Blog Master G

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One Shot

Sunday, November 10th, 2002 · No Comments

As we walked through the Metreon‘s R-rating security checkpoint for the 2:40 showing of 8 Mile on Saturday afternoon with 40s tucked away in Jen’s purse, I certainly didn’t expect to enjoy the film as much as I did. I did have a feeling it would be good, but it surpassed my expectations.

I didn’t think much of Eminem before seeing the movie that’s loosely based on his early rap career in Detroit, but there’s something to be said for a guy who grows up with nothing and rises above the crowd in the bitter, tough world of gangsta rap.

The movie isn’t as much about being a bad-ass or the toughest rapper on the block as it is about making the most of one’s talents to get away from a city that will only stifle talent. Yet in trying to escape his roots, Eminem’s character Rabbit remains proud of who he is (“So what if I’m trailer trash and live with my mom?”) and where he comes from — the 313 (Detroit’s area code). Unlike the rival rap posse, Free World, Rabbit and his crew represent all of Detroit, wanting to make the city proud during his rise to fame.

What I particularly enjoyed about the social structure portrayed in the film was the unspoken code of conduct. In one scene, Rabbit and his crew jump the Free World posse with flying fists and tempers. As the tension of the scene mounts, the fumbling Cheddar Bob of Rabbit’s crew pulls out a handgun and fires a shot in the air. In other gangsta movies, that would’ve been the end of it. But not in this movie. The fighting stops. Rather than being fearful of the guy with the gun, everyone yells at Cheddar Bob (who later becomes MC Bob) in disgust — telling him to put the gun away and asking him what the hell he is doing with a gun. Cheddar Bob crossed the line by drawing a gun. In this world of competitive verbal dissing and the occasional fist fight, the unspoken rule is that guns are not OK. Everyone understood that and no one crossed the line. Of course, the scene ends with Cheddar Bob hurting no one but himself.

This funny movie with a great story and wide range of emotions not only humanized Eminem for me, but (gulp) almost makes me want to go out and buy an album of his.

Tags: movies