Introduction
The American music industry entails many genres, such as hip-hop, rap, RnB, and jazz. Rap is an urban music genre that originated in the South Bronx of New York City in the 1970s (Ohriner 4). It combines rhyming words from an MC with rhythmic musical sounds made by a DJ. Rappers talk about politics, social evils, everyday situations, and individuality. Rap is often described as the best example of contemporary music by commentators. It is the first genuinely popular music adapted to the TV and the medium’s visual base, which is rapid, jumbled, and constantly self-promotional (Ohriner 7). Rap allows artists to express themselves freely, giving room for political debate. Revenue from rap music has increased significantly and steadily since the late 1990s, making it the leading music genre (Ohriner 11). As this genre continues to gain popularity among the young and old, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar’s songs have been recognized as amazing artworks that significantly shape the rap music industry today.
Beautiful by Marshall Bruce Mathers (Eminem) is among the most popular rap songs that have significantly influenced audiences’ views of life and music. This is the only song on the Relapse album Eminem produced himself in 2007 when he was still addicted to drugs (Mathers). It is the only song he made during that time that he considered worthy of release. The song explores Mathers’ depression following the death of his best friend, a loss that considerably changed the course of his life (Mathers). Composed in a similar style, Black Friday by Lamar is a popular music piece in the rap genre, released in 2015 as a single (Lamar). In this song, Lamar expresses his views on some of the critical issues he feels should be addressed. Although the two pieces by Eminem and Lamar are categorized as rap, and some may find their style similar, these artists are significantly different regarding their appeals and words. Beautiful by Eminem and Black Friday by Lamar are popular songs with significant similarities and differences.
Comparison
As the audience debates the popularity and impact of the two songs, several points of similarity are evident. Firstly, songs entail carefully selected words that reveal the artists’ message and intention through wordplay. Fosbraey argues that Eminem has a way of twisting his lyrics whenever he needs to pass a message through rap in such a way that leaves the audience gasping for more (123). This element is evident in the song Beautiful, where rhyming, repetitive words give the song a good flow. The words “Are you calling me, are you trying to get through, Are you reaching out for me, and I’m reaching out for you” show how wordplay drives the main point in a rhythmically (Mather, lines 5-6). Similarly, Kendrick’s song Black Friday is wrapped up in complex yet hilarious lyrics that enable the audience to follow through.
Song rhetoric has often been utilized to appeal to different audiences. The rhetorical questions and repetition in the Black Friday “Can you handle it? Can you handle it? Woo woo, woo woo,” invite the audience to dance along as they enjoy the well-developed lyrics (Lamar, line 2). Judging from the choice of words, style, and patterns used in these two songs, Sterngass argues that Kendrick and Eminem have significantly influenced the rap industry with their unique and unmatched wordplay (12). In essence, the audience is drawn to actively participate in the song through narration and dance as the artists have mastered the art of combining their lyrics and style in different ways to keep their music relevant in the ever-changing industry.
Secondly, these songs entail the artists’ perceptions of themselves, allowing the audience to identify with the message. In Beautiful, Eminem reveals how he thinks of himself as an overcomer despite going through depression (Mathers). The words “But don’t let ’em say you ain’t beautiful oh, they can all get fucked, just stay true to you so” indicate Eminem’s belief that there was something beautiful in his life, although he wrote these lines while going through rehabilitation (Mathers, lines 37-38). This view appealed to the audience by giving them a renewed, positive perception of life.
Similarly, Kendrick demonstrates his positive attitude on Black Friday, showing how he remains the solution to the crumbling music industry. He uses the words “Everybody fugazi, I’m just changing the channel, Kendrick Lamar, the people’s champion, I’m animal for analysts” for the audience to compare the current state of rap to his performance (Lamar, lines 4-5). In both works, the audience is attracted to the artists’ positivity shown through their lyrics and reference to personal experiences.
Thirdly, the songs Beautiful and Black Friday are similar in their reference to social ills and the impacts of such challenges on individuals and the music industry. Eminem tackles depression as the most challenging situation capable of crippling musicians’ careers and limiting talent growth. The inability of a person to lift themselves is expressed in the words, “I’m just so fuckin’ depressed, I just can’t seem to get out this slump” (Mathers, lines 7-8). In this song, Eminem describes how he struggled to fit in society while his father was absent in his upbringing, indicating how dysfunctional families lead to social problems (Mathers). Similarly, Black Friday is written focusing on social issues that limit the expression of artists from Lamar’s perspective.
