I was a big Eminem fan through his first three albums. The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show are all classic examples of his writing and rapping skills forming a perfect marriage with his subject matter.
That subject matter weaved between his personal demons and the societal impact of his work, and he had provocative things to say about both.
He started to lose me with 2004’s Encore, a lazy and juvenile record, and 2009’s Relapse, which sounded like a parody of an Eminem album.
He rebounded with 2010’s Recovery and 2013’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2, crafting songs worthy of his intricate rhyme schemes and emerging as an even more skilled rapper.
But the follow-ups to that comeback streak were forgettable. I couldn’t name a single song on 2017’s Revival or 2018’s Kamikaze, and I didn’t give either or them more than a listen or two.
That brings us to his latest effort, last year’s Music to Be Murdered By, which was followed up earlier this year with a full-length B-sides collection. When this one dropped, I didn’t even make it through once. Not because of the material but because I found myself utterly disinterested.
Maybe my tastes have changed over the years. I don’t know how I’d respond to the first few albums today, after not listening to them for years. But I think I would still respond to the urgency and passion in that material, two qualities I find lacking in the work of a more mature and established Eminem.
Here’s a track from the B-sides collection featuring two young rappers inspired by Eminem. He’s the elder statesman now, and on ‘Killer’ he proves that he’s still better at the rhyming and rapping part of this than pretty much anyone.
I just don’t know if, for me at least, that’s enough.
(Killer) Yeah
I’m a (Boy’s crazy), I’m a cold-blooded (Killer)
Made all this money from doin’ this (Yeah, look)
d.a. got that dope
[Chorus: Eminem]
Now count it, five, ten, yeah, fifteen, twenty
Twenty-five, thirty, yeah, get the money
Throw it in the furnace, yeah, this shit be funny
Earn it just to burn it, swag drip—
[Verse 1: Jack Harlow]
I used to rock a toboggan
Headphones around my neck, tryna be like Shady
Now the phone that’s in my pocket seem to keep vibratin’
I got all these Ronnie Bennetts tryna be my baby
Tryna fiancé me
I take the steering wheel and drive them girls beyond crazy (Crazy)
I’m on a song with my idol
I’m a cold-blooded version of the song title
I put these diamonds in the ring like they was Shawn Michaels
I can’t put the Louis V inside the wash cycle
I take this shit to the cleaners
‘Bout to cop me a Bimmer, I got a special demeanor
She was mine when I seen her, I’m gettin’ meaner and meaner
Called the front desk and asked for a steamer
I’m a bitch bagger, not a Twitch streamer
I’m eatin’ pizza in Little Italy, damn, I used to hit Caesars
She ’bout to finish, but wait a minute, it gets deeper
Same kid just a bit sleeker
[Chorus: Eminem & Cordae]
Yeah, now count it, five, ten, yeah, fifteen, twenty
Twenty-five, thirty, yeah, get the money
Throw it in the furnace, yeah, this shit be funny
Earn it just to burn it (Listen, uh)
[Verse 2: Cordae]
They say my killing’s horrendous, “How he still in the business?”
Rich as hell and it’s feelin’ tremendous
Ma dukes chillin’ in Venice, compliments of her eldest descendant
Give hell with these writtens, this shit only propel my ascension
I held my position in any situation that’s needed
This year I’m shittin’ on niggas for the way we was treated
I see the impact of all my creations increasin’
My step in time with these Pantheons, it all was divine
I’m in this moment of my life where shit is fallin’ in line
And lookin’ back, I swear to god, you’d think it all was designed
A true movie script, I can’t really ever fuck no groupie bitch
All she got is diamonds on her mind on some Uzi shit
A whole generation of geniuses I’m influencin’
I only hang with real niggas who I’m congruent with
I manifest nothing less than the best outcome
Just watch my moves with this next album, nigga
[Chorus: Eminem]
Now count it, five, ten, yeah, fifteen, twenty
Twenty-five, thirty, yeah, get the money
Throw it in the furnace, yeah, this shit be funny
Earn it just to burn it, swag drippin’ from me
[Verse 3: Eminem]
My sentences are harsh, every single’s bar’s like a verdict
I say it with conviction, but this time you’re not gonna serve it
But as soon as I read it, you know that you’re about to get murdered
When I cap, it’ll punish, then put you in a box like a juror (Haha)
If there’s a rapper I haven’t ate (Where?)
We ain’t battled, either that or they won’t collaborate
‘Cause pad or paper freestyle will settle that debate (Yup)
I call it guillotine style ’cause even off the head, I decapitate
Yeah, bitch, I go harder than Carter III (What?)
