and you said it better than I would have, so kudos. This is the point to me as well. A black rapper couldn't have been successful doing what Em did, but on the other hand, that was his own unique lane that he invented to make himself as successful as he was. He needed to have both that lane and skills at an unprecedented level (for a white rapper - though right out the gate he was better than the vast majority of black rappers as well) to get into that superstar bracket.

If he'd had only the gimmick he would have fallen off after probably one or two albums and would be a punchline today. If he'd had only the mic skills he would have probably never gone platinum in the first place - might still be toiling away in the underground making well-respected but fairly dull albums. And if he'd had neither, he'd be nobody, like thousands of other white rappers. Look at Asher Roth, who had reasonable skills and a gimmick that was just not as good as Em's. Where's that motherfucker today, and where will he be in ten years? Forgotten or a punchline.