Battle Rap

It has been 20 years since the phenomenal release of Eminem’s semi-biographical feature 8 mile and it has only grown in relevance with the forthcoming years.

I, for one, have always been a huge fan of Eminem. I appreciated his lyricism and artistry as a rapper and his body of work has only grown exponentially since the release of the film. 

The film takes place in Detroit where a young man named Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith (Eminem) attempts to break out into the rap scene. It becomes difficult for him as he is the only white man to attempt to compete in the 90s to early 2000s zeitgeist. 

This film had the muster and energy that you would expect from any high-octane Eminem single off of one of his fire albums. 

This film proves to be a gritty and raw look at the life of a young man making his way through a strange and dangerous world in Detroit. Its realism is what contributes to its artistry and makes it a thing of beauty that other hip-hop movies like Get Rich or Die Tryin’ failed to achieve. 

8 Mile is a feat in, not only the film genre, but also in songwriting, as Eminem became the first rapper to win an Oscar for Best Original Song. “Lose Yourself” is easily one of the greatest rap songs of the decade if not the century. It is played in every gym and almost every motivational video for a reason. 

The song has a unique quality that has remained ubiquitous in its use wherever it is played. The song, much like the film, deals with struggle and perseverance with a message of never giving up no matter what happens. 

That is what everyone needs to keep the drive and spark inside of them burning. It’s the only thing that gives up hope for a better tomorrow. That’s what keeps me up and running throughout the day.