[Apple Pro Underwear]

Hypocrite:
Main Entry: hyp·o·crite
Pronunciation: 'hi-p&-"krit
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English ypocrite, from Old French, from Late Latin hypocrita, from Greek hypokritEs actor, hypocrite, from hypokrinesthai
: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
- hypocrite adjective
http://webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=hypocrite

Song Itself
_________

Like Toy Soldiers


by Eminem



Album
: Encore

Submitted by
:

Corrected by
:




[Step by step, heart to heart, left right left
We al fall down like toy soldiers]

[Chorus]
Step by step, heart to heart, left right left
We all fall down like toy soldiers
Bit by bit, torn apart, we never win
But the battle wages on for toy soldiers

[Verse 1]
I'm supposed to be the soldier who never blows his composure
Even though I hold the weight of the whole world on my shoulders
I am never supposed to show it, my crew ain't supposed to know it
Even if it means goin' toe to toe with a Benzino it don't matter
I'd never drag them in battles that I can handle unless I absolutely have to
I'm supposed to set an example
I need to be the leader, my crew looks for me to guide 'em
If some **** ever just pop off, I'm supposed to be beside 'em
Now the Ja **** i tried to squash it, it was too late to stop it
There's a certain line you just don't cross and he crossed it
I heard him say Hailie's name on a song and I just lost it
It was crazy, this **** be way beyond some Jay-z and Nas ****
And even though the battle was won, I feel like we lost it
I spent too much energy on it, honestly I'm exhausted
And I'm so caught in it I almost feel I'm the one who caused it
This ain't what I'm in hip-hop for, it's not why I got in it
That was never my object for someone to get killed
Why would I wanna destroy something I help build
It wasn't my intentions, my intentions was good
I went through my whole career without ever mentionin' ...
Now it's just out of respect for not runnin' my mouth
And talkin' about something that I knew nothing about
Plus Dre told me stay out, this just wasn't my beef
So I did, I just fell back, watched and gritted my teeth
While he's all over t.v. down talkin' a man who literally saved my life
Like **** it i understand this is business
And this **** just isn't none of my business
But still knowin' this **** could pop off at any minute cuz

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]
There used to be a time when you could just say a rhyme
And wouldn't have to worry about one of your people dyin'
But now it's elevated cuz once you put someone's kids in it
The **** gets escalated, it ain't just words no more is it?
It's a different ball game, callin' names and you ain't just rappin'
We actually tried to stop the 50 and Ja beef from happenin'
Me and Dre had sat with him, kicked it and had a chat with him
And asked him not to start it he wasn't gonna go after him
Until Ja started yappin' in magazines how we stabbed him
**** it 50 smash 'em, mash 'em and let him have it
Meanwhile my attention is pullin' in other directions
Some receptionist at The Source who answers phones at his desk
Has an obsession for me and thinks that I'll be his ressurection
Tries to blow the dust off his mic and make a new record
But now he's ****ed the game up cuz one of the ways I came up
Was through that publication the same one that made me famous
Now the owner of it has got a grudge against me for nothin'
Well **** it, that muther****er can get it too, **** him then
But I'm so busy being pissed off I don't stop to think
That we just inherited 50's beef with Murder Inc.
And he's inherited mine which is fine ain't like either of us mind
We still have soldiers that's on the front line
That's willing to die for us as soon as we give the orders
Never to extort us, strictly to show they support us
We'll maybe shout 'em out in a rap or up in a chorus
To show them we love 'em back and let 'em know how important it is
To have Runion Avenue Soldiers up in our corners
Their loyalty to us is worth more than any award is
But I ain't tryna have none of my people hurt and murdered
It ain't worth it I can't think of a perfecter way to word it
Then to just say that I love ya'll too much to see the virdict
I'll walk away from it all before I let it go any further
But don't get it twisted, it's not a plea that I'm coppin'
I'm just willin' to be the bigger man
If ya'll can quit poppin' off at your jaws well then I can,
Cuz frankly I'm sick of talkin'
I'm not gonna let someone elses coffin rest on my conscience cuz

[Chorus]

___________


Eminem has built his career if making fun of and talking smack about other people. Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Carson Daly, Moby, Michael Jackson, Madonna, his own mother and ex-wife and many others I am unaware of.

