Author: Lamont "Montdigge" Young
Published: December 31, 1969
Tool: [ email ]
Although, it has been on news stands for a minute, what's up with the August
issue of XXL magazine? You know, the one with Mr. Slim Shady on the cover,
with the caption "Got Beef?". XXL, usually one of the illest magazines in
hip hop, stooped to a low when the placed Eminen on the cover of their
August issue without having a real story about him. Apparently, there is
some underlining beef between Em and the magazine over Em's refusal to make
himself accessible for an article. Then there is also the lyrics in one of
Em's joints where he straight puts XXL magazine on blast, but that is a
whole other story.
Come one now, first we had Bloods vs. Crips, East Coast vs. West Coast, and
now White Rappers vs. Hip-Hop Magazines! Is this joint just going to play
out on wax and paper, will it come to fisticuffs, hell with Em's recent
legal troubles could gun play be far behind?
XXL is a magazine that has prided itself in being dedicated to Hip-Hop, no
matter how pretty or how ugly, which is why many fans don't understand their
article on Em. Yeah it is ill that he won't give them an interview and that
he put them on blast in a cut, but putting him on the magazine cover, then
in an un-journalistic manner, dissing him in an article, XXL is only adding
to the flame they are trying to put out. The article blasts Em for going
after pop groups like NSYNC and the Backstreet boys, homosexuals, etc.,
calling Em soft because he attacks, in their opinion "easy targets". They
criticize him for not attacking the Crist' popping, materialistic artists in
Hip-Hop today. If they are going to attack Em for that, then why not attack
Common, Mos Def or anyone else for not doing the same thing. No they won't
attack Common or Mos Def because these are emcees who chose a particular
path in Hip-Hop and have given the culture excellent music. Eminem has done
the same thing; given the culture great music even if you don't agree with
the subject manner or who he attacks.
XXL stoops to its lowest point when in brings out the race card. Basically
saying that Em will attack Backstreet and NSYNC, but won't attack
materialistic black rappers like Cash Money Millionaires, because he is
white. They make it seem through the article that Em is color struck because
he is white, but it is XXL that seems to be color struck with this bogus
article.
Why should Em attack Cash Money or any materialistic emcee? Hell
maybe he likes their music? He attacks NSYNC because their music annoys him.
Maybe he does not attack Cash Money because he actually likes their music?
While performing at Hot 97's Summer Jam in New Jersey, last month Em seemed
to get love from Cash Money and the other performers back stage. Em got mad
love from The Source being the first white rapper to grace their cover. Em
seems to be getting mad love from audiences black and white on the UP IN
SMOKE Tour. So it really seems as if the only one who "Got Beef" is XXL
magazine.
