eminem
Helen Hegener
At 12:08 AM +0000 8/22/02, [email protected] wrote:
agreeing with whoever wrote that the kid (hey - he's a *kid* to me!
<g>) is just writing about what he knows of life. When my three
youngest kids first started listening to his music a few years ago I
took a dim view of the lyrics, but knowing my kids I decided to find
out what all the hoopla was about. Our youngest son, Michael (then
16) was especially taken with a song - I think it's called "The Fan"
or something similar - about a groupie who writes to the musician,
doesn't receive a reply, writes again, ends up driving off a bridge
with his pregnant girlfriend in the trunk of his car because the
artist wouldn't respond. Michael would play it over and over again,
and one day he asked me if I thought the story was true. I said no, I
didn't think so, and that led to a couple of hours of discussion
about many things related to obsession, emotional dependence, the
music industry, and so on and so forth.
And that was it - the song didn't get played nearly as often after
that, and while Michael will still turn up the radio if he hears that
particular tune come on, he's not nearly as interested in it as he
was for those few weeks before we talked. I think he was working
things out in his head, and when he got them worked out he verified
his observations with me, and that was that. Our talk that day was
one of the most interesting he and I have ever had. That happened
again when Jody (22) and I saw a video clip of the current favorite -
something about Shady's back? - just before we drove out the Alaska
Highway last July. One day as we were driving along the song came on
the radio, she mentioned the video, and we spent the next 200 miles
talking about the music industry, eminem's run-ins with the law, his
cleverness in putting lyrics together, artists making comebacks, and
she told me about several musicians she's been enjoying listening to
that I'd never heard of. One, Ani deFranco, is coming to Anchorage
next month and I'm thinking of buying her a ticket to the performance
if she doesn't have to work that day.
Anyway, whenever I hear an eminem song these days, I think about
those talks the kids and I might not otherwise have shared. Like most
artists, he's just another source of food for thought, which is all I
think he ever really meant to be. Well... he probably meant to be
rich, too... <g>
Helen
>Guess it would help if I spelled the boys name right!FWIW I've been following this discussion with some interest, and
>eminem
agreeing with whoever wrote that the kid (hey - he's a *kid* to me!
<g>) is just writing about what he knows of life. When my three
youngest kids first started listening to his music a few years ago I
took a dim view of the lyrics, but knowing my kids I decided to find
out what all the hoopla was about. Our youngest son, Michael (then
16) was especially taken with a song - I think it's called "The Fan"
or something similar - about a groupie who writes to the musician,
doesn't receive a reply, writes again, ends up driving off a bridge
with his pregnant girlfriend in the trunk of his car because the
artist wouldn't respond. Michael would play it over and over again,
and one day he asked me if I thought the story was true. I said no, I
didn't think so, and that led to a couple of hours of discussion
about many things related to obsession, emotional dependence, the
music industry, and so on and so forth.
And that was it - the song didn't get played nearly as often after
that, and while Michael will still turn up the radio if he hears that
particular tune come on, he's not nearly as interested in it as he
was for those few weeks before we talked. I think he was working
things out in his head, and when he got them worked out he verified
his observations with me, and that was that. Our talk that day was
one of the most interesting he and I have ever had. That happened
again when Jody (22) and I saw a video clip of the current favorite -
something about Shady's back? - just before we drove out the Alaska
Highway last July. One day as we were driving along the song came on
the radio, she mentioned the video, and we spent the next 200 miles
talking about the music industry, eminem's run-ins with the law, his
cleverness in putting lyrics together, artists making comebacks, and
she told me about several musicians she's been enjoying listening to
that I'd never heard of. One, Ani deFranco, is coming to Anchorage
next month and I'm thinking of buying her a ticket to the performance
if she doesn't have to work that day.
Anyway, whenever I hear an eminem song these days, I think about
those talks the kids and I might not otherwise have shared. Like most
artists, he's just another source of food for thought, which is all I
think he ever really meant to be. Well... he probably meant to be
rich, too... <g>
Helen
Dotchi Baker
OH OH! I have that one on CD! It's called "Stan".
Dotchi
Dotchi
----- Original Message -----
From: Helen Hegener
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 7:19 PM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] eminem
At 12:08 AM +0000 8/22/02, [email protected] wrote:
>Guess it would help if I spelled the boys name right!
