Listened to: MP3 Ok, so it’s been a while, but let’s kick things off right with what some people argue to be Eminem’s best album, The Eminem Show. The album opens with the eerie tones of a soft piano, like a Danny Elfman score, on the first skit “Curtain Up”, and moves into one of Eminem’s most political and dark songs, “White America”. “America, hahaha, we love you, how many people are proud to be citizens of this beautiful/Country of ours, the stripes and the stars for the rights that men have died for to protect,/The women and men who have broke their neck's for the freedom of speech the United States/Government has sworn to uphold, or/(Yo', I want everybody to listen to the words of this song) so we're told…”. Clearly the demons that haunted Marshal so much on Marshall Mathers LP are still here, but from the get go, the album is much more cynical. While tackling the same subject as songs like “The Real Slim Shady”, except now he seems resigned to being vilified, rather than trying to defend himself. “I/ Could be one of your kids, white America, little Eric looks just like this, white America, Erica/Loves my shit, I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get…” From the clown prince of rap to the martyr Marshall, Em enters his third stage on this album, defeated but defiant nonetheless.
The second track, “Business”, features Em taking the bleak, dark tone from the first track and carrying it through to an attack on the rap industry of the time, playing he and Dre as a Batman and Robin taking on the Joker (Insane Clown Posse). Even if you’re not feeling the rhymes on these first two tracks, it’s impressive to note that all the songs of homicide and violence on Slim and Marshall, and yet in two tracks, with rarely a mention of bloodshed, this album takes on a far darker tone than either of those albums as a whole. The third track proves to be one of the most personal Em has ever done, “Cleanin’ Out My Closet”. All the pain that had been accrued in his lifetime, he spits it all out on this track. It’s bleak, hopeless, repentant, and even if he’s sarcastic when he says he “never meant to hurt” his mama, you can’t help but hear the apologetic tinge on this track that would later seep from albums like Relapse and more prominently Recovery. While not as catchy or fun as some of his more well known hits, “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” is one of his most intimate and finest tracks.
“Square Dance” opens with an accordion worthy of the band of corpses from Nightmare Before Christmas, and moves into one of Slim’s scariest tracks (seriously, listen to this with the lights out and try not to feel creeped out). Set aside the bleak, bizarre sounding chorus worthy of being on mixed in with “Revolution #9”, lyrics like:
“Oh yeah don't think I won't go there,/Go to the Beirut and do a show there/Yeah you laugh till your motherfuckin' ass gets drafted,/While you're at band camp thinkin' the crap can't happen,/Till you fuck around,/Get an anthrax napkin,/Inside a package wrapped in saran Wrap wrapping,/Open the plastic and then you stand back gasping,/Fuckin' assassins hijackin' Amtracks crashing,/All this terror America demands action,/Next thing you know you've got Uncle Sam's ass askin'/To join the army or what you'll do for there Navy.” are about as bleak as it can get in the post-9/11 world Em (and the rest of us) had inherited in 2003. “The Kiss (Skit)” finally has Em interjecting some humor into an overall somber album, and smoothly leads into “Soldier”, where finally Em’s rhythm become the focal point of the song, his violent, rapid fire spitting jutting out from the music (while I admire the earlier, more blended tracks, I kinda like the way Em’s rhymes can cut like a razor in the air when pulled from the beat, you know?). The fact is, though, that even this track, which rhythmically and beat-wise sounds like it could fit on any other album, is much more intricately produced. It’s one of the few rap albums I’ve heard to create a sounds cape, like Brain Eno’s another Green World if it were ghetto and grim. Listen to the marching, even the chimes towards the end. There’s a dark beauty to these tracks. The next track, “Sayin’ Goodbye To Hollwood” keeps that dark tone, even though it gets bouncier and lyrically has the feel of something off of Slim Shady LP. “Drips” is under whelming, considering the quality of every track before it. On another album, perhaps Slim, this would have been good, but mixed in with all these dark personal tracks, Obie Trice’s explicitly and unnecessarily specific sexual rap (seriously, it’s kinda terrible) just feels horribly out of place.
Of course, this brings us to the lead single off of the album, “Without Me”. Every Eminem album (besides Recovery) has one of these “time capsule” tracks. Em taking his Slim Shady persona to it’s clowniest, creating a classic video in sharp, brilliant color and zany, high speed antics. These are the tracks that every casual listener remembers, that we know all the words to, but that in the grand scheme of the album, don’t really fit with the tone. Watch this video:
Does this really fit with the album’s feel? The rest of the album (thus far, at least) feels like something more at home with Francis Bacon or Dariusz Wolski rather than this kind of wordplay and color.
But let’s set aside it’s lack of purpose in the album’s theme, and appreciate how fantastically catchy the track is. It’s without a doubt one of Em’s most memorable and most fun, and is definitely in the back of any of my generation’s minds, as we all knew “The FCC won’t let me be” etc. by heart. The next track is a skit, “Paul Rosenberg”, of our beloved Paul from the last album returning once again via phone call to inform Em to leave his guns at home. I guess it goes here as a way to sort of reduce the silliness a bit to lead into one of my favorite Eminem tracks, and indeed one of his most serious and biting, the Aerosmith sampling “Sing For The Moment”, featuring Perry and Tyler themselves.
The first time I heard this song was in 7th grade health class, when we studied the lyrics to this track (as well as “Civil War” by Guns N’ Roses because the teacher was chill like that) to discuss violence in the media. “In the land of the killers, a sinners mind is a sanctum” is really a line that strikes the listener, and makes them wonder if Em’s statement that he’s not very smart is in fact selling himself extremely short. One of the few rap songs I know that I’m certain has to be amazing live with a full band, “Sing For The Moment” is undeniably one of Em’s best, one of his most passionate and pointed, and definitely deserved a better video than it got. Plus, that Joe Perry guitar solo at the end just proves that man can tear it up in any genre.
