Eminem in Leith

February 2001
This article first appeared in InterPOL, the magazine of the Port o Leith Bar.

The Eminem Phenomenon
When a recording artist is plastered all over The Guardian, you know that either Peter Mandelson hasn't resigned that week, or else something very unusual is happening. We have long said that the USA seems, from here, to be on the verge of social collapse. (Dolly - that's nothing to do with soufflés, sweetie.) Now the violence and horror of that country has smashed its way into our own national psyche, courtesy of a young man called Eminem, aka Marshall Mathers, aka Slim Shady. Love him or loathe him, you jest can't ignore him, folks.

What they say about Eminem: "He's a great poet" (Roddy - ex dreads)."A poet of true genius" (Guardian). "It's just because he's white." (Ian S.) "I've never heard anything like it." (Me) "There's never been anything like it." (Stevie Stix) "Produced by sociopaths for the young to enjoy." (Guardian again.) "Ich liebe ihn." (sagte Berndt)

The genius of Eminem is not only in his poetry, which surpasses Bob Dylan, but in the marketing. He's terrifying, but you never know how much of it he means. "Sorry ladies - you know I really love you." "You know I'm only clowning when I say that shit." His language is shocking, but not too much. The f-word and the s-word are everywhere, but not the c-word. When he's lining the faggots up to shoot them, that f-word is quietly cut. "But he's so cute!" And now he's rumoured to be duetting with Elton John, that guarantees the gay market for ever. (Don't go stabbing my shit? Candle in my arse?) Hmmmm. Smells like a cop-out to me. Unless of course he shoots our Elton after the song. Anyway, this middle-aged fart thinks he's great, and we need him in the pub - show up all the wannabe trailer-trashers.