The Travesty That is Eminem's Encore

So I've covered Eminem's first three major label albums, all of which are amazing. Those albums give a lot of good songs, and I could see all three of those albums ending up on a Best 50 Rap Albums" of all time. To me, each album got progressively slightly worse, but benefited in other areas. Many songs on The Eminem Show are not as catchy or memorable as songs on his previous albums, but they definitively show a maturing progression in his sound. After politically aware subject matter on his last album, I was curious to where Eminem would take this concept. Hell, the controversial Iraq War happened almost a year after his previous album, so Eminem definitely has got to have expand upon his recent anti-Bush Administration crusade.

8 Mile was a good film, and the soundtrack to the film was good. Eminem relapsed into another pill addiction frenzy during and after the filming due to the stressful work schedule of making a movie.

Unfortunately, this addiction is a primary cause for the disastrous album Encore, which I believe, besides Recovery, is Eminem's worst album to date. Eminem reportedly only worked on his tracks for about an hour or so a day and then "goof off in the studio with a pocket of pills." While Eminem's drug use has fueled a lot of his deep song subjects and clever rhyming style, his full blown addiction has led to some of his most embarrassing and laziest writing in his entire career.

The production team is a bit different than his previous albums. Dre (minus Mel-Man) and Eminem are on board, but Mike Elizondo and Luis Resto handle a majority of the album's beats.

It's hard to believe that the top rapper in the game in the early 2000's, who had already sold millions of his last three hit albums, could stoop to such a low level of quality. This album comes off as a joke.

But I digress, it's time to review 2004's Encore.

Now, think about the openers on every Eminem release. Infinite had the stellar self-titled track "Infinite." The Slim Shady LP opened with the iconic "My Name Is." The Marshall Mathers LP has a song that is nearly universally loved by Eminem fans, "Kill You." The Eminem Show opened with "White America," a confrontational, anti-establishment anthem that reflected Eminem's new, more matured style. The point I'm trying to make is Eminem usually puts a straight banger on as an intro track for all his albums to hook you in. On Encore, we get a taste of what the rest of the album will be like. (Hint: it sucks)

The album opens with a fan favorite, "Evil Deeds." I not only do not understand how anyone could like this song, but have the audacity to claim it's one of his best baffles me even more. I think this is one of Eminem's worst songs EVER. The beat is the only good thing about the song, because the "rapping" part is horrendous. This songs sums up the three main things wrong with the album. First off, Eminem sings the chorus. Now, around this time in Eminem's career, he really liked to sing. And this was around the time his voice got super annoying. And it's really obnoxious. Secondly, the writing on this song (and album) is beyond lazy. It's crazy to think that Eminem, one of the best rap lyricists ever, resorted to the music he made on this atrocity. Eminem spends part of his first verse repeating words ("Head popped off, head popped off, head popped off, head popped off"). It gets very annoying, and is an obvious use of filler for his verses. And when Eminem finally begins rapping, he does so in a slow, clunky matter, in which he barely pulls off any good rhymes. He even repeats the word "predominately" like 20 times to show us how much he dislikes the overuse of the word. That word isn't even overused. Thirdly, Eminem is trying his hardest to sound edgy. It's not coming off as smoothly as it did on his prior albums. Hell, even his immature moments on The Eminem Show didn't sound as force, and Eminem was still able to place a serious vibe on several of the songs. This album shows that something is different, something's gone.

Luckily, we are saved by a pretty good follow up to a disappointing opener, "Never Enough." I've never been a huge 50 Cent fan, I feel he isn't that good of a writer, and his voice reminds me too much of Mike Tyson. I feel Shady Records, Eminem and Dre hyped him up to much to be the next "true thug rapper", aka, the next 2Pac. However, his verse is surprisingly good. The one thing I didn't like about this song was Nate Dogg's part. sounds very similar to his verse on "Till I Collapse." He sings a cool hook, but his voice has some weird robot auto tune sound over it. I don't like it, and it honestly weighed the song's fun factor for me. Still, it is one of the better songs on this album.

Next we get "Yellow Brick Road," a spectacular track on the album. The violin style beat is great, and Eminem drops great verses as he describes his early life getting into rap, including addressing his meeting of Proof, his early rap performances and his controversial racist demo from 1992. I consider this to be one of Eminem's best song, a classic in a sea of shit.

Easily the best single on the album.

We also get "Like Toy Soldiers," which is another great song. The song details Eminem looking back on his beef with Murder Inc. and Benzino, a feud that had engulfed the attention of a lot of Eminem's diss tracks. I actually think this may be his best diss song on the subject matter, as he even admits that, even though he won the feud, he spent to much time on the diss songs to the point where he felt that he over killed it. What sucks is that the video fictionally portrays the death of Proof, who ended up being gunned down less than two years later. It definitely showed the negative side to wars between rappers.The Martika sample also fits well. 

Next is "Mosh," easily one of the best tracks on Encore. It follows in the same footsteps of "White America," which carried socio-political subject matter. This song is more aimed at the Iraq War and the Bush Administrations poor handling of the country's foreign policy. The video even urges it's viewers to vote in the 2004 presidential election, to ensure that George Bush would not get to see a second term. The banned version even contains a crowd of protesters actually storming the White House. Overall, the song has great, bad ass lyrics with a killer, brooding beat. Another banger on this album. no doubt.

