BlackMan Time

Sometimes it is easy to spot nonsense when it is placed in front of you; the share ridiculousness factor alone doesn’t even allow your commonsense to waste time thinking about it.

Vibe magazine, which sees itself as the bible to Hip Hop culture, has just made such a bold move by announcing that rapper Eminem is the greatest rapper alive.

They apparently came to this conclusion after a three-month online contest saw him prevailing over much hotter names like Jay Z, Lil Wayne, Ludacris and Kanye West. And this is despite the fact that Eminem has not released an album in four years and has been off the scene for a similar period.

It is very convenient that this guy should have been anointed with this accolade now, a time when he’s preparing to re-enter the scene after a forced retirement. Sensible brains can’t help but think this competition was rigged in Eminem’s favour.

In accepting the award, the result of which even Vibe itself calls “a surprising landslide victory,” Eminem said: “It’s obviously an honour to have won the fans’ support by being voted the best rapper alive.”

He added: “I don’t think that there is any one rapper that is simply the best, though. Everyone who was in consideration and many others are the best at certain things, and at what they do. But since Vibe’s offering the distinction, hell yeah I’ll accept!”

Lots of people suspect the true purpose of this award is to position a white act as being the best in a black music genre. Thus, to them the whole thing is ultimately a lie and if Eminem wants to be embraced by a lie then he’s not as talented as many would have previously given him credit for.

The truth is still out there. Somewhere.