His lyrics are full of this type of excellent writing. It's rare to find this type of quality in modern lyricists. And no matter the content of a song, a person's ear, especially the young, will be drawn to quality over content. Instead you get people like Aerosmith who take the gimmick of female anatomy and apply such advanced rhyming schemes as:

Pink it was love at first sight
Pink when I turn out the light
Pink gets me high as a kite
And I think everything
Is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight To those who doubt it: yes, Eminem is a poet. And a brilliant one. Eminem manages to make you travel into his world through his imagination. I have read on some forums that Marshall Mathers cannot be considered a poet because he uses vulgar words. Nonsense! François Villon, Alain Bosquet and many other have done it before him. His poetry is street poetry. The streets needed a voice and have found it in Marshall Mathers. He describes things in their roughness and uglyness and I like his sense of realism that is also mixed up with imaginary things from the world of Slim Shady. A young man, Dan , who was probably fed up with sugarcoated expressions has written this unfinished poem in 2000: http://kelvin7.net/archives/danthill/2000/02/28/irony_in_the_key_of_vulgarity Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
Fuck all this shit,
I just want you.
Fuck all these words,
It's useless protocol,
That accomplishes not,
A single damn thing,
A single coveted smile,
A single stolen kiss,or
A profitable touch, while
Reading these lines. You can find a lot of poetry in rap music. I'm not saying that Marshall Mathers is the only rapper to have lyrics that sound like poetry. I appreciate Saul Williams who is completely different from Eminem. But Eminem is original in his way of telling stories. “Drug Ballad” is a ballad through Marshall's mind. He expresses that he didn't feel well in his skin and that he wanted to escape problems through his drug and alcohol abuse: That's the sound of a bottle when it's hollow
When you swallow it all wollow and drown in your sorrow
And tomorrow you're probably going to want to do it again
What's a little spinal fluid between you and a friend? screw it
And what's a little bit of alcohol poisoning?
And what's a little fight? It's a strong addiction and it can't be fixed, as the chorus expresses it well:
'cause every time I go to try to leave
Something keeps pullin' on my sleeve
I don't wanna, but I gotta stay
These drugs really got ahold of me 'cause every time I try to tell them no
They won't let me ever let them go
I'm a sucka all I gotta say
These drugs really got ahold of me Marshall is like a prisoner who cannot walk away. The temptation is big and the sensations are so good. He wants to be high all the time and escape to his problems.
Many poets have been confronted to addiction problems. There is no need to be shocked by it. Baudelaire often talked about drugs and alcohol. Ernest Downson, who is well know for his sympathy for absinthe has written an ode to the green liquid: Absinthia Taetra
Green changed to white, emerald to opal; nothing was changed.
The man let the water trickle gently into his glass, and as the green clouded, a mist fell from his mind.
Then he drank opaline.
Memories and terrors beset him. The past tore after him like a panther and through the blackness of the present he saw the luminous tiger eyes of the things to be.
But he drank opaline.
And that obscure night of the soul, and the valley of humiliation, through which he stumbled, were forgotten. He saw blue vistas of undiscovered countries, high prospects and a quiet, caressing sea. The past shed its perfume over him, to-day held his hand as if it were a little child, and to-morrow shone like a white star: nothing was changed.
He drank opaline.
The man had known the obscure night of the soul, and lay even now in the valley of humiliation; and the tiger menace of the things to be was red in the skies. But for a little while he had forgotten.
Green changed to white, emerald to opal; nothing was changed. While Ernest Dowson describes the beauty of the opaline, the Slim Shady LP and the Marshall Mathers LP have been written mostly under the unfluence of drugs like marijuana, ecstasy and mushrooms by Marshall. Both albums are very creative. “Drug Ballad” is a beautiful ode to drugs. Eminem makes you feel what he feels. His transformed perception of reality while he was taking drugs. He travelled to another universe: Get in your car, start it, and start drivin'
Over the island and cause a 42 car pile-up
[em's spaceman voice]earth calling, pilot to co-pilot
Look at the life on this planet, sir, no sign of it
All I can see is a bunch of smoke flyin'
And I'm so high that I might die if I go by it
Let me out of this place
I'm outta place
I'm in outer space
I've just vanished without a trace
I'm going to a pretty place now where the flowers grow
I'll be back in an hour or so

