“It really puts everything in perspective.”
Don’t you hate when something tragic goes down and some painted-up anchorman, staring just to the right of the teleprompter, throws in that little ad lib? It’s almost as if they think we need these occasional events of ill tidings to bring our heads out of the clouds and understand what’s really important in life. And, thank God they’re around (at 4, 5, 6 and 11:00 PM) to tell us so.
So, let’s set aside the faux philosophy and ask the question again: Don’t you hate when something tragic goes down?
On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 13 of their classmates and wounded nearly two dozen more during the worst school shooting in our country’s history.
America mourned, the media exploited and Eminem was on top of the world.
His commercial debut album The Slim Shady LP had been released a few months earlier and was approaching double platinum status. While the rest of the country was revisiting our own haughty high school hierarchy through the eyes of Columbine, Eminem spent the summer scooping up every award under the sun.
Talk about timing”¦teen angst was back “in” and the rap game was mired in the last few months of the Master P-then-Cash Money Millionaires era. All that was missing was one of those Astroturf welcome mats and an unlocked screen door. The industry was waiting for its next crossover commodity and the stage was set for Marshall Mathers to make good.
The future (and the present) for so many of our children had never looked bleaker and, whether they wanted one or not, they were about to get a new voice.
In May of 2000, The Marshall Mathers LP was released and moved nearly 2 million units in its opening week. The cover art was gray and depressing and featured Em in front of his childhood home, which served as an incendiary inspiration for much of this album.
Kill You“¦The first of several production team ups between Dr. Dre and Mel Man, this is a very strong opener. Eminem keeps pace over a start and stop beat with lyrics that seem to poke fun at his immoral image and controversial content. This one was cited several times as everything that’s wrong with rap, by people who obviously didn’t get the joke.
I don’t even believe in breathin’ I’m leavin’ air in your lungs
just to hear you keep screamin’ for me to seep it
Stan“¦The biggest hit (non-Oscar division) of Em’s career is a tale of fan obsession gone horribly wrong. It’s the little things that made this such a strong single. The notepad scribbling sound in the background, the raindrops, the thunder, the car crash sequence and the track’s abrupt end serves as silver lining to a sad and tragic story. And, the Dido hook”¦c’mon, what’s not to love?
You ruined it now, I hope you can’t sleep and you dream about it
And when you dream I hope you can’t sleep and you scream about it
Who Knew“¦It ain’t my fault. Or so Em would have you believe on this track on assigning blame and/or responsibility for the actions of his younger fans. The Dre beat gets a little weaker with each subsequent listen and the fact that Eminem would return to this “pass the buck” concept so many times ends up watering down the message in the long run.
And ‘f*ck’ was the first word I ever learned
up in the third grade, flippin’ the gym teacher the bird (Look!)
So read up, about how I used to get beat up
peed on, be on free lunch, and change school every 3 months
The Way I Am“¦Em, himself, handles the production here and the results are pretty good, considering some of his earlier work on the boards. The multi-layered keys and guitar support his staccato flow here. Again, he’s recycled this anti-fame/self-loathing theme several times since, but the Columbine commentary is still relevant.
When a dude’s gettin bullied and shoots up his school
and they blame it on Marilyn (on Marilyn).. and the heroin
Where were the parents at? And look where it’s at
Middle America, now it’s a tragedy
The Real Slim Shady“¦And speaking of recycled, stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Em’s choice for this album’s first single was this outrageous ode to his imitators. Plus, he lines up easy targets like Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Will Smith for some quality drive-by dissing.
And if I’m lucky, you might just give it a little kiss
And that’s the message that we deliver to little kids
And expect them not to know what a woman’s clitoris is
Remember Me?“¦RBX and Sticky Fingaz are alive? Well, they were in 2000 and this one plays well in a “back in the day” kind of way. X, who was signed to Dre’s Aftermath label for years without dropping an album, and Sticky run through their catalog of catchphrases, while Em closes it out with references to Kim, his mom and a bunch of guns. Yeah, I’m shocked, too.
