The Album starts with an introduction of the artist with "My Name Is" telling the listener that he is playing the role of Slim Shady and he doesn't "give a fuck... God sent (him) to piss the world off." The next track is appropriately titled "Guilty Conciseness" and were Slim plays the 'evil' protagonist telling his various victims to do the wrong thing against Dr.Dre's (more) moral guidance. In the end, Shady wins and the album proceeds into Brain Damage where we get a glimpse of Eminem's personal life growing up in school and at home.
The next track (Paul) is a voice-mail left by Eminem's attorney Paul Rosenberg asking Em to "tone it down" after he had listened to the "rough copy." The next two songs (6. If I Had... & 7. 97 Bonnie And Clyde [Just the Two of Us on the EP]) are from the Slim Shady EP. If I Had... explains the troubles Marshall has with his life and being utterly broke and raising a child, while 97 Bonnie And Clyde explores the disgust he has toward his 'baby mama' and the love he has for his daughter.
Telling me to be positive
How'm I 'sposed to be positive when I don't see shit positive?
Know what I'm sayin? I rap about shit around me, shit I see.
Bitch is the next track/skit with a belligerent female enraged at the 97 Bonnie and Clyde song. Then, Eminem comes in on Role Model (again in true Slim Shady form) saying "I'm going to attempt to drown myself, you can try this at home, you can be just like me!" Track 11, My Fault is then played after being introduced by it's intro Lounge where Slim repeatedly explains he never meant to give the girl he was partying with hallucinogenic mushrooms--which ends up killing her at the end of the song.
Ken Kaniff, the prank-call skit, comes next introducing Cum On Everybody--which is Slim (apparently) busting a nut on everybody with his "dance song." After the long fade-out Rock Bottom comes in with vindictive wisdom and a dedication to people who don't understand what it's like to be in Em's position, i.e. "broke as fuck."
There's people that love me and people that hate me
But it's the evil that made me this backstabbing, deceitful, and shady
Track 15 (which is also from the EP), Just Don't Give A Fuck (as a seemingly natural progression) comes after Rock Bottom and is filled with disses that seem to be collected from battle rapping.
I'll make your freak leave you, smell the Folgers crystals
This is a lyrical combat, gentlemen hold your pistols
But I form like Voltron and blast you with my shoulder missiles
Slim Shady, M&M was the old initials (Bye-bye!)
- Eminem, Just Don't Give A Fuck
Soap is the last skit of the album and portrays a conflict between two men bitterly fighting over one women. It seems to be introducing the dramatic story that Em is about to tell in As The World Turns. After another long fade-out Eminem comes back in with:
Who came through with two glocks to terrorize your borough (huh?)
Told you how to slap dicks and murder your girl (I did!)
Gave you all the finger and told you to sit and twirl
Sold a billion tapes and still screamed, "Fuck the world!" (Slim Shady)
- Eminem, I'm Shady
With the album one track away from the close Bad Meets Evil plays with Royce 5'9" which is' the album's only other feature besides Em's producer Dr.Dre. Lastly, the album ends with Em recognizing his insane and outlandish allure, accepting it, and exclaiming that he Still Don't Give a Fuck.
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The Slim Shady LP was Eminem's first studio album... but not his first release ever. He had already released the underground album "Infinite." Only one thousand cassettes and one hundred vinyls were made and sold by Marshall Mather's himself. However, Eminem (spelled M&M at the time) wasn't getting the respect or recognition he deserved. This might have been because people were claiming Eminem copied (Nas and) other's flow.
{For example, one of the first things Eminem says on Infinite is "One time for you motherfuck'n mind" which is a clear reference to Nas's 1994 "One time 4 Your Mind" track off his (classic) Illmatic album.}
"Obviously, I was young and influenced by other artists, and I got a lot of feedback saying that I sounded like Nas and AZ. Infinite was me trying to figure out how I wanted my rap style to be, how I wanted to sound on the mic and present myself. It was a growing stage. I felt like Infinite was like a demo that just got pressed up." - Eminem
Being the ambitious youth that he was--and not giving a fuck--M&M then released The Slim Shady EP which was his first introduction of "Slim Shady," his alter ego. Some of the songs--including Just Don't Give a Fuck, Just the Two of Us, and If I Had...,--made there way onto The Slim Shady LP. The EP helped create a significant amount of underground credibility which would lead to his relationship and first studio album with the famed and accredited producer Dr. Dre. From the very first intro track "Low Down, Dirty" Em introduces his (dark voiced) alter ego. Slim Shady tells the story:
Warning, this shit's gon be rated R, restricted.
You see this bullet hole in my neck? ... It's self inflicted.
Doctor slapped my momma, "Bitch you got a sick kid"
Arrested, molested myself and got convicted.