>eminem
FWIW I've been following this discussion with some interest, and
agreeing with whoever wrote that the kid (hey - he's a *kid* to me!
<g>) is just writing about what he knows of life. When my three
youngest kids first started listening to his music a few years ago I
took a dim view of the lyrics, but knowing my kids I decided to find
out what all the hoopla was about. Our youngest son, Michael (then
16) was especially taken with a song - I think it's called "The Fan"
or something similar - about a groupie who writes to the musician,
doesn't receive a reply, writes again, ends up driving off a bridge
with his pregnant girlfriend in the trunk of his car because the
artist wouldn't respond. Michael would play it over and over again,
and one day he asked me if I thought the story was true. I said no, I
didn't think so, and that led to a couple of hours of discussion
about many things related to obsession, emotional dependence, the
music industry, and so on and so forth.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
that one is called stan. that's probly one of my favorites! i don't really
like rap so much but my dd is always playing his music so i pick up on most
of it.
tina
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
like rap so much but my dd is always playing his music so i pick up on most
of it.
tina
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
pumpkin_kisses_fall_wishes
We live in a lower-income neighborhood where drugs, gangs, and
teenage pregnancy are part of the reality many kids live every day.
When these children don't have anyone with whom they can discuss the
ideas expressed in the music they listen to, the results can be
deadly. Many young men of the "underclass" live lives where the gun-
toting, bit*h smacking, misogynistic, racist, homophobic, and
sociopathic ideals expressed in rap music do nothing to improve their
day-to-day existences. So, perhaps gangsta rap is best enjoyed by
those who don't have to personally deal with the reality that fuels
the lyrics.
teenage pregnancy are part of the reality many kids live every day.
When these children don't have anyone with whom they can discuss the
ideas expressed in the music they listen to, the results can be
deadly. Many young men of the "underclass" live lives where the gun-
toting, bit*h smacking, misogynistic, racist, homophobic, and
sociopathic ideals expressed in rap music do nothing to improve their
day-to-day existences. So, perhaps gangsta rap is best enjoyed by
those who don't have to personally deal with the reality that fuels
the lyrics.
[email protected]
In a message dated 8/23/02 5:40:02 PM, djac99_1999@... writes:
<< So, perhaps gangsta rap is best enjoyed by
those who don't have to personally deal with the reality that fuels
the lyrics. >>
And what music should be imposed on those who live a rough life without
adults with whom they can express their problems?
Would there be less violence without accompanying music? If the music and
dress and tattoos and slang were forbidden or discouraged would that calm
everyone down?
Refusing to listen to expressions of frustration doesn't lessen the
frustration either.
I don't know an answer, but I know there's not a simple solution.
Sandra
<< So, perhaps gangsta rap is best enjoyed by
those who don't have to personally deal with the reality that fuels
the lyrics. >>
And what music should be imposed on those who live a rough life without
adults with whom they can express their problems?
Would there be less violence without accompanying music? If the music and
dress and tattoos and slang were forbidden or discouraged would that calm
everyone down?
Refusing to listen to expressions of frustration doesn't lessen the
frustration either.
I don't know an answer, but I know there's not a simple solution.
Sandra
pumpkin_kisses_fall_wishes
Removing the music isn't a simple solution, of course. And, I never
suggested that their frustrations shouldn't be listened to. But, if
the subculture of the gang and prison culture becomes musically
mainstreamed into neighborhoods that are already unstable, the
result, as I said before, can be disastrous.
suggested that their frustrations shouldn't be listened to. But, if
the subculture of the gang and prison culture becomes musically
mainstreamed into neighborhoods that are already unstable, the
result, as I said before, can be disastrous.
--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., SandraDodd@a... wrote:
>
> In a message dated 8/23/02 5:40:02 PM, djac99_1999@y... writes:
>
> << So, perhaps gangsta rap is best enjoyed by
> those who don't have to personally deal with the reality that fuels
> the lyrics. >>
>
> And what music should be imposed on those who live a rough life
without
> adults with whom they can express their problems?
>
> Would there be less violence without accompanying music? If the
music and
> dress and tattoos and slang were forbidden or discouraged would
that calm
> everyone down?
>
> Refusing to listen to expressions of frustration doesn't lessen the
> frustration either.
>
> I don't know an answer, but I know there's not a simple solution.
>
> Sandra