8 Questions With iHipHop: How Much Has Eminem Matured On MMLP2?

 
Dan: In the current landscape of hip-hop, where exactly does Em fit in?
 
Drew: Eminem is a rapper for a large swath of the population, old and young, who grew up poor in Middle America. His trials with bullying and want to “fit in” have forged a place for him as an outsider-accepted-in. He can tell the tales of the angry, young, disenfranchised male and deliver that person a few nuggets of redemption in between the profanity and aggression-mongering. It also seems as if — and this is somewhat nascent in his music — he is finding ways to undermine some of the past invective he has put out in his content. In that way, he might flourish with an older audience as they take time to digest what he is describing about his transition to latter adulthood.