Wearing visors, sunglasses and disguises
Cause my split personality is having an identity crisis
I'm Dr. Hyde and Mr. Jekyll, disrespectful
Hearing voices in my head while these whispers echo
- Slim Shady, "Low, Down, Dirty (w/ Intro)"
{This can be re-seen in Relapse, where in the first track (Dr. West) the doctor is giving Em bad advise and Em realizes it's "Slim Shady" back to 'haunt' him as Marshall resists. His alarm wakes him up (at 3 a.m.) to the (audience's) realization that Eminem is not necessarily in control.}
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If you take the time and look, there seems to be a real philosophy of hip-hop that even the most astute of hip-hop heads miss. Hip-hop is a powerful art form if harnessed properly. Originally spawned from the streets of New York, the musical form gave rise to a genre that gives the poor and underprivileged a voice.
Thanks to corporate America, rap has done much to spread hate, violence, misogyny, and (to put it bluntly) make all black males look like aggressive, violent, drug dealers and criminals. However, if we divorce original underground hip-hop from the mainstream corporate noise that most people think of when they hear the words "hip-hop," you can see that there is a stark contrast between (say) Lil Wayne and Immortal Technique.
As a sociologist who has studied social change and social structure research, hip-hop in it's true form is a major and serious threat to the establishment. As the deaths of Robert Kennedy, Malcolm X, MLK, 2pac, Jon Lennon, and Troy Davis will attest, there is nothing more threatening to power then an intelligent, articulate and talented individual who is willing bring about change through a sincere and powerful message. This message can be compounded through hip-hop by making catchy, memorable, and repeatable lyrics that also create an emotional involvement. (The listener assumes the roll of the vocalist which really makes the listener understand the rhetoric and perspective.)
With that said, it seems that there is a real code of honor in hip-hop (among real artists) where respect is earned. You don't have to be cool with everyone, but give props where props are due! There are a couple other consistent repeatable hip-hop themes that artists who are representative of hip-hop really endorse.
The first is confidence, you can't be an MCEE without it! The second is to just be yourself! Do something original. Bring something new to the table; it's okay to use others work for inspiration, but there is a fine line between respect and imitation; the good ones never cross the line or flirt with it once they establish their career.
The third is to believe that you can accomplish your goals if you work hard to achieve them (because no one will do it for you). This is the one that most cats miss. I don't care how talented you are, if you have no drive, motivation, or ambition, you will not make it. Although you have to have skill; raw talent is not required to be successful. However, dedication is! Inspecta Deck and Classified (from Canada) are prefect examples!
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In a very real sense, rappers and hip-hop artists are the product of society, their community, and environment! In a way, rap is just like country music, they are both a self-expression that tells a relatable story from the perspective of the vocalist. The difference is that hip-hop has traditionally been a black genre of music and (because the poor and underprivileged are disproportionately black [and Latino]) the story they tell is based off the (often horrendous) situation they're trapped in.
"I rap about shit around me; shit I see."- Eminem (If I Had...)
If you think about it, living in the ghetto is nothing like what the average American experiences. In towns across the country the police serve an important function and are helpful and gracious if given the opportunity. However, the average kid in the ghetto has never been helped by a cop, and every encounter is negative. So, the attitude (expressed by NWA) is "fuck the police"--which was a response to the Rodney King beating.
In any real scope, the police are the biggest gang/cult with guns. Just because it's "legitimate" and socially exceptionable doesn't make them any less of a gang. (As you will come to find out) I have personally been disrespected by the police and judicial system for what is clearly a coercive routine. I can't image what it would have been like if I were black, let alone if I were raised in the projects where police just plant evidence and set people up.
Similar to gangster rap, being a thug is not necessarily (suppose to be) glorified as it is a statement about success and principles. The most famous hip-hop thug was 2pac who explained the situation best.
"I'mma not thug'n for me, I'm thug'n for my family; wrong or right, that's what I gotta do." - 2pac
Pac is illuminating a very serious issue when you live in the ghetto. Basically, people who live there have first-world problems, they have to worry about shelter, cloths, and (most importantly) if they will have enough to eat. What pac is saying is that he doesn't necessarily want to steal but his "stomach hurts so (he's) look'n for a purse to snatch." (2pac - Changes lyric) He has to do what he has to do to feed his family and the end(s) justifies the means.
The fact is if you put a man into an extraordinary situation (like prison, or the ghetto) he has to take extraordinary measures to survive, let alone be successful. Pac referred to himself as a rose which blossomed from the concrete with a damaged stem. This symbolized his rise to stardom from his harsh development in a hostile environment. He was illuminating how the beauty of his soul and artistry grew and blossomed despite his surroundings (rather than because of it).
