Slim Shady said to do it again!

Eminem: If I’m a jump off a bridge, I’m a jump off a bridge because I want to jump a bridge, not because somebody told me to.

Proof: Not because Ice-T say he jump off the bridge. We jump off the bridge cause we gonna jump off the bridge anyway.

Eminem: You want to jump off the bridge with us? Let’s all three of us go right now and we’ll go jump off a bridge.

Proof: Come on man, everybody is doing it.

Eminem: Everybody is doing it now.

Proof: Everybody is jumping off the bridge, dude. Dude, everyone is jumping off the bridge.

Eminem: Would you come jump off the bridge with us?

iCAST: If I jump off the bridge, I can’t listen to your CD anymore.

Eminem: You can listen to my CD on the way down.

iCAST: Alright. I’ll do it. I’m in.

Those statements from a former interview Eminem and his friend Proof had given to iCast are (you guessed it right) total sarcasm.
But it refers to a serious subject : how far are people ready to go in misinterpreting an artist’s word ?

Years ago, a 17 years old teenager commits suicide. His name is David Hurcombe. Matter of fact : he was depressed. Fed up with life. He used to like Eminem. « Rock Bottom » lyrics were found on the note found in his bedroom along with those words :

« Anyway got to go, miss my train, see ya’ll in hell. »

This sad story is related on several websites :

http://www.advocate.com/html/news/012501/012501ent03.asp

http://www.peace.ca/eminemfansuicide.htm

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_183742.html

Who is to blame for David’s death ? His parents ? His teachers ? Society ? Eminem ? David himself ?
It is so easy to blame Eminem at first sight. But it is totally unfair.
I feel compassion for the parents who had to face with the painful loss of their kids, but I am addressing to them not to hate on Eminem for their own kids’ action. Would the same parents also blame Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera if their lyrics were found on their kids who tragically end up with their lives ?

When Eminem wrote « Rock Bottom », he was depressed. He wanted to commit suicide. It was just the way he felt at the precise moment he dropped his lines.
But Marshall never told you to commit suicide. His personal feelings and immense pain are expressed in his song.
David’s mom was wrong when she said about Eminem’s song :

“They are not the sort of words that really mean very much. But they are generally a bit miserable.”

On the contrary, « Rock Bottom » is a meaningful song.

« Rock Bottom » has been very influential to me. This song made me cry when I first listened to it. I was deeply moved, because I have been through similar situations. « Rock Bottom » is a reflection about life and certainly an invitation to stay humble, but I never interpreted it as an invitation to suicide.
« Rock Bottom » is not a sarcastic song. It is only sarcastic towards (rich and happy) people who are too comfortable and probably too arrogant in their lives to feel other people’s pain.

In his song « Who Knew », Eminem raise an interesting debate , which brings parents back to their responsibilities.

« But don’t blame me when lil’ Eric jumps off of the terrace
You shoulda been watchin him – apparently you ain’t parents… »

What is Eminem trying to say ? That parents should take care of their own kids, for sure. Because it’s their responsibility.
Maybe also that suicide rates would certainly decrease if parents were more conprehensive and closer to their kids. Most of the time, teenagers who commit suicide feel lost and surrounded by problems. But they don’t trust anybody to share them. They think that suicide is the only way to get rid of their problems.

Eminem and Proof said it in their iCast interview :

Eminem: If I’m a jump off a bridge, I’m a jump off a bridge because I want to jump a bridge, not because somebody told me to.

Proof: Not because Ice-T say he jump off the bridge. We jump off the bridge cause we gonna jump off the bridge anyway.

Nobody told David Hurcombe nor Kaleigh Davis to commit suicide. It was their decision.

It is so easy, but also so stupid to accuse any entertainer for their death. How many people have watched « Stan » in this world and are still alive ?
Suicide cases are tragical cases, but they are single cases. Not every Eminem listener is disturbed or suicidal.
You cannot take Eminem seriously when he says in « Role Model » :

« Follow me and do exactly what the song says:
smoke weed, take pills, drop outta school, kill people and drink… »

It’s up to the listener to be intelligent enough not to take Eminem literally.
Eminem is not parents’ worst nightmare, even if the press sometimes wants to make us believe it. If some parents took enough time to focus a real interest on the music their kids like, they could avoid a lot of problems. They could even help their kids to analyze Eminem’s lyrics and help them to distinguish right from wrong. Teenagers need to be understood and respected in their choices. A lack of dialogue often leads to the worst issues. Don’t find an easy culprit in Eminem when the problem lies elsewhere.