So far, the album doesn't seem half bad, Sure, "Evil Deeds" sucked ass, but we still got a decent track and three Eminem classics already. But this all changes with the next several tracks, all of which bring the album from it's so far decent status to shit grade material. 

"Puke" is the first in a series of shitty and mediocre songs. There's a lot to say ab out this one, so I'll out with the least worst thing about the song: the beat. It's not bad but it's nothing spectacular. I can't say the same thing for the rest of the track. It's another one of those Eminem tracks about family drama, with this example being his ex Kim. Now if there was any song on this album that was recorded while Eminem was in a depressed, alcoholic haze (I'm sure a few of the songs on the album were like written in this state), it would be this song. Eminem literally whines the whole song. It's as if he wrote this song as a song for his personal diary, a song for him to cry to. It's another one of those tracks where the rap verses are sung out in a different style. It's not his worst example of doing this ("Evil Deeds" is a little more annoying), but his voice just off as rather annoying in this style. And the worst part would have to be the chorus, where Eminem flat out sings fully in a very obnoxious fashion. Even the rhyming in the chorus is lazy, in which Eminem sings the last word all drawn out in that super annoying fashion (i.e. "Shi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-it"). We understand you have your issues Em, but this was definitely not the way to express your feelings. Hell, I may even take "Kim" over this. You should not have let you fans hear you in this emotional state, because, especially now, this song is very cringe worthy.

So after that crap, we sadly get even more crap. "My 1st Single" is yet another dud on this album. The beat is...well, it's not bad, but it's definitely not amazing. Only a good rapper could make make the track worth it. But Eminem fucks this beat up to. Granted, he raps a lot more than he did on "Evil Deeds" or "Puke", but it just doesn't flow well at all. His voice is for some reason really annoying on this track, and most of the verses make no sense. Yeah, they rhyme (at times), but he's not really saying anything. I guess it's supposed to be a work of satire, as Eminem is poking fun at how little sense he's making. Still, it's just another example of lazy writing. He also devotes more than half a verse making a joke about child porn featuring Justin Timberlake and Brittney Spears when they were on the The Mickey Mouse Club. The only reason I laugh when I hear the ending about Justin Timberlake cumming is because it's so embarrassing. I'm thinking "damn, this guy must've of been pilled out beyond his mind." The song is, in laymen's terms, is one of the worst tracks Eminem has ever recorded. 

Oh, and the unnecessary shit noises in the song are symbolic of how I feel about this track.

How high did Eminem have to be to think his singing was good enough to base entire songs around it, and that his corny, overdone toilet humor would please fans? 

"Rain Man" is so fucking bad. The beat is pretty awesome, and could've made the track a banger, but Eminem once again fucks this song up as well. The main problem of the song, besides being off topic the last track is and relying on immature humor that isn't as funny as his earlier work, is that he's taking his self-referential style of rap to a whole new level. This man has the nerve to troll his fans by bragging that "I ain't even got to make no God damn sense, I just did a whole song and didn't say shit." Look, it's okay for you to maybe have one song doing that, but most of Enocre relies on self-referential and juvenile potty humor. On the surface the track doesn't seem that bad, but you'll quickly realize how often you skip it. 

And it just keeps getting worse. Eminem performed many diss tracks on Benzino, a couple of hwich could've been album tracks. "Bully" from the Straight from the Lab EP would've been a much better substitute for this shitty song. The chorus is extremely cringe worthy, as he sings in a high pitch voice about Benzino being a bully. You were able to convey that Benzino was a bully on the song "Bully", among other disses like "Nail in the Coffin." You didn't have to resort to an annoying, cartoony style voice to talk shit on Benzino. The verse is also extremely basic, and the beat is nothing special. I'd would also consider this one of Eminem's biggest flops. 

Sums up how I feel about this song...and album...and Michael Jackson, too. 

"Just Lose It" is another mix bag for me. It's sort of a guilty pleasure to me. The beat is catchy, but at the same time, a little corny sounding. The verses are also infectious and fun, but at the same time, you feel like Eminem is beating a dead horse. "The Real Slim Shady" and "Without Me" were similar lead singles with Eminem's signature Dre produced style beat. Since Eminem was already in his early 30's at this point, it feels a little weird to hear him trying to do another smash hit in the vein of "The Real Slim Shady" and "Without Me." It almost sounds like a parody of an Eminem song.  Still, I'll give this song a pass. It's still pretty funny despite the obnoxious Pee-Wee Herman style laughs. Basically, this is the least worst of all the bad tracks on the album.

This video was played a lot in the early summer of 2005, and it made me associate Eminem with sucking, even though I had barely heard any of his good music. 

But then we are given "Ass Like That." What is there to say about this song? Seriously, it is in Eminem's top three worst songs of all time. It's basically Eminem copping out and performing a club stle single, much like 50 Cent did around the same time with "In da Club." Many point to Eminem's phase from post 8 Mile to his overdose on methadone as his "thug phase." He had songs like "40 Oz" with D12, and yeah, this song is kind of similar to that "gangster" theme. "You make my pee pee go doing doing doing" was cringe worthy to hear back in 2005, and it's even more face-palming worthy today. Some say the song was supposed to be a diss on Triumph the Comic Insult Dog, and if that's true, that makes this song even worse,. Eminem isn't willing to beef with Canibus (who's actually a talented rapper) seriously but he'll devote an album track and a single to diss a puppet? So this song is basically yet another Valium and Vicodin induced mess. 