“Superman” is sorta…bland. It’s an examination of his past relationships, but the misogyny oft complained about in Eminem songs is out on this track in full effect, and a lot stronger and seemingly more unnecessary. Yeah, this is one of those tracks I tend to skip over on this album. “Hailie’s Song” brings it all back, though, as Em analyzes his family life, it really lets the listener into Em’s emotional state. It’s mellow, somber and caring, plus it’s nice to hear him sing (he’s not that bad at all). Apparently he never performs it live, but he had ought to. It’s quite touching to hear him sing and rap with love about his daughter. Hailie has been mentioned on several tracks, but it seems like now on this track she’s no longer just a lyric, but a real part of his life.
After “Hailie’s Song”, we have the return of my favorite recurring character, “Steve Berman”. Em and Steve’s interactions are always a highlight for me, and this short segment involving Em shooting Steve (which is referenced later on Relapse) is a nice bit of fun before “When The Music Stops”, a dark track in keeping with the tone of the first half, as bouncing as “Square Dance” but far more intense and featuring some great guest rappers. “Say What You Say” brings in Em’s mentor Dr. Dre to join him for the track, and while it’s a decent enough beat, the track feels sort of empty when listened to in the grand scheme of the album, and is so forgettable I’m sure most people only listen to this track when putting on the CD and not having the energy to reach for skip. “Till I Collapse” switches of Dre for Nate Dogg, and as one can tell from the get go, is the superior track of the two. The stomp-clap combo (a la “We Will Rock You”) the fury from the rhymes Em spits, that soundscape I so praised at the start of the album, Nate’s perfect vocal hook, it all comes together here to create a brilliantly intense track that is often forgotten from this album but indeed deserves far more attention than it got.
“My Daddy’s Gone Crazy” is by far one of the most unsettling tracks on the album, because of his “touching” incorporation of Hailie (yeah, that’s his daughter’s voice). It’s such a fun track, and it’s nice to hear a girl whose gone through so much turmoil in her life having fun, and I guess this is Em’s answer to “Take Your Daughter To Work Day”, but the truth is I don’t know how great this track would be if Hailie wasn’t on on it. Yet she is, so I’ll admit it’s catchy and fun. This is the final track on the album not counting “Curtain Close”, and I gotta be honest, it’s a good way to end it.
The Eminem Show is undoubtedly one of his best, possibly his best (though personally I’m a little partial to Marshall Mathers LP). It’s got a dark tone and a serious purpose, it shows a maturing artist at the peak of his game, tackling all his problems in stride and producing some of his greatest hits (Em produced virtually the whole album). Nobody summarized this album better than Q Magazine (May, 2006), who said “His two first albums aired dirty laundry, then the world's most celebrated rapper examined life in the hall of mirrors he'd built for himself.” After this album, all of us eagerly awaited Encore, when Em would achieve even greater musical prowess and fill our radios with incredible tracks. And we certainly weren’t let down at all, right? Who didn’t love “Just Lose It”? Right? Right? Anyone? Yeah, it’s all downhill from here in his ouvre, kiddies.
The fact is, if you’re in any way a fan of rap, you probably have already heard this. If not, be sure to seek it out. It’s also by far Em’s most accessible album, so for those of you with weak stomach’s and virgin ears and you wanna get into Mr. Mather’s masterwork, this would be the place to start.
-Mike
Next up (who knows when that will be, though) is a drastic change of tone, #239: Let It Be by The Replacements.
Anyway, let’s kick-off this continuation with Jay-Z’s finest moment, The Blueprint. With the decade ending, every magazine was quick to jump on this or Kanye West’s The College Dropout as the “Best Album Of The Decade”. Now, while I may not personally agree (American Idiot is, but we’ll just let that slide), let’s delve into Hova’s 2001 release and see why these guys made the choice they did.
The album launches in on “The Ruler’s Back”, with a 70’s funk-style beat, and Jay declaring his dominance, which he will assert for many songs and albums to come. Jay lays out his typical, rapid-fire lines, continually reusing the same words in the same rhythmic locations in order to emphasize the sound and meaning. Even if his lyrics aren’t the most eloquent, from track one Jay presents a poet’s sensibility of rhythm. The “Rocky”-esque trumpets that charge in during the chorus only reinforce the regal attitude Jay tries to convey. He displays himself as a larger than life character, a king, an emperor, and charging into track 2, the Doors sampling “Takeover”, Jay proves that while he may be a godfather, that still makes him a gangsta. Rather than try and make boisterous claims of dominance, Jay basically says “Yeah, Roc-a-fella’s got you beat. Just look at the facts”. This song, in essence, is a giant “fuck you” to rapper Nas, whom Jay had a rivalry with (you can read more on that here). However, Jay’s compositional sensibilities and the wide scope of his musical taste show themselves here. Last track was 70’s funk, now we’ve got The Door’s “Five to One” and moments of “Fame” by David Bowie, made dark and domineering. Plus, whether or not you care about the feud, hearing Jay say Nas has “one hot album every ten year average.” has to make you recoil and say “Ouch.”
“Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” brings real a New York hip-hop sound to the album, sampling “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5, though it sounds more like Snoop Dogg than the Jay I’m used to. Shouting out a Ebonics-riddled choral like “H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A” seems so…simple. While the verses are full of great rhymes, the chorus just seems to easy. Moving into the soft, sensual beat of “Girls, Girls, Girls”, one if reminded of Marvin Gaye’s album What’s Going On, the way they use the sounds of people speaking, this time French women, as an instrument of sorts, to enhance the environment of the song. This is the most full sounding song thus far, full of various elements that show that Jay learned from Biggie and made better. The soft, slow nature of the song doesn’t inhibit his rhythm, and his lyrical agility is still sharp and impressive, but now it’s got a much more chill vibe. This is one of those “roll down the windows, it’s summer.” tracks.