What do these people have in common? Well, they are established mainstream musicians who are not apart of the street scene. They have no real way of fighting back. If they even mention Eminem, he goes off and they are left in a no-win situation. Either looking stupid, and foolish or stupid, foolish and petty for "sinking to his level" in the eyes of the mainstream community.

So eminem is doing great until he takes on some bigger targets. Which is fine. His arguments? Legitimate. He wants to become a part of the street scene, it's his life and career. Go for it!

So the reason I say he is a hypocrite is in the song I posted, he raps about being the well being of his friends but he has made his career hurting other people. What is the difference between Benzino dissing him? Is it any different when he made a nation a look at Britney and X-tina as sluts? So now that his life is in danger, he wants to "be the bigger man", but he's made his career as the lesser man.

Any thoughts people?

[sugar_coated]

I am pretty sure Eminem is just a normal guy inside. It is his art that is controversial and the world wants it that way.

[DarwinX]

Originally posted by sugar_coated:
I am pretty sure Eminem is just a normal guy inside. It is his art that is controversial and the world wants it that way.

I think that's a valid point. To me it seems there is a difference between the words (emphasis on words) when slamming some of the people listed, than what he is referring to in this song. It's kind of like: sticks and stones may break my bones, but words never hurt me...but mess with my best friend then you're messing with me." The reference in the song (in my opinion) is that he is the bigger man compared to the other rappers that would rather have their people on the front line to take the fall, whereas he will walk away before his people would ever have to.

I don't think I completely disagree with you, just playing a little Devil's Advocate.

[demograph68]

To me it's more ironic than hypocritical. He's mainstream and yet his attack seems at the mainstream. It's like a mirage of pop culture and rebellion.

[DarwinX]

Originally posted by demograph68:
To me it's more ironic than hypocritical. He's mainstream and yet his attack seems at the mainstream. It's like a mirage of pop culture and rebellion.

Oooooooooooooooh. He's good!

[ort888]

Attacks or satire?

Are the cast members of SNL evil because they mock everyone or are they just putting on a show?

[mitchell_pgh]

Every famous person that has "made it" and still talks about being "in the hood" is a hypocrite to some extent. I'll give him the fact that he had a hard life... for 20+ years (birth to first major contract), but it's been over 10+ years that he has had wealth.

Don't tell me about how hard life is when making ends meet is a distant memory.

I like Eminem, but he didn't invent the "I'm one of you... poor people" formula, he is just making money from it, and I don't blame him.

[ajprice]

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh

Every famous person that has "made it" and still talks about being "in the hood" is a hypocrite to some extent.

"Jenny from the block"

[wdlove]

In his position playing that image is just part of the game.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

I guess you folks are not seeing what I am seeing:

World of Rap:
Talk crap about someone, pay the consequences. You be killed, your friends, family whatever... that is the way of the street.

Eminem in my opinion should continue to gang bang and fight, scrap and diss on his enemies until somebody wins. He has lived an exciting life so far and is rich and famous. It's the price of your success.

The difference between him and other rappers is they rarely take on people who can't fight back. [what i am saying is eminem is a puzzy)



World of mainstream:
Parody and puns on late night shows are part of publicity. It all contributes to bottom line of the artists CD sales. The parody on SNL and others are never really malicious or hateful.

[chris v]

I love the song where he whines about people dissing him. you know, the one where he samples the song someone else wrote? Or is that all of them?

But whatever you gotta do to make a buck these days, I guess. At least he doesn't have to dress up like Marilyn Manson.

[Superchicken]

I think Marshal is an idiot either way, he complains about having a hard life, about being so angry at everyone etc etc etc, yet he never does anything to fix his problems. Has the guy ever once gone for any sort of counselling? He has more than enough money to do it. But instead of dealing with his pain and getting through it, he encourages young people, many of whom I had to deal with growing up, to be as sour, hateful and bitter as he is.

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally posted by Apple Pro Underwear:
Eminem in my opinion should continue to gang bang and fight, scrap and diss on his enemies until somebody wins. He has lived an exciting life so far and is rich and famous. It's the price of your success.

Ummm, what? Wins, you mean kills him? Give me a break. Everyone is a loser when gunplay is involved over music lyrics.

Originally posted by Apple Pro Underwear:
The difference between him and other rappers is they rarely take on people who can't fight back. [what i am saying is eminem is a puzzy)

Rappers will do whatever sells/gets them notices.

