Almost an 'M/M' biopic, the rap scene in Detroit.

Rating: Null/10 (14 October 2004)

Marshal Mathers is the popular 'Eminem', which I will abbreviate M/M
because it is easier. Against the odds he became a successful white rapper amongst an almost all-black rapping backdrop in Detroit. What is revealed in this movie, and it makes sense, just being able to make rhymes does not make one a good rapper. You also have to be very intelligent with a superior vocabulary. That is why he succeeded, not because of anything else. This movie was a revelation of sorts for me, because I have almost ZERO interest in rappers and rap recordings (I will not call them music, for they are not). What this movie did for me was open my eyes to an important cross-section of the rapper environment. It is a well-made semi-documentary on the rise of M/M. However, for content and entertainment value I give it a rather low IMDb rating. I was, however, impressed with the acting of M/M. It
will be curious to see if he can handle a role that is not close to his own identity.
Of interest was the recreation of 'freestyle' rap contests, one-on-one, where the participants, eyeball-to-eyeball, do impromptu raps aimed at the other's weaknesses. The winner goes forward in this staged elimination tournament, and is apparently the proving grounds for aspiring rappers. Like open mike night at comedy clubs. In the DVD extras M/M explains that the story parallels his life, but in fact the character is NOT him, which gave them the freedom to be creative. He hopes the message one gets from the movie is "It's up to you, if you want to make something of yourself."
However, if a successful rapper doesn't nothing more with his fame than earn money, and not be a positive role model, then he has accomplished nothing.