Times Pop Music Critic Date 2001

Strength in Numbers

Eminem declined to talk about the legal issues in his life, citing the advice of his attorneys. Despite the confrontational image, Eminem (whose real name is Marshall Mathers III) was thoughtful and polite as he was joined by D12 colleague Proof (Deshaun Holton) in talking about the tensions of the last year.

Question:
How did you come out of the last year? Did the success give you strength, or did the controversy leave you drained?

Eminem:You feel a little bit of both. It's not like you are going to get all "yeas." You know you are going to get some "nays." But it was like the parents were all freaking out, "This music is going to. . . ." But then the kids were going, "Mom, Dad, relax. I'm just listening to the music. I'm not killing everybody."

Question:
Did you really think you might go to jail?

Eminem:You can ask these guys D12, I was walking around saying, "I'm going to jail, I'm going to jail." It's been stressful . . . , something that has been hanging over my head for a long time. There's still another case, but it was like a real burden was lifted when the first probation order came down. That's one thing you learn from something like this . . . , the value of friends. It's something we tell each other every day. . . . No matter where this road takes us or whatever, we're friends before anything.

Question:
Let's talk about the language in your music. Were you surprised by the GLAAD criticism?

Eminem:I don't want to get into another argument with them, but you can't take a line out of my song and put it in the paper out of context. It's not fair. You have to listen to the album as a whole. One of the things I'm saying in "Marshall Mathers" is, "Look, I'm a product of what you made me." Many rappers have done that. Ice Cube, for one. In the song "Criminal," I spell it out when I say, "Half the expletive I say I make it up to make you mad."

Proof:
We're just looking at the world. We're not inventing anything.

Question:
But do you ever worry that they may be right--that the music may encourage people to pick on kids who are different?

Eminem:
I've said many times that I know what it's like to get picked on and bullied because you're new and you're different and you act different. I think most people understood what I was doing in the music.

Question:
What's the story behind the D12 album? Do you worry at all about overexposure after all the success of last year?

Eminem:There was like a personal agreement we made when we first got together years ago in Detroit--if any of us made it, we'd bring the others along and do something together. Everyone thought Proof would be the one to make it. He was the always the host at the Hip-Hop Shop, where we all hung out in Detroit. He later had deals on the table with Tommy Boy and other labels when, out of the blue, Dr. Dre heard my stuff and I became the one.

Question:
Proof, did you have any worry that Eminem would get so caught up with his own career that he'd forget about you guys?

Proof:
Never, nothing's changed between us. We still go to Burger King and Taco Bells and wear Nikes. I knew we'd make an album together. The whole idea of D12 was to bring the freshest, best MCs in Detroit together in one group, a supergroup thing.

Eminem:Besides, I'm not the first guy in hip-hop to bring his boys along. Anybody with a good heart is going to do that. Nelly is putting all his boys on a record. When you dream to be a rap superstar and you finally do become one, it's like you owe that to your buddies.

Question:
What was it like working as part of D12 instead of doing a solo album?

Eminem:It was fun. I love doing the music, sitting around in the studio, especially with these guys, because it takes a lot of the burden off me. I no longer have to sit there and write the whole song. Sometimes I just write a hook, and then they finish. On some tracks, I was just the producer.

Question:
Are you surprised that your music appeals to such a wide age group? Did you ever think kids 8 and 10 would be listening to the stuff?

Eminem:That has always stumped me, but it's odd how you hear about people always complaining and you see parents on TV say, "My son listens to that music, and it's horrible. "Well, I meet parents all the time that don't seem to have a problem with it. They'll come up to me with their 6-year-old who wants an autograph.

Question:
Do you have a target audience in mind when you write something? Do you picture a 10-year-old or 20-year-old, or do you just write for yourself?
Eminem:We just want to make the music dope. If we like it, we know there's a lot of other people out there that'll like it. That's the only thing we go by.

Question:
What about the movie? Is it going to be a comedy or a serious film?

Eminem:It's a serious film, pretty emotional, but it's only based loosely on my life. I don't play Marshall in the movie. I play somebody different, but still a white rapper trying to come up and do rap music.

Question:
Did you think you had a chance to win the best album Grammy that went to Steely Dan?

Eminem:Do I think I should have won in the prestigious best album category? Maybe. But I didn't think I would win. There's no way they could have given it to me too. But I didn't get into this rap game to win trophies. I do it to please myself and my fans, and make a better life for Hailie his 5-year-old daughter.

Question:
Looking ahead, what did you learn from the confrontations in Detroit about your own conduct?

Eminem:Well, I'm not supposed to go there. . . .

Question:
Proof, how would you answer that question? What do you think you've learned in the last year or so?

Proof:There was a time when the only thing we knew was to react to things the same way we did as kids. If someone attacks you, you attack back. But we know now that we have to show more control. You can't just go around like you're 15 forever. There are consequences, and you don't want to throw away everything you've worked so hard for. 