There seems to be a consistent theme in (real) hip-hop about the hood/ghetto and upward mobility. 'I lived in the ghetto, the ghetto don't live in me' is the sentiment expressed perfectly. People who live in the hood aren't there to be hip and fly, they are their because of a failed economic system. So when hip-hop artists from the hood get money, no one blames them for leaving that environment of desperation and negativity. In any real sense, it is what the individual should do to to better himself, his family, and his future. However, a legitimate criticism is when artists who (supposedly) rep for their community, don't give back to it what-so-ever.
"Still got it wrapped like a mummy. Still ain't tripping, love to see young blacks get money. Spend time out the hood, take they moms out the hood. Hit my boys off with jobs, no more living hard." - Dr. Dre (Still Dre)
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Gangster rap came along because people that were in gangs started to rap. Instead of thinking about the message and/or what was right, gangster rap says "fuck it" (to put it delicately) and illuminates the harsh realities of inner city struggle.
Schoolly D, Ice-T, and NWA are widely credited for being the first gangster rappers. In gangster rap, if the guy that is rapping is a gang banger, drug dealer, or pimp, that's the perspective he raps from. For the most part, when you rap, you rap to another rapper; what a gangster rapper says is: "listen or i will shoot you" rather than "listen because I got something real to say." Gangster rap takes rap to it's true form, rapp'n and not give'n a f*ck.
It used to be that gangster rap was expressed by individuals who were in gangs rapping about the situation they found themselves in. Today, many so-called gangster rappers are not a lagitmate representation of reality but only an act. Instead of talking about what they know, they fabricate their stories to appear as if they went through that type of struggle.
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Rap is big business! It's (estimated as) a 3 billion dollar industry. Although hip-hop has traditionally been a genre of music where an artist doesn't necessarily have to depend on radio play (because a lot of stations won't play the music), getting a song on the radio can do wonders for your career. Press involvement is how you get a buzz and the more you (or your label) network(s) and get(s) individuals, groups, and organization to feature your music, the better your release will do.
The problem is record labels are like a bank, they loan you money, and they want their money back with a lot of interest. The conditions on your contract are like the conditions on your loan. In real terms, all the label wants is "your two hit singles" so they can make their money, and fast!
As a general rule, the record labels don't care about the artist. They would rather see the artist "act a fool" and make money then do something respectful and dignified (because that doesn't create a lot of attention). They try and exploit the artist rather then empower them.
Not all the problems are the fault of the record labels. Most artists don't know when there suppose to get paid, how much, or (even) how. They don't read the terms of their contract and end up finding themselves in a situation that could have been avoided by consulting legal representation prior to signing.
It seems that the really good rappers/hip-hop artists go into business for themselves by making their own label--or become the CEO of the label that "put them on." If you go the independent route it is important you "focus on yo business." Getting into production, owning your own pressing plant, and running your label so professionally you can acquire other artists and companies is important to be sucessful with your indepenedent label. If you can, get into publishing, synchronization, and ques on film. The point is to treat your business as an asset and accrue capital from owning copyrighted material.
I personally started my own record label because I don't want to have to depend on anybody or have people (I don't necessarily trust) run my life. I want it to be about the music and not necessarily just the money (although, I don't care what anyone says, money is an important factor, by necessity, to running your own label).
I have a pretty good idea what's going on in hip-hop and eventually I wanna give talented artists the opportunity to make money and sell their original stories instead of requiring a gimmick for quick sales. I know hip-hop is (suppose to be) the representation of (oppressed) peoples and I want to give them a voice.
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Hip-hop is an expression of people. In particular, it is usually the truth expressed to the streets through the youth. It's what we see every day. It's the freedom to create with your heart and say whatever is on your mind. Truly, it is the music of culture, people, and a reflection of society. Life is culture and culture is expressed though hip-hop, so it could be said that hip-hop can take us where we want to go!
Make'n rhymes doesn't necessarily make you a hip-hop artists; it makes you a rapper. Hip-hop is about using your heart to create something others can feel! (Hearing it, understanding it, and liking it all mean nothing if the person listening to the music doesn't feel any emotion evoked from within themselves due to your rhymes.) To put it simply, hip-hop is what is being lived, rap is something that is being done.
Rap is the main component of hip-hop. Taken alone, the lyrical form does not included the cultural expression that is associated with hip-hop. A good rap not only has a good rhyme scheme but it is clever. It can also be argued that good rap doesn't have (or need) a beat. The point is to entertain with words rather than express cultural sentiments through music.
Rap is rap, and some rappers are just bad people so it makes the lyrical form look bad when it is really just those individuals. Coporate America loves (gangsta) rap music because it makes alot of money from sensionalizing violence, crime, and celebrating the objectification of women.
When it comes to my music, Apollo (and for the most part, Dionysus) is me, Apollo is why I'm in hip-hop. But E$ is my show, my act, me "just rapping" ...although, I do like to blur the lines.
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