Introduction
When it comes to adversity, one of the biggest names in music to face this problem is Eminem. He began his journey in 1999, developing and promoting rap performance emerging in the world music world (McKnight, 2019). Moreover, at a certain period, the artist was proclaimed the king of hip-hop and for many years retained this title until this genre became the world standard of music. However, he faced many misfortunes in his career, which allowed him to develop creatively, albeit leaving a strong imprint on his personality and career that can be seen today.
Eminem’s Life and Art
Eminem, also known as Marshall Mathers, was born on October 17, 1972, in St. Joseph, Missouri. His father left the family when the child was not even a year old, and since then, the boy and his mother moved a lot and lived with relatives (Rodman, 2018). Without the father’s support, the relationship in the family was unstable, and the unfortunate financial situation led to conflicts with Mather’s relatives, thus leaving a psychological trauma in his mind (Rodman, 2018). Then, he and his mother settled in Detroit, but it was not easy – the future artist often changed schools and got into fights. Fascinated by rap, he tried several low-paying jobs and performed on the radio after graduating from high school. Nevertheless, Eminem has experienced substantial failures in the first years of his musical career (Rodman, 2018). As a result, it would be logical to conclude that various difficulties took place in this artist’s life, starting from childhood and continuing with his first attempts of becoming a known artist.
In order to determine the risks and protective factors in the issue of Eminem’s celebrity status, one should analyze his work and the reaction that society gave when listening to the released rap songs. For example, in 2000, Eminem started collaborating with Dr. Dre and released a mixtape – Slim Shady LP. Analyzing the text of the tracks in this album, critics often noted that the artist describes personal problems and resentment against the world for a difficult childhood and ruined dreams with significant probability (Wesch, 2020). Moreover, most of the criticism regarding these tracks was due only to the musical component but not the text (Sule & Inkster, 2017). Consequently, Eminem’s protective factor was that big audiences were sympathizing with those meanings he put into his tracks, and the risk, in this case, would be a chance of possible failure as a musical artist. From this, one can conclude that Eminem’s misfortunes allowed him to create music that resonates with his listeners, bringing him subsequent success in his rap career.
On the other hand, it was a success that allowed Eminem not to fall into a deep depression. Based on his biography, we can conclude that Slim Shady’s commercial success became the starting point in recognizing the artist as a talented and skillful performer (Rodman, 2018). Moreover, commercial success allowed the rapper to lead the desired lifestyle, which met all his expectations from the invested efforts (Wesch, 2020). However, regarding Eminem’s parenting behavior, it is worth noting that he has the same instability of relationships as his parents. Following his biography, numerous divorces related to the artist’s drug addiction; his mother also experienced a similar problem (Rodman, 2018). Based on this logic, if the rapper’s parents were not in an unstable relationship, and his mother was not a harmful example of drug use, his lifestyle and biography could completely change. Furthermore, even slight interventions from the social care workers or orphanage centers would drastically change the situation and help young Mathers overcome his traumas and fears. As a result, Eminem’s lifestyle and success emerged due to his complicated childhood, which the above-mentioned interventions could resolve.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Eminem translated his painful experiences with a dysfunctional family, drug-addicted mother, and multiple divorces into his music, thus earning him worldwide fame and celebrity status. Furthermore, he remains an important milestone in hip hop history and inspires many young musicians worldwide. However, the harm done to the artist by psychological trauma and drugs is visible in him and his behavior. The story of Eminem is indicative in many ways and quite clearly demonstrates how the process of growing up and raising a child affects his entire subsequent life, activities, and decisions.
References
McKnight, T. (2019). Culture vs. Experience: The Popularization of Black Culture in White America. 3690: A journal of first-year student research writing, 2019(1), 3.
Rodman, G. B. (2018). Race… and Other Four Letter Words: Eminem and the Cultural Politics of Authenticity. Popular Communication, 4(2), 95–121. Web.
Sule, A., & Inkster, B. (2017). Eminem’s character, Stan: A bio-psycho-social autopsy. Journal of Hip Hop studies, 4(1), 43-49. Web.
Wesch, S. (2020). We love America, and we hate Trump: A cultural studies analysis of Eminem in Trump’s America. Sage.