Your argument is invalid.

Maybe the best rapper of 2000 and later, but not of all time.

I liked Eminem, but as far as rap goes, it has been downhill since Tupac's death. Tupac's political/social rap rap (ie. Part Time Mutha, Changes, Ghetto Gospel, I don't give a ****, Words of Wisdom, etc...) are the best rap songs I have ever heard. 2Pacalypse Now, with that 80's sound (particularly heard in the song If My Hommies Call) is my favourite old school rap album; an era Eminem didn't touch (although he was the same age as Tupac, so it's not like he was too young). Tupac's battle raps also blew Eminem's out of the water, Eminem has nothing that comes close to Hit Em Up, not even his cover of Hit Em up (Quitter). 

That all said, I liked Eminem, but he was a step down the hill from where Tupac reached. I don't think he would be nearly as popular if he wasn't white. 

As for pop artists of this century (which is the actual thread topic), since we're counting sales; you should consider Lady Gaga in the mix; she has had a buzz that has eclipsed Eminem's, and far surpassed what he had at the beginning of the century. 80 million albums and singles sold in two years is nothing to scoff at; she has a huge buzz, and commands the respect of the old school artists (like Bowie, Deborah Harry from Blondie, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, etc...) that Eminem does not. I think she'll go further faster, especially if she continues evolving (her next album is a rock album) rather than sticking to one genre (Eminem has been on shock rap for a decade).

This all said, the 60's through the 90's were superior decades for music in my opinion. The past 10 years have felt like a weaker version of the 90's, without the same sort of diversity.

You just forgot Golf and F1, the first for very long time had Tiger Woods as the BESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST in a white sport... the second were the first black champion in F1...

And never forget Boxing, there were a time when just white fought, and after the black were all champions, causing the last white guy to be world champion Rocky Marciano

Kudos for stealthiness

Rap had nothing to do with Sport/Music

I mean : who wants to be a rapper outside failing people who failed at school and at sport and that, in NA, are mostly black people ?

A lot of kid want to become a star, singer, actor, F1 driver, basketter but WHO dream to become a rapper ?

nobody indeed ...

This! I think he even at some point said that he actually recorded "BAD" albums on purpose after MM LP (or maybe Curtain Call, think it was Curtain Call) just to see how many people that would buy his music based on his fame and name alone! I used to be Em fan like crazy though and his songs remains some of the only ones I can do at Karaoke bars =) Lololol

/fail

He is talking about special music for special people

In Brazil is a dream to most kiddies in some neighbours...

Pick a AK-47 a hood take a photo, sing and become a rapper.... but as the 47's where all taken by traffic they decided to do Funk (Carioca's Funk, nothing to do with america)...

A sexual music with 0 lyrics and simple beat, this is how the Rap died in Brazil and became Funk

EDIT: i just said about sports because the other guy made a observation about minorities, but forgot three important cases... i preffer to study and do sports than trying a rap career, i sing really bad =]

Huh??? You tried to invalidate him with Metallica? What's wrong with you?????

As for Eminem... yes... I'm inclined to agree... the only rapper I can listen to.

Yeah, they've only sold like 100 million records. And I didn't want to exclude my fav band.