Leaving stardom behind: How musicians should age gracefully

Marshall Mathers is undoubtedly one of the most popular and critically celebrated rappers of all time. He’s reached a sort of fame that very few in any artistic medium can claim to understand. He’s been in the middle of countless controversies and generally escaped unscathed. Most importantly, he's managed to face his own inner demons, namely prescription drug addiction, and come out on the other side. There’s only one problem: Eminem still reads his reviews.

Eminem’s last two albums, “Revival” and “Kamikaze,” were released in 2017 and 2018 respectively – and they both flopped. To be clear, I’m not talking commercially. Eminem has cultivated a fanbase that will follow him no matter what he releases, so both projects debuted at number one. Critically though, the review-aggregating site Metacritic lists “Revival” as a 50 out of 100 and “Kamikaze” as a 62 out of 100. That isn’t even enough to pass a class at Rutgers.

Eminem, an Oscar and Grammy winner, didn’t take kindly to the general disinterest in either project and chose to react by dissing journalists, other rappers and listeners in general by releasing weird freestyle videos on Twitter. At best, it resulted in a hilarious, purely promotional “beef” with Machine Gun Kelly. At worst, it devolved into him calling Tyler, the Creator a homophobic slur (to think that he decided to squander the “Get Out Of Jail Free” card that Elton John gifted him in the early aughts). 

Eminem is facing a battle that – unlike the fight against addiction – he can’t win. He’s fighting Father Time. He’s not the first musician to refuse to go gentle into the good night of age, but he’s one of the more vocal and, frankly, embarrassing. But is there another option? Is there a way to age gracefully in a notoriously ruthless music industry? The answer is a resounding yes, and thanks to other artists, we have a clear blueprint.

Become a Role Model

Once cementing their place as certified legends, many artists ease off of the creative side of the game and amble into the role of the sagacious elder. George Clinton, of Parliament-Funkadelic fame, has gone on to advise acts like Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat and Flying Lotus. Snoop Dogg is such a key figure in the rap world that he’s colloquially known as “Uncle Snoop.” Every fan base of an up-and-coming artist freaks out when its new favorite act is pictured with Def-Jam founder Rick Rubin. 

These larger-than-life figures made the music that inspired today’s hit-makers, so it means a lot to both the artist and fans alike when they embrace new sounds and styles. Becoming a counselor to new artists allows yesteryear’s stars to remain relevant and active while not being overbearing. Nobody likes an artist hogging the spotlight when past their prime.

Get To The Paper

In the words of the indomitable rapper Blueface, “Chase a bag, don’t worry ‘bout what I’m doin’.” Successful artists can find a multitude of ways to bank in on their golden years. From reunion tours to venture capitalism, the world is their oyster. Mariah Carey and Britney Spears have shown there’s no shame in the Vegas residency game. 

Artists like Jay-Z and P. Diddy made the leap from artist to businessman while they were in their musical heyday, but they’ve continued well into middle age. They’re both on the verge of becoming billionaires, along with Dr. Dre. Once you’ve racked up platinum plaques there’s no excuse to not expand the brand.

Literally Just Relax

Once you’ve reached the Eminem level of fame, there’s absolutely nothing else to prove. That doesn’t mean to stop making music — it just means there’s no point in paying attention to sour reviews. Time passes and things change, it’s the simple truth. 

After what’s dubbed his “classic period” (1980-1988), Prince released album after album without a care for how they were received. Some were panned and some were praised. Regardless of reception he forged on, making music for nobody but himself. That’s the sign of an artist no longer in need of validation, an attitude that grants freedom, happiness and peace.