Eminem - The Eminem Show (2002)
I get kinda intimidated when writing reviews for albums I love, y'know? I feel like there's some non-existent pressure to really sell the merits of the album to any readers, and that someone will get on my ass about "How come you didn't mention THIS?!" but I try, y'know? Y'know, y'know? Anyhow, if you dug "The Slim Shady LP" and "The Marshall Mathers LP" for their edginess, then you best pack up your bags and come to a completely different avenue, because this album doesn't really have much edgy shit (watch me get tons of feedback about edgy lines on this album, or actually not, because no one fucking reads the shit I write) on it lyrically, at least compared to the previous two albums, with the main focus of this album actually featuring around Eminem's life, with his failing marriage, the abuse he endured as a child, and all of the stress that comes with his fame suddenly come crashing in (because of "The Marshall Mathers LP") much more than it did with "The Slim Shady LP". Eminem's vocal delivery is still smooth when delivering rhymes with so many internal and multi-rhymes, but he sounds fucking PISSED on a lot of these songs, with a common theme lyrically being "The jokes are over, this is who I am" all the while managing to deliver some occasional relatable and even beautiful lyrics.
Compared to the previous two albums which featured pretty good but standard hip-hop beats, the instrumentals on this album are much more rock-based (don't worry, ain't no distorted guitar riffs to be found) on this album, with the drums sounding pretty loud (in a good way) on quite a few tracks, such as the GREAT opening track "White America" in which Eminem goes after America in general for how he was treated in the media, both negatively and even positively, with him noting it -has- to be because of his skin color, saying "Look at my sales! Let's do the math: if I was black, I woulda sold half, I ain't have to graduate from Lincoln High School to know that" and generally goes after not only the media, but also the parents of the children buying his albums, not previewing them before getting them just because Eminem's white. It's moments like that, that show Eminem spitting in the face of the people fucking buying his albums like the dirty lil rascal he is! Of course, that's not to say Eminem only talks about serious shit on this album, it's just rare to hear him rap about shit on this album that wasn't actually happening in his life. You have the great "just nod your head" singles such as "Business" and the infectiously catchy "Without Me", but there's just so much more to this album than those tracks.
It's moments like "Cleanin' Out My Closet" , "Soldier" ("Listen to me spit my heart through this pen, motherfuckers know I'll never be Marshall again"), and "Sing for the Moment" (with a brilliant sample of Aerosmith's "Dream On") that shine the brightest, with Eminem tackling particularly sensitive subjects to him, such as childhood abuse, his wife cheating on him, and finding happiness, no matter how minor it is, in hip-hop. However, the biggest shift from everything he's done before comes in the form of "Hailie's Song", a song with features Eminem singing more than he is rapping, and is just genuinely very tender.. Until he gets to the rap and starts swearing a shitload about Kim. I mean, seriously: "Man, I should've seen it comin', what'd I stick my penis up in?" in a song dedicated about how much you love your daughter? Are you actually fucking mentally retarded? Smh smh smh. Man, this cold weather is making my fingers lock up like a motherfucker. Curse these essential tremors! Anyway, speaking of his daughter Hailie, she actually appears in the track "My Dad's Gone Crazy" which marks the second time that she's appeared in one of his songs, and it fits just as well here as she did in "'97 Bonnie & Clyde"
However, no matter how much praise is given to these tracks, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE knows the real highlight, the thing you've all been waiting for is "'Till I Collapse (Feat. Nate Dogg)" in which Eminem, with the help of a beat reminiscent of Queen's smash-hit "We Will Rock You", launches into a huge, anthemic song about Eminem's place in hip-hop and how he wants his legacy to be regarded after he's done rapping, and generally just HYPES THE FUCK OUT OF YOU to go and beat the living fuck out of someone in a boxing match where their gloves are laced with barbed wire and you're doing it bare-knuckle. -This- is the song that we'll look back on years from now and say "He was the fucking best in 2002".
In an album that thrives off of pain, relatability and overcoming obstacles, music that's nothing like Eminem's previous albums can be found. The anger isn't guided at random celebrities anymore, but is directed at very understandable places. There's still humor to be found, but this album is so much significantly darker than all of the others that came before it. If Eminem's career ended with this album, he'd be a totally undisputed GOAT, but I think we all know what happened after this.. God, it's already got me sighing. ANYHOW, this album? Yeah! It isn't my favorite out of Eminem's unfuckwithable trilogy, but it still says a lot about the work he was putting out that my least favorite of the trilogy (y'know, "The Slim Shady LP", "The Marshall Mathers LP" and this) is still fuckin' great. Steal it from a folder titled "KAZAA DOWNLOADS" from 2002 on the family-computer that your brother initially downloaded it on. You won't regret it.
"Music is like magic, there's a certain feeling you get
When you real and you spit, and people are feeling your shit
This is your moment, and every single minute you spend
Tryna hold on to it because you may never get it again"
8/10
________________________________________________________
Feel free to check out the song previews/buy this album using my Amazon Associate link!
