Eminem

[BAMF]

This is kind of out of the blue, but I was just thinking that I've never heard an opinion on Eminem from an Objectivist. What do you all think of him? Demon or not?

[Kat]

hmmmmmm.... if he is not an Objectivist, he must be a whim-worshipping-evul-dishonest POO-POO HEAD!!! And besides, I only like green M&Ms.

Seriously, I don't care for that style of music. I'm more of a classic rocker, so I don't think of him.

Kat

[BAMF]

^ROFLcopter!

Just for shits and giggles I like to hear different people's opinions on him. It's odd to encounter someone who doesn't really give a shit. Thumbs up for not thinking he's teh sAtAn.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

BAMF,

Chris Sciabarra wrote a whole article on Eminem.

The Paradox of Eminem: Will the Real Slim Shady Please Stand Up?

btw - Do you have a photo? I uncovered your Atavar, but it is slightly out of character for here.

Michael

[BAMF]

Michael,

Thank you for the link! That was a great article. I liked that Sciabarra included quotes from kids. It seems that oftentimes adults rush to protest before they even ask us kids our opinion on whatever the issue is. We are not always as stupid and weak-minded as they think.

Actually, I don't have a picture. I <3 my avatar, but I didn't read the rules. Is it allowed?

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

BAMF,

I'm glad you enjoyed the article. Chris is one of the most intelligent people in the Objectivist community, so having him write on Eminem is quite a treat. On young people, I personally like them a lot. Treating them as stupid is a mistake.

About your Avatar, what does "

Avatars are allowed, but not encouraged. If I remember correctly, yours was a fantasy of a huge comic book creature extending his hand and saying "Gaaaay" or something like that.

This is not against the rules and we did not take it down. However, our view of Objectivism is under constant attack by the orthodoxy and some of them get quite childish. Frankly, when I first saw your Avatar, I thought it might have been a hostile poster hiding behind a pseudonym and doing this to poke fun at OL. I also imagined it could have been a harmless joke (from a younger person, as a matter of fact), which is why I left it up. I see my second supposition was correct.

In an unrelated event, our site suffered a hacker attack where the databases were destroyed. In migrating the forum to where we are now and reconstructing it from damaged backup files, all of the photos were removed from the posters. We were able to reintroduce many photos in one batch. Others had to be reintroduced by hand, one-by-one. Yours is one of the last, so since we are talking, I thought it would be a good idea to find something more in line with the spirit of the place if possible. A school photo or something like that would be great. Don't you have a friend who owns a webcam? He can snap a photo in an instant.

If you really want that Avatar, I will find it and put it back up, even with the stylistic collision with the site. You are obviously a poster in good faith and an older member of the site. Still, we are discouraging pseudonyms and requesting pictures so people can know who they are talking to. This cuts down on cowardice in attacks and snipes.

Michael

[BAMF]

Michael,

Sorry about the Av. I didn't really think about the attacks from the "orthodoxy" (even though I see them everywhere!). Of course, as you assumed, it is a childish joke (and it's Skeletor, by the way). You can just leave it off and keep my Av space blank. I'd prefer not to put a picture up.

You can call me Kori from now on. Is a name change possible?

Again, sorry 'bout the Av!

P.S. "<3" is just a sideways heart

Edited September 6, 2006 by BAMF

[Rich Engle]

Eminem... sheesh.

I found him intriguing, not so much musically, but marketing. He really had his minions going for awhile there. It got kind of annoying during his peak, if you had teenage kids. I remember one room that eventually just exploded from the volume of Eminem pictures. I got very tired of looking at him and hearing him. Also, he caused a lot of musical clones, but that's not his foul, he was just making money.

I like Kid Rock better. He's the epitome of the total sleazoid touring musician. His music is loose, generally in a good way- lots of fun guitar tracks and all. I just found more musician in him. I have one of his albums, no Eminem, nope....only been free of that for a couple years now, I need time to heal!

Edited September 6, 2006 by Rich Engle

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Kori (former BAMF),

Kori,

You can call me Kori from now on. Is a name change possible?

Your will has been done.

Michael

[BAMF]

Thank you, Michael.

Rich,

I feel your pain. Even though I love Eminem, I fortunately do not have his pictures plastered all over my walls. What a drag that would be!

"Ehhhh..." is really the only way I can describe my feelings for Kid Rock, though I must admit, I do like his Devil Without a Cause album (and the rapping midget, Joe C!).

[Rich Engle]

I think Joe C died, didn't he?

[BAMF]

Yeah, unfortunately. We need more rapping midgets.

[Robert Campbell]

Kori,

Our daughter went through a period of fairly intense interest in rap, when she was around 11.

She wanted an Eminem CD, so we bought one and we all listened to it in the living room together. It's just as well that she didn't understand some of the things that he was saying.

My take on Eminem, from that experience and a few others, is that he is a brilliant wordsmith whose rise to the forefront of rappers is no accident.

However, his attitude does nothing for me. He affects hostility to everyone, with an extra helping of scorn and distrust for anyone who professes to sympathize with him.

