Is Eminem Being Targeted for Homophobic Lyrics Because He's White?

Is Eminem Being Targeted for Homophobic Lyrics Because He's White? There`s a lot of buzz aroundEminem`s recent 60 Minutesappearance with Anderson Cooper. On the open it was a serious looking as there`s no denying Em`s popularity. He`s now seen as an OG of sorts who has finally returned to the shot after being off for a pair of years recovering from a serial of life altering mishaps.

We all know about the tragic night club shooting of his best friend Proof (Detroit`s un-official mayor ) a few days back. We too acknowledge that Eminem almost overdosed and had been hooked on drugs. According to Em he`s been 2 years sober. Like it or not when polled Eminem`s name frequents cracks the top 5 in one Hip Hop`s greatest rapper ever.His delivery, controversial subject matter and clever word run has earned him his respect. However, what caught people`s attention during the 60 Minutes interview was his remarks around homophobic and misogynistic lyrics. When asked about them and the argument that emerged here`s what Em is quoted as saying;

"I felt like I was being attacked. I was being singled out. I felt like, `Is it because of the colour of my bark? Is it because of that you`re paying more attention?` There are certain rappers that do and say the like things that I`m saying and I don`t see no one say anything almost that.".

You can peep the entire interview here..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFGVXtwc-Ak

Em`s remarks raised more than a few eyebrows and left us with a few things to consider about. The list of the back as he easily knows is when you`re trying to have noise to puff up a spot, unless you make a compelling story to state or exemplary skill sets, the better way to get aid to yourself or an outcome is to beef up dust and cause controversy.

This is what Eminem did. He bursted on the scene 10 days ago causing controversy. It wasn`t just his shocking lyrics but likewise some of his on and off stage antics. For example, I remember on one of his other visits to the Bay he got into a heated exchange with a radio host on KALX (UC Berkeley`s radio station) who thought he was a bit rude and ended the top. The host Sister Tamu wound up breaking his show on the air. Word of that incident spread quick.

A few months later (may 1999) while doing a concert at the Fillmore a battle broke out.Em attempted to stay things solely to start off the present with crew in tow to pummel a heckler who he felt wasn`t showing the proper respect. What appeared to be an isolated incident was afterwards revealed to be something that somewhat staged as similar incidents of Eminem jumping off the stage to confront hecklers occurred at other concerts including Las Vegas a few years later. Again controversy sells and Eminem early on was a spark plug for it_

It should do as no storm that folks want to get a substance across would attach themselves to his missteps to get a message out. This has been a tested and honest method used by organizations like PETA when it comes to animal abuse and apparently other organizations like GLAAD who went after Eminem to get aid to homophobia. But with that being said, while Eminem has come under fire, he has never been economically blocked at least not in the ways we seen other artists who dared cross certain lines.

For example, take reggae artist Buju Banton. Here`s a guy that recorded an over the top homophobic song back in 1988 when he was 15. The song`Boom Bye Bye` was near the murderinggay man and became a huge hit and an anthem of sorts. 20 days later this call was recorded folks never let up him. They protested, got his tours canceled. Folks have and proceed to go all out on Buju. Eminem. yeah he got heat from GLAAD and other organizations, but his concerts were never cancelled even here in San Francisco where activist have closed down Buju everytime his figure is still mentioned.

This has gone on even after Buju has gone on to do positive music and explained his immaturity and ignorance at 15. He is now considered a firm voice for Jamaica. The protests have gone on even after he was the low to set up program Willy to help keep the spread HIV and AIDs in Jamaica. Prior to that using a condom was seen in a bad light the like way homosexuality was. Buju took those steps and has yet been dogged.

Em still performed his over the top songs even after public apologies and a picture of rapprochement with singer Elton John who is outspoken on Gay Rights. Em was still embraced even though he does many of those `offensive` songs. In addition when Eminem is mentioned it`s rarely with the tag Anti-gay rapper vs Buju who is often cited in the contract as Anti-gay singer.

