[xochex]

I'm not into the Eminem tracks that do just diss people or talk about sex etc BUT he is a lyrical genius, the best rap has known, the best music has known.

Forget about the really commercial stuff like "Without Me", "Just Lose It", "Ass Like That" etc and look at the songs that have deeper meaning like

Stan - showcases what a fantastic storyteller Eminem is. yes the content may be violent and may paint a picture that people aren't comfortable with but what makes this any different to a Stephen King novel. It's expression.

Cleanin' Out My Closet - Was the first Eminem song I really loved and he opened the door to the rap world to me. It's not just a gangsta's paradise anymore and sure some hate Eminem for commercialising the genre but he's made it accessible to everyone. Made it so there's no discrimination for fans.

Mockingbird - A fantastic song. It's intriguing to me to hear his raps about his daughter and the things they've gone through as a family. Again, amazing emotional expression.

Lose Yourself - If Eminem ever doesn't know what to do with himself maybe he could turn to motivational speaking because this song has pumped up motivation all over it

Beautiful / Not Afraid - For me these two songs are Eminem's best and the most relate-able and inspirational. I see Beautiful as a prelude to Not Afraid. In Beautiful Eminem raps about being depressed and not being able to get himself "out of this slump" and the verses are quite sombre but then the chorus brings in that message of hope and understanding.

In my shoes, just to see
What it's like, to be me
I'll be you, let's trade shoes
Just to see what it'd be like to
Feel your pain, you feel mine
Go inside each other's mind
Just to see what we find
Look at **** through each other's eyes
But don't let 'em say you ain't beautiful, oh
They can all get f*****
Just stay true to you The song has incredible flow too. Now Not Afraid has to be one of my favorite songs ever. To me it shows strength of character and again it's a very inspirational song to never give up and not let anyone pull you down and that you can pull yourself back up.

Eminem is much like the Backstreet Boys, in that he makes a difference to people's lives. He helps pull people out of their dark days and gets them through it with his music. The man is a legend for all the right reasons. I completely get the comparison to the Rolling Stones etc because he is part of a generation and changed the face of music much like the Beatles and Michael Jackson. I can understand people not liking him grouped with those artists as rap is still an underdog and looked down upon by some as not real music.

Anything that makes you feel something is doing it's job even if you hate Eminem's songs he's doing his job by bringing that out in you.

Just realised how much of a fan I am and I don't even know his album tracks!