A vulgar, offensive, nihilistic anarchist has exploded onto the rap scene, and he’s making some of the most interesting hip-hop heard in the past decade. Playing front man to a bizarre crew of his hometown friends, the young MC draws on his turbulent upbringing, lucid imagination, and slight penchant for murder and rape to deliver ornate narratives that equally disgust and delight. Despite bubbling under the radar for some time, his ascension to the head of conversation has been blindingly fast, catalyzed by some unforgettable media appearances and punctuated by an infectious first single and a video that’s just as awe-inspiring as he is. MTV thanks God every time he spouts another profanity-laden quotable, and parents and pundits are already sketching picket signs. Hip-hop has never seen anything like him, and fans across genres, generations, and demographics can’t get enough. He’s funny, lyrical, angry, endearing—and he even has an awesome name: Eminem.

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