The French speech returns over piano, to ease the transition into the hard beats into “Jigga The Nigga”, where Jay spits rhymes about, what else, how much better than you he is. If “Girls, Girls, Girls” is what you cruise to the beach to, “Jigga The Nigga” is the hard, heavy track that makes you wish your Subaru Outback had hydraulics. “U Don’t Know” keeps the heavy beat, but gets even more violent force behind it. Without all the heavy, over-produce backing, Jay-Z’s lyrics hit even harder, and you realize how much rhythmic finesse. Even when he’s talking about the typical rap subjects of money and violence, he seems to speak from a different vantage point. You have to respect that he’s no longer pretending to be “street-broke” like most of the other million-dollar rappers. Jay lives the high life, and he speaks from it. Jay-Z is the Hugh Hefner of rap. You admire him because he lives a lifestyle you want to live. Sharp dressed, wealthy, making records, clothes, and hitting the town like he owns it. Jay-Z is the modern-day American dream, and there’s an air of class to even his most crude rhymes.
“Hola’ Hovito” is Timbaland’s contribution to the album, before he was the hero of the Billboard charts that he is today. That bouncy beat, the computerized back-ups, the Danny Elfman-esque slightly creepy vibe, “Hola’ Hovito” is definitely unique, and causes even the most stiff people to bounce in their seats. Jay seems to understand the significance of the sound of a word more than the meaning, and manages to use “motherfuckers” several times to rhyme itself, but never once does it feel foolish or ignorant. The rap-less ending, however, really highlights what a great platform Timbaland crafted for Jay’s lines. If you ever want to understands why Timbaland is revered as he is, play this track. “Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love)” begins with Jay saying how Biggie predicted the trials Jay himself now faces (“My nigga Big predicted this exactly/Mo’ money, mo’ problems-gotta move carfully”). Sampling “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” by Bobby Blue Bland gives the song that air of 70’s New York, the kind you saw in Midnight Cowboy, Fritz The Cat, and American Gangster. If on the Black Album, Jay tells us a bitch ain’t one of his 99 problems, here’s where he tells you what those 99 problems are. It should be noted, if it wasn’t obvious, that a certain Mr. West’s hand was in this track, as “Takeover”, “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” and the next track, the gently triumphant “Never Change”. “Never Change” takes on a gentle beat that’s so richly soulful that even lines like “I’m still fucking with crime, ‘cause crime still pays” and “where your balls at” sound inspiring, until you think about the words themselves. But that’s a testament to Jay-Z, that his delivery of the lines are so musical you don’t even need to listen to the lyrics to enjoy the track. Typically, I hate rap listeners who ignore the meaning of the lyrics, but if you’re one of those, this track’s perfect for you.
The feel keeps on through “Song Cry”, but this time Jay really is speaking from a honest and emotional point. The song is about the dissolution of a relationship, and the recognition of his mistakes. It’s impressive to watch him step away from praising himself and talking big, and instead opening himself up and admitting that he’s a mortal who makes mistakes. “Shit, I gotta live with the fact that I done you wrong forever.” shows Jay-Z’s inner turmoil, while “I can’t see them coming down my eyes, so I gotta make this song cry” recalls to every man that inborn desire to hide all emotions so as to not appear weak. Undeniably one of his most honest, beautiful, and best tracks to date. “All I Need” seems to be Jay recovering his “street cred” after bearing his soul, calling out all the younger rappers trying to challenge his supremacy. “Renegade” features Jay (most magazines’ choice for “Artist of the Decade”) rapping alongside the producer of the track, Eminem (the true “Artist of the Decade”). This song takes on a much darker, horror-film-vibe, as is typical of Eminem’s oeuvre. Jay, on this track, proves that he can keep up with Mr. Mathers (which is near impossible, just listen to “Forever”), with both of them talking about their typical themes, Jay about rising up from the streets to become wealthy, and Em about being an unintentional role-model to kids. This track is the darkest on the album, full of quiet, subdued rage, and it is here that you see these two prove why they are the kings of this new empire of rap.
The “final” track, that is, the final track listed on the album’s back is “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)”, one of the many tributes Jay gives to his mother and family throughout his career. The track samples “Free at Last” by Al Green, and serves as a musical “thank you” note to everyone that raised him, while lamenting his father’s disappearance. This emotional track would have served as a good finale, but after a pause, the first hidden track “Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)” jumps in, which starts with Jay speaking about his creative process, then charging in with one of the album’s more intimidating tracks, where Jay expels his virtues and skills, and flipping lines around with such acrobatic agility as to be almost unintelligible. Following that is a remix track 4 of “Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)” which allegedly features guest vocals by the late Michael Jackson, though this has yet to be confirmed. Personally, I don’t believe it, but if it is him, I have a new-found respect for the man.
All in all, The Blueprint is a phenomenal rap album for the fact that it’s indescribably great. Read over this review, and almost nothing I say indicates why this album is as praised as it is, and that’s because it’s just the feel of the album, the sick rhymes and brilliant beats. It’s an undeniably enjoyable album, and the portrait of a truly gifted artist at his best, and it brought a little light to a New York ravaged with tragedy (it came out on 9/11). I recommend it highly to anyone looking for a good album for a long ass drive with the windows all the way down and the bass all the way up.
