- 1,577
- 1,119
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2012
[h1]http://pigeonsandplanes.com/2014/02/early-reactions-to-eminem/s/336612/[/h1][h1]What People Were Saying About Eminem 15 Years Ago[/h1]
[img]http://pigeonsandplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/eminemleaddd-600x400.jpg[/img]
By S. Ajay Ram
15 years ago, the world was introduced to a new villain—or hero, depending on who you ask. It was February 23, 1999, and it was the day Eminem released The Slim Shady LP. From the beginning, it was obvious that the world would have a complicated relationship with this white rapper from Detroit. Now we've had 15 years of getting to know and understand the man behind some of the most controversial music that the mainstream has ever dealt with. And the relationship is still pretty complicated.
These days, you can't dismiss Eminem as a gimmick. You just can't. Even if you're not convinced by his technical skills or songwriting ability, you can't argue with the fact that by many measures, he's the most successful rapper of all time, and his impact on hip-hop has been profound. But back in 1999, when The Slim Shady LP just dropped and people were hearing this young rapper for the first time, the reactions were very mixed. Here's what people were saying about Eminem when he first arrived on the scene.
[h1]Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune[/h1]
Date: April 9, 1999
After witnessing the Chi-Town leg of Eminem's first nationwide tour in April of 1999, Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune described how Shady is much like a certain chaotic daytime talk show and how his voice sounds like an '80s TV icon's.
[h1]Noah Callahan-Bever, Complex[/h1]
Date: July 1998
Noah Callahan-Bever, Editor-in-Chief at Complex, first met Eminem back in 1998. At that time, Noah was a teenager working at BLAZE Magazine. He knew Em had something special, but he probably wouldn't have guessed that 15 years later the two would be doing stuff like this.
[h1]Riggs Morales, The Source[/h1]
Date: March 1998
One of the articles that started it all. In March of 1998, Riggs Morales formally introduced the world to Marshall Mathers via The Source's Unsigned Hype series. In an interesting turn of events, Eminem would become the sworn nemesis of the magazine (under different management) a few years later.
[h1]Unknown author, NME[/h1]
Date: March 13, 1999
An anonymous critic on NME preferred the comedic side of Slim Shady over the more serious subject matter he tackled on his debut album.
[h1]Charles Aaron, SPIN[/h1]
Date: May 1999
SPIN writer Charles Aaron chimed in about Marshall's... openness. He also, perhaps unintentionally, predicted the amount of media coverage Eminem would end up getting throughout his career.
[h1]Cage, Underground rap veteran[/h1]
Date: January 1, 1999
After the release of The Slim Shady EP, fellow white rapper Cage accused Eminem of stealing his lyrics. Over the next year, the two would exchange bars, and in an interview on the first day of 1999, Cage revealed that his feelings for Shady hadn't changed much. Responding to the question, 'How did the beef between Em and Cage start, and where does it stand now?' Cage stated:
[h1]Timothy White, Billboard[/h1]
Date: Date unknown, 1999
On the heels of the release of The Slim Shady LP, the most scathing backlash came from Timothy White, who at the time was the Editor-in-Chief of Billboard magazine. White felt that the violent and misogynistic content on the album was not only irresponsible on Shady's behalf, but also a destructive move on the label's (Aftermath/Interscope) part.
[img]http://pigeonsandplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/eminemleaddd-600x400.jpg[/img]
By S. Ajay Ram
15 years ago, the world was introduced to a new villain—or hero, depending on who you ask. It was February 23, 1999, and it was the day Eminem released The Slim Shady LP. From the beginning, it was obvious that the world would have a complicated relationship with this white rapper from Detroit. Now we've had 15 years of getting to know and understand the man behind some of the most controversial music that the mainstream has ever dealt with. And the relationship is still pretty complicated.
These days, you can't dismiss Eminem as a gimmick. You just can't. Even if you're not convinced by his technical skills or songwriting ability, you can't argue with the fact that by many measures, he's the most successful rapper of all time, and his impact on hip-hop has been profound. But back in 1999, when The Slim Shady LP just dropped and people were hearing this young rapper for the first time, the reactions were very mixed. Here's what people were saying about Eminem when he first arrived on the scene.
[img]http://pigeonsandplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/eminem14-600x400.jpg[/img]
[h1]Jim DeRogatis, Chicago writer[/h1]
Date: Date unknown, 1999
Veteran music journalist Jim DeRogatis was not pleased with Eminem's arrival upon mainstream culture, going far enough to say that not only is Shady highly offensive, but also tasteless and tacky in the way he goes about it.
[h1]Jim DeRogatis, Chicago writer[/h1]
Date: Date unknown, 1999
Veteran music journalist Jim DeRogatis was not pleased with Eminem's arrival upon mainstream culture, going far enough to say that not only is Shady highly offensive, but also tasteless and tacky in the way he goes about it.
Source
[h1]
[/h1][h1]David Browne, Entertainment Weekly[/h1]
Date: March 12, 1999
In Dan Browne's Entertainment Weekly review of The Slim Shady LP, he paints Eminem as a regressive force who threatens to destroy the progression that hip-hop was making.
Date: March 12, 1999
In Dan Browne's Entertainment Weekly review of The Slim Shady LP, he paints Eminem as a regressive force who threatens to destroy the progression that hip-hop was making.
Source
Date: April 9, 1999
After witnessing the Chi-Town leg of Eminem's first nationwide tour in April of 1999, Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune described how Shady is much like a certain chaotic daytime talk show and how his voice sounds like an '80s TV icon's.
