Eminem answered fan questions during an intimate Q&A session with an audience of SiriusXM listeners at the SiriusXM studios on Monday, November 4 as part of the SiriusXM “Town Hall” series. The “Town Hall” was moderated by Shade 45 host Sway Calloway.
“SiriusXM’s Town Hall with Eminem” aired on Tuesday, November 5 on Eminem’s SiriusXM channel Shade 45. The “Town Hall” will be rebroadcast throughout the week and weekend on Shade 45. For rebroadcast times of the “Town Hall,” visit www.siriusxm.com/townhall.
Excerpts from the “Town Hall” below.
Photo Credit: Jenny Risher
Eminem on the motivation behind “Marshall Mathers LP 2”:
SWAY CALLOWAY: I’ve known you since the ‘90s. When you were…trying to come up in the game, still proving yourself through battling and putting out…mix tapes. I was talking with somebody earlier and they said, ‘What do you think of this guy? Every year we used to see him in the news, every year, he’s a controversy. Every year, this is happening.’ I said, man, that dude was just a dude who wanted to be the best rapper that he can be. And listening to “Rap God” and listening to this album, reminded me of that same person I met in the late ‘90s who was just trying to be the best rapper he can be. Is that what your motivation was for this album?
EMINEM: Absolutely. Not to sound cliché, that’s my goal every album. This album…at this point where I’m at, it’s all I want to do. Just rap. It’s really not that deep. Just rap. I wish there was a deeper, better answer, something philosophical that I can give you. But I’m not capable of that. I just want to rap.
Eminem on social media:
SWAY CALLOWAY: Congratulations on the YouTube award. ‘Artist of the Year.’ How Internet savvy are you? Are you on social media platforms?
EMINEM: I am on social media all day. In front of a computer, blogging constantly. Yo, does someone got my laptop?
[Laughing]
EMINEM: I really try not to pay attention. Put it this way, I want to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s going on, so I don’t want to be ignorant in that sense. But at the same time, I can’t pay attention to what everyone is saying. I would never be able to make music, I don’t think, if I got caught up in that. Because I would probably get caught up in some ugly arguments with people. ‘Yo, drive to my house now.’ It would consume a lot of my time and it would be very counter-productive for me to do that. But I still do, and that’s what’s f***ed up.
Eminem on a high school teacher referencing his lyrics in the classroom:
SIRIUSXM LISTENER: I’m a high school history teacher. I reference your work a lot in the classroom. I wonder what your feelings are as far as using lyrics that can be graphic at times, in a high school setting.
EMINEM: Well there’s your first mistake.
[Laughing]
EMINEM: I don’t really gear my songs for that…But…I’m in this game to press buttons…and spark conversation and to get a reaction out of people. And that’s kind of how I’ve been from day one. You know just rapping in the hip hop shop, I want to say the lines that are going to get people’s attention. And I would rather have…even if it’s bad attention, then no attention at all. So I think it’s cool…if my records spark conversation, or a debate, or whatever. But as far as the high school thing, man if you can get away with that, then that’s cool. That’s dope.
Photo Credit: Jenny Risher
