Author: VICTOR SILVEIRA

Question: How has the Occident appropriation of Japanese culture affect the Japanese perception of their own traditions?

In the globalized society we live in, there’s an enormous trade of merchandise and currency, but not only that. There’s also an accountable type of trade between countries- the trade of ideas and cultures. In the last 30 years, there has been a surge of popularity in the western countries regarding a style of animation from Japan, popularly known as “anime”. The increasing demand in the western hemisphere led to changes in the industry and the way the content is produced, leading to a loss in the traditional values of Japan that should be included in the art, making a more “westernized” version of anime that relates less and less to Japan’s traditions and values.

In 2018 the rapper Eminem released his album called Kamikaze, which includes the song “The Ringer”. In the said song, Eminem covers a very wide spectrum of topics that personally bother him, in a very aggressive manner. The lyric and harmony are formatted in a way that sounds like Eminem is pouring his thoughts out in a very fluid and natural way like he’s venting to someone.  In the song is clear that he has been holding back his feelings for a long time, suppressed by critics and the industry, but now is his time to fight back not with his fists, but his lyrics. The main topics he covers are the new rapper generation, critics, and politics ( specifically the Executive power).

In both of the reviews,  I’ve seen that the authors were positioned impartially of Eminem’s opinions, mostly unfolding the suttle references he makes throughout the song. Although I agree with the idea that the generation of rappers with uninformative topics that Eminem refers to as “mumblers” is detrimental to the rap industry since it doesn’t stand for any relevant topic and it’s just a way for the industry to earn some easy money using cool beats and catchy empty lyrics. But on the other hand, I feel like he didn’t need to pick names to criticize and others to glorify. In my opinion, the verse”Lil’ Pump, Lil’ Xan imitate Lil’ Wayne
I should aim at everybody in the game, pick a name” is very self-centered and overly aggressive, a little uncalled for.

Regarding his position regarding his critique, I feel like that is simply him not being open to negative feedback. Freedom of the press is a constitutional right, yet demonizes the action, making it seem like the world is against him when is actually how he reacts to the feedback he receives, it is part of being famous. The same way, he does not hold back when it comes to talking about President Donald Trump in a very barbaric way, is that negative feedback now valid just because he said is? At the beginning of the song, he states “I’m sorry, wait, what’s your talent? Oh, critiquin'”, well what happened to your talent now?

That song is very controversial, not because of the topics it covers- they are actually very valid, but the way he approaches it is the problem. Was it really necessary to get the point around? Or is it the point only understood and took seriously because he sounds pissed off about it?