The start to essay #2

Introduction and thesis-Slim Shady vs. Marshall Mathers:

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, also known as “Slim Shady,” is one of the most famous rappers in the music making world. His music is based on personal experiences he is facing or past events throughout his childhood. Marshall had a rocky experience as a child and he is still learning how to cope with his personal life problems. Marshall Mathers was neglected by his family during his young adolescent years and today he is following the same path with his own daughter, Hailie. Even though he grew up in the “hood,” he was able to turn his life around by becoming one of the most wealthy rappers in the United States. As a child his family couldn’t even afford clothes, compared to his lifestyle today, Marshall doesn’t have to worry about paying rent each month, yet alone buying clothes; he has an average income of $31.8 million dollars a year. Even though Marshall Mathers had a difficult time getting started as a rapper, today he is one of the top artists to hit the top 100 list, along with winning several Grammy awards over the past ten years. At the beginning of his career artists didn’t take him seriously and he was rejected by many other rappers. Today many artists grovel at his feet; he’s been able to completely turn the table around. By creating the persona Slim Shady, Marshall was able to overcome the neglect and poverty of his youth; he went from being a nobody to a world-famous, multi-millionaire rapper. 

1st point- Neglect

Then: moved around a lot as a child (Kansas City to Detroit), his family didn’t pay much attention to him or support him very well; on his own. His dad left his family and never came back. Switched schools every two to three months; it wasn’t easy making friends, staying out of trouble and couldn’t graduate high school. He failed the ninth grade three times. (his childhood was a “painful experience”)

Now: Due to his career, Marshall doesn’t have time for his daughter Hailie Jade Scott. (She’s experiencing what he had to go through as a child.)- Marshall’s career is more important than family.  

2nd point- Poverty

Then: grew up in poverty and in bad neighborhoods

Now: Billionaire-due to his career the past ten years. 

3rd point- Early rapping career 

Then: started rapping at the age of four years old (putting words together and rhyming), battled schoolmates in the lunchroom, people thought he was a joke and he was rejected by many other rappers. At the age of seventeen he made a new name for himself; M&M. Later he changed it to “Eminem.”

Now: sold 8 million records in the United States alone, won several Grammies and awards. 1st rap album to be nominated “Album of he year.” 

                                            

  Works Cited

"Biography for Eminem." The Internet Movie Database. Amazon.com, 2010. Web. 25 Sep 2010.
        http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004896/bio.