P.S. Sometimes it takes more to go against the grain and grow up when you could easily just become "just another dead rapper".

[Apple Pro Underwear]

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:

A
Ummm, what? Wins, you mean kills him? Give me a break. Everyone is a loser when gunplay is involved over music lyrics.

B
Rappers will do whatever sells/gets them notices.

C
P.S. Sometimes it takes more to go against the grain and grow up when you could easily just become "just another dead rapper".

A - He has accepted a life of street thuggery. He chose this life. You can't be Will Smith and Tupac... pick one. He chose to be hard so now he must pay for his mouth.

B - So you agree he is being a puzzy

C - Fine, so you see he is a Hypocrite.

Making fun of pop stars who has no chance to retaliate over remarks you make = Eminem is cool!

making fun of people who will kill you = Eminem is still cool because he "a bigger man"



I am not a street thug but I see him for what he is. A big mouth talking lots of trash but when the going gets tough, he whines.

[Mafia]

well, actually there has been multiple injuries and maybe a death or two in the whole benzino thing. in the song he talks about someone who has died and its been takin too far. its one thing to talk **** or beat somebody up but its another when someone dies. + he has a daughter so i don't think he wants to slug it out until death.

/not defending eminem just saying what i think the song means.

[Mafia]

Originally posted by Apple Pro Underwear:
[what i am saying is eminem is a puzzy)

so all mafia bosses are "puzzies" (lol) because they don't go out and do the dirty work themselves.

[DarwinX]

Whether or not he is a puzzy is another question.

The fact that he talks about celebrities, actually probably helps said celebrity because it keeps their name in the limelight all the more. Whether it's good press or bad press, it is still press time and every celebrity needs that.

As far as the words in his song go, my only thought is that he goes for reaction whether he believes any of it or not. And as far as that is concerned, we're having this discussion aren't we? Game, set, match in my book.

[storer]

I've always thought fairly little of Eminem because of what he does. I honestly think that he has some serious issues. I personally quite like christina and britney for their music (and no i dont care if you disagree, everyone has tastes, none are bad) and he should just grow up, get help.

[DeathMan]

APU I think you're taking the whole hip hop scene a little too seriously.

Most people in showbiz are liars. If we took any of this seriously, and saw how much money these people had, and how the singers sing about love, yet how they treat and objectify women, we'd be shocked.

But we're not because we don't take it seriously. Its just showbiz.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

Originally posted by DeathMan:
APU I think you're taking the whole hip hop scene a little too seriously.

Most people in showbiz are liars. If we took any of this seriously, and saw how much money these people had, and how the singers sing about love, yet how they treat and objectify women, we'd be shocked.

But we're not because we don't take it seriously. Its just showbiz.

I have said in the past I like Eminem because he does a good job entertaining people. I respect that.

The rap game is dangerous. Just like skydiving and Nascar. People die, it's an acknowledged fact. For somebody who is trying to be a certain way, wussing out like this should not be an option. He should retire rather than stop fighting with benzino.

With eminem, I think it's egregious because he has made his career on dissing people. So now he finds some resistance and he wants to end it.

[chris v]

Originally posted by DeathMan:
APU I think you're taking the whole hip hop scene a little too seriously.

Most people in showbiz are liars. If we took any of this seriously, and saw how much money these people had, and how the singers sing about love, yet how they treat and objectify women, we'd be shocked.

But we're not because we don't take it seriously. Its just showbiz.

Yeah, if all those Emo singers were really as bummed out and distraught as they pretend to be in their lyrics, they'd never have the strength to put that crap down on paper, much less make the recording session and the gig.

Eminem sensed a market, and made a product to fill it.

[Fothb]

I heard that he eats Skittles too...

[Apple Pro Underwear]

Originally posted by chris v:

Eminem sensed a market, and made a product to fill it.

FINE.

So his act then has holes. His street cred should be = 0!

don't you hardcore eminem fans not see him for what he is? more than able to handle his own against teenage girls but when men start elbowing him, he starts to cower in fear!

[Astro-Creep]

I want to post something intellectual and enlightening, but ... what is there to say? Eminem is a hypocrite. He also lies, farts, and probably speeds. I can't wrap my head around how some people make such a big deal out of celebrity goings-on. He's just a guy with some hair dye and a drum machine.

Sometimes, I like eminem's music. Other than that, his life has no impact on mine.