Eminem and Brisk??

This is by far one of my favorite commercials that I have seen in a very long time. The reason why I enjoy it so much is that it features one of my favorite musicians and one my favorite drinks out there. I’m sure most people have seen it, especially if you are a football fan. This commercial appeared during the Super Bowl haft time. It was the Brisk commercial staring Eminem. It was because of those two elements that I enjoyed this commercial so much.

This commercial is all done in Claymation. The commercial opens up with Eminem saying “I get asked to do commercials all the time.” It goes on to say he has three demands if he is going to do the commercial. He needs hot women, it is filmed at his place, and he records his own music. After he says his demands, he goes on saying he tries the product, and doesn’t like him. Because he doesn’t like them he decides not to do the commercial. It goes to him drinking a can of Brisk which then he sates, Damn that is pretty good, but I have one final demand.” The business man who is taking down his requests says he can’t change the name to “Eminem’s Shut Up and Drink It Ice Tea,” as Eminem pushes him off the building. Eminem says then goes to say he doesn’t do commercials because his demands aren’t fulfilled. As the view pans out, he looks like he is standing on a huge brisk can, then it cuts to a room where it is full of Brisk tea cans of every flavor that is out, where Eminem just walks away.

Through this entire commercial the scenery chances as if was a giant box. As the scenery changes the box rotates and it becomes a new place for a different purpose. I thought it was pretty unique. Eminem just moves on through each phase nonchalantly continuing with his statements. The reason why I liked this commercial was due to how well they made Eminem look. He acted like his usual self. You know what I mean; his language, his attitude, how he dresses, all of it was there which made you want to watch the commercial. There was no music in this commercial; it only had sound for the appropriate setting at the time of each phase. There was no doubt on what the commercial was about. It was mainly focused on Eminem, but it kept in suspense on what product he was going to sponsor. Some may say that he was selling out, but I wouldn’t think so. He still seemed like the same person to me, and he hasn’t been anywhere since then. It was just a special occasion. It was a clever way to sell their product and I enjoyed every part of it.

This commercial is one of my favorites. Eminem was doing two things at the same time. He was talking crap about a product, and talking it up all at the same time. How this commercial was designed and produced was fantastic and amusing all at the same time. It definitely made me want a Brisk tea, and it made me laugh with Eminem’s part. He was well represented in this commercial; I didn’t see a single change in him, well except for his afro. That was a good one. I was just looking at the commercial again and there is an uncut commercial too. They are pretty much the same, but a funnier name for Eminem’s final demand. You should check them both out. There are even outtakes!!! I'll put those here too.

Gangsta Rap

                Who would I consider to me a “gangsta rap” artist? Since I don’t normally listen to rap, aside from Dr. Dre and Eminem, I am not too sure my view would be accurate to what I feel “gangsta rap” is. When I hear certain artists on the radio, on a CD when I am in the car with friends; there is some rap that just sounds completely different from a different type of rap. I would not consider Eminem as a “gangsta rap” artist. I would consider Snoop Dogg, for instance as a “gangsta rap” artist.

                Now why do I consider him a “gangsta rap” artist? Why don’t I write about the more obvious artists out there? The main reason I chose Snoop Dogg was because I know of him better than the rest, most likely because he is more famous than the others. To answer the question to why I felt he is a “gangsta rap” artist is because, based off the material I read from Music and Culture by Anna Tomasino, he raps a lot about women, drugs, alcohol, gangsta violence, and other acts of that nature. I consider him completely different from Eminem, since Eminem talks about things that are real. What I mean from real is from personal experience. Eminem is more of a story rap, rather than just rapping about what is considered cool.

                I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that people disagree with me. Why do I say this? I say this because like I said, I am not the biggest rap listener. I don’t know much of the facts of rap. Some people might not see the difference I see between Snoop and Eminem, or people may not think Snoop Dogg is even a gangsta rap artist. All depends on the audience to whom you are speaking to. That Is why I chose to write about this. Since I would be considered someone not a part of Raps core audience, I felt it would be a good thing to write about. Depending on the type of people listen to the music, along with the type of music people listen to, makes how people label something. Now, I am not saying these labels are necessarily correct, or what the artist intended for them to be, but unfortunately that is how it is.

                Do I think Snoop Dogg would like this title I have given him, I don’t know. Based off what I know, from what I have heard through his music, I think he would agree with it. That though depends on his definition of “gangsta rap.” Another Artist who I would truly think is a “gangsta rap” artist would be 50 Cent. Would Snoop Dogg think that they are alike? That is another question I would not know. Did Snoop Dogg want to be considered a “Gangsta?” I definitely think so. That is what I hear in his music. Does his message of being a “Gangsta” in his music mean that his music is “gangsta rap”, or does that just make it rap? I would consider it “gangsta rap” based off what I read.

What really matters?

                 In my opinion, Eminem is one of the truly great rappers out there. Now would he have been less of a success if he was black? There is a great question. Many people don’t believe so. They say that he would have either been half the success or not ne at all. I personally don’t believe that. It is not his color that makes him the great lyricist that he is, or the experiences he has had as he grew to become the man he is. He like many people have had a harsh life. He wasn’t brought up in a loving house, had a single mother who was an awful one at that, and was brought up in what some people would say the slums of Detroit. The real reason to why he became such a success was completely due to Dr. Dre. No one wanted to sponsor him; no one wanted to even give him a chance in the music business. It wasn’t till Dre recognized him for his talent that he even got into the business. Dr. Dre and Eminem have made a song that completely shows this relationship they have and what it means to one another. That song is “I Need A Doctor.” In this song Eminem is trying to remind Dr. Dre who he is what Dr. Dre has done for Eminem and that is seems like it is Eminem’s turn to be there for Dre like He has for Eminem.

                Like I said, Eminem is a great lyricist, which has made up many great songs, some for fun, but most of them are usually serious. Most, if not all of them, have real life experience in them. He doesn’t try to be fake. He just does what he knows best. Unlike much of the rappers that is out there talking only about women, sex, drugs, cars, and other types of material. Eminem, from what I hear and listen to talks about the issues he has gone through, or is trying to fight. You can tell he isn’t just making music for money. He makes it to make a message, show people why he is here and how it happened, why he can care less about other people’s problems, all except for his daughter of course. He loves her more than anything and would do anything for her.

                I believe this is the reason to why he is so famous. Not because he is white, but for what he represents. In Music and Culture by Anna Tomasino, there were many quotes on to why people loved him. They said his music was “real.” I completely understand why this is. I feel the same way. There has yet been I song that I heard from him, where I feel he was not worthy of being produced, was repeating songs already sung, or it was not original. He has his own sound, and type of music that just draws people. His music attacks all type of races, types of work, and types of people, politics, government, and anything else you know. It is because of this that makes him “real”, respected, and relatable by the people who listen to his music. He definitely deserves the title’s that have been given to him. He is, to my belief, one of the greatest, if not the greatest, rappers out there.

Life Alterations

             What music artist didn’t “confound the images?” Think about it. People, from the start, have always dressed up like the famous people they have seen. These things happen because they feel like they need to copy a role model, rebel, or feel like they need a new style. The thing is people are easily molded into things. Well not all of them, some are just more easily susceptible to it than others. The Artists Flock of Seagulls had the crazy hair style, and make up, the heavy metalists have the long hair and crazy roaring into the mic, and Brittany Spears has the questionable attire that many people picked up through the years.

                Fashion is a very popular thing these days. So many people are worried what people may think of them when they leave the house. There are people out there who say opposite, so they dress a bit bizarre or unique because they don’t care. My thing is though if they didn’t care why they would go to such a far distance to make sure they stand out. Truthfully I believe they just want attention, or “secretly” they do care what people think. So when they see these artists on stage wearing the clothes they do, or the make-up that they have on, how they stand, etc. they try to copy them or look similar in order to make themselves look and feel special. If the artist is so successful wearing what they do, then why can’t the people who see and hear them be the same?

                When it comes to role models, people have a need to become, what I like to say, the shadows of that person. I have a cousin who considers me a role model and he tries so hard to become like me. He tries to dress like me, get interested in the things I do or like, and so forth. The same thing goes for the people who have musicians as role models. It’s the idea of, if you are like them then you will be in the same shoes of them eventually, or succeed like they do.

                Then there are the people who feel they need to rebel. There will be music that people’s parents don’t like, so then the children look for that music and mimic the artist to further upset their parents. Such artists may be Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, or any of our more current rappers. Rebellion is a powerful thing that many artists use to their advantage when it comes to selling.

                There re those that I consider extremists. I say this because they are the people who are daring enough to completely change their apparel. I don’t feel that there are many people out there daring enough to do that. They are usually too bored or fed up with how things are going, so when they see something that makes them feel different they will completely soak it up. Changing their outlook in life, how they dress, how they act, and so forth. There is most likely more but usually music is there when people are going through that change in their life.

                All of these are some reasons to why I say that all music artists use “confounded images” and use their lyrics to influence, or convince people to listen or become like them. There are so many factors and reasons to why it is so successful, but I felt these were some of the most basic, or ideal.