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Eminem in BritainAnn MahonThe infamous "Slim Shady" recently caused uproar during the British leg of his European tour. America's most prestigious white rapper was overwhelmed by the legions of protesters awaiting him. He was warned even before his arrival that, if he were caught taking drugs, he would be arrested immediately. The concern over the safety of Eminem (real name, Marshal Mathers) was so great that he arrived at one venue by boat to avoid protesters and was accompanied in Britain by a team of fifty bodyguards. So what was the cause of this concern? Well, since the very beginning of his career, Mathers has been renowned for the strong language contained in his lyrics. Also, many of his songs are deemed both sexist and homophobic. His stage show has also been the cause of great controversy. His use of a chainsaw during the show is seen as unnecessary violence and many protesters were disgusted to see the star swallow what he said were ecstasy pills (It was later confirmed that these "pills" were merely chewing gums.) What protestors, parents in particular, are finding most worrying is that teenagers who follow Eminem's music might also follow his actions - they might be encouraged into becoming violent and taking drugs. This is something I do not fully agree with. Although some might, I don't believe that most young people are stupid enough to be dragged into taking drugs and attacking people in the street just by listening to a couple of songs. Even Marshal himself has asked people not to take his music too seriously. As for the stage act, I have noticed myself that it is really quite tame if you compare it to that of artists in our parent's teenage years. We should ask them if they were in any way affected by the antics of the likes of Sid Vicious, who tore off pieces of his own flesh and threw them to the audience. A pleasant guy, I'm sure. So, before the older generations think about criticising their children's taste in music perhaps they should look back to when "guitar smashing" started and think again! |