Jack's Fav Musicians #5: Eminem

I consider Eminem to be the best rapper of all time, hands down.  To be fair though, I have really grown to hate rap.  I know I'll come off like a cranky old bastard when I say this, but I think that contemporary rap is just plain shitty.  I look at the popularity of "rappers" like Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa, two people who I consider to have caused more harm to the world than Saddam Hussein, and I seriously doubt the ability of my generation to ever make a positive impact on our planet.  When rappers aren't talking about beating up vaginas or spending all their money, they make attempts at being "serious" by rapping about the oppressors and how the political machine is geared against African-Americans, even though rap artists are obviously the cream of the intellectual crop here in America.

Eminem is another monster entirely.  Whether he's rapping about admiring the pubescent Olsen twins, creating a fictional character to tell a story about his new-found fame, or going into graphic detail about killing his wife, his lyrics are always high-quality and clever.  He's actually interesting and unique; every white rapper since Eminem's debut has tried and failed miserably to capture his essence and mystique.  He doesn't view his troubled past and family life as a badge of pride that enables him to do whatever he wants; he discusses it honestly and openly as a means of elevating his art.

Jack's Favorite Musicians

I'll be doing a bit of a series over the next week or so where I profile my favorite bands and musicians.  Basically, in each profile, I'll explain a bit about why I like the musical act and what their influence has been on me and the people around me.  I'll also include a list of my 10 favorite songs by that act, as well as a ranking of their albums, and even a list of their 5 worst songs, if I find it appropriate.  I heavily encourage debate on these profiles.

I will do a total of 5 profiles, going in order from my fifth-favorite act to my all-time favorite.  I also plan on releasing a list of my five least favorite musical acts.