Finally we get a break from onslaught of shit. Well, it's not the greatest track, but it's still pretty good compared to the last several tracks. It's another anti-ho anthem, and I like the relaxing and atmospheric beat. Obie Trice and Eminem's verse are pretty good. Eminem's singing on the chorus isn't even that bad. Stat Quo verse is also pretty decent, but 50 Cent's verse is probably the  worse. He makes two references to girls sucking his dick. He compliments a girl's lips, and talks about how he imagines them sucking his dick. How romantic. Not trying to be a white knight, but it's kind of corny. So it's not a great song, but it's alright for Encore standards. 

Loved by girls and white knights stuck in the friend zone, I, like many sane minded people, find "Mockingbird" to be overrated. 

"Mockingbird" is also a song with a huge fan base that I feel doesn't deserve all the love it receives. Don't get me, the beat is awesome. However, Eminem raps many lines without rhyming, and it gets a little annoying. Also, his singing on the verse is among the worse he's ever sung. And the allusion to the nursery rhyme "Mockingbird" is overall just corny, especially when Eminem tries to sound hard by saying "Break that birdie's neck." It's not my least favorite song on the album, but the song really isn't that good. The guy free-styling to the beat in the subway video is a much better version of the song.

"Crazy in Love" samples Heart's "Crazy on You," but only on the chorus. I feel Eminem should've sampled the whole song, as it worked well with other 1970's hard rock anthems like "Sing for the Moment." Overall, this song is decent. Not much to say. It's not bad, not good.

"One Shot 2 Shot" is the album's D12 song. The first verse contains Bizarre. As you may know, I dislike Bizarre a lot, but his verse is pretty good in all honesty. The song is actually one of D12's upper tier tracks, but it feels like it should've been released a few months earlier on D12 World, where this song could've replaced one of the many filler songs on that album. I don't mind a D12 track on an Eminem album, it seems to be a tradition up to this point. However, in this case, it should've been on an a D12 album. Even though it's a highlight on this album, it's sad that a high point on Em's solo album was a D12 song.

The album ends with "Encore/Curtains Down," which is the best song on the album. This song feels like an Eminem song, the style we were expecting after his progression from The Eminem Show. Sure, the beat isn't very memorable, and Eminem does sound a bit disinterested in the hook, but the song doesn't has a hard hitting attitude. Dr. Dre's verse is good, and he trades back and for with Eminem likes he did on "Say What You Say." 50 Cent adds in a couple lines, but they're mainly there for interludes. Still, as one of Encore's best songs, it sitll isn't that amazing of a song.

One of the best tracks on Encore isn't even that jaw dropping, but gets the job done. This is the sound Eminem should've stuck with when he recorded this album. 

So, as you can see, Encore is littered with problems. Despite having a few of Eminem best songs, the middle part of the album is filled with some Eminem's worst songs to date. The writing is lazy on many songs, his self-aware potty humor has begun to wore thin, his singing is cringe worthy, and many of the beats aren't good or just aren't memorable. "We As Americans" and "Love You More" are good bonus tracks from the previous EP, and should've been used to replace some of the terrible tracks on the album like "Big Weenie" and "Puke," among others. Overall, I'd say this is Eminem's worst album. While I do dislike Recovery a lot, this is terrible in it's own way. Anyone who tells you that this album is good is lying. 

Rating: D + (Only because some of the good songs were REALLY good songs)

Eminem: Straight from the Lab EP Review

Before I review the atrocious 2004 Encore album, I think I'll review an EP released by Eminem in November of 2003. The EP contains quite a few fan favorites, and it was recorded in the midst of his feuds with Murder Inc. and Benzino.

Some argue that it's better than Encore. We shall see...

The album starts off with "Monkey See Monkey Do", which is diss towards Ja Rule. The beat, produced by Sticcy Z, goes pretty hard, and Eminem goes hard against his newly formed rap rival. I particularly like the reference to the film 8 Mile, where Eminem warns Ja Rule that he won't bring paintball guns like his character was equipped with in the movie. A good diss track, but I don't think if it is album worthy.

"We Are Americans" is a good old fashion Eminem banger. It's another political song in the same vein as "White America", "Square Dance" and "Mosh." The lyrics were controversial, due in part to the lyrics in which Eminem states he'd rather see the president dead than dead presidents (slang for money). He apparently was investigated for these lyrics. Anyway, it's a great song, and it definitniely could've made it to an album.Luis Resto and Eminem collaborated a good beat, and

"I Love You More" is a bitter sweet "ballad" that sounds pretty god actually. Dre, Eminem and Resto all work on the production to the track, which is a sweet piano loop. This is definitely a song that could've made it on an Eminem album, and I actually could've been a fairly successful single at the very least.

Mike Elizondo, who helped co-wrote "The Real Slim Shady", produces the next track, "Can-I-Bitch." Rapper Canibus has had a feud with Eminem since 1999 when Canibus accused Eminem of ghostwriting LL Cool J's response to Canibus's diss towards him. Eminem made subtle jabs to Canibus on "Role Model" and "Square Dance." Although Canibus took the feud seriously and continued to make diss songs towards Eminem, Eminem never felt Canibus as a rapper even worthy of his attention. So the result of Eminem ending the feud was the comedic diss song known as "Can-I-Bitch." The song has a very eccentric trademarkish sounding beat that matches great with the goofy lyrics. Unlike many Eminem diss songs, where Eminem attacks his opponent in a fairly serious matter, "Can-I-Bitch" sounds like it's supposed to be a joke song, all the while still providing a good diss on Canibus. Eminem makes jokes about him apparently being Canadian, as well as his rapping style and voice. Definitely not an album worthy track but a very enjoyable track, and is actually considered a fan favorite.

