Yesterday a friend and I were asked by a "Rolling Stone intern" (in a very formal, market-research-driven survey) which potential cover photo of Eminem we liked better. I spared her my speech about the sad decline of the RS cover, and we both selected the serious, black-and-white portrait, where he's wearing a dark suit and looks (as my friend put it) "like Kennedy." I thought he looked like a fourteen-year-old wearing his father's suit to a truancy hearing. But that was before I knew what a sound political thinker he was!

Apparently that cover was in the lead (vs. a stagier one, where he's lying in a casket -- and looks totally uncertain what point he's trying to make), so look for it on the stands. I can see the headlines now: "Eminem song mobilizes heartland 18-year-olds desiring to piss off parents; swings election."

NB, I misplaced that second quotation mark. It should say ... I didn't mean to suggest that I doubt the intern's story. She seemed very legitimate. Granted, I'm often fooled into passing judgment, but if it was a scam, she forgot the part where she asks for my credit card information, or tries to sell me an expired Metrocard.

There has been much fawning over this song on most of the blogs I visit. Everyone seems to be hailing it as the return of real protest music. Frankly, I find it quite tepid. Simply in terms of content, there is much *much* better stuff out there. I'd suggest two pieces from Sage Francis:

Hey Bobby-Sort of a revisit to Dylan's "Masters of War", updated and hip-hoppistized (you can download it at http://www.non-prophets.com/home/)

Slow Down Gandhi-Probably more directly about the war, but not neccessarily a better song (it can be found at http://www.epitaph.com/bands/index.php?id=410)

There's quite a bit more out there as well, but those are the only legal downloads I can really point to. If you can find it, Sage Francis' "Makeshift Patriot" and just about anything by Immortal Technique (but especially "Cause of Death" off of Revolutionary Vol. 2) are winners too.

Now, in terms of mass appeal, yes, Eminem's song is probably the way to go. It will be the one being played wherever it is they play music videos these days. It will be the one hitting those target voters. It just seems a shame to me to settle for mediocrity even in our protest music. It seems a shame that artists that have been writing these kinds of songs since the inauguration are getting slept on, but as soon as Eminem jumps on the bandwagon, our generation suddenly has protest music again. As usual, I suppose it's a question of mass media vs. quality media.

Bah who cares about Eminem, Cheney's the real Gangsta Man! I mean Eminem only SINGS about homophobia, violence and misogyny. Cheney does the things that make those possible.

Seems like Eminem is mostly getting politically involved because he is worried his younger brother might be drafted the way things are going. I am glad he is involved as a lot of people listen to him and respect him. It does not change my opinion of him as a misogynistic jerk.