Next up (I’m gonna try and play catch-up as best I can) is #325: Slowhand by Eric Clapton.
While now seen as a rapper who’s albums are riddled with personal confessions, in 1999 Eminem peaked into the popular culture as the merry prankster going by the alter ego Slim Shady, a manic man-child with a sophomoric sense of humor and a moral compass which ranges between Charles Manson and Alexander DeLarge of A Clockwork Orange. After his “debut” with The Slim Shady EP, Dr. Dre’s pale prodigy took to the studio to lay down his first full album.
It begins with a “Public Service Anouncement” denouncing anyone who takes the music literally, while maintaining that tongue-in-cheek attitude that courses through the veins of this whole album. This launches into the first official single ever released by the man who, in my opinion, is the artist of our generation for good or for bad, “My Name Is”. Mr. Mathers found a clever way to submit to the popular rap trend of repetitive lyrical identification by creating a hook so catchy you don’t mind. Lyrically immature in the most playful way, like that guy who tells dirty jokes in the middle school hallway, this song does exactly what he wants to do with his singles, create time capsules of the era they come to exist. Eminem’s ability to craft ever-unpredictable rhymes proves that he truly does have a fine grasp on the English language, despite what his “uneducated” personae would have him convey. Bawdy humor, unpredictable statements, and shocking attitude ever-present, on one track slim Shady proves to be the Moliere of our day.
The second track, “Guilty Conscience”, features his mentor Dr. Dre playing the angel-on-the-shoulder to Eminem’s temptation. You can choose to view this “duet” as either a social statement, an attempt to perform a public service, or just a way to further pad Eminem’s reputation as an over-the-top bad boy. The second verse’s reference to Kids lends credence to the second option, but overall I lean toward the third. Eminem spends this album trying to build an image in the same manner Alice Cooper did decades prior. A shock-rock attitude in hip-hop. Eminem clearly isn’t a real gangsta, he lacks the “street” experience of N.W.A., and instead waxes lyrically about being insane and murderous, on a track like “Brain Damage”, in such an over-the-top manner that any parent who chooses rather to ban the music than explain to their children the difference between endorsement of violence and pure fantasy deserves the breakdown their child eventually suffers when he hits the real world.
The album is the premiere of some of our favorite characters, like “Paul Rosenberg” and “Ken Kaniff”, and after the first, “Paul”, we see Marshall create a rap that feels like an homage to his elders, 2-Pac and Biggie, on the track “If I Had”, but even then he shows his flair for fitting rhymes and words in ways no one else would think to. Afterward, we get to one of his most controversial tracks, the song clearly depicted on the cover, “’97 Bonnie And Clyde”. Told through the voice of a father taking his daughter with him to throw his freshly murdered wife’s body into the ocean, this is the start of the infamous Kim song-cycle that would form over Eminem’s career, a barrage of attacks on his ex-wife that would appear on almost all of his albums to date. However, with Eminem’s playful lyrical delivery, most of us who have any sense can recognize the song as a revenge fantasy, similar believe it or not to the song “How To Kill A Man” from Bye, Bye Birdie. Yeah, in fact, that’s more graphic, as it shows a man get killed in several ways) but the version of the song I like more is the haunting cover as performed by Tori Amos on her album “Strange Little Girl”.
Those who criticize this track as disgusting seem to forget that this type of song is as old as American folk music. The murder ballad has been a staple of folk music for decades, most famously revived by Nick Cave on his album “Murder Ballads”, and unforgettably by Johnny Cash in songs like “Cocaine Blues” and the famous line “I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die”. So, you know, if you’re gonna attack Mr. Mathers, you better ban Johnny Cash too. Yeah “Bitch”, you’re disgusted by the modern day answer to “Mack The Knife”.
Eminem seems to predict the shit-storm headed his way on the song “Role Model”, and gets existential on a line often ignored: “How the hell can I be white? I don’t even exist.”. Eminem seems to understand that Slim Shady, and indeed Eminem, is a public persona, filling a niche, and that were he not the one to do so, someone else would. You can’t destroy the desire for anti-social, anti-moral entertainment. It releases aggression and provides a catharsis for those who would never commit the crimes described, the same reason games like Grand Theft Auto have sold so well. Did I want to grow up to be just like Eminem? No. But it got me and my whole generation’s aggression out, so we could live vicariously through his words and not have to grow up just like him, you dig?
After “Lounge”, the clear sign these guys were having a good time, we charge into “My Fault”, with the second reference to Harmony Korine’s Kids, when he asks who’s in the bed (“It’s me, Telly” is a reference to the protagonist of the film, Telly), and tends to examine the same theme, by telling the story of your average idiot at a party, reacting to a girl having a bad reaction to mushrooms. Every thing Eminem says to this girl you know has been said by some party-going asshole at one time or another. Hell, Eminem could have written Kids himself. And on that note, and Harmony and Eminem please collaborate?
After “Ken Kaniff”, we charge into my least favorite track on the album, “Cum On Everybody”. Any time I want to argue that Eminem is a poet, a social critic, or anything more than a little boy with a foul mouth and a record contract, the argument always ends with “Cum On Everybody”, at which point I lose my ability to defend it. Maybe Josh can do better than me. “Rock Bottom” samples “Summertime” from Monday’s album, and Eminem really lets it rip on these rhymes, his speed foreshadowing his delivery on his triumphant return this past year on that song with Drake, Kanye, and Lil’ Wayne, remembered not by it’s name but as “That song where Eminem raps with a bunch of other guys who can’t hold their own next to him.” “Rock Bottom” also foreshadows the flood of touching personal confessions that would appear on albums like The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show, and Relapse.
