Political pop that could actually change the world

[imomus]

Eminem Mosh. He says 'Fuck Bush'. He says 'No more blood for oil'. He says 'Kerry on, give me hope'. He says 'Vote on November 2nd'. And the imagery in the video says a lot more. A message like this, from a star as big as Eminem, could actually change the outcome of the US election. Who says pop music is all neutered, spayed and tame? Who says that nothing anyone says makes a blind bit of difference? As brilliantly political as anything Bob Dylan did at the height of the 60s protest boom. Positively Brechtian.

Comments

Re: ITS viewers to vote!

[johnnyshades.livejournal.com]

i think i missed a poll somewhere. eminem's listeners are primarily republican? pardon my skepticism.

Re: ITS viewers to vote!

[typefiend.livejournal.com]

I shall pardon your skepticism. One just needs to realize his albums sell well and in large numbers in the midwest, amongst suburban white youth...he has mass appeal amongst the Walmart set. I would definitely think many of these kids have conservative values and beliefs despite their preference in music.

Re: ITS viewers to vote!

[theophile.livejournal.com]

just for the record, this is certainly not Eminem's first strong anti-Bush rap. "Square Dance" was certainly a more explicit track with better-reasoned politics, and "Rap Game" (the one obliquely referenced in the "Mosh" video by means of a newspaper cutout) had a tighter flow and a more satisfying invective (I'm a' pipe down when the White House just wiped out / when I see that little (Cheney) dike get sniped out / lights out, bitch adios, goodnight, blow)-- I don't think any of his fans will be surprised to learn that he's backing Kerry. I'm deeply impressed with Em for coordinating a video release so consciously timed to work with the election season, though-- I'd considered him pretty thoroughly declawed at this point in his career.

Re: ITS viewers to vote!

[(Anonymous)]

Surely Eminem's core audience would be too young to vote?

Re: ITS viewers to vote!

[seanthesean.livejournal.com]

i don't know how partisan any of those kids are really... unfortunately they haven't had any cultural infrastructure outside of cable tv and chain stores to help guide and direct them, but i don't think they're inherently republicans. the walmart set isn't neccessarily conservative either, just hard up, cheap and trashy.