"Bully" is an Eminem produced track and is also considered a fan favorite. At first, I didn't think this song would be that good, considering the song is performed in a poetry style where Eminem continuously rhymes in an A-A-B      C-C-B style fashion. However the beat and the flow of Eminem is truly bad bass sounding, and I've found myself playing this track a lot recently. So despite it's structure that doesn't represent your typical Eminem rap flow, I could see it on an album of his.

"Come On In" is a really good song. It's basically a D12 song, and the song was luckily put on the 2004 D12 album D12 World. Unlike other Eminem songs that had D12 on it where all the members featured, only Swifty, Kuniva and Kon Artis are on it. They all drop good verses, and the song is apparently a diss on Benzino. I didn't know that, but this is definitely an excellent track by D12.

The EP ends with "Doe Rae Me", which was later re titled as "Hailie's Revenge." It is another Ja Rule diss, and features D12 and Obie Trice. The songs criticizes Ja comparing himself to 2Pac, as well as Ja's diss to Eminem is which he insulted his ex-wife and his daughter. While "Bully" offered a pitiful analysis to his feud and "Monkey See Monkey Do" was just a straight forward diss track, you can definitely hear the anger in Eminem with this one. Swift, Kuniva, Proof and Kon Artis (who produced the beat himself) drops their verses, rightfully defending their homie. Obie's verse is also good. It's a great song, and I wish they put would have this on an Eminem album. Since there were so many Ja Rule tracks, I agree it would've been overkill to put all the diss songs on his albums. But I'd support this being on a full length album. It is basically the "final nail" in the coffin when it came to the Ja Rule beef.

My final thoughts on this album are that it is a very solid EP. Much like The Slim Shady EP, the EP is definitely worth checking out. It isn't as solid as the previous EP, where almost every song was a banger worthy of being on an LP. Straight from the Lab contains 4 songs that are album worthy (and should've replaced the really bad tracks on Encore to improve that album, even though a couple made it to the bonus tracks on Encore), a song that could be on a D12 album, and two diss tracks that could be released as singles, bonus tracks or songs on a compilation album of outtakes. On a side note, it's great that neither of the D12 featured songs on this album feature Bizarre. I'm sure we're all a little grateful for this.

Overall, the EP is is good "break" from his usual collaborators Jeff Bass (The Bass Brothers) and Dr. Dre (minus one track where he collabs with two others), experimenting with his other producers and himself. It can help an artist to experiment with other producers and help grow their progression.

Sadly, that wasn't the case for a lot of his future work, especially a majority of the tracks on Encore. But we will get to that.

Rating: B

The Eminem Show Review

Following the success The Slim Shady LP and The Marshall Mathers LP, people had finally been able to put the idea that Eminem was a one hit wonder to rest. However, with Eminem approaching 30, and the world essentially changing in the off time between albums (9/11 anyone?), many wondered if Eminem could dish out both a relevant album and another classic. What we get was The Eminem Show, which helped deliver the message that Eminem still had it in him to put out another classic. While I do not think it is as good as his previous albums, it is definitely worth a listen. Eminem porudces a lot of tracks himself, and it works out well.

The album opens with "White America," which is an intriguing opener to the album. Unlike his previous albums where the intro song was fairly light hearted (even "Kill You" is a relatively tame song if you think about it), "White America" is a dark analysis of the state of America following the beginning of the War on Terror. Eminem offers many "what if?" scenarios about the state of the middle class of America, as well as addressing his commercial appeal from  his skin color. Jeff Bass (absent from his brother) produces the track with Eminem, and it's a pretty morbid beat. It may be off putting for this to be the intro song on the album, but it definitely shows his progression in style from just comedic songs.

Eminem's first tackle at analyzing the U.S. Government did not sound forced surprisingly, and marked the first stage in his "crusade" against the Bush Administration. 

Next, we get "Business", accompanied by the signature Dr. Dre-Eminem style beat introduced on his last album. The beat is extremely catchy, and the verses offer nothing but a good time. "Cleanin' Out My Closet" might replace "The Way I Am" as Eminem's darkest singles. Detailing the his early turbulence with his mother, the sinister piano beat mixes perfectly with the song. Even if it's one of Eminem's more popular singles, this song is definitely a life long classic.

20 minutes into "8 Mile" and chill and he gives you this look.

"Square Dance", a pretty good track in which Eminem doesn't rap that fast, but offers cool lines regardless. He throws out a Canibus diss line, and I like the beat. The only down side to the song is that Eminem's hook is kind of annoying, with him trying to sound "country" to match the title of the song.

"Soldier" is a track produced by Eminem all by himself, and like "The Way I Am", he does a good job. The song reminds me a lot of 2Pac. The beat is very similar to the Death Row days of 2Pac, and the subject just reminds of 2Pac. After all, he's said terms like "soldier" a lot. The song offers a dark tone without Eminem having to sound all crazy and what not. "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" is kind of a family themed Eminem song, but also talks about his fame in general. I really enjoy the Eminem produced beat, and overall, even though I don't care for some Eminem family songs.

