ARTIST: Eminem
ALBUM: The Marshall Mathers LP 2
LABEL: Shady/Aftermath/Interscope
RELEASE DATE: November 5, 2013
Slim Shady Returns
Written by Jeremy Weeden
One of hip-hop’s living legends, Eminem, returns with his latest studio album The Marshall Mathers LP 2. The record is easily Eminem’s best album since his comeback in 2009. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 is executively produced by Dr. Dre and Rick Rubin and the two beatsmiths help Eminem to find his inner rap god.
The album starts with a nod to Eminem’s past and one of his classic tunes, with a sequel to the classic song “Stan” from the original Marshall Mathers LP. “Bad Guy” picks up presumably 13 years later with Stan’s younger brother Matthew seeking revenge against Eminem for the pain he has caused him through his actions or inaction if you will. You can feel Matthew’s pain through lyrics like, “Oh, you thought it was over/You can just close the chapter and go about your life, like it was nothing/You ruined mine but you seem to be doing fine/Well I never recovered but tonight I bet ya/ that what ya bout to go through is tougher than anything I ever have suffered.”
“Rhyme or Reason” features a sample from The Zombies “Time of the Season” and finds Eminem rapping some about his lack of a relationship with his father. “Legacy” is about Eminem’s life growing up and how he came to realize he was special. He also raps about the fact that his aggressive violent rhyming style originated from him being picked on, and the rhymes were what he wanted to say and do to his bullies.
One of the true jewels of the album is “Rap God”. On this six-minute-long track, Eminem shows why he is truly one of the best to ever pick up a microphone. He spews clever lyrics and bravado for a full 6 minutes—letting everyone know he thinks he is the best rapper in the game. Eminem shows that while he may be getting long in the tooth he has not lost a single step with lyrics like, “You don’t really wanna get into a pissing match with this rappidy rap/Packing a Mac in the back of the Ac/backpack rap crap, yep, yep, yakkity-yak/And at the exact same time I attempt these lyrical acrobat stunts while I’m practicing that/I’ll still be able to break a motherfuckin table over the back of a couple of faggots and crack it in half/Only realized it was ironic I was signed to Aftermath after the fact/How could I not blow, all I do is drop F-bombs feel my wrath of attack/Rappers are having a rough time period, here’s a Maxi Pad/It’s actually disastrously bad for the wack.” Later in the song he even borrows the flow from JJ Fad’s “Supersonic” and raps superfast for a minute.
“The Monster” features Eminem teaming back up with Rihanna for the album’s recently released fourth single. This catchy tune is assured to take the airwaves by storm due to Rihanna’s soaring vocals and Eminem’s poignant lyrics about the monster that is fame. “The Monster” is in the same vein as “Love the Way You Lie” and is sure to be another huge hit.
“Headlights” is one of the most personal songs Eminem has ever made, and that’s saying a lot for a man who routinely shares his personal struggles and demons. Any Eminem fan knows that his relationship with his mother is virtually nonexistent and he has rapped about it many times, most prominently on “Cleaning out My Closet.” “Headlights” has the opposite sentiment as Eminem expresses regret for having even recorded “Cleaning Out My Closet.” The song also shows Eminem wondering if maybe he should have done more to have a relationship with his mother as they both got older. He raps about the reason for the hatred he used to feel but also acknowledges that it was hard for his mother as well, and that he loves her and is appreciative of her being both mother and father to him.
Overall, The Marshall Mathers LP 2 is a good Eminem album. While not as good as the best albums from the first half of Eminem’s career, it stands far and above anything he has put out since his comeback and is probably his best effort since The Eminem Show.