Marshall never told you to do the same, though. Eminem has given up drugs since the time he was on probation. He has decided to stay sober for Hailie. Taking drugs or not is your decision. It is up to you to stay drug free. I have never drunk absinthe. But I love Ernest Dowson's poem. Do you get my point?
Don't worry: Eminem may heave given up drugs and alcohol, but his imagination and his creative skills you enjoyed in the Eminem Show will also please you in his next. His work has never disappointed me. You don't need drugs to travel with Marshall through his mind when he gets high. Just close your eyes and let the words spin around you and guide you through this beautiful song."Drug Ballad" [Girl] Yeaaah, hahahaha...whooooo, shit!
[Em] (aight)
[Eminem] Guess what? I ain't coming in yet...
I'll come in a minute
[Eminem] Ayo...This is my love song...it goes like this [Eminem]
Back when Mark Walhberg was Marky Mark
This is how we used to make the party start
We used to mix Hen' with Bacardi Dark
And when it, kicks in you can hardly talk
And by the, sixth gin you're gonna probably crawl
And you'll be, sick then and you'll probably barf
And my pre-diction is you're gonna probably fall
Either somewhere in the lobby or the hallway wall
And everything's spinning
You're beginin' to think women
are swimming in pink linen again in the sink
Then in a couple of minutes that bottle of Guiness is finished
You are now allowed to officially slap bitches
You have the right to remain violent and start wilin'
Start a fight with the same guy that was smart eyin' you
Get in your car, start it, and start drivin'
Over the island and cause a 42 car pile-up
[Em's spaceman voice]Earth calling, pilot to co-pilot
Looking at the life on this planet, sir, no sign of it
All I can see is a bunch of smoke flyin'
And I'm so high that I might die if I go by it
Let me out of this place
I'm outta place
I'm in outer space
I've just vanished without a trace
I'm going to a pretty place now where the flowers grow
I'll be back in an hour or so [Chorus] [Eminem]
'Cause every time I go to try to leave
Something keeps pullin' on my sleeve
I don't wanna, but I gotta stay
These drugs really got ahold of me 'Cause every time I try to tell them "no"
They won't let me ever let them go
I'm a sucka all I gotta say
These drugs really got ahold of me [Eminem]
In third grade, all I used to do
Was sniff glue through a tube and play rubix cube
17 years later I'm as Rude as Jude
Scheming on the first chick with the hugest boobs
I've got no game
And every face looks the same
They've got no name
So I don't need game to play
I just say whatever I want to whoever I want
Whenever I want, wherever I want, however I want
However, I do show some respect to few
As ecstacy got me standing next to you
Getting sentimental as fuck spillin' guts to you
We just met
But I think I'm in love with you
But you're on it too
So you tell me you love me too
Wake up in the morning like "yo, what the fuck we do?"
I gotta go bitch
You know I have stuff to do
'Cause if I get caught cheatin' then I'm stuck with you
But in the long run
These drugs are probably going to catch up sooner or later
But fuck it, I'm on one
So let's enjoy
Let the X destroy your spinal cord
So it's not a straight line no more
'Til we walk around looking like some wind-up dolls
Shit's sticking out of our backs like a dinosaur
Shit, six hits won't even get me high no more
So bye for now
I'm going to try to find some more [Chorus] [Eminem]
That's the sound of a bottle when it's hollow
When you swallow it all wollow and drown in your sorrow
And tomorrow you're probably going to want to do it again
What's a little spinal fluid between you and a friend? Screw it
And what's a little bit of alcohol poisoning?
And what's a little fight?
Tomorrow you'll be boys again
It's your life
Live it however you wanna
Marijuana is everywhere
Where was you brought up?
It don't matter as long as you get where you're going
'Cause none of the shit is going to mean shit where we're going
They tell you to stop, but you just sit there ignoring
Even though you wake up feeling like shit every morning
But you're young
You've got a lot of drugs to do
Girls to screw
Parties to crash
Sucks to be you
If I could take it all back now, I wouldn't
I would have did more shit that people said that I shouldn't
But I'm all grown up now and upgraded and graduated
Did better drugs and updated
But I've still got a lot of growing up to do
I've still got a whole lot of throwing up to spew
But when it's all said and done I'll be 40
Before I know it with a 40 on the porch telling stories
With a bottle of Jack
Two grandkids in my lap
Babysitting for Hailie while Hailie's out getting smashed [Chorus 2x]
[Same as previous, but 2nd time the last line is repeated like this] Drugs really got ahold of me
They really got ahold of me
'Cause drugs really got ahold of me
They really got ahold of me