"Drips" is another Eminem beat, and it's another pretty good song. I actually dig the instrumental a lot, and Obie Trice's verse is actually pretty good. Despite being a sex rap and having a gross subject, it's a good track.

The "E" stands for "edgy"

"Without Me" is the lead single, and is similar to the style of "The Real Slim Shady." It has pop culture references up the ass, has that trademark beat, and is overall fun and goofy. Another guilty pleasure, although I do find myself skipping it a lot. It has been over played to the point where I wouldn't find myself bumping this in my car.

"Sing for the Moment" is an excellent song. The sample from Aerosmith was a great idea, and is a good example of an Eminem single that isn't comedic but also isn't very dark in subject matter.

"Superman" is a track I also really like. While I do not mind sex raps that much, the beat on this song is just so phenomenal. The acoustic guitar and violin combo is one of the best Eminem beats ever produced. The verses are alright, but that beat alone makes it a great song.

The Real Clark Kent

"Hailie's Song" is probably the most controversial song on the album. Many people do not like it when Eminem sings, and this song is about 70% of Eminem singing. The beat is very pleasant and uplifting sounding, and while I do think it is one of the weaker tracks on the album, I actually don't hate this song. Actually, I kind of enjoy it. Eminem himself says in the beginning "I just feel like singing." Personally, I don't care for his family drama songs, but this one seems alright. I can't fathom the joy he must've felt to even want to do this track. His rap verse is pretty good too. Not the best Eminem song obviously, but not the worst.

"When the Music Stops" is another D12 song on an Eminem album. Mr. Porter (Kon Artis) helped produce the track, and the piano based beat is eerie and fits the lyrics perfectly, in which the members describe music's influence on their real lives, especially the rap life style. All the members drop a good verse, but unfortunately, with D12, we get Bizarre. I'll give him credit, his verse isn't terrible, but just having Bizarre on the album is kind of a low point in itself. Good song by D12 nonetheless.

Not this motherfucker again...

"Say What You Say" is one of the best songs on the album. The beat just makes you want to bang your head. Eminem and Dre take turns on the verses, and it comes off really well. Dre and Eminem almost hit gold every time they collab, and this is one of their better ones.

"Till I Collapse", featuring Nate Dogg, is a huge fan favorite. However, personally...it's just not my favorite. The beat sounds hard, and I like Nate Dogg's hook, but I just don't see this as Eminem's best. His verse is good but not spectacular, and that clapping sound in the beat honestly kind of ruins the beat for me. They shouldn't have put that in there. Not a bad song, but I'm surprise this song is as highly regarded as it is (much like "Drug Ballad.")

The album ends on "My Dad's Gone Crazy," which features his daughter. I actually like this song a lot, mainly for the beat. Eminem also offers some good lyrics and even makes fun of Dre and his's relationship by alluding that the two had engaged in homosexual acts with each other. His daughter's voice in the chorus is a little annoying granted, but it's still actually a pretty decent closer. The song reminds me of the work on his previous albums, but in a good way.

So overall, The Eminem Show was a really good album. At first glance, I was thinking how I actually thought this album was better than The Marshall Mathers LP. However, I realized the main issue with the album, besides a few nitpicks, was Eminem's style of rapping. Don't get me wrong, he's still fantastic and one of the best, but he raps a lot slower on some tracks, and the style just sounds different from eccentric style on his previous albums. For example, "Square Dance", "White America" and "Till I Collapse" sound like Eminem's is rapping at about the same speed on each song. So essentially, it seems like the beats verses are interchangeable and can fit onto any song. The songs may be good, but a lot jus aren't as great as the songs on his other albums. Regardless, the album is very consistent and is a good first step in Eminem "maturing" in his progression of rap.

Well, that was until his next album...

Rating: B +

The Marshall Mathers LP: Is It Really Eminem's Masterpiece?

The Marshall Mathers LP is often seen by fans as Eminem's crowning achievement. After his previous success with The Slim Shady LP, Eminem was now the target of both MTV and controversy from the religious right and feminist groups for his "misogynistic", "homophobic" and "violent" lyrics. This album was much like a reaction against his new found fame and his critics. Eminem raps about the problems with his new found fame, where he finds both frustration and humor in. The album differs from his relatively poor lifestyle portrayed on his previous two albums, as he is now a "somebody." At the same time, his first major album was such a hit some doubted whether or not he could create a successful followup. Eminem pokes fun at the pressure he is given from record label executives, while also feeling the weight of the world at times.

The album was released slightly over a year after his previous one, and about 6 months after Dr. Dre's huge hit Chronic 2001.

The album was once again handled primarily by Dr. Dre, the unsung hero Mel-Man, and The Bass Brothers, with a track by The 45 King and Eminem himself. Like his previous album, Eminem oversaw a lot of the beats. The beats are some of the better beats in hip hop ever produced.

The MMLP is seen as Eminem's best, but does it really hold up with all the hype? I've already given the SSLP a solid A rating, let's see what this album will get.

