Mest 4 Task 1

Eminem: purple pill

Intro:

It is obvious that this song has a lot of references to drug use, which features words like, "Purple pills", "Golden Seals" and "Mushroom Mountain"- which are examples of popular drugs. The song was seen as inappropriate and couldn't be played on many radio stations, and editing was used to remove most drug and sex references- The edit was called "Purple Hills", and lines including "I've been to mushroom mountain" was changed into "I've climbed the highest mountain" or "I take a couple of Uppers" was later changed into "I've been to many places.

The edit was then the most played on Top 40 radio, but a number of underground radio stations played the unedited single.The lyrics made can somehow be linked to glamorizing the issues of sex and drugs, using terms like "Hallucianate" and "Loosing weight" as people use drugs for their personal use (to loose weight), The use of primaryand secondary colours are also used as a way of showing the audience what they would feel and think when us

ing drugs.

Migrain:

Media Language:

-Lyrics to Purple Pill will link to the topic of Sex and

drugs, with lyrics including, "I've been to mushroom mountain, Once or twice but who's counting" or "I started a mosh pit, squashed a bitch..." this could refer to many things such as, someone starting a riot which then lead to violence- a bitch is what artists tend to call women, where many people would find this offensive, however it has become a stereotype which can not be broken because of so many men using it.

- A lot of colours are used in the lyrics and video, mainly purple, blue and yellow, where the connotations are:

Purple connotes mystery, magic, independence power, ambition

Blue connotes depth, masculinity, stability, seriousness and power

Yellow connotes joy, energy, cowardice, caution, decay

All of the colours mentioned relate to either the artists used in the video or the drug itself.

- instruments are used a lot which don't necessarily fit in with the lyrics or the video itself.

- The use of animated stars and swirly lines are used constantly- where they are usually seen in animates programmes such as Tom and Jerry, in this case it appears before the "superman" hits a guy and after.

Institution:

- Label: Shady/Interscope- which is well known for producing hits from artists including Black Eyed Peas and Diddy

- Producer: Eminem

- Writers: D.Potter, D.Holton, J.Bass ...

- Reached number 1 on U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks and Number 2 on U.K. Singles chart

-Featured on many radio's and programmes

Genre:

-Hip Hop

- Hip Hop artists usually include lyrics that have some reference with sex, drugs and women (also in video)

- Use of swear words and slang is used a lot, including, "Bitch" and "Stomped"

Representation:

-Represents the good in drugs with lyrics including, "But nothing compares, To these blue and yellow purple pills" and "Everybody in the house with a half an ounce, Not weed, I meant coke, dumbass, sit down,We don't bullshit, better ask around"- these lyrics sound as if Eminem is proud and showing th

e audience that it is ok.

Represents the

good in violence:

- Also, it is almost as if Eminem is trying to break the stereotypes of only black people rapping, so he is trying to prove everyone wrong as he is white.

Audience:

- 15-25

- Mainly males however can be aimed at women too.

- Uses and gratification theory: Entertainment, Surveillance and escapism

Ideologies and values:

- Everyone will have a different view on the video and lyrics as not many people can relate to the lifestyle of a drug addict, however, they can listen to it for entertainment purposes.

- Religious believers will have a negative take on it because they don't agree with drug users, swearing or the stereotypes of males and females.

Narrative:

- Intro (and other scenes) have a lot of primary and secondary colours to represent the effect of drugs as a whole- hallucinating

- A different life-style is being shown

- Narrative roles including superheroes and villains are being shown, for example, Eminem in a superman outfit and a villain in black.

-Closure of video:

Video: car moving in towards the mountains.

Lyrics: Almost slurring- the effect of drugs?

Some-, something, something, something Something, something, something, something I dunno Fuck it...