Music
Eminem Perfectly Channels Max Headroom in Rap God
Watch one generational icon become another in Eminem's latest music video.
Eminem continues his resurrection of pop culture's past -- and just in time for Thanksgiving. A few weeks ago, the Detroit rapper, who has sold more than a million copies of 'MMLP2' since November 5, dropped a very 1980s video for his very 1980s song 'Berzerk,' the first official video off the new album. For his second video -- released today -- Eminem dons a shiny black suit and slicks back his yellow hair to become Max Headroom, a very 1980s TV character.
'Rap God' clocks in at around six minutes, and for those six minutes, Slim -- the Rap God in resident -- is on. In relentless fashion, he builds his case as the best yet, citing his talent, his profits, and his predecessors, who have become his peers: "Me, I'm a product of Rakim, Lakim Shabazz, 2Pac / NWA, Cube, Hey Doc, Ren Yella, Eazy, thank you / They got Slim inspired enough to one day grow up, blow up and be in a position / To meet Run DMC, induct them into the motherfuckin' Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame."
All of which brings us to Max Headroom. Why Max Headroom? The bizarre, chisel-cheeked, computer-generated fictional character lived inside a television. Actually, he -- it? -- probably still does. He was arrogant, funny, smart, caustic and sarcastic. Most of all, he was a satirical character, poking fun at the average white, middle class TV host/personality. Is Eminem a modern-day version of Max Headroom? Is he poking fun at himself?
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