So after the "edgy" disclaimer opener, we are greeted with the album's first track and first banger, "Kill You." Since most people probably skip over "My Name Is" on the SSLP, "Kill You" is good example of an album with an amazing opening. One of the more controversial Eminem songs at the time (pretty much based on the title alone), this track also marks the introduction of Eminem's trademark video game-esque beat. As soon as you hear it, you will know what I am am talking about. His previous album did not have this, but Eminem would use this style beat on many of his songs, especially his singles. It's almost like a G-Funk style with synthesizers but in a schizophrenic, crazy, Slim Shady kind of way. Basically, it sounds like a Dre beat, but in Eminem's style.

Music the whole family can enjoy!

So yeah, "Kill You" has a catchy beat, great rhyming schemes, and is one of the Eminem's most popular non-single tracks to this day. Opening with this was definitely a great idea, as it is an introduction to the mood of the album, and his style in general.

Next we got the classic "Stan," a tale of an obsessed Eminem fan eventually following in the steps of Eminem's song "99 Bonnie and Clyde," where Eminem kills his wife. The song is rapped very well, and much like "Guilty Conscience" on his last album, the gimmick/basis of the song is pulled off excellently. The song is very relevant to this day, as fans can be even "closer" to their idols with the introduction of social media. I don't listen to this track much due to it's length and it's over saturation, but it's a great song. Oh, and the beat by 45 King Cole featuring Dido's "Thank You" bass line. Really good idea to make that into a beat, especially only a year after it came out.

"Who Knew?" is Eminem's first song on the album (and pretty much a subject covered in the rest of discography) about his new found fame and the world's reaction to him. This song is another straight banger. The beat is one of my favorites on the album, it's just infectious. Eminem pulls off good rhymes while adding a signature touch of humor.

Then we get the "Steve Berman" skit, which reflects the attitudes of the record executives who put pressure on Eminem to match the success of his first album. The skit ties directly into "The Way I Am", Eminem's first serious single. Produced by Eminem himself, the beat is a sinister sounding piano loop with church bell rings in the chorus. You can really feel Eminem's anger in this track about the media blaming him for the Columbine Massacre (the two shooters didn't listen to rap, and Eminem had barely been in the spotlight by the time of the shooting in April 1999), as well as fans harassing him in public when he's just trying to catch some downtime. One of the best tracks on the album, even if it's a radio hit.

This video wasn't bad either.

Next we get the primary single off the album, "The Real Slim Shady." The song is in the same vein as "My Name Is," being the catchy, comedic lead single for his album. The beat contains that trademark Eminem sound first broad casted in "Kill You." There's a lot of pop culture references, some of which might feel dated (Tom Green?). Overall, an enjoyable nostalgic track that I take as a guilty pleasure. It's just a fun a song, even if it's been overplayed and is a bit outdated.

"Remember Me" is another underrated classic from this album. This this the first rap guest appearance on the album, featuring RBX and Sticky Fingaz of New York rap group Onyx. Apparently this song (at least Sticky's verse) was supposed to be on 2001 but Eminem loved Sticky's verse so much, he convinced him to do it on Eminem's album instead. RBX's verse is alright. You might remember RBX (you should) from 1992's The Chronic album, where he made numerous appearances. Although he had a solo career, it never took off like many thought it would (there were some issues with Death Row). Ironically, the song's hook is based off of RBX's song "A.W.O.L.", which was a diss to Dr. Dre back in the day.But yeah, his verse is decent, but Sticky Fingaz verse is spectacular. You may have heard people rave about it before, but this is easily his best verse he's ever recorded. Eminem's verse is great too, especially the rhyme scheme he pulls off towards the end. You'll have to check it out. The dark beat also goes to this song perfectly.

"I'm Back", much like "Who Knew?", is another self aware track about Eminem's success and influence on the youth. The chorus often gets stuck in my head for no reason, even when I haven't listened to the song in awhile. Good song, but not much else to say about it.

"Marshall Mathers" is the first Bass Brothers track, and it follows in the same footsteps as their work on the SSLP: fucking brilliant. The acoustic guitar beat is awesome. Many love this song, but many like to point out the faults in it. Eminem disses Insane Clown Posse, which many felt was unnecessary. I can't really understand those claims, as ICP had recently made fun of Eminem on a radio show. The jab at ICP in the verse is better than an entire diss song on them. Also, the song sounds a bit dated when it references $16 CD's and the days of Brittney Spears and NSYNC. Still, the ominous beat is great, especially with the guitar solo fade out.

So...so far, the album is really, really god. There hasn't been one bad track yet. As a matter of fact, all the tracks have been above average quality, most of them considered to be Eminem's best songs. Even the singles are only annoying due to the media over playing them. Although the album in no way gets terrible, the bar is lowered a little. We get the "Ken Kaniff" skit, which marks the halfway point in the album. This skit was just dumb. It's supposed to be the sounds of Violent Jay and Shaggy 2 Dope of ICP performing oral sex on the character Ken Kaniff, which sounds funny, and I'll admit, is kind of funny, but just kind of comes off as random and immature. The sucking sounds are also pretty cringe worthy, and if you hate the sound of anything "moist," well, you won't like it either.

How every white male listens to Eminem.

"Drug Ballad" is kind of a mixed bag for me. I love the beat, and I don't have a problem with songs about drug use, but for some reason, it feels like it's missing something. I know a lot of people love this song, but I just don't care too much for the lyrics. Some of the lyrics offer a good introspective view of drug use, ("Marijuana is everywhere, where was you brought up?"), but the album just gives me a first album vibe. While I love his first album, it definitely had a lot of immature lyrics, and, up to this song, the MMLP has had a totally different vibe than the SSLP. This song just reminds me of "Cum on Everybody", and that was my least favorite song on his last album. So "Drug Ballad" is the first average quality song on the album.

