There is so much hate on Twitter and a forum called Lipstick Alley that I shared this post there and want to share it here too and I need your help fellow fans. It will be fun, I think.
Let's spread a little birthday cheer for him with
"50 Reasons To Like Marshall Mathers". I will get it started, and those who want to play nice in the sand box can add to it as well:
1. He showed what hard work and perseverance can do even if you had a hard upbringing.
2. He showed solidarity with his childhood friend DeShawn Holton (Proof) and members of D12, by taking them along when they all made a pact to help the others if they got over.
3. After he wrote that "Foolish Pride" song as a teenager he apologized, more than current rappers do such as Kanye West who continually spew hate and ignorance with no remorse or contrition, or the likes of Cardi who has called deeper melanated women cockroaches.
4. He gave 50 Cent a fair contract when no-one else would sign him after he had been shot 9 times.
5. When his friend Proof was murdered eh paid for his funeral.
6. After Proof's death he gave his mother nearly $7,000 per month for two years.
7. After his friend's death he had his best friends name tattooed on his left forearm.
8. In solidarity with the Black community, he has produced and released several songs protesting systematic racism and injustice.
9. He donates to disadvantaged youth in Detroit through his Marshall Mathers Foundation and does it without fanfare.
10. He partnered with other Detroit influencers and theaters to give access to thousands of youth to watch Black Panther when it premiered in 2018.
11. He gave Sheronda Holton, the widow of Proof, money to open a boutique in Atlanta.
12. He goes encouragement and support to Proof's son Nasaan, who is also building a rap career.
13. Even if you are not a fan of Dr. Dre, Marshall has has loyally stayed with Aftermath as one of his labels, even though he does not have to at this point.
14. He has signed several artists and fronted money so that they can launch their albums and not be tied up in crazy contracts. D12, 50 Cent, Slaughterhouse, Boogie and Grip, to name a few.
15. He gives major accolades to rap artists who came before him and blazed a path for the rap genre to be what it is today such as LL Cool J, Rakim, Treach, Big Daddy Kane and more!
16. He was awarded the first Oscar for a rap artist with the song "Lose Yourself" but chose not to go and perform it when first asked in 2003 because he felt he was only given that honor because he was White. He chose not to use his White privilege. After he did that, it would be Three 6 Mafia who would get the next Oscar nod for "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp" and be the first rap artists to perform at the Oscars. They performed in 2006.
17. In his song "Rap God, Eminem pays tribute to J.J. fad, a female group with the lyric "Lyrics coming at you at supersonic speed, J.J. Fad," and the group expressed their delight at the mention. With this simple mention, attention was brought to their music and they received money for the sample of their "Supersonic".
18. In his 2020 song "These Demons" he shouts out 1980's female Rapper Sweet Tee (Toi Jackson), who performed with Salt-N-Pepa and Kid 'n Play and mentions how he wanted to wife her when he was young and mentioned her in interviews and how he wants to find her cassette for his collection, bringing more exposure to one of rap's female pioneers.
19. He took an opportunity to call out POTUS #45 for his politics during a 2017 BET Cypher.
20. When asked to perform for the Super Bowl on his own a few years ago he refused, but as support and solidarity to his rap colleagues, he agreed to do it at the 2022 Super Bowl, cementing history and helping the group of rappers and performers garner an Emmy nod along with the director Adam Blackstone.
21. He is known to hire diverse producers and work with them not only on his music but also on video production such as Philip G. Atwell, who worked on "The Real Slim Shady" and Joseph Jun-hee Kahn for "Without Me".
22. Eminem is known to not charge artists for a feature he is on with them, he does it out of respect for rap and being part of a Black genre of music.
23. He may hardly come out in public, but makes time to visit terminally ill patients who are his fans.
24. In 2011, he did Super Bowl commercial for Chrysler called "Imported From Detroit" and the proceeds were donated to youth outreach in Detroit.
25. In 2004 he donated$50,000 to the Fresh Start program at Rikers Island prison. The money was used to pay for vocational training and job placement services.
26. In 2014, Eminem auctioned off five Casio G-Shock watches, tickets to his shows, and an autographed hat. The proceeds benefited Focus: HOPE, a civil and human rights organization working to bridge the racial and economic divide in southeast Michigan.
27. In the early 2000s, he participated in a baseball game to raise money for a young girl and her family after her sister was killed in a drive-by shooting.
NOW, we only need 23 more reasons to like Eminem and we have succeeded at our birthday tribute to him!
Let's spread a little birthday cheer for him with "50 Reasons To Like Marshall Mathers". I will get it started, and those who want to play nice in the sand box can add to it as well:
