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Riff: Eminem – “Walk on Water” feat. Beyonce

Nov 14, 2017

God’s given me all this, still I feel no different regardless/Kids look to me as a god, this is retarded/If only they knew, it’s a facade and it’s exhaustive/And I try not to listen to nonsense

from Walk on Water lyrics by Eminem

The Eminem of old is gone (sort of), and in his place is a humbler, wiser man. He’s analyzing the scars that superstardom has left behind, and revealing to the world what journalists have been trying to pry out of him for years. Maybe it’s the feathery piano or the disarming presence of Beyonce, either way it’s a moment that shows he’s comfortable aging into his art. Eminem has always wrestled with his celebrity status, and he explains how absurd it is that people look at him like a god. The mask he has to wear has pushed him to the limit, which is why it’s not a surprise that he’s chosen to remain outside the spotlight. The sightings, however, have increased and what’s most endearing is that he’s doing it on his terms. He’s still the foul-mouthed rap bastard that the world is used to, but he’s aging into his craft well, proving that life in rap after 40 is not only possible but affirming in all the right ways.

 

Riff by Jeff Min

Jeff Min is a Chicago-based writer at SONGLYRICS. His work has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, Hi-Fructose, Wax Poetics, SLAM, and HOOP.

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