THE WAY I AM

"The Way I Am » could have been called « Eminem Against The World » as well.
You can see an exceeded MC who is just fed up with everyone. At this time, Eminem had to face with so many pressures from his label, from the media, and even some fans who just didn't respect his privacy.You can feel the anger coming out of the rapper's chest. The song sounds authentic, because Eminem refers to real feelings, as usual. He lets his frustrations and all the negative emotions out. When we feel bad, when we feel that the pressure's too high, we need to slacken it the same way a pressure cooker does…and the healthiest way is to let our anger, rage and frustrations out.
That is exactly what Eminem does. The repetition of the /u/ and /e/ sounds at the beginning of the song accentuates the pressure. Eminem appears to be a real word and sound technician. He anticipates the effect created by each word. While listening to the song, you can feel that rage. Most of you probably know that Eminem's ascension to the top is rather uncommon. As I expressed it before, he came from the bottom to stardom and the pressures put on him at the beginning of his career were very high. All of a sudden, he couldn't eat peacefully outside without being recognized by fans who wouldn't leave him alone. His privacy was exposed and it was difficult to face with his new gained stardom.The media constantly targetted Eminem about his lyrical content. He was accused of being a bad example for the youth. Acts like Eminem and Marilyn Manson have always been easy targets for the media. They ave easy culprits from teenagers suicidal behavior or for any kind of foolishness. But Eminem brings the parents back to their responsibility : they should watch their kids. He's not responsible for every kid's drug addiction. As Paul Rosenberg replied sarcastically to Benzino on the phone, Eminem is « whatever you say he is.»
Eminem is somebody you cannot buy. He won't rap just to please your ears. He doesn't rap to get cash. He is used to speaking his mind and he doesn't care if people agree with him or not. Another thing that really angered Eminem was to be confused him with a « wigga ».

What is exactly a « wigga »?
A « wigga » is a term that means « white nigga » and that the black community uses for white men who are trying to imitate black men by talking « ebonics » and who wear the same clothes just to imitate the black community. For obvious reasons, Eminem cannot be classified as a « wigga ». Eminem grew up in the black hood of Detroit, his accent is natural for a white man who grew up among Blacks. Eminem embraced the hip hop community, hip hop is part of his life. You cannot reproach a foreigner who was born in America to act like an American, that would be silly. It's the same for Marshall Mathers. He is white, but his culture is hip hop, who would deny it? Eminem is fed up to have to reply to the same silly questions, he is fed up to be confused with a superficial pop icon and he just lets his rage out against all those white speakers and journalists who don't get him. All his life, he has been annoyed about his skin color, he can't stand such questions and shows it offenly. Marshall points out sarcastically :"I try not to look at it that way. Being white. I don't wake up every day and look in the mirror, 'Oh. I'm white'.
At the beginning of his career and before Benzino was trying to create an issue out of Eminem's skin color, « white » magazines used to question him more about his skin color :"At this point, I'm like "Come up with something new." I hate the same old questions. But it seems like "white" magazines such as Spin and Rolling Stone focus on my "whiteness" more than Black magazines."

