Eminem

What can be said, he was one of the few to basically give the entire music business the finger and it worked. He went after all the big names of the time and it worked in his favor. He wasn’t really a troll as for years people really wanted to label him as he was and is a lyrical genius, he was revealing what the pop culture idols are and the entire Hollywood system, he was revealing what most everyone is aware of in today’s world pre-social media. He was a blunt figure for all us loud mouths out there who are not at all impressed nor into putting on fake facades or airs. He was telling everyone how fake and horrendous that realm is. Yes the FCC did try to shut him down on MTV of all places because for the time he was thought of as problematic and controversial. He certainly wasn’t the norm. What was “controversial” then is the mainstream of now, that’s nothing. Nothing is really controversial anymore because nearly everyone in that space thrives on “controversy” anymore whether they have talent or not.. as most don’t they’re marketed well.

Courtesy of- Ricottafilms

https://deadline.com/2022/03/eminem-breaks-record-most-gold-platinum-singles-riaa-1234973487/

Courtesy of- Deadline

I think most were well aware upon his mainstream debut in 1998 he was going to be a mainstay, he has done real music real lyrics even with “Without Me”. Nearly 50 years old and has remained relevant without changing or compromising his art form. There hasn’t really been any of his contemporaries of the time who are on that level. They’ve almost all dropped off a long time ago. No one from that era is even in the mainstream music industry from 1998, next to none. Maybe 1 or 2 people.