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Truly, IMO, there is no person on this earth who is better at rhyming words over music than Marshal Mathers, he is some kind of lyrical prodigy, especially if you have ever heard him just freestyle off the top of his head. There's just not a another living person who can touch him, not even close.

I have to disagree with you slightly here. Eminem is definitely in the all-time top 5 of Hip-Hop lyricists. Judging it from a Hip-Hop perspective, that's what Eminem is. A lyricist. Yes, a lot of his work is vulgar. Not all of it can be described that way.

As you already know, Eminem's song "Mockingbird" is outstanding. There's no other word for it. Does he ever inhale during that song? It doesn't sound like it. For those of you who have no idea of what that song is about, it's a dedication to his daughter.

I would advise people here who are so adamant in their "hatred" of rap/Hip-Hop to just be quiet for a moment and listen to "Mockingbird." Even though he's rhyming with considerable speed in the song, every word is understandable and clear. And the music is not heavy with bass. It's a piano and light percussion. That's it. I would say that it's every bit as uplifting as Nick Cannon's seriously pro-life song "Can I Live?" And that is Hip-Hop, too.

Anyway, let me get back to my disagreement with you. I wouldn't put Eminem as #1 of all time. He has some stiff competition for that title. Rakim and Slick Rick immediately come to mind. And I may be dating my Gen-X self saying that. I'm still a child of the '80s.

My gripe with Marshal Mathers is his songs glorifying/validating/promoting violence upon women. I really like some of his stuff, and he seems to be a devoted dad. Hopefully in the future, he'll think of his daughter, and how he wants her to be treated by men, in his future lyrics.

I think to say that a white man can't do rap/hiphop is akin to saying that a black man can't sing country. I hate those types of boundries. To me, Hank Williams Sr. is the greatest singer ever, and his influences were from black musicians.

Sadly, I was watching an old musical (can't recall the name) on Turner Classic Movies this weekend, and Lena Horne was one of the main singers, but she was not in the credits.

Slick Rick? As in "Hey Young World?" Man, you are dating yourself.

Now let me go home and put on my 12-Inch of "The Message."

Early East Coast Rap was the sh-t back in the day. The clowns with their bling and big a-sed ladies can't hold a candle to Erik B and Rakim, Brand Nubian, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five or Whodini.

"I would advise people here who are so adamant in their "hatred" of rap/Hip-Hop to just be quiet for a moment and listen to "Mockingbird."

I second the motion. Give Mockingbird a listen good listen, or even the new radio single, "When I'm Gone" which is about his stardom and the profound effect it's had on his personal and family life. The stories he tells are so clear and vivid. I really like the new song, and it sounds to me like the double entendre(sp?) in the song is that he is actually singing the chorus more to his fans than to his family, since it appears he is retiring from the mic.

"Anyway, let me get back to my disagreement with you. I wouldn't put Eminem as #1 of all time. He has some stiff competition for that title. Rakim and Slick Rick immediately come to mind. And I may be dating my Gen-X self saying that. I'm still a child of the '80s."

Yeah thoser guys were talented and were some of the first people who started putting together complex compound-sylable rhymes together, are they as good as Em? Honestly, it's been so long since I've heard any of those guys I couldn't make a sound judgement without "diggin' in the crates" if you will. I'm a child of the 80's too, and I heear ya. So much rap and hip hop that is out right now is such crap. I also have to Biggie in the top 5 of all time, too, he was a natural at it and his career would have been one of mega-stardom (more than it was already) had his life not been cut short.

cheers.

Bones