Eminem: The Real Slim Shady (Hip Hop in America) - Hardcover

Dawkins, Marcia Alesan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0313398933 ISBN 13: 9780313398933

Publisher: Praeger, 2013

Synopsis

More than a decade after Eminem (aka Marshall Mathers, aka Slim Shady) disrupted mainstream hip-hop culture, he is even more hated, contested, and celebrated. His albums, autobiographies, and motion picture catapulted him into the upper echelon of American cultural icons. In Eminem: The Real Slim Shady, Dr. Marcia Alesan Dawkins, acclaimed author of Clearly Invisible: Racial Passing and the Color of Cultural Identity, offers a fresh way of looking at Eminem -- as performer, father, son, spiritual force, cultural critic, innovative businessman and polyethnic American -- that will excite those who already love the artist and inform those who want to understand him.

About this title

Book Description:

Eminem—born Marshall Bruce Mathers III—is hailed by Rolling Stone as one of the top 100 "Greatest Artists of All Time" and as "The King of Hip Hop." He was listed as number 58 in the book 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America, has a history of drug and alcohol abuse, and his lyrics are often condemned for containing foul language and promoting violence, misogyny, and homophobia. Eminem has also publicly supported gay rights, made videos that promote voting and anti-bullying, founded a charity to help disadvantaged youth, and changed the face of the recording industry by seeking "digital reparations" for all artists. Will the real Marshall Mathers please stand up?

From the Inside Flap:

Eminem: The Real Slim Shady examines the rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor who has become one of the most successful and well-known artists in the world. Providing far more than a biographical account of his life, the book provides a comprehensive description, interpretation, and analysis of his personas, his lyrical content, and the cultural and economic impact of Eminem's work through media. Features include a table of contents, selected bibliography, Web links, source notes, and an index, plus a timeline and the first in-depth content analysis of 200 of the rapper's most popular songs from 1990 through 2012.

The book is organized into three sections, each focusing on one of the artist's public personas (Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers, Eminem). Each section is divided into chapters that explore Eminem's cultural, spiritual, and economic significance. Besides being a book that every fan of Eminem and pop music will want to read, the work will be valuable to researchers in the areas of race and ethnicity, rhetoric and communication, sound and music studies, and hip hop studies.

About this edition

• Publisher: Praeger
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0313398933
• ISBN 13: 9780313398933
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224