The public persona reminds me just a little of the late Frank Zappa's, but a lot of FZ's music was instrumental, and he was working from a different (and, in my opinion) more interesting rhythmic base than hip-hop.

Robert Campbell

[BAMF]

Robert,

That's very cool of you and your wife to sit down with your daughter and listen with her. My parents were never like that. When I was 11, they would have said "no way!" Now I can buy whatever I want, but when I buy a rap CD I get weird looks from them.

I definitely agree that he is a brilliant wordsmith. I can also understand your disdain for his attitude. I used to have a similar mindset (fuck the world!), but I fortunately grew out of it. To me he is just a big joke. His songs are funny to me; however, to some people all of the crap he says is real and they are influenced by it. I think if more kids had parents like you and your wife, there would be less bleach blonde white boys in schools around the country. ;)

[mweiss]

BAMF,

Chris Sciabarra wrote a whole article on Eminem.

The Paradox of Eminem: Will the Real Slim Shady Please Stand Up?

btw - Do you have a photo? I uncovered your Atavar, but it is slightly out of character for here.

Michael

Interesting article. Normally, I would have written off RAP completely, but I have an associate, probably one of the brightest broadcast engineers in the country, who states that he likes RAP. When I interjected that he sure MUST be joking, he indignantly retorted that he grew up in Brooklyn, NY, in "da 'hood" as he calls it, and that he understood the problems of life in the ghetto and that RAP gets those feelings out, talks about it in intelligent ways.

Now here is this article, ostensibly by an Objectivist, giving the time of day to RAP and going even further to hold it in what seemed to be pretty high esteem.

Personally, I found the few that I've heard from passing cars with their "boom car" sound systems to be disgusting, like pieces of bloody road kill on the side of a highway.

This associate and friend of mine gives me and my wife "gifts" of RAP albums from time to time. I have tried to make sense of some of it, but frankly, it just doesn't have the 'sense of life' that I like. I've tried to understand the lyrics of JELLEESTONE's "We da Niggas", but I just don't see the point of it.

What would Ayn Rand say? I think that's a rhetorical question.

[Victor Pross]

Kori

I suppose you think Eminem should be an addition is my book Icons and Idols?

Victor

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

What would Ayn Rand say? I think that's a rhetorical question.

Mark,

I don't think it is all that rhetorical. There is a DJ duo called "Star and Buc Wild" where the brains behind it (Troi Torain, aka Star the Hater) is deeply into Ayn Rand. He was very active in New York (MTV for a while, then radio audience in the millions) and will be again in February. He actively promoted Rand and railed against the ghetto mentality. I will have more on him later.

Incidentally, I produced a rap album once in Brazil with a group called Black Juniors. I hated the experience, but not for the reasons of hating the music. I didn't like the lack of talent and over-inflated egos.

Rap is just like any other musical medium. Most of the Hip Hop I have heard is not very good, but once in a while there is a good track.

The Objectivists who generally write against Rap--the ones I have read at least--blame it for not doing the same thing a symphony or opera should do. But there is a reason it caught on. It definitely hits a nerve in the human soul.

Michael

[BAMF]

Kori

I suppose you think Eminem should be an addition is my book Icons and Idols?

Victor

Of course! He is a very big personality in rap, so he belongs in it. I still look forward to the book. Is there a possible release date for it yet?

I think Ayn Rand would say, "I wanna be a...balla...shot calla!"

Edited November 17, 2006 by Kori

[Victor Pross]

Of course! He is a very big personality in rap, so he belongs in it. I still look forward to the book. Is there a possible release date for it yet?

ICONS AND IDOLS will be unleashed on the public in 2008. Now I'm really in for it!

I’m still undecided on the sub-title of the book:

Icons and Idols: Pop goes the culture

or

Icons and Idols: Adventures in popular culture

Or...?

[BAMF]

I don't know if I can wait until 2008! It'll be a good year for everything though.

Oh, I love Pop goes the culture! I would normally suggest something, but I'm all burned out today.

[Victor Pross]

Kori,

Why are you burned out?

[Victor Pross]

This is kind of out of the blue, but I was just thinking that I've never heard an opinion on Eminem from an Objectivist. What do you all think of him? Demon or not?

Kori,

In regards to this original thread question, you should post it at SOLO to see the contrast from how it was answered here. That will shake up your day. Really, try it. B)

-Badass-

[BAMF]

Victor "Badass" Pross (LOL ),

What is SOLO? Judging from the little I have heard around here, it was not a great place. What's the URL (maybe I WILL try it)? :devil:

I don't know, I just feel like crapola lately. :aww:

[Victor Pross]

Kori,

Here it is: www.solopassion.com

It will be an interesting sociological experiment. Join the controversial Victor Pross in waywardness.

Let me be the evil lyrics of a song prodding you on in your teenage angst. You might begin the post by addressing “Mr. Perigo and others..”

Do it! Do it! Do it! :devil:

Edited November 18, 2006 by Victor Pross

[CNA]

Wow, now this will be an interesting experiment and so very revealing. I think we all know what will happen with this. Let the frenzied headbashing begin. I am sure they will thoroughly enjoy it while being hunched over and pounding billy club in to the ground chanting kill, kill, kill.