Source
[h1]
[/h1][h1]Eric Weisbard, The New York Observer[/h1]
Date: March 15, 1999
Over at The Observer, Eric Weisbard likened Shady to a fifty foot tall Ghostbusters villain, a Looney Toon, a '50s children's television staple, and a psychotic Jim Carey character.
Date: March 15, 1999
Over at The Observer, Eric Weisbard likened Shady to a fifty foot tall Ghostbusters villain, a Looney Toon, a '50s children's television staple, and a psychotic Jim Carey character.
Source
[img]http://pigeonsandplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/emem232323bucket-600x400.jpg[/img]
[h1]Nathan Rabin, A.V. Club[/h1]
Date: February 23, 1999
Nathan Rabin's review of The Slim Shady LP touched upon the early connection between Shady and acts like Marilyn Manson, who represented the disfranchised and outcasted youth of Middle America.
[h1]Nathan Rabin, A.V. Club[/h1]
Date: February 23, 1999
Nathan Rabin's review of The Slim Shady LP touched upon the early connection between Shady and acts like Marilyn Manson, who represented the disfranchised and outcasted youth of Middle America.
Source
[img]http://pigeonsandplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ememem2333332-600x400.jpg[/img]
[h1]Ad-Rock, The Beastie Boys[/h1]
Date: 1999-2000
During the beginning years of Eminem's success, Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys was both a strong critic and advocate of his controversial content. In this excerpt, Ad-Rock explains how Shady's work is much like the Beastie Boys' early material, and that despite its lack of enlightenment, it gives Ad-Rock hope for a better tomorrow.
[h1]Ad-Rock, The Beastie Boys[/h1]
Date: 1999-2000
During the beginning years of Eminem's success, Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys was both a strong critic and advocate of his controversial content. In this excerpt, Ad-Rock explains how Shady's work is much like the Beastie Boys' early material, and that despite its lack of enlightenment, it gives Ad-Rock hope for a better tomorrow.
Source
[img]http://pigeonsandplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/eminem8-600x400.jpg[/img]
[h1]Davey D, Bay Area radio personality/DJ[/h1]
Date: May 13, 1999
In response to witnessing a brawl during Eminem's San Francisco leg of the Slim Shady tour, Bay Area radio personality and DJ Davey D wrote a review of the show on his website, expressing his disappointment in the immature behavior Shady displayed.
[h1]Davey D, Bay Area radio personality/DJ[/h1]
Date: May 13, 1999
In response to witnessing a brawl during Eminem's San Francisco leg of the Slim Shady tour, Bay Area radio personality and DJ Davey D wrote a review of the show on his website, expressing his disappointment in the immature behavior Shady displayed.
Source
[h1]
[/h1][h1]NDN'z, Davey D's Hip Hop Corner[/h1]
Date: July 1998
A contributor to radio personality Davey D's website made an almost spot on prediction of how Eminem would surpass many black emcees in mainstream popularity. Shady never became the next House of Pain though.
Date: July 1998
A contributor to radio personality Davey D's website made an almost spot on prediction of how Eminem would surpass many black emcees in mainstream popularity. Shady never became the next House of Pain though.
Source
Date: July 1998
Noah Callahan-Bever, Editor-in-Chief at Complex, first met Eminem back in 1998. At that time, Noah was a teenager working at BLAZE Magazine. He knew Em had something special, but he probably wouldn't have guessed that 15 years later the two would be doing stuff like this.
Source
Date: March 1998
One of the articles that started it all. In March of 1998, Riggs Morales formally introduced the world to Marshall Mathers via The Source's Unsigned Hype series. In an interesting turn of events, Eminem would become the sworn nemesis of the magazine (under different management) a few years later.
Source
[img]http://pigeonsandplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ememem2321-600x400.jpg[/img]
[h1]Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone[/h1]
Date: April 1, 1999
For Rolling Stone's review of The Slim Shady LP—coincidentally published on April Fool's Day, 1999—Rob Sheffield made an interesting suggestion of who Eminem is a direct descendant of on the white rapper family tree.
[h1]Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone[/h1]
Date: April 1, 1999
For Rolling Stone's review of The Slim Shady LP—coincidentally published on April Fool's Day, 1999—Rob Sheffield made an interesting suggestion of who Eminem is a direct descendant of on the white rapper family tree.
Source
Date: March 13, 1999
An anonymous critic on NME preferred the comedic side of Slim Shady over the more serious subject matter he tackled on his debut album.
Source
[h1]
[/h1][h1]Darin Byrne, MTV News[/h1]
Date: Early 1999
In early 1999, MTV News producer Darin Byrne sat down with Eminem for his ever MTV interview. Byrne's first impression of Em was very different from how the masses view him these days.
Date: Early 1999
In early 1999, MTV News producer Darin Byrne sat down with Eminem for his ever MTV interview. Byrne's first impression of Em was very different from how the masses view him these days.
Source
Date: May 1999
SPIN writer Charles Aaron chimed in about Marshall's... openness. He also, perhaps unintentionally, predicted the amount of media coverage Eminem would end up getting throughout his career.
Source
Date: January 1, 1999
After the release of The Slim Shady EP, fellow white rapper Cage accused Eminem of stealing his lyrics. Over the next year, the two would exchange bars, and in an interview on the first day of 1999, Cage revealed that his feelings for Shady hadn't changed much. Responding to the question, 'How did the beef between Em and Cage start, and where does it stand now?' Cage stated:
Source
Date: Date unknown, 1999
On the heels of the release of The Slim Shady LP, the most scathing backlash came from Timothy White, who at the time was the Editor-in-Chief of Billboard magazine. White felt that the violent and misogynistic content on the album was not only irresponsible on Shady's behalf, but also a destructive move on the label's (Aftermath/Interscope) part.
Source
