Crashing back onto the music world’s radar, Eminem has leaked his newest solo album since 2010, The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (MMLP2). The album is a sequel to his 2000 release of The Marshall Mathers LP, an iconic CD filled with anger, humor and plenty of shock value. In an attempt to shock the world once more, Eminem fills 21 tracks with non-stop rhymes, demonstrating that at age 41 he can still out-spit any rapper in the game- and I’m not just saying that because he is my favorite rapper!
Although Recovery is by far my favorite Eminem album, MMLP2 will definitely be on repeat in my music library for the next few months. You probably know the album’s single, “Berzerk,” which has been circulating the radio waves with its punk rap ’90s vibe. Recently, Eminem also released, “Rap God” and “The Monster,” another collaboration with pop superstar, Rihanna. These songs serve as an exciting and accurate preview for what the rest of MMLP2 has to offer. Plus, this weekend Eminem performed “Survival” live on SNL with Skylar Grey, which happens to be one of my favorite songs from the new release.
MMLP2 opens with “Bad Guy,” featuring lyrics about Eminem murdering his alter ego, Slim Shady, over a sick hip-hop beat that transforms over seven minutes into an intense interlude. The rapper does a surprising amount of singing on this album, like in “Stronger Than I Was,” where he sings for the entire song. Many of the album’s tracks sample other songs throughout musical history, including “Rhyme or Reason” with its use of “Time of the Season” by The Zombies, and Wayne Fantana’s “Game of Love” in the chorus of “Love Game.” In a fitting ending, “Evil Twin” closes the album, addressing the fact that Slim Shady will forever remain a part of Eminem as an artist.
Although Eminem calls out other performers and celebrities in his lyrics–classic Eminem–he also points a finger at himself in many of the songs. He raps about failed romantic relationships, broken hearts, childhood struggles with school and bullying and even apologizes to his mother in the emotional track, “Headlights,” featuring Nate Reuss of fun. The album also features Kendrick Lamar, Sia and Skylar Grey, who frequently works with Eminem. The album’s four bonus tracks are definitely worth downloading, especially “Desperation,” a rock-rap combination featuring Jamie N Commons.
I have interpreted The Marshall Mathers LP 2 as Eminem’s way of asserting that despite his personal and musical growth over the years, Slim Shady is still within him. This album solidifies Eminem’s top spot as a “rap god,” reminding everyone that although he is no longer a punk kid living in the ’90s he can still rhyme like no other. My personal favorite tracks from MMLP2: “Survival,” “The Monster (feat. Rihanna),” “Beautiful Pain (feat. Sia),” “Bad Guy.”
New Music:
- Justin Bieber- “Recovery”
- Britney Spears- “Perfume”
- Eminem ft. Rihanna- “The Monster”
- Mac Miller- Delusional Thomas (Mixtape)