10 Perfect Non-Single Tracks By Eminem
4. White America: The Eminem Show (2002)
By 2002 Eminem’s music had caused such a shock wave throughout America that old white women in government had attempted to get him banned.
A movement to censor rap music - started by two former Second Ladies, Lynne Cheney and Tipper Gore - was motivated by the terror that it had a negative impact on white suburban kids. White America was Em’s moment for calling !*$%.
This track highlighted the racism at work; rap was suddenly a problem because it was reaching white kids. “Surely hip-hop was never a problem in Harlem, only in Boston, after it bothered the fathers of daughters starting to blossom” Em says, pointing out that if rap had such a damaging influence then were were the calls for censorship when only black kids were listening to it?
Not only did Em acknowledge that his success was in part due to being white - meaning he reached a wider white audience - but he was able to brutally tear down the political hypocrisy at work. Like "Mosh" this track exemplified his insight and ability to reflect the social and political climate he came up in.