Figure 1. EMINEM. Retrieved June 18, 2010, from http://www.papeldeparedegratis.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/eminem_6.jpg
Close to the Edge: The Representational Tactics of Eminem utilizes de Certeau’s three stages of cultural adaptation to discuss Eminem’s success with the white and African-American cultures. The three stages are appropriation, a “spatial acting-out of the place” and allocution. He uses the white and black cultures to create a niche in the culture of hip-hop. He was able to enter the hip-hop culture and as an authentic rapper by relating to the black culture. He uses his affiliation with the white culture for commercial success.
The stage of appropriation is used by Eminem when he uses the form and language of hip-hop. Prior to Eminem, the Beastie Boys were the first white hip-hop artists to have any commercial success. This was due to their African-American management which gave them acceptance with the black culture. Eminem credits the Beastie Boys with his success and teaching him how to perform in a predominately black industry. He also says that the failure of Vanilla Ice taught him that white rappers can’t pretend they come from the black culture. Eminem introduced himself to the hip-hop community as Slim Shady. He used Slim Shady as a character that could ridicule himself and gain acceptance from the black culture. He was able to remain in the white culture and gain that audience while using white stereotypes to present himself as a guest in the hip-hop genre. Eminem’s high level of acceptance among the Latino and African-American hip-hop audiences has allowed him to remain successful in the hip-hop genre. Latinos and African-Americans validate and accept hip-hop performers. Without their acceptance or validation, Eminem would not have been successful or relevant.
Eminem has portrayed himself as an underdog and he has used his childhood and poverty to relate to his African-American audience. However, he has never portrayed himself as anything other than a white kid that grew up in Detroit. Although he has achieved a lot of success in hip-hop there are still subjects that are off limits to him. He doesn’t claim that white people are better than African-Americans. He refuses to ever use the “N” word because of the lack of respect that the “N” word shows the African-American community. He is highly aware of the fact that he is the minority and outsider in the hip-hop community.
The second stage that Eminem implements is the special acting out of place. He uses three distinct personas to relate to different target audiences. He uses his persona, Slim Shady, to target a transracial audience. He uses Slim Shady to exclude women, homosexuals and white men from the hip-hop culture. Slim Shady makes the controversial statements and personal attacks that allow Eminem to gain a larger audience. The Marshall Mathers persona targets a white mainstream audience. Marshall Mathers uses lyrics that point out his whiteness and similarities to his white audience. Marshall Mathers is Eminem’s serious persona that describes his childhood and family. Eminem is the persona that targets the African-American and Latino audiences. Eminem has street credibility and takes on other rappers in battles. Eminem is a true hip-hop persona that attacks his white culture.
Allocution allows Eminem to negotiate with his white and African-American audiences. Eminem uses his sameness to address his white audience and to use his white audience for commercial success. Eminem tries to understand the African-American viewpoint without pretending to be black. He also expresses his frustration with being perceived as a “wigger” by some members of the hip-hop community. However, it is essential that Eminem keeps his white identity in order to be unique in the hip-hop culture and to have a larger audience. Eminem’s talent is a key part to his success but his whiteness makes him marketable and a commercial success.
In conclusion, Eminem is able to manipulate his audiences and personas to achieve the maximum amount of commercial success and marketability. He is the mast successful white rapper and paved the way for many other white rappers. The essential part of success in transracial entertainment is a bond between artistry and artist and control of an aura or personas. Eminem introduced hip-hop and the hip-hop culture to the suburbs and White America. He expanded the audiences and has successfully walked the line between the white culture and African-American culture.
References
Close to the Edge: The Representational Tactics of Eminem. Marcia Alesan Dawkins, California: Wiley Periodicals, Inc., 2010.