This is followed by “Just Don’t Give A Fuck”, which was the unofficial first single, though I’m glad they went with the clearly superior “My Name Is”. It’s not a terrible song, but it’s only ok. I’d much prefer the “I Just Don’t Give A Fuck” performed by 2-Pac, and yes, I did just discuss these two tracks comparatively as if they were art rather than complaining rants. I’m sorry, but there’s very little artistry to this track, and usually I skip this one over when I listen to it. “Soap” is a bizarre interlude that proves that “As The World Turns” really did get it’s title from a soap opera. It’s impossible to tell whether Eminem is rapping with conviction or a sense of humor, but either way this track is fun on the album, but not one I’d choose to listen to if I had to pick one track. By the end, the lyrics sound like a scene from Heavy Traffic more than a soap opera, but either way, I stop caring before the track ends.
Thankfully, the self-proclamation habit of rap actually saves the day, when after two sucky track, “I’m Shady” has a soft beat that makes this feel like he’s just freestyling, and gives the track a fresh feel sorely lacking on the last two. That freestyle feel also excuses some of the more sophomoric lyrics. “Bad Meets Evil” and “Still Don’t Give A Fuck”, the final two tracks on the album, are fine tracks, but they are the weaker bookend when compared to the first two tracks (not counting the “Public Service Announcement”).
While Infinite may have been his first album, I’m totally ok with ignoring it and pretending The Slim Shady LP is the triumphant debut of the man I believe to be the artist of the 00’s (care to argue? Seriously, I’ll defend it to the bitter end). While not as good as his follow-up The Marshall Mathers LP, this is as impressive as debut albums can get for a shock-rocker. Eminem established a whole unforgettable personae on this album, while crafting instant classics like “My Name Is” and “Guilty Conscience”, proving that you can make it in rap by not taking yourself seriously at all. I recommend this album highly, if for nothing else than to get a time capsule of the decade in which I came of age, and if you dislike songs about violence, or songs with obscene language, well…grow some balls. This album is a classic, and I’m pretty sure will stand the test of time. Or at least I hope so. The 50’s had Elvis, the 80’s had Michael Jackson, and we have our new king, Eminem. Long live the king.
-Mike
See you guys tomorrow for #498: Tres Hombres by ZZ Top. And welcome back Josh Paige. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“I just drank a fifth of vodka… dare me to drive?”
In 1999, kids in America were listening to rap. Of course they were. No matter how hard parents tried to take it away, it was always there. Kids were always quietly playing Wu-Tang and Biggie in their walk-man, hiding in their bedrooms and silently being exposed to the hardcore gangster world. Parents had to be cautious of the music their kids were listening to, especially in the 90’s. It was that decade where rap would change forever. Parents were always aware of the infamous “Parental Advisory” label on the cover of the albums and knew exactly what came with it: explicit content… single-handedly the most crucial element in hip-hop, which the people loved and the parents loathed. Explicit content is what balances “good from bad,” “right from wrong,” basically proposing the question, “What are they really saying here with all this language?” Since the late 80’s, rap was exposed to foul language. We had N.W.A giving valuable morals such as “F*ck tha police.” Wu-Tang Clan showed us that they were nothin’ to f*ck wit and Public Enemy told us to fight the power. Rappers emerged and progressively became bigger and better and with that, became more offensive. Artists such as Biggie and 2Pac set the bar to a new level giving their audience a breakdown of the thug life and the realities of being shot at in the hood. Parents knew what to expect from rappers such as these. Parents were aware of what a bad influence these artists were. But what the parents never expected was that one single, bleached blonde white boy from Detroit would be more influential, more explicit and more offensive than any of them.
On February 23, 1999 “The Slim Shady LP” hit the shelves of every music related store in America and it was this moment that the world was officially introduced to Marshall Mathers, more widely known by his notorious alias “Eminem.” There are so many reasons why this first LP of his should be recognized, mostly because we’re introduced to a guy who looks like he came out of N’Sync but with a lot more anger issues, who goes on to talk about rape, mushrooms, murder and not giving a f*ck. The craziest part is he goes about addressing some of these issues in an almost comedic fashion, immediately pointing out what a sick bastard this guy really is. Through his realistic anger issues and his blunt yet relatable stories involving the real world, he does not hold back; not even one bit and through this unheard, brand new, much different approach to explicit content we get quite a taste of who “Slim Shady” truly is, right from the very first track.
From the opening “Public Service Announcement,” we get a true preview of what to expect from this album though no one, not even the hardcore Wu-Tang fans, was ready for kind of material lied ahead. We hear the comical tone in the voice of the announcer, giving a small introduction for what fits this album and Eminem perfectly,
“This a Public Service Announcement, brought to you in part by Slim Shady. The views and events expressed here are totally fucked and are not necessarily the views of anyone. However, the events and suggestions that appear on this album are not to be taken lightly. Children should not partake in the listening of this album with laces in their shoes. Slim Shady is not responsible for your actions. Upon purchasing this album, you have agreed not to try this at home. Anything else?” We hear a young Eminem’s voice for the first time, “Yeah… don't do drugs,” which leads right into the opening song which would immediately blow up and become his first hit.