NYRock 2001

It's lonely at the top

Are fame and fortune dreams come true? According to Eminem, they're more of a nightmare. 
Born Marshall Mathers III and alternately known as Slim Shady, the guy from Detroit came from out of nowhere, skyrocketed to hip-hop stardom in less than two years, and is now a household name, unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons. With four-million copies sold in five weeks (ten-million to date), Eminem's latest release The Marshall Mathers LP scored the best-selling solo debut week in pop history. The CD won countless awards, accolades, and, an avalanche of criticism, for its implications of violence and prejudice. The unrestrained rapper has become a steady guest on every rock radio station's playlist and every publication's headlines. Each for very different reasons. Eminem has kept the news desks full with his controversial lyrics, arrests, weapons charges, lawsuits, marital disputes, and, believe it or not, four Grammy nominations ? complete with corresponding backlash from critics and activist groups alike.



NYROCK: So how does it feel to be rich, famous and the idol of countless teenagers?
EMINEM: I always wished for this, but it's almost turning into more of a nightmare than a dream. I mean, everybody wants to ride on my f*ckin' coat tails. Everybody's trying to hang on to, wants a piece of my ass. You gotta be careful what you wish for; you just might get it.

NYROCK: What's so bad about being a star?

EMINEM: I can't go out anymore and play basketball, because everybody knows my f*ckin' face. All I really wanted was to have a career in hip hop and now I got to deal with so much shit! There are people coming to my house, knocking on the door. Either they want autographs or they wanna fight. It's f*ckin' crazy!

NYROCK: Not to be smart, but I think you're getting quite an ample compensation for it. Okay, the loss of privacy is hard, but certainly you knew what was coming?

EMINEM: Nobody really understands the pressures put on me. I'm under so much f*ckin' pressure, pressure to always be good, pressure to always be on point. There are so many pressures that go with my job right now. It's crazy. Sometimes I think I do a lot of f*ckin' crazy shit but then I don't know what the f*ck is normal. My life certainly isn't. Maybe it never was....

NYROCK: What was your life like before you became famous?

EMINEM: Before I was famous, when I was just working in Gilbert's Lodge, everything was moving in slow motion. Now it seems like somebody has pressed the f*ckin' fast forward button and my life just seems to be rushing by. It sometimes feels like a strange movie, you know, it's all so weird that sometimes I wonder if it is really happening. But I tell you the f*ckin' shit feels a lot more real than the good things. That's f*ckin' strange!

NYROCK: There has been much controversy over your liberal use of the word "faggot" and what people perceive as gay bashing. It's put you right in the line of fire from gay and lesbian groups the world over...

EMINEM: I'm not gay bashing. People just don't understand where I come from. "Faggot" to me doesn't necessarily mean gay people. "Faggot" to me just means... taking away your manhood. You're a sissy. You're a coward. Just like you might sit around in your living room and say, "Dude, stop, you're being a fag, dude."

NYROCK: But you can see how it would insult homosexuals?

EMINEM: Yeah, but it does not necessarily mean you're being a gay person. It just means you're being a fag. You're being an asshole or whatever. That's the way that the word was always taught to me. That's how I learned the word. Battling with somebody, you do anything you can to strip their manhood away.

NYROCK: Sometimes it seems that you enjoy creating a bit of ruckus. I wonder if "faggot" is really necessary ...

EMINEM: I come from Detroit where it's rough and I'm not a smooth talker. I am who I am and I say what I think. I'm not putting a face on for the record. When I started saying "faggot" on record, I started getting people going, "You have something against gay people," and I thought it was funny. Because I don't; I really don't. I have something against assholes, but I'm not into gay bashing. A lot of people are too stupid to understand it.

NYROCK: Your mouth got you in quite a lot of trouble. Would it be easier to bite back some remarks, to stop the misunderstandings? It might keep people from coming to your door and trying to fight you...

EMINEM: I don't think it would stop them. They'd think I'm a sissy and would really want to kick my ass. My thing is this; if I'm sick enough to think it, then I'm sick enough to say it. Why are these thoughts in my head? A lot of people think a lot worse shit than I do. They just don't say it. If I'm crazy enough to think it, then I'm crazy enough to say it. So who's worse? Come on, I mean somebody who thinks really weird f*ckin' shit, shit I really don't want to think about. But I got nailed for saying just mildly sick shit. That's how I base my whole shit. I think there's a reason why I think this way. I don't think I say the things I say for no reason. I write it down and say it. You know, I call it being honest, but some sick asshole who does sick things on the sly and doesn't talk about it is cool?

NYROCK: I guess you're not aiming for a career in diplomatic service...

EMINEM: F*ck no! I say what I want to say and do what I want to do. There's no in between. People will either love you for it or hate you for it. That's what I've found just on a street level ? fans, and people on the street. They either can't stand me or love me for telling the truth and saying what's on my mind.

NYROCK: You're a father; you have a little daughter. There has been mention in the media of lawsuits. I just want to know about your plans. Being a parent seems like a big responsibility...

EMINEM: I know and I want to be there for my daughter, whenever she needs me. I want to be with her on every step of the way, ya know. She's the best thing that happened to me. F*ck all the fame and shit, Hailie is far more important. She keeps me from being too extreme. I realize that no matter how crazy I act onstage or how wild I may get, there's got to be a limit. I can't step out of a certain boundary. I have to be here for her. Her father has to remain alive. I have to maintain. She really helps me when I'm about to do something too stupid. All I have to do is think about Hailie. She keeps me in check, definitely. What can I say? I love her and a lot of shit has happened to me, but Hailie makes up for everything. In a way, she also makes up for all the f*ckin' pressure and all the shit. My daughter's not gonna need anything the rest of her life and that makes me feel real good. F*ckin' good!