When Eminem wrote « The Way I Am », many people were convinced he was disrespecting his fans. Honestly, I don't think so. I think that he was exceeded by some fans' behavior. The kind of fans who don't respect his privacy and who would stalk him for hours. He wanted them to understand that even if he's a public person, he's got a private life too.
Moments with Hailie, for instance, only belong to his private sphere. A respectful fan will get the message.« The Way I Am » are the feelings of a moment. The feelings of a man who is tired of all of us. So won't you just leave him alone until he feels better?

The Way I Am

Whatever..
Dre, just let it run
Aiyyo turn the beat up a little bit
Aiyyo.. this song is for anyone.. fuck it
Just shut up and listen, aiyyo..

I sit back with this pack of Zig Zags and this bag
of this weed it gives me the shit needed to be
the most meanest MC on this -- on this Earth
And since birth I've been cursed with this curse to just curse
And just blurt this berserk and bizarre shit that works
And it sells and it helps in itself to relieve
all this tension dispensin these sentences
Gettin this stress that's been eatin me recently off of this chest
and I rest again peacefully (peacefully)..
but at least have the decency in you
to leave me alone, when you freaks see me out
in the streets when I'm eatin or feedin my daughter
to not come and speak to me (speak to me)..
I don't know you and no,
I don't owe you a mo-therfuck-in thing
I'm not Mr. N'Sync, I'm not what your friends think
I'm not Mr. Friendly, I can be a prick
if you tempt me my tank is on empty (is on empty)..
No patience is in me and if you offend me
I'm liftin you 10 feet (liftin you 10 feet).. in the air
I don't care who is there and who saw me destroy you
Go call you a lawyer, file you a lawsuit
I'll smile in the courtroom and buy you a wardrobe
I'm tired of all you (of all you)..
I don't mean to be mean but that's all I can be is just me

Chorus: Eminem

And I am, whatever you say I am
If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
In the paper, the news everyday I am
Radio won't even play my jam
Cause I am, whatever you say I am
If I wasn't, then why would I say I am?
In the paper, the news everyday I am
I don't know it's just the way I am

[Eminem]
Sometimes I just feel like my father, I hate to be bothered
with all of this nonsense it's constant
And, "Oh, it's his lyrical content -
- the song 'Guilty Conscience' has gotten such rotten responses"
And all of this controversy circles me
and it seems like the media immediately
points a finger at me (finger at me)..
So I point one back at 'em, but not the index or pinkie
or the ring or the thumb, it's the one you put up
when you don't give a fuck, when you won't just put up
with the bullshit they pull, cause they full of shit too
When a dude's gettin bullied and shoots up his school
and they blame it on Marilyn (on Marilyn).. and the heroin
Where were the parents at? And look where it's at
Middle America, now it's a tragedy
Now it's so sad to see, an upper class ci-ty
havin this happenin (this happenin)..
then attack Eminem cause I rap this way (rap this way)..
But I'm glad cause they feed me the fuel that I need for the fire
to burn and it's burnin and I have returned

Chorus

[Eminem]
I'm so sick and tired of bein admired
that I wish that I would just die or get fired
and dropped from my label and stop with the fables
I'm not gonna be able to top on "My Name is.."
And pigeon-holed into some pop-py sensation
to cop me rotation at rock'n'roll stations
And I just do not got the patience (got the patience)..
to deal with these cocky caucasians who think
I'm some wigger who just tries to be black cause I talk
with an accent, and grab on my balls, so they always keep askin
the same fuckin questions (fuckin questions)..
What school did I go to, what hood I grew up in
The why, the who what when, the where, and the how
'til I'm grabbin my hair and I'm tearin it out
cause they drivin me crazy (drivin me crazy).. I can't take it
I'm racin, I'm pacin, I stand and I sit
And I'm thankful for ev-ery fan that I get
But I can't take a SHIT, in the bathroom
without someone standin by it
No I won't sign your autograph
You can call me an asshole I'm glad.