5 Lessons From Eminem’s Kamikaze

Close your eyes and open your ears, Shady has something to teach you.

For the first time in a long time I turned the subwoofer down and played an entire album, immersed in the lyrics. As The Ringer started to play I got those goosebumps and a little bit of the déjà vu from when Eminem was going after Murder Inc.

Anyone remember Doe Ray Me and all that Green Lantern Mixtape goodness?

During that whole time, the Shady crew was driving around with trash bags, shovels and bleach in their trunks as they were burying people left and right.

At a time when hip hop has a handful of good artists (or performers rather) and many terrible ones filling the airwaves, Eminem returns with a fire lit under his ass. After listening to this album a few times here is what I have learned.

1. When you’re amazingly talented and still have a passion for what you do, you can do anything. At 45 years old Eminem comes out of nowhere and murders half of the rap game — especially the rappers half his age! Remember, Jay Z came out last year with 4:44 at the age of 47 and it was his 14th number 1 album. Very few stand the test of time. One-hit artists come and go. There is something about staying power over the years and it should be your goal to be great now AND 20 years from now.
2. The best part of this album is that they are making of fun of people in the rap game, often using their own musical styles better than they do. From flows to beats and lyrics, they are taunting rappers left and right and there is nothing they can really do about it. So, get to a point in life where you are so good you can beat others at their own game. It is a great feeling.
3. Something many people struggle with is criticism. There are right ways and wrong ways to deal with it. Eminem used the critics of his last album as fuel to get back in the studio and create this album. Use the haters as an endless source of energy, as they never go away and it can fuel you forever. When someone criticizes you, you can keep saying “I disagree, I disagree” or you can use it as an opportunity to get energy and go do better. Sometimes revenge is the greatest motivator you will ever have.
4. Surround yourself with the best. Lyrically Royce is a monster and kills it on Not Alike and Joyner is the future and cannot be stopped.
5. You have a down point in your life and people think you are weak. When people see weakness, they try to pounce, often in great numbers. That is life and business in general, any sense of weakness and people will come for you. So, you sit back, get to work and never let them see you coming. And when they are not looking you come out swinging and STRIKE.

Closing thoughts….

MGK came back at Em with his own diss track. The funny thing is, he attacked Em’s age which is something worth talking about in greater detail.

Everything in today’s world, especially tech, is a “young man’s game.”

Many 20-somethings look at 30–40+ year-olds as no longer relevant, as if they are old dogs that should be taken out behind the barn and shot.

But when you’re young you often forget that you will be 30–40–50 years-old someday, too.

For anyone attacking Jay Z, Eminem and other artists who have been in the game for 15–20 years you have to ask them…..

What will you be doing at 45?

If you can be 45–50 and still put out number 1 albums, that are better than 99.9% of anything out there regardless of age, is that not the goal?

They say don’t listen to criticism from people you wouldn’t want to switch places with.

That may be some of the best advice you can take when you are considered one of the greatest.