It’s crazy to think there was a time when the world did not know who Eminem was. The essence of The Source’s Unsigned Hype column is to highlight names that deserved more recognition and to hopefully help those artists to be catapulted into the hip-hop scene. Unsigned Hype is forever prideful about being the first to see the potential in many big-name rappers, but one of the most notable alumni is definitely none other than Slim Shady.
Marshall Mathers, aka Eminem, first appeared on The Source in March of 1998. Riggs Morales, who was a writer at The Source and is now vice president of A&R at Atlantic Records, penned an article about a dope new rapper from Detroit. Little did Morales know that his piece would be the start of the career of a hip-hop legend, and his article would be seen as one of the most iconic hip-hop editorials.
The article aged extremely well, and reading it over in 2017 will make you wonder how Morales was able to hit it so spot on. “Point blank, this ain’t your average cat,” he writes. “This Motor City kid is a one-of-a-kind talent and he’s about to blow past the competition, leaving many melted microphones in the dust.” Judging by the immensely successful career, which includes fifteen Grammys, countless chart-toppers, a great acting debut and the title as one of the best-selling artists of the 2000’s, the words of his Unsigned Hype article were right. Eminem has become a trail-blazing rapper who has influenced a sea of artists and fans, which is why documenting the culture is so crucial. The short and sweet article about Eminem in 1998 reminds us of a time where Em’s flow and aura was still fresh and new, and it’s just another way to save a bit of hip-hop history.
Read the full original article below!
