Eminem. Never has one MC caused so much debate in the world of hip-hop. I respect and laud his abilities, yet I will be honest, I am not his biggest fan. I enjoyed his early work, but after the album I am covering today, I began to lose interest in him. His album "Encore" in particular was an absolute mess, I felt. From rapping like Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to just juvenile subject matter, it was a big turn-off for me. He seems to have regained his hunger and attitude with his latest release "Relapse" but at the end of the day, he's just no longer my cup of tea. To deny him his place as one of the best MC's in the game would be a travesty though, and that is why I am here give him his props for his crowning achievement, "The Marshall Mathers LP".
While overwhelmingly enjoy his major label debut "The Slim Shady LP" more than this album, "The Marshall Mathers LP" is hands down the better work. Em's debut was just balls out, zany and insane. This was the Eminem I liked: whacked out of his mind on illegal substances, offending everybody and just being a general psychopath. He took that to the next level with "MMLP", and offered quite a bit more substance as well. This album was him dealing with all the pressures he now faced, as he was the biggest thing in the world at this point. It was a middle finger to his detractors, those in the media who said he was a bad influence, and of course, his wife Kim.
What I really loved about this album was the introspection and the vast range of emotions displayed. It was refreshing to see a rapper humanize himself on this level. The song "Stan" is a perfect example of excellent storytelling and is probably Eminem's best song...in my opinion. "Marshall Mathers", another standout track, was a venomous tirade against his enemies at the time, including Insane Clown Posse and XXL Magazine. We can't forget the unsettling, brutal song "Kim". It took the theme of "97 Bonnie and Clyde" from the first album to new heights, and detailed the murder of his wife Kim. It is difficult to listen to at times, and all I can say is either Eminem really is a demented motherfucker or he is one hell of a creative genius. I will go somewhere in the middle on that.
There isn't really a misstep on the album. Whatever you're looking for you will find it here. From lyrical exercises like "Under the Influence" featuring D12 to party songs like "The Real Slim Shady" and "Drug Ballad" to hardcore raps like "Amityville" and "Criminal", this album has it all. Point blank, this is just an album from a pissed off dude at the top of his game and at this point in time, nobody was fuckin' with him. The definition of a classic.
KEY TRACKS: all
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