Is Eminem A "Pop Star" ?

[M+M]

His far from a 'pop star' they don't usually bring the sort of controversy that he did / does
+ he hates pop stars.

[accutub]

He is called "Pop" as popular but not for making shitty music.

At least I hope.

[vero]

he was classified as a pp artits because he was white, blond just like a backstreet boy.His single "My name is" was not like other stuff he had, probably this song is more pop style thing. He was at trl a lot, which mainly showed pop videos like the britney spears or n'sync ones. So he had to blast them to separate himself from that stuff.
By the way, I don't understand christina aguilera's diss. When she said about having a song about killing his wife,the fact is true, it's about killing his wife, it's on the record. I don't really understand how he could be so mad...It's fucking hilarious

[katha]

"Pop" could also just mean that he's popular. And he is. Not like in 2000/2002, but few artists have ever been that influential. You can't sustain that forever IMO. Elvis had a spell like that in the 50ies. The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols etc. Bob Dylan had a moment in the mid-sixties where he was furiously debated, at war with his own fan base and hugely popular/controversial. Incidentally those were also the times these artists were at the height of their creative powers and seemed to be ahead of their time.

Recovery has radio-friendly tracks, sure. But IMO "selling out" would mean that Eminem sacrifices quality for easy success. Recovery to me doesn't do that, it is a great album. He obviously put a lot of effort into it and it paid off. It's not as great as his first three, but they set a really, really high bar.

Same thing with Love The Way You Lie. IMO it's first and foremost a brilliant song. Rihanna isn't on the track as some sort of gimmick to get more sales but because the material is relevant to her as well. That's what makes the song so poignant: Two artists actually knowing what they talk/sing about instead of the usual disco nonsense. I think that's also why it's so successful...it's tons better than the usual stuff on chart radio and people seem to recognize that. OTOH it has a catchy hook that lulls you into a false sense of security until you recognize what you're actually singing along to. Kind of like the addictive but toxic relationship he describes...

Stan was popular and catchy as well and it would be just as ridiculous to describe that as selling out IMO. The music, guest artists etc. in both cases serve the concept of the song. I mean he's not the one currently prancing around in one of Katy Perry's Lollipop songs, now is he?

He's not displaying any kind of typical "pop star behaviour" either. He's low-key, does a minimum of press and isn't out and about courting the paparazzi. And IMO only the fact that he's selling loads of records isn't evidence that he's a "pop star" in the "ditching artistic integrity for easy money/doing everything for the fame" sense at all.

[Shit Can Happen]

By the way, I don't understand christina aguilera's diss. When she said about having a song about killing his wife,the fact is true, it's about killing his wife, it's on the record. I don't really understand how he could be so mad...It's fucking hilarious

It wasn't that she talked about him doing a song killing Kim. Em kind of explained it badly when he talked about it, but if you go back and look at what Christina actually said, it's obvious why he got mad. She was like "I heard the girl he's married to is actually the same girl he kills on one of his songs," and then started talking to the viewers and saying shit like "I don't support domestic violence at all. If you're in an abusive relationship you should blah blah blah blah", and she did it all in that annoying giggly teeny bopper voice she had at the time, and it more or less came off like Em beats his wife lol. This was when Em just came out so she truly didn't know anything about him when she painted him as a woman beater.

[electroencephalogram]

He is a popstar but it's ok.

I'm glad he doesn't make underground hardcore hip hop, that shit usually sucks musically.

[Hiphopdane]

I always find it weird why it is so bad to be a part of the popular culture ( = "pop" star). The only bad thing that I can think of is that you sometimes have a label to tell you what to do which puts a limit on your creativity.

I tend to agree with Kanye West when he says that people are scared of the popular culture. It's like people don't think you're talented when you make something that gets attention from the masses. It takes a lot of talent to hit the mainstream without compromising yourself. Are you there, Canibus?

The people, who don't listen to mainstream artists because "everyone" does it, are really missing out on a lot of great stuff.

[MikeNUFC]

I always find it weird why it is so bad to be a part of the popular culture ( = "pop" star). The only bad thing that I can think of is that you sometimes have a label to tell you what to do which puts a limit on your creativity.

I tend to agree with Kanye West when he says that people are scared of the popular culture. It's like people don't think you're talented when you make something that gets attention from the masses. It takes a lot of talent to hit the mainstream without compromising yourself. Are you there, Canibus?

The people, who don't listen to mainstream artists because "everyone" does it, are really missing out on a lot of great stuff.

Agree with this. Too many dickhead "hip hop heads" who mostly think they know alot about rap but really dont dismiss Eminem becuase solely based on the fact he's mainstream. It's fucking ridiculous.

[Pllumi]

well, I don't know why he doesn't release his stuff on mixtapes....I guess its that the artist wants to gain as much as possible listeners to listen to his work....

[pfati]

well, I don't know why he doesn't release his stuff on mixtapes....I guess its that the artist wants to gain as much as possible listeners to listen to his work....

i wish em would do mixtapes... i wud fucking love that... i need some new eminem right about nowand i dont give a fuck if we just got the album... i want some more lol... can wait till that d12 album comes out though

[DƎRDYPK]

yes he is

[Kez]

Of course he is, c'mon son

[Tash8]

putting Rihanna on a track like Love the way you lie, does not mean he's a pop star.. especially when there's an obvious reason for putting her on the track and it's not because of radio play.

[Sam.]

"Now because of this blonde mop that's on top
and this fucked up head that I've got, I've gone pop?"

[SlipperyMooseCakes]

His far from a 'pop star' they don't usually bring the sort of controversy that he did / does
+ he hates pop stars.

-Yeah Britney Spears didn't bring any controversy with her "slutty" image.
-Lady Gaga never stirred up anything with exposing her vagina and boobs in a music video
-Madonna never touched controversy when she was blasphemous against the Christians

All pop stars, all controversy.

Eminem IS a pop star. You can be both a pop star and a rock star at the same time. The trick is to get commercial radio air play, but at the same time have content out for your hardcore and traditional fans so everyone is pleased. That way you sell records and keep your fans satisfied.