But I think your thottie just thought of me
She got a body and bottom like Cardi B
And she be stalking me like I was broccoli
I’m getting brain now like a lobotomy
You probably thinkin’ you had that shit in the bag like it’s colostomy (What?)
It’s a red alert, you better skrrt or try to get on my level first
Bitch, I’d had to shovel dirt and dig a hole to get on yours
You bum-bum (Haha), look at your broke ass (Yeah)
It’s why you’re a bum-bum (Why?) ’cause your shit is so ass (Yeah)
Syllable gun-guns (Chk-chk), spits and goes “Hadoo” (Doo)
Only L that I ever took was when I lost Proof (Yeah)
Only time that I ever got served is that lawsuit when Ma sued (What?)
But, bitch, get out of pocket and I might accost you (Accost you)
Homicides up the wazoo
(Chain) Chain gaudy, probably got more bodi-odi-odies than John do (John do)
Just called Snoop and I talked to him (What?), we all cool (Yeah)
Dre, me and the Dogg good, Doc, we got you
Got a castle with a solid gold floor (What?)
No I don’t, I don’t even got a boat nor
Do I got a chauffeur, but a lot to show for
You don’t wanna fuck around and start no war (Nah)
Twenty more years, I could probably go for
Just like your lip and you got a cold sore
My shit is like motherfuckin’ herpes
You ain’t ever gonna say I don’t got it no more (Bitch)
Literally it’s no quittin’ me, you kiddin’ me?
Dying laughing is the only way you’re killing me
I’m getting rid of ya, get clapped like chlamydia
The wittiest, bitch, I’ll snap like a tibia
You wanna get silly with the bars? I’m frivolous
But I’m as gritty and litty as my city is
East side ’til I die, bitch, I will rep ’til the end like a chameleon
Got a killer instinct with the pen’s ink and they’re in sync like a faucet
How the fuck do I even think of this ridiculous shit?
I’m a quarter of a century deep and I can’t be beat (Nah)
‘Til the day me and the grim reap meet, I’m ten toes down ’til I’m six feet deep (What?)
Windows down in the Benz E jeep hollerin’ at a bimbo, beep-beep-beep
She said she fucks with the M-T-B to the M-B: Side B Slim CD
I can see why you envy me, you get no ass like an empty seat (Haha)
So this shit comes with a warning for all of you punks and you corny
Little fucks, I woke up on my fuck shit this morning
[Chorus: Eminem]
Now count it, five, ten, yeah, fifteen, twenty
Twenty-five, thirty, yeah, get the money
Throw it in the furnace, yeah, this shit be funny
Earn it just to burn it, swag drippin’ from me
[Outro: Eminem & Jack Harlow]
Yeah, I’m a (Killer)
Yeah, I’m a what? I’m a cold-blooded (Killer)
Meet Me In Montauk 
I generally have similar feelings about Eminem’s discography. Even with his better/stronger first comeback material, he tended to take on a more aggressive, almost yelling rap style that I found off putting. I’m glad to see that, at least with this latest offering, he’s returned to a more mellow sing-song rap style. And the rapid fire rapping here is really off the charts impressive.
All that said, I’m sure I looked pretty ridiculous listening to Eminem in my convertible in my 30s, so lord knows what it looks like now that I’m in my 50s.
“Darkness” is the only song I paid any attention to in recent years, and that was largely due to the provocative video where he placed us in the mind of the Las Vegas shooter. When Eminem writes and performs a song such as that one, he’s still one of the most effective performers out there. Today’s song came on my radar just a couple of weeks ago, when Daniel returned home for Dana’s birthday insisting that we listen to how amazing Eminem’s rap skills are, so… I guess he’s accomplished making his name known among today’s 20 year olds.
This remix has been one of my favorite songs of the year so far! I’ve been a big Jack Harlow fan for a while. Something about his flow and perhaps his persona really speak to me. His album “That’s What They All Say” I have played on repeat for a couple weeks at a time. “Same Guy” and “Baxter Avenue” my two personal favorites on there. I don’t know too much Cordae other than his collab with Anderson. Paak “RNP” which is one of my favorite songs to get hyped to. Produced by J. Cole, that song is already a classic.
As far as Eminem is concerned, I completely agree with your opinion that he just doesn’t have as much to say anymore. Any emcee on their umteenth album is going to run out of content, but Em struggles a lil more than most. This is my favorite song that he’s released in a while. Partially, due to his more laid back style of rapping here and on the other end is lyrical acrobatics. One of my favorites of his that I discovered listening to Jay-Z’s album is “Renegade”. That to me is his peak!