Eminem

Turning the music world on its head, Eminem, the blond-haired rapper from Detroit, forced the hip-hop world to accept him as an equal. Despite lyrics full of anger, misogyny, violence, racism, and homophobia, Eminem has been a major commercial success since his debut in 1999, selling records as no black rapper with similar lyrical content ever could. Considered by many a "rapper's rapper," the Dr. Dre-sponsored Eminem has accomplished the seemingly impossible--platinum sales with street cred intact, largely due to his triplet-based rhyme meter and undeniable narrative skill.

• r&b/soul
• hip hop/rap