Eminem may be the MC who single-handedly ended one of Hip-Hops laziest eras for lyrics upon his late 1990s arrival. Self-deprecating, impassioned, and wildly imaginative, Marshall Mathers came in through Raps screen door as an underground Hip-Hop MC running with The Outsidaz, DJ Spinna, and Thirstin Howl III. However, it was Ems three-ring battle performances and uncanny ability to freestyle top-quality verses that landed his tape on Dr. Dres desk. Once there, Slim Shady combined his hardcore Hip-Hop past with big budget videos, A-list guests, and masterful conceptual production to make him a diamond-selling icon that seemingly was the genres biggest superstar since Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.
Eminems career touches upon all facets of Hip-Hop, from battling, to true school, to Gangsta Rap, and everything in between. Arguably, Em has the most innovative flow since the late 1980s, with the ability to rhyme fast, slow, and in between on the same track. Like a percussion instrument, Marshalls gift of gab employs syncopation and a pinball rhyme style to complement the elaborate content. In his writing, Eminem can be brutally honest about himself and others, while also being whimsical, harshly critical of the world at large, and wildly entertaining in social commentary. He is Lenny Bruce, Mike Tyson, and Masta Ace in one modern man. With classic, cohesive albums, Academy Award-winning (and Grammy Award-winning) songs, and a style thats the envy of all of Eminems Rap peers, predecessors, and pupils, how could he not be the GOAT?