Came home, and somebody musta broke in the back window
and stole two loaded machine guns and both of my trenchcoats
I’m Back“¦The most notable thing here is the Columbine references that are edited out of the last verse. Otherwise, this is a surprisingly strong take on the worn out concept of announcing one’s return to the rap game”¦usually mere months after dropping your first album. It’s all over the map lyrically, but that’s nothing new.
Cause if I ever stuck it to any singer in showbiz
it’d be Jennifer Lopez, and Puffy you know this!
Marshall Mathers“¦An overly long and self-serving diss track, it’s hard to take it seriously when the Insane Clown Posse and XXL Magazine are two of his many targets. Hell, he even goes after his mother’s lawyer, proving his rage knows no bounds”¦but, it probably should.
I’m anti-Backstreet and Ricky Martin
with instincts to kill N’Sync, don’t get me started
These f*ckin brats can’t sing and Britney’s garbage
Drug Ballad“¦Dina Rae helps out on the hook of this appropriately titled cut. It’s a rare detour from the usual subject matter of moms and misery, so that alone gives it a little more staying power. Besides, he rhymes “Marky Mark” with “Bacardi Dark” and we’re handing out points for everything today.
But when it’s all said and done I’ll be 40
before I know it with a 40 on the porch tellin’ stories
with a bottle of Jack, two grandkids in my lap
Babysitting for Hailie while Hailie’s out gettin smashed
Amityville“¦The mainstream debut of Bizarre from Em’s D-12 group, this is probably the second worst track here. Eminem is much better than the pointlessly profane material, while Bizarre seems to be shooting for shock value and nothing more.
Bitch Please 2“¦The sequel to 1999’s smash Snoop Dogg hit, Em calls in favors from Dre, Snoop, Xzibit and Nate Dogg. Everyone brings their ‘A’ game, especially a revitalized Mr. X to the Z, who was gearing up for his own breakthrough album. And Em’s Snoop impression is still high comedy.
I just want you all to notice me and people to see
that somewhere deep down, there’s a decent human being in me
Kim“¦As disturbing as it is disgusting, this prequel to Eminem’s excellent ’97 Bonnie & Clyde cut is absolutely unlistenable. I’m really not sure where the invisible “line” in entertainment is drawn, but the graphically detailed killing of a man, woman and child is probably on the other side of it.
Under The Influence“¦This time, all of D-12 show up to bring Em down to their level. Nothing to see here but cookie-cutter rap imagery that sounds like Thuggin’ for Dummies. It’s frustrating, because the group is capable of much better work.
Two pills I pop, ’til my pupils swell up like two pennies
I’m Clint Eastwood in his mid-twenties
Criminal“¦The album crashes and burns on the last three tracks, as this one incorporates a bank robbing skit in the middle of the song. Quite possibly, the first ever use of filler within filler. Also includes several anti-gay references that were oft cited in the Eminem protests of the time.
Em’s uneven sophomore CD was met with acclaim from some circles and outrage from others. Women’s rights groups were aghast at his violent imagery in songs denouncing his wife and mother. The Gay and Lesbian community believed his words would incite violence against homosexuals. And with the ink still fresh on the high-profile Matthew Shepard murder case in Wyoming, it was easy to understand why so many were concerned.
To the surprise of no one, however, all of these harangues and hand wringing only served to scintillate record sales. And by the time Y2K had come to a close, Hip-Hop History was writing a new chapter”¦on Teflon-coated pages.
Eminem survived the backlash. He survived the boycotts. His standing on the streets was nearly as strong as it was in the suburbs.
His musical Midas touch moved sales of D-12’s debut album past the two million mark. And if you can name one single other than Purple Pills, then it probably had Eminem on it, too.
But, there’s a funny thing about “hype”. When it’s all around you, working its way into every waking hour”¦the worst thing you can do is actually start to believe it”¦and lose perspective.
Next, in Part III of Beyond The Encore, we’ll turn the calendar to 2002 and examine Eminem’s greatest album and most successful single”¦from the fame and fortune to the fall from grace.
