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Our coverage of 1999 continues with the song that The Ringer ranked 22nd on its list of the biggest singles from 1999: Eminem’s “My Name Is”. It was our introduction to the Slim Shady persona, platinum blond hair, and endless controversies of a young man named Marshall Mathers aka Eminem.
Eminem would later call the song “cheesy”, but as an example of what the young star sounded like during his early years it works as an excellent introduction. It’s full of cultural references, nods to a difficult childhood, insults, and non-sequitur stories. It’s also interesting to look back at what we thought about Eminem when he first appeared on the scene, as opposed to the rap icon who has been lingering in our cultural consciousness for over two decades.
Wes and Clay discuss all of this, and they also discuss the first video the podcast has covered where censorship has completely changed meaning and interpretation of the song!