The connection between societal ills and music plays a crucial role in understanding current music trends. Black Friday reveals that the industry is in shambles as artists focus on money rather than skill, leading to increased fakery (Lamar). The dangers of such moves are depicted in words, “It is like an 8-ball to the face nowadays, I’m laced nowadays my gun is off the waist nowadays” (Lamar, lines 25-26). These ideas indicate that as people strive to make money without considering the genuineness of their work, they discourage and threaten the success of hardworking artists in the rap sector.
Contrast
The first distinguishing factor between Beautiful and Black Friday is the focal point and subject of interest. On the one hand, Eminem addresses human potential and position in society outside music (Mathers). In the song Beautiful, the focus is paid to human relations and how one needs to understand their value and purpose since one will be “Here today, gone tomorrow” (Mathers, line 27). This demonstrates that Eminem used this song to show that music careers can end, but people should remain valuable in society. On the other hand, Black Friday revolves around the future of music instead of the influential powers of artists and individuals in the community. Kendrick uses the words “We here to shake the game up, and you’re flying through turbulence” to indicate his focus on the longevity of his music career (Lamar, line 23). In essence, although both songs encourage the rise of musicians, Beautiful focuses on the individuals’ lives, while Black Friday revolves around the music industry.
The second difference between the two pieces is the flow and musicality derived from the style. Beautiful includes a chorus that comes after every stanza, giving the song a musical tone that invites the audience to follow the performance (Mathers). Fosbraey adds to this aspect by arguing that Eminem’s ability to pull the audience to participate in his performances has given the songs a higher rating among the audience. In contrast, Black Friday starts with an introductory line containing repetitive words but contains no chorus throughout the rest of the lyrics (Lamar). Due to the complex nature of the words that limit musicality in Black Friday, Kendrick’s music appeals mostly to critical thinkers rather than common listeners (Sterngass 8). Eminem’s song is more musical and has a better flow than Kendrick’s piece.
The third distinguishing factor between the two pieces is the word’s complexity. According to Sterngass, Kendrick’s songs employ complex words that call for a deeper understanding, often through research (10). This argument is verified in words, “It’s seven figures and retainer for the case nowadays,” which no ordinary listener would comprehend without having background information on the current state of the music industry (Lamar, line 25). In contrast, Eminem’s performance includes easy words that are understandable to every listener. The words in Beautiful such as “Everybody has a private world, where they can be alone,” are plain and clear (Mathers, lines 3-4). Evidently, Black Friday is harder to understand than Beautiful due to the nature of the words used.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the rap music industry has significantly developed new songs that continue to influence audience perspectives. This genre entails rhythmic words and musical sounds to match the rhymes. Black Friday by Kendrick and Beautiful by Eminem are some of the most popular songs whose influence goes beyond personal lives to define the growth of the music sector. Beautiful is founded on Eminem’s experiences with depression, revealing its harm to people and the music industry, although he encourages people to rise from their challenges. Black Friday describes the current condition of the music sector as Kendrick shows how he embodies the revolution that will propel the industry forward.
Some similarities between these two pieces include wordplay, where artists use rhetorical and rhyming words that enable them to deliver the message as required. In addition, these songs entail the use of authors’ perceptions of themselves to invite the audience to identify with the message and undertake the necessary measures to change the situation. Both songs are similar in addressing social ills such as depression and fakery.
The two pieces differ regarding their focal points, musicality and word complexity. While Beautiful focuses on individuals, Black Friday communicates more about the music industry and personal experiences. The musicality of Eminem’s song is enhanced through rhyme and a chorus, which are absent in Kendrick’s piece. Lastly, Black Friday entails more complex words that require the audience to research to decipher the meaning, while Beautiful is written with simple, clear words understandable to all people.
Works Cited
Fosbraey, Glenn. “Eminem and Language.” Reading Eminem, 2022, pp. 121–176., Web.
Lamar, Kendrick. “Black Friday.” J. Cole & Kendrick Lamar Album. Universal Music Publishing Group, 2022. Transcript of lyrics.
Mathers, B. Marshal. “Beautiful.” Relapse. Universal Music Publishing Group, 2022. Transcript of lyrics
Ohriner, Mitchell. Flow: The Rhythmic Voice in Rap Music. Oxford Studies in Music Theory, 2019, pp. 3-34.
Sterngass, Jon. Kendrick Lamar: Rapper and Pulitzer Prize Winner. Chelsea House InfoBase, 2019, pp. 3–53.