“My Name Is” of course, represented the beginning of what would be Eminem’s future “joke tracks” which are basically the stupid songs, one from every album, which are extremely catchy, very funny and without a doubt, highly offensive in the best way possible. There is far too much to say about this song because it is so frightening how appropriate it fits as the very first song. Picture being a kid, popping this in your CD player for the very first time and hearing… “Hi kids! Do you like violence? Wanna see me stick Nine Inch Nails through each one of my eyelids?” while children are chanting “Yeah, Yeah!” while it continues, “Wanna copy me and do exactly like I did?Try 'cid and get f*cked up worse that my life is?” Wait… what did he just say? And if you think that’s bad, the next line picks it right up, “My brain's dead weight, I'm tryin’ to get my head straight But I can't figure out which Spice Girl I want to impregnate.” … I’m sorry… What? Did he really just say that? It is from this first verse of his very first opening song that proves this guy’s got balls. It would seriously be appropriate to copy and paste this entire song right now because from start to finish, it is filled with consistent non-stop rhymes where every line shocks you just a little bit more. Between openly talking about smoking a “fat pound of grass,” stapling his teacher’s nuts to a stack of paper, drinking a fifth of vodka and being dared to drive, there is no secret regarding this man’s insanity. But what makes this song so great is that it’s not just made for sh*ts and giggles. He’s balls out in your face, telling it like it is and he does not give a f*ck what anyone thinks about him; this, we would find out from him officially, thirteen tracks later. In fact, the line that puts this song and who he is in to full perspective is shortly stated with “I don't give a f*ck, God sent me to piss the world off!” The basic outcome of this whole song is… Damn!
The following song, “Guilty Conscience,” was another hit that shortly blew up. While still consisting of some witty lines, this is the first time we see Eminem take a more serious turn. Featuring his producer/rapper, straight outta Compton and N.W.A., Dr. Dre, Eminem takes on the idea of, obviously having a guilty conscience. The song is played out in such genius format, Dre being the angel on one shoulder while Eminem plays the devil on the other, as we see three victims being followed by their Jiminy Crickets. This is one of my personal favorite tracks from the album because it has such consistent flow while really sending out a message. The best part about the message is that people end up following what they want to do, as opposed to the “right” thing to do, point proven when Eminem and Dre succeed in convincing a man to murder his wife and the man she’s cheating on him with, included in the final verse my favorite line from Eminem, “F*ck slittin’ her throat, cut this b*tch’s head off!”… Damn Marshall, you scary. But thank you, for being honest. There’s a funny nod to Dr. Dre being the “angel” figure when Eminem calls him out for claiming he’s “Mr. AK, comin' straight outta Compton y'all better make way,” wondering how Dre can tell this man not to be violent. It’s mildly twisted how Eminem presents his morals.
The following few tracks continue the even flow of rhymes, jokes and twisted stories. The fourth track, “Brain Damage” is more of a sad story about a young Marshall being bullied in grade school and everyone believing he was just a crazy kid on drugs. It’s the first time we really feel bad for the guy. He never usually goes out of his way to make people feel his pain, but when he does you know he means it. This song isn’t the great example of that but either way you still feel it. The song is followed up by a short skit in which the first time we hear “Paul” (Rosenberg), for the first time. Rosenberg is Eminem’s manager and here we hear him on what sounds like an answering machine, very appropriately telling Slim to “tone it down a bit.” It’s odd hearing a complaint come from his manager because it’s not someone expected, which makes it funny. Little did we know that this small voicemail from Paul would be a tradition kept on every one of Eminem’s albums to lighten the mood. The sixth track, “If I Had,” is also a somewhat depressing song but unlike “Brain Damage,” it’s not so much pity we feel; it’s the pragmatism Em presents, putting the whole world into realistic perspective. He basically addresses the world as fake; friends are really enemies with disguises, money is the root of all evil; etc. But when it really comes down to it, if he had it his way, he would make the world an even more terrible place because he’s saying no matter what, he couldn’t make it better. With a million dollars, he’d buy a brewery and turn the planet into alcoholics; he wouldn’t have enough because he’d still be robbing armored trucks, and if he had one wish it would be to have a big enough ass for the whole world to kiss. As always, he’s realistic and straight to the point.
“97’ Bonnie & Clyde” was originally recorded in 1997 (obviously) and featured on an earlier EP produced by Dr. Dre, but restored just for this album. There are one too many things to say about this song, the first and most important being that of all of Eminem’s talk of rape, drugs and murder, this is one of the few songs that truly disturb me. This song is crucial to this album and what would be Eminem’s future career, because it consists of the two most important elements that would create a basis for his heart-filled, realistic lyrics for years to come. Those two elements are Kim and Hailie. We’re not gonna get into the back story since everyone should know it, but these two people would influence Eminem’s truest songs. Kim is, at the time, Marshall’s divorced wife he met in high school and Hailie is, at the time of the recording, their two-year-old daughter. “Bonnie & Clyde” is possibly one of the most twisted yet heart-felt songs Eminem has ever written, because not only is it about a car ride to “the beach” to dispose of his wife’s corpse, but it’s being told to his two-year-old daughter. Inspiring the album cover, with a woman’s pair of legs hanging out of the trunk of a car on a bridge, overlooking the ocean at night, this is without a doubt, one of the darkest songs I’ve ever heard. Without getting too much into it, it basically consists of Eminem explaining what happened to mommy, where they’re going, why they’re going, wrapped up with a repeated chorus, “Just the two of us.” There’s something about having a dead body in the trunk being told to your baby, momma’s “takin’ a little nap” and that smell must be from them “running over a skunk.” Every line is taking the event of the death of this little girl’s mother’s death and being put in a cute, childish format. Between the “boo-boo” on momma’s neck and the “ketchup” spilled on her shirt, there are too many reasons why this song is so twisted. To shed light on this little number, the song truly does express Marshall’s feelings and love for his, at the time, one and only baby daughter. To portray his ex-wife as dead and being told to their only daughter is quite the middle finger Eminem is giving to Kim. When attacked by the media for this song, the rapper defended himself by saying that his lyrics are for entertainment purposes only and are not to be taken seriously. This is the only the beginning of the love for Hailie, the hatred for Kim, and the anger of the public.