Def Jeff

Now one may appear at Buju and say his vocal was an anthem that sparked violence and therefore deserved to be protested. Thats understandable on a total of levels so lets look ata few other less egregious examples.I remember back in the early 90s ago LA rapper Def Jeffcoming to San Francisco to do at Club Townsend. He attempted to try to get the crowd hypedby first yelling `All the Wretched People Be Quiet`. When he got a luke warm reception he then yelled `All the Masses who got Aids be Quiet`. To put it simply, after he yelled those remarks it was a wrap.

Even though Def Jeff got a resounding response from the interview that night he presently found himself blacklisted by SF club owners. Many who heard about his remarks refused to hold him. Years later, he admitted at that time, he was new and just ignorant to both the horrors of HIV and AIDs. He was also oblivious to the character of wrath and scapegoating directed at the Gay community. At that time AIDs was more associated with white Gay males as opposed to folks in the interior city and Jeff was simply insensitive. He apologized, but to know avail. He hasn`t been in the Bay to perform since.

A few months prior to Def Jeff`s remarks, Turbo B the lead rapper for the group theSnap which had the mega hit song `The Power`, made some unsavory remarks about Gays and AIDs and caused a huge uproar. Turbo later apologized for his ignorance, but it was all but a wind for him and his career pretty much went down the tubes from there. It didn`t help that the Cracking had a large following in the Gay community. Folks weren`t gonna allow those anti-gay remarks to go.

Cypress Hill

Also some that time a more visible and publicized incident occurred withCypress Hill who were playing at the Bill Graham Civic Center during the Soul Assassins Tour. The show featured House of Pain, Cypress Hill and a total of other acts. Someone in the opening act acting as hype man yelled out to the crowd `"All the fags in the Family Be Quiet`. There was a loud response from all the straight males who of course responded to the call.

The following day, angry members of the Gay community reacted and targeted radio giant KMEL which gave away tickets for the show. Letters and telephone calls came in and the end result was Cypress Hill was prohibited from airplay on the station. The group quickly issued a missive of apology, even though they weren`t onstage at the time. The logic from the Gay protestors was that they were responsible for the insensitiveness of the acts they brought on with them, hence they required to be banned. The Cypress Hill radio boycott lasted for nearly a year. It wasn`t lifted until they actually wound up doing a syndicatedSoul Assassin`s radio appearance on our station.

Now again let`s not get things twisted, anyone advocating for the beating, killing or yet the discrimination of gays or any ethnic grouping is bad news. And folks on the receiving end of those insults and threats have every good and should state their wrath and outrage. If that outrage includes protests and shutting folks down, so be it. All of us make a province in being aware of boundaries that exists within certain communities.But bringing this game to Eminem, he was given huge passes and in many ways embraced. Em`s angry lyrics have more frequently than not been praised by publications like the UK Guardian and Spin Magazine for expressing and reflecting the angst and anger felt by many inside the white working class.

So is Eminem a place for his homophobic and misogynist lyrics because he`s white? Hardly. It`s more probable that he`s a place because he`s enormously popular. I believe many of these organizations learned that they can simply go so far in bringing attention to these issues going after lesser known artists. Henceas long as Eminem is in the spot he allows a easy to be shined on these issues. Hence anything he says will be scrutinized for an opportunity to consider in. The attacks on Eminem are not the like as the shut downs and demonization of entire groups of Black and Brown folks for anti-social ills.

When Def Jeff and Turbo B got clocked all of rap was called into question. When Buju Banton was called all of Jamaica and its cultivation was called into question. When Em was called out it began and stopped with him. We didn`t have the association with Eminem being a clean man born in the US who may be office of and ultimately influenced by a civilization that includes everyone from conservative politicians to overzealous Evangelists who routinely bash the gay community. Bottomline in spite of his hard upbringing there are major institutions in this state that have afforded Eminem a few priviledges he himself might not know and certainly didn`t acknowledge during his interview

something to consider

-Davey D-