Then we are hit with "Amityville," yet another Eminem classic I'm about to tear open. I do like this song...for the most part. The beat is really cool and has a very haunting vibe to it, perfect for the comparisons of Detroit, Michigan and the supposedly haunted house in Amityville, Long Island, in which a bunch of terrible horror movies were based off of. Eminem's verses are even quite well put together. This is about to be one of the best tracks on the album, until we get Bizarre's turn on mic.

"Hey, Hey, Hey! It's everyone's least favorite rapper of D12!"

Bizarre is a TERRIBLE RAPPER. I love D12. I think all the members of D12 are great rappers..except Bizarre. To describe his style, it's basically all the shock value of Eminem, but without any of the wit or skills of Eminem. He's decent on D12's early tracks from before they first broke up, and he's even good on Eminem's indie classic "No One's Iller." But when D12 got signed after Eminem made it big, his lazy writing just seemed to get even lazier. He should not have been on this track. This song, especially with it's horror theme, would've been a great Bad Meets Evil collab with Royce Da 5'9", but Eminem and Royce's relationship was strained, due in part to Royce's feud with D12. While they were in their rap battle stage in the feud yet, I'm sure they weren't buddy buddy at the moment. Even another member of D12 would've been an excellent substitute, or perhaps, just Eminem in general. Just not Bizarre. Song would've been nearly perfect without him.

"Bitch Please II" is a great song, but it just feels like an outtake from 2001. Or hell, it could've been a Snoop outtake for all we know, since "Bitch Please" was on a Snoop Dogg album. It's produced by Dre and Mel-Man, and has Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Nate Dogg and Eminem on it, essentially a huge part of the cast from the 2001 album. It just kind of feels like this was put on the album to appeal to the black rap fans who still weren't on board with the Shady Express. Eminem, unlike his verses on 2001, doesn't even really outshine the other rappers on this track. Dr. Dre's verse goes surprisingly very hard and Xzbit's is up there too. It's a really catchy song, don't get me wrong, but it just feels out of place for an Eminem album.

"Bitch Please II" is a great song, but it sounded like an attempt to make Eminem for viable to the black community. 

"Kim" is, without a doubt, the worst song on the album. The beat is really eerie and atmospheric, but the song is just garbage. Sure, it's very emotional, but it's not pulled off in the best way. Eminem chooses to "sing" the lyrics to the song in an angry, sobbing sounding way. I guess it does it's job of protraying his emotions, but the song is just off putting. I don't see anyone bumping this in their car. You could argue that Eminem wanted to make a serious song, but he has made serious songs that aren't in a cry baby fashion. He should've rapped to the beat at least. Besides the instrumental, this is the worst song on the album.

By the same logic I used to say that "Bitch Please II" should've been on another album, the track "Under the Influence" should be put in the same category. After all, it is a D12 song. However, I feel this was a good way to introduce Eminem's rap group before the release of their major label debut a year later. This is probably where most people heard D12 for the first time, and it is one of D12's finer tracks that helps sum up their style of offensive rap music. The beat is excellent, and all the members are featured and drop good bars...except for Bizarre. Granted, it's not his worst verse, but just the idea that Eminem gave this guy two verses on the album is baffling.

Bizarre...Again. This guy somehow got two guest appearances on one of the most highly praised rap albums of all time. Just let that sink in. 

The album definitely took a slight nose dive after the cringe inducing "Ken Kaniff" skit, but luckily, the album leaves off on the classic "Criminal." Considered to be on of Eminem's best tracks to date, it was definitely worthy of being the ending climax to the album. The beat is catchy, and offers an ominous tone, especially to the deranged lyrics. Compared to the SSLP, the MMLP had a better opening and a better closer to the album. Most version nowadays come with "The Kids" as a bonus track. I originally dismissed this song, but the extremely soothing piano beat and funny lyrics are actually quite memorable. The South Park references sound a little dated, but it's still a good track . I actually prefer it to a few original tracks.

This version also comes with a "The Way I Am" remix by Marilyn Manson remix. Nothing special or anything really worthy listening to unless you like industrial music.

So overall, The Marshall Mathers LP is a stellar album. The album offers a lot of bangers, many of which are considered his best to this day. However, does this mean the album is as perfect as everyone says it is?

Personally, I don't think so.

While nearly 2/3rd's of the album is classic Shady material, the album does have a few down sides many would care not to bring out. The album feels dated with it's pop culture references. One could argue that any pop culture references feel dated, but boy band references in today's music? Sorry, but One Direction isn't as big as NSYNC was.

The album also suffers from a few tracks that were either kind of sub par or did not feel like they belonged on this album. "Drug Ballad" is a very painfully average track that somehow became a huge fan favorite. "Bitch Please II" sounds out of place despite being a straight banger, "Kim" is just obnoxious and cringe worthy, and the disease known as Bizarre has a guest appearance on two separate tracks.

The album does feel a bit long too. The album would feel a little less cluttered if they got rid 2-3 of those tracks I listed above and released them on an EP or another album or something (Or in "Kim"'s case, the recycling bin on the producer's computer).

