Eminem - The Eminem Show

Any lingering doubts as to the depth of Eminem's skills or his potential for raw yet compelling honesty are dispelled on The Eminem Show's first track. Armed with a quicksilver flow and a thundering rhythm track (the record was exec produced by longtime mentor and partner Dr. Dre), "White America" finds Eminem ferociously mauling the hand that feeds him, lambasting his critics, the industry, and the racism that, in many ways, helped make Marshall Mathers more than just another rapper. "Let's do the math," Em sneers, "If I was black I would have sold half/ I could be one of your kids/ Little Eric looks just like this." After the bombast of The Marshall Mathers LP and Eminem's well-noted use of sexual epithets, this kind of material is made more controversial because it actually rings true. From a brutal retort to his long-estranged and equally troubled mother ("Cleaning Out My Closets") to a surprisingly tender ode to his child ("Hailie's Song"), Eminem examines his life, loves, arrests, addictions, failures, and successes with surprising insight, making this a funk-drenched hip-hop confessional well worth the hype. --Amy Linden Amazon.com

 One of my favorite CDs
This is in my opinion the last great solo album from Eminem and possibly the best material he has ever released. This album he still kept it true, but he shows a lot more emotion and a lot less of his original psycho persona that was known on previous albums. This was my favorite album for years and still remains one of my favorites with every song bangable and lyrical. A must have if you love true hip hop and especially if you are an Eminem fan.


1. Curtains Up (Skit) - N/A - Just a skit of the Curtains for his "show" opening.

2. White America - 4/5 - Good song to start the album up with, lots of energy and emotion. Em raps about how he owes most of his fame to the fact that he is white. A racially charged track about the impact of his whiteness in hip hop and America, great song with excellent lyrics and views, but not as catchy as others on the album.

3. Business - 5/5 - This beat alone gets 3 stars, amazing Westcoast funky type beat from the Diggity Dr. Dre! The lyrics are funny and normal Slim Shady-esque before he watered down his witty songs to absolute ridiculous bull. One of my faves on the album.

4. Cleanin Out My Closet - 4.5/5 - Deep song, unlike "Dear Mama" by 2Pac, this is a track to his mama in the worst light. He exposes her abuse to him as a kid as well as lets out all his emotion of his past and present. Great song to let out issues of his life. Not forced and genuine track, can get tiring though after a few lessons though.

5. Square Dance - 4.5/5 - This was my favorite song for a long time. Political track against the United States and the War in Iraq as well as another track stating his purpose in American society. Witty, hilarious, and just plain ILL with the flow. I love this song. The hook could be a bit better, but still rather catchy. The outro with him impersonating rappers is hilarious too.

6. Kiss (Skit) - N/A - Another skit based on a real life event. Eminem is with his friend and spots his wife cheating on him by kissing another man. He runs up to do his infamous pistol whipping and the next song beigins....

7. Soldier - 3.5/5 - For a long time I wasn't crazy about this song, but it grows on you. I had a few issues with the fact he claims he is gangsta when it is rather obvious Eminem may be tough, but is not repping a set. That made this song an issue for me for a while and still to this day bugs me a bit. Other than that, I liked the gritty tale of murder, trial, and nonsensical violence. You can feel his prescence and anger which is something I will always love from Eminem.

8. Say Goodbye Hollywood - 5/5 - Deep song that really hits home. I feel he almost has a 2Pac type vibe on this (not saying he is anything like Pac, nobody can ever be, R.I.P.) but the topic sounds "Me Against the World" ish. He raps about leaving the fortune and fame because of the craziness his life has become. He lets it all on the line and the hook is very catchy along with the ill beat. Fantastic.

9. Drips - 3.5/5 - I would say 3 stars, but the beat and hook are bezerk! The topic is interesting and original, have never heard a song dedicated to STDs before in hip hop, haha! Em's protege Obie Trice delivers a bland off topic verse about discriptive sex with some lady, he doesn't even set the topic until the last few bars which made me feel most of his verse unnecessary. The Bishop in Juice line although played was pretty good though. Eminem rips the song as he always does on collaborations, his verse is good about how he finds out his girl has AIDs and gave it to him. Em saved this thing.


10. Without Me - 5/5 - I don't care if this song is poppy and whatever, this was the ish! I used to blare this song over and over until my homies told me they had enough. Witty, funny, clever, and the Dre beat is bangin', this will be one of my favorite bangers for years to come. This song never gets old! I love it!

11. Paul Rosenberg (Skit)- N/A - Pointless skit, Paul calls him up and tells him to stop firing his gun around. Could