While I was on Youtube's homepage, one of the featured videos is Love the Way You Lie Part 2. "Another part 2?" was my first thought. The last hit song I've listened to that had it's own part 2 is Empire State of Mind. That, and Love the Way You Lie are songs that even for how many times, start til end, I'll listen to it whenever I hear it on the radio.
Just like Empire State of Mind, there's always the strength and "umpf" when Eminem's on the hit, and more of emotions and "aww" factor when it's just plain ballad. What just got me struck with LTWYL part 2 is when Eminem started his tongue-twisting rap in the middle of the song, unlike that of ESOM2 where Jay-z totally had no part on the song.
Love the Way You Lie Part 2
UNFORTUNATELY, before I am even able to publish this post, youtube has already removed the video. :|
What really got this song playing in my head the moment I heard it wasn't really Rihanna's voice. Eminem's is the reason. And the lyrics of this song just got me struck. I always thought that these "part 2" trend is just a scheme of artists to make more money, but maybe, it's the artistic drive that you just want to make different versions of a masterpiece you've made, reproducing close versions of something you really like. Seems a lot of emotions invested in it even if it's already quite a remake of a song everyone clamored about the moment it was released. Seems so wrong and seems so right that you just go along with the emotion of the song.
And when I heard Eminem, I felt so nostalgic that I searched for his old songs. This white rapper was part of my childhood because my sister, one of my biggest influences, always had these CASSETTE TAPES of Eminem that she would always listen to. And of course, as a trying hard kiddo, I always attempted to memorize his raps, read the lyrics on the back of the cassette tape cover (it just feels odd whenever I say it. I have never heard of the phrase CASSETTE TAPES for a very long time. even the term CD PLAYER, what more CASSETTE TAPE? and let's not go to PLAKA. :))) and every time his song plays on the radio or on MTV, I would sing along, word per word, no matter how much I struggled.
As far as I can remember, this is the first Eminem song I heard. One of my childhood songs, and unlike Love the Way You Lie, this song is so much more playful and animated. Maybe during those times, only a few artists had the guts to play it like this in the industry, but since Eminem had his long break, he had to make a strong come back, straying away from this type of song which a lot of artists nowadays can pull off.
While this song and some other else are merely for merriment, Eminem is also known-- even during the early years of his career-- for his heart-stabbing songs that evoke profound realistic stories which are far from esoteric but instead affective to many. Just like many artists, he puts his own story and experience and put it into something unique. Ballads and love songs are same old tune. But for him, rapping his life story is his own way to do it.
Sing for the Moment
Stan
Very reminiscent, ain't it? :)
Now another song of Eminem was familiarized to me by my English prof last year. He used this for our research paper exercise. I couldn't remember why, but he let us quote some of the lyrics from this song. How Eminem rapped it isn't his best one, but the lyrics of the song is such a familiar picture, just like that of the movies Precious and The Blind Side. Eminem, although white, had been exposed to the ghetto life. And this song gives us a glimpse of its corrupt side.
Bonnie and Clyde
After more than a decade, Eminem still proves to us that he's not just one of those black rappers who curse without meaning. And in fact, I know no white rappers other than him. Some love him, some hate him. But hey, having been able to be on top of other artists even after a long break just proves how true of an artist he is. If my dad had his own Beatles fever, I guess our generation would have an Eminem fever, once we're as old as them moms and pops. :>
Just like Empire State of Mind, there's always the strength and "umpf" when Eminem's on the hit, and more of emotions and "aww" factor when it's just plain ballad. What just got me struck with LTWYL part 2 is when Eminem started his tongue-twisting rap in the middle of the song, unlike that of ESOM2 where Jay-z totally had no part on the song.
UNFORTUNATELY, before I am even able to publish this post, youtube has already removed the video. :|
What really got this song playing in my head the moment I heard it wasn't really Rihanna's voice. Eminem's is the reason. And the lyrics of this song just got me struck. I always thought that these "part 2" trend is just a scheme of artists to make more money, but maybe, it's the artistic drive that you just want to make different versions of a masterpiece you've made, reproducing close versions of something you really like. Seems a lot of emotions invested in it even if it's already quite a remake of a song everyone clamored about the moment it was released. Seems so wrong and seems so right that you just go along with the emotion of the song.
And when I heard Eminem, I felt so nostalgic that I searched for his old songs. This white rapper was part of my childhood because my sister, one of my biggest influences, always had these CASSETTE TAPES of Eminem that she would always listen to. And of course, as a trying hard kiddo, I always attempted to memorize his raps, read the lyrics on the back of the cassette tape cover (it just feels odd whenever I say it. I have never heard of the phrase CASSETTE TAPES for a very long time. even the term CD PLAYER, what more CASSETTE TAPE? and let's not go to PLAKA. :))) and every time his song plays on the radio or on MTV, I would sing along, word per word, no matter how much I struggled.
The Real Slim Shady
Cleanin' Out My Closet
Lose Yourself
Bonnie and Clyde
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