The next few tracks shed light on the album in their own, typical twisted ways. With the end of “Clyde,” we feel rather disturbed by Eminem and he obviously knew that by appropriately adding in the next skit, titled “B*tch,” basically consisting of some b*tch complaining to her friend over a phone call about how it’s the most disgusting thing she’s ever heard in her entire life… Well done, Eminem. You already know your audience very well. The following song “Role Model,” is somewhat comedic in its own way. The whole thing basically sums up a sarcastic message, “Don’t you wanna grow up to me just like me?” It is filled with a number of things; all the crazy sh*t Eminem does and would do just to prove how nuts and how much of a “role model” he really is. It is the exact opposite of politically correct; from breaking your legs till the bones poke through your skin to tying a rope around his penis and jumping from a tree, he basically gives a list of the things he does which happen to be exactly what one should not try at home. The music video consists of him mocking Houdini, being chained upside-down being lowered into a water-filled tank. Irony, much? The next skit “Lounge” is basically an introduction for the next song, as well as the second act of his album (yep, it’s only half way done). It consists of a group of guys who sound like they’re on something, or they’re at a drunk karaoke session, chanting out a familiar tune “I never meant to give you mushrooms girl, I never meant to bring you to my world, now you’re lying in that corner crying,” the perfect introduction and chorus for track eleven.
“My Fault” is more or less an apologetic story with a very comedic feel to it, and there’s really nothing more to it than the chorus. Like previewed in the skit beforehand, it presents a catchy tune, “I never meant to give you mushrooms girl, I never meant to bring you to my world, Now you sitting in the corner crying, And now it's my fault my fault.” Eminem is sorry for giving a girl mushrooms. Isn’t he sensitive? The next skit, “Ken Kaniff” is very much like “Paul” in the sense that it would be a recurring skit on other albums. The only difference is, Kaniff isn’t a manager, but more or less a perverted fan who prank calls Eminem, oddly enough sounding like the killer over the phone from “Scream,” saying obscene and disgusting things. It’s an obnoxious bit but just goes to show what kind of fans Eminem could have in the world. There is one funny reference here when Eminem picks up the phone and asks, “Who is this, Cage?,” regarding the accusations of copying the styles and subject matters of the underground rapper, Cage. Other “rappers” accused Eminem of copying their style when he blew up. Take Joseph Bruce, from “Insane Clown Posse,” for example. While promoting his EP, Marshall invited Bruce to his EP release party as a sign of reconciliation that he was not thieving anyone’s music, especially not from “rappers” such as Insane Clown Posse. But when Bruce refused to appear because Mathers had not agreed to ask him for permission to use the group's style, he took it as a personal offense and later did what he does best; attacked them through his music. Those fat bastard clowns are just jealous because their music sounds like something that came out of their ass.
“Cum on Everybody” is more or less Eminem’s fun version of “this is me; f*ck the world; I don’t give a f*ck,” more or less, what he’s trying to drill into our brains. It’s got the usual styles and lyrics that show he doesn’t care how offensive he is, even to those who are dead, especially found with the opening lines,” My favoite color is red, like the blood shed, from Kurt Cobain's head, when he shot himself dead”… damn Marshall.
“Rock Bottom” is a personal favorite of mine because the lyrics are so true. Not only are they true but they can relate to anybody. In life, everybody hits a “rock bottom” and Marshall understands that just like anyone else. This is his way of not saying “I have money; I’m bad; I’m crazy.” This is a redeeming number from his murder and drug-related songs. This is also this starting point of my favorite part of the album: The end of Act II. With Rock Bottom, he calls out the people who aren’t at that point and who can’t relate to him in the slightest, “This song is dedicated to all the happy people, All the happy people who have real nice lives, And who have no idea what it’s like to be broke as f*ck.” And with all these lyrics we know that’s exactly who he’s talking to. Every single line here expresses how broken he feels in the most heart-felt way possible. This song really captures who he strives to be and how painful life really is. In a way, this number is his “Get Rich or Die Tryin,’” which would appear six years later. It’s him telling it like it is, showing that he’s been poor; he’s been suicidal; he’s been depressed, just like any normal human being and he couldn’t be any more true with his chorus, “When this life makes you mad enough to kill, When you want something bad enough to steal, When you feel you have had it up to here, Cause you mad enough to scream but you sad enough to tear,” he knows what it’s like.
“Just Don’t Give A F*ck” is another personal favorite. What’s so great about this song is that he’s been sending this message all throughout the album, but if you’ve been offended by this attitude from the previous tracks, this one just sums it all up in about four minutes. Every line is just full of consistent flow that makes him sound untouchable. He literally puts himself into perfect perspective, “I'm doing acid, crack, smack, coke and smocking dope then, My name is Marshall Mathers I'm an alcoholic, I have a disease and they don't know what to call it.” It’s like he’s possessed with something that just erupts out of his system. He’s out to get anyone and everyone “Better hide your wallet cause I'm coming up quick to strip your cash, Bought a ticket to your concert just to come and whip your ass.” With this song, he just comes right out and says he doesn’t care who you are or where you’re from. This song is the perfect example of why people love him; why people hate him and why people love to hate him. Never have we seen such an attitude from rappers; from anyone and he puts his whole self into perspective that would make him infamous for his “just don’t give a f*ck” attitude.
His next skit, “Soap” is an introduction to his next big number. He mocks a TV soap opera with a conversation between two men talking about love and drama in the most stereotypical, cheesy way possible. In a way, it’s the perfect introduction to his next song because in the skit he’s presenting a form of life that is so unrealistic, as seen on soaps, but “As The World Turns” is about as close to the real life as Em gets. The song is very catchy and realistic as he starts off with the chorus, “I don't know why this world keep turning Round and Round, But I wish it would stop, and let me off right now.” He relates the world to a spinning ride he’s sick of and wants to get off of. In a way it’s filled with such pure genius that reminds me of the striking adoration adopted from the grotesque controversy regarding Andy Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup Cans” bombard, which disaffected the urban living translation of preceding hip-hop artists which has swallowed my existence… Okay, I’ll stop now. The greatest part of this song is the end when he regards to him using his magic trick, and with the words “Go, go gadget d*ck” he “f*cked (a) “fat slut to death.” Pause… what??? It’s sick how comedic he comes off with that last bit too.
“I’m Shady” is a great way of wrapping up the shady part of “Slim Shady.” Basically, this song shows that if there’s one thing Eminem is, it is in fact, shady. Whether it’s terrorizing you with glocks or being the go-to guy for any drug needed, he proves that he’s the man. He presents being shady in a childish-like format referring to enjoying happy things, all going back to being the hero; your friend; when you need a minithin. Like he always does; like he’s been this whole album; he’s shady.
“Bad Meets Evil” is a story told in a western/cowboy style, featuring rapper, “Royce” regarding “Bad” and “Evil” as two people and what if they met and joined forces. Like, “Guilty Conscience,” Eminem and his fellow rapper represent two opposite ends of the spectrum. Where they don’t agree, all hell breaks loose and where they do, they’re a dangerous combination. It actually draws a nice line in Eminem’s career between him being “bad” and the people who call him “evil.” In the end, he’s not really evil… just a little bad. And that’s all he’s saying here. With talk of cowboys and saloons it sheds light on all the “evil” talk as if it were an old western tale. It’s definitely a good predecessor for the album’s finale.
“Still Don’t Give A F*ck” couldn’t be a better way to close the curtains. It takes everything funny and innocent in the worst way possible, presented in “My Name Is” and hits you hard with the follow-up to “Just Don’t Give A F*ck.” Where as in “Just Don’t” he gives his message in more of a funny way, “Still Don’t” is the serious side. This is another personal favorite, like I stated earlier, the end of the album is incredible and this song does the whole LP justice. Here we see Em going on and on, bigger and better, wrapping up everything hitting all his themes presented this whole time. He gives a final punch with his impounding message, like always best seen, in his chorus,
“For all the weed that I've smoked - yo this blunt's for you
To all the people I've offended - yeah f*ck you too!
To all the friends I used to have - yo I miss my past
But the rest of you assholes can kiss my ass!
For all the drugs that I've done - yo I'm still gon' do
To all the people I've offended - yeah f*ck you too!
For everytime I reminisce - yo I miss my past
But I still don't give a f*ck, y'all can kiss my ass!”
That’s it; right there. This entire album can’t be put better than those lines. The whole song represents those feelings. He wraps up this album with a final nod to “Brain Damage” with, “My worst day on this earth was my first birthday, Retarded? What did that nurse say? Brain damage? F*ck, I was born during the earthquake.” Bingo. Done.
And with that, I am sad to say, after this long-ass review, “Still Don’t Give A F*ck” is the finale of the “Slim Shady LP.” It’s a bittersweet song because he goes out in style but we know he’ll be back and better (which is exactly what happens in the next chapter), pretty much the perfect way to wrap up this album. Working our way from the opening “Public Service Announcement” to now, I don’t know how we came so far. It’s been a good journey through Dr. Dre interrogating an innocent man disguised as a conscience, to telling a baby girl her murdered mother is just taking a nap in the trunk, to apologizing for giving a girl mushrooms and ruining her day, to hitting rock bottom, Eminem and friends send off with their pleasant goodbyes. This album was so crucial, not just to hip-hop, but to Eminem and his career. It influenced a powerful, binding friendship between one of Compton’s finest, and it cost Marshall $10 million when sued by his own mother. Tisk tisk, Mrs. Mathers. Keep it up and you just might get your own song or two. After going platinum four times and selling over 9 million copies worldwide, how are you not gonna appreciate this album. It is by far one of the most influential and offensive albums ever and Marshall Mathers broke the ice by saying “F*ck You” to everybody. What’s in store for Marshall in the future? Possibly a career so big that everybody’s a Slim Shady on the inside? Possibly a fan so psychotic that he copies Eminem’s styles all the way to suicide? Possibly another song against his ex-wife, even more violent than the last? Maybe Eminem will just come out and tell everybody this is “The Way I am.” Find out, next time, on “The Marshall Mathers LP!” Seriously everybody, if you took the time to read this whole thing… Thank you so much.
Ok, so it’s been a while, but let’s kick things off right with what some people argue to be Eminem’s best album, The Eminem Show. The album opens with the eerie tones of a soft piano, like a Danny Elfman score, on the first skit “Curtain Up”, and moves into one of Eminem’s most political and dark songs, “White America”. “America, hahaha, we love you, how many people are proud to be citizens of this beautiful/Country of ours, the stripes and the stars for the rights that men have died for to protect,/The women and men who have broke their neck's for the freedom of speech the United States/Government has sworn to uphold, or/(Yo', I want everybody to listen to the words of this song) so we're told…”. Clearly the demons that haunted Marshal so much on Marshall Mathers LP are still here, but from the get go, the album is much more cynical. While tackling the same subject as songs like “The Real Slim Shady”, except now he seems resigned to being vilified, rather than trying to defend himself. “I/ Could be one of your kids, white America, little Eric looks just like this, white America, Erica/Loves my shit, I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get…” From the clown prince of rap to the martyr Marshall, Em enters his third stage on this album, defeated but defiant nonetheless.