Typical Eminem fan...don't be mad that I don't like this album as much as it's predecessor

The Slim Shady LP is a little more charming to me, as it is a simpler time for Eminem. Without exposure from the mainstream, most of his songs didn't rely on self aware humor of how edgy he was acting. On the down side, that album offers more toilet style humor that may not be as appealing to the growth of Eminem's music. You may not agree, but whatever

Rating: A -

The Slim Shady LP Review

I will review all of Eminem's albums to mark my return to the website.

Many argue over what they view as the best Eminem album. Many point to his major label debut, others say The Marshall Mathers LP. 

The Slim Shady LP was released in early 1999, and became a huge success. "My Name Is" alone made Eminem a house-hold name.Dr. Dre basically risked the legitimacy of his career by investing his production and support for Eminem, and luckily, it paid off. Big time.

Dre sure did risk his career investing in Eminem. Many believed Dre had "fallen off" the rap circuit following his split with Death Row Records in 1996. Luckily, it paid off for both of them.

Although Dre is credited with producing the album, most of the tracks are actually done by The Bass Brothers, a production duo from Detroit that have been working with Eminem shortly before he met Dre. They worked on his previous release, The Slim Shady EP. That EP was the introduction of Eminem's "Slim Shady" persona, and helped make him a distinct rapper in the game, especially after his decent but commercially unsuccessful debut, Infinite. 

The album opens with a disclaimer message, and then you're hit with Eminem's biggest single of all time, "My Name Is." The song has been played to death, and even non-Eminem fans have heard it countless times. The song is basically an introduction to Eminem's style of offensive rap. While the song may not be played a lot by Eminem fans due to it's over saturation, it's still a charming song. The beat, produced by Dre, is extremely memorable.

That's so 90's

Next we get the controversial "Guilty Conscience." The beat is great, and the concept of Eminem and Dre arguing as a person's conscience in three situations is brilliant and is pulled off very well. The only gripe I had with the album version of the song is that, in the video, a beat is played during the interludes parts where the narrator describes the situations. I think it just made the song flow more smoothly. Still a great tune.

"Brain Damage," the first track produced by The Bass Brothers, is amazing to say the least. Eminem's flow matches perfectly with the piano based beat. "If I Had" is a bitter sweet track reflecting on Eminem's economic status and frustrations before he made it big with this album. The beat is very atmospheric, and Dina Rae's vocals with it a strong 90's R&B feel while stilling sounding like Eminem. "97 Bonnie and Clyde" contains the same verses from Eminem from the EP version, but contains a different beat. Contrasted to the xylophone-esque sampling of the EP version, the new beat contains an atmospheric, surreal presence similar to that of the previous track. Although I really like the beat, the lyrics unfortunately deal with Eminem's twisted revenge fantasies of killing his wife. While I do not have a problem with this, this would later become the a blueprint of many Eminem songs that delve into his family issues, and it's an area I'd, for the most part, like to avoid listening to.

Next we get "Role Model," a Dr. Dre and Mel-Man produced track, is a straight banger. One of Eminem's earlier torch carrying anthems, Eminem shows off his lyrical flow and comedic side while taking jabs at rapper Canibus and then First Lady Hillary Clinton. The guitar style sample is one of the best on the album, bar none. Afterwards comes the amusing "Lounge" skit that relates to "My Fault," a comedic "cautionary tale" about Eminem dealing with a girl who is overdosing on psilocybin mushrooms. It's not his best use of flow, but the song is funny and contains a catchy beat and chorus.

"Cum on Everybody" is, in my opinion, the worst track on the album. I don't hate this song, but it sounds like an obvious use of filler. The beat, especially compared to all the other beats on his other albums, sounds out of place, like it would be Puff Daddy song. Lyrics are decent, but still a low point on the album.

Luckily, the album picks up with "Rock Bottom," which has one of the best beats on the album. An incredible use of guitar in the intro and on the hook, along with an ominous sounding choir. One of Eminem's crowing achievements in his career. "Just Don't Give a Fuck" has a slightly revamped instrumental compared to the EP version. On the second verse, a horn selection is added, and I much prefer this version for that. Another great introduction to Eminem's style.

"As the World Turns" offers another incredible beat, and is one of the better tracks on the album. "I'm Shady" has an infectious chorus and the piano beat is basic but works well. "Bad Meets Evil", featuring Royce da 5'9", is probably my favorite track on the entire album. While there are about 4 or 5 other songs on this album that I would consider some of the best songs in rap period, I'd consider this song just about perfect. Both rappers rap some of their best verses ever, and perform the song in a "battling" sort of way. The beat is spectacularly orgasmic, too.

Royce and Eminem dropped a few great tracks under the name Bad Meets Evil before tension arose between Royce and D12. The feud ended shortly before Proof's death in 2006, and the duo reunited for 2011's Hell: The Sequel. However, I can't be the only one to dislike the current project for it's trashy beats, and wish the duo were able to record more songs together while they were in their glory days.

The album closes with "Still Don't Give a Fuck," which is the "sequel" to "Just Don't Give a Fuck." It isn't exactly a banger, but it ends the album on a good note.

The Slim Shady LP is one of the greatest albums in hip hop. I prefer it to the MMLP because a lot of the raps that came out by Eminem after this mainly focused on how "ironic and controversial" he was being. This album blew up so much that he became both too popular and too controversial that he added a new "self aware" attitude to his music. Here, it's a tme before he was huge, so while some of his lyrics may seem juvenile, they seem more honest.

Rating: A