The artist that I’ve chosen to write about is Oscar-winning rapper, Eminem. Before he became famous, Marshall Bruce Mathers III, lived a rough life. His mother was a drug addict, his father abandoned him, and he failed the ninth grade three times. But once he was able to claim his well-deserved spot in a predominantly African-American music genre, Eminem made it out of the ruins of Detroit and found himself leading a successful life.
The song that I have chosen to analyze is “Lose Yourself.” It was written for the movie “8 Mile”, which portrayed Mathers’ life when he lived in poverty. The type of harmony that is depicted in the song is consonant. Some are not fans of rap and the harsh words can often make them believe that this song is a dissonant. However, it is those harsh words, along with the beat, which sounds suspenseful and mysterious, that makes this song inspirational to many, making it extremely pleasing.
The dynamics used in “Lose Yourself” are mezzo-piano and forte. At the beginning, the piano is softly playing in the background and the tone seems almost sad and defeated, demonstrating that the volume of the song is mezzo-piano. But as the song progresses, you can now hear the guitar and the drums. Along with this, Eminem’s voice gets louder and he starts rapping faster, showing how the volume of the song has changed to forte. The song no longer sounds depressing. Instead, it sounds thought-provoking and motivating, which is why for many, it has become some sort of anthem that they listen to when they need stimulation and encouragement to go through with something.
I like how you mentioned about the change in dynamics of the different instruments being played along with how Eminem’s voice corresponds at such a perfect timing. I’ve always enjoyed listening to Eminem’s songs and totally understand why some people can take his message(s) in a negative way when he’s only trying to help everyone be “stronger” at times of trouble.
Honestly I thought it would be hard to identify all the music elements for any rap songs which include Eminem. But once I started reading your descriptions, it made more sense to me in how his music is structured. I like how you said his song can be helpful whenever someone needs encouragement which now I think I will start listening to this song soon haha