Reddit reviews Eminem and Rap, Poetry, Race: Essays

> I dunno, I think that's a tough standard to apply so simply

You're absolutely correct, that's why there is a book of essays talking about Eminem's success, and how it relates to him being a white male.

Eminem is good, but we'd have to be a snow based structure to ignore that his whiteness is a large aspect of his success. He even admits it in one of his songs.

I actually have read every author you mention. I own the Edwards/Krims/Miyakawa book (I could send it to you if you need,) and have read Adams. Let me take their deficiencies one by one:

>Edwards

Edwards approach is a typographical one. It's ironic you mention me as cramming rap into notation, when really it's they who are doing so. As you see in an example of Edwards' "flow diagram" here, he's simply claiming things that aren't true. The word "got" there doesn't land on the beat; it's off it. To even argue that this makes the music simpler to read is to lose everything about rap that makes it interesting.

His system is more for the recreation of rap performance, which, as I've explicitly said, is not my goal. You can tell from the subtitle of his book: "Advanced Techniques," as in "advanced techniques for aspiring rappers to use." His first book is situated in a similar manner, by grouping his interviews with rappers into instructive headings. Two of his chapters are titled "Writing With Other People," and "Performing Live," as you can see.

Meanwhile, my own goal is to illuminate the nature of rap, such as through it's complex rhythms, and rapping behind the beat. This is what my notation does do as it sits on a page.

>Adams

Adams actually does use Western notation to represent rap lines at some point, as you can see down the page here for Dr. Dre on "100 Bars And Runnin." There, Adams groups Dr. Dre's notes into 3-notes of straight 16th notes. That rhythm is simply wrong.

He does, however, also use that typographical system. Again, the rhythms are wrong. They aren't based on straightforward Western rhythms at all (Western rhythms such as in dividing the beat into simple, straightforward 16th notes.) You can't learn much with this beyond how many beats there are to a bar. The rhythms are in non-Western groupings.

>Miyakawa and Krims

I largely have the same critiques of Miyakawa and Krims that I do for the others. It's ugly, it confuses rap's actual nature, and it's incorrect.

What's more, this typographical system has insidious, if unintended, consequences. It encourages people to think of rap as less than a full music. Have you ever asked yourself why people never refer to rap as a melody? It has 1.) Rhythm, and 2.) Melody, even if its an untraditional melody. This leads to insidious claims like the one by that Duke Professor here

>These books all use that notation system and are by well-credentialed writers:

Fine, if you're really into pedigree for the sake of authority, I went to Duke and got a music degree with a concentration in music theory. So there ;) I've also presented at music theory conferences, and been published in "Eminem and Rap, Race, Poetry"

Eminem and Rap, Poetry, Race: https://www.amazon.com/Eminem-Rap-Poetry-Race-Essays/dp/0786476753 - haven't finished reading it but the essays in it are pretty interesting and provide food for thought

His mom's book is a pretty interesting read too. 'My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem' is the name of the book if I can remember.

There's also a book by his bodyguard called 'Shady Bizness' - but I haven't read it yet.