bullet-Crossing racial and music genre borders which have existed since the introduction of rap to the mainstream in the early 1980s and striking a chord with young people all over the world.

      He speaks through the voice of alter-ego "Slim Shady," an imaginary derelict, someone without hope or faith. Someone who finds no purpose in anything else but amusement. He writes songs about being broke, fighting with his girlfriend (even imagining killing her), taking so many drugs he can't remember which ones are which, being beaten up on his elementary school play lot and even his own suicidal thoughts. Through being experimental, offensive and honest, Eminem has become larger than life with his teen fan base. And after listening to his spankin' new album, "Marshall Mathers LP," Marshall's folk status will become godlike.

      Why? Because Eminem represents Young America. Why? Because he is lost, clueless and admits it. Because he is frustrated and has no other outlet other than his fantasy-ike lyrics. And this outlet is more than most troubled teens have to turn to. As a result, young people turn to Eminem to hear their frustrations vocalized. Blacks and whites relate to Slim Shady because he couldn't care less what race he is. Eminem is too wrapped up in his own deranged thoughts to pay attention to pay attention to something as redundant as race Eminem himself proclaims, "How the f--- can I be white? I don't even exist."

      The new album follows through with broader and sharper criticisms, including pop culture, the shallowness of fame, being labeled as a teen sex symbol, drug use, homosexuality, record sales, censorship, money-hungry family members he never knew he had until they saw him on TV and why anything anybody (including himself) does has to be explained.

      Eminem is an artist, whether you love him or despise him. He is not asking you to condone or support anything that he says but he demands respect for the freedom we all have in America to say whatever we feel.

      Eminem, like all of us, is uncertain of what the outcome or meaning of life is, in fact he's not sure of anything at al. The difference between him and the rest of America and the music industry is that Eminem is not afraid to freak out, be himself, question everything and put it on record.