It'll be interesting to see his popularity fade, if in fact, it does. Just as people of color will not be taking over college campuses or boardrooms anytime soon, there will not be another hip-hop anomaly/pop culture icon like him for quite some time.
I can't say I'll be missing him, though. I never quite got the angry logic of anti-affirmative action pundits like Clarence Thomas or Ward Connerly until now. When race becomes the single most important part of a person's appeal, it's not just a disservice to him and his talent, but it can also be isolating.
And for a culture that thrives on the pulse of a broadening community, isolation is death.
Unless, of course, you're an angry white guy: Then you can become the voice of America. Truly, some things really never change.
| SFGate's Joshunda Saunders writes "Think race doesn't matter? Listen to Eminem"
posted in articles on July 20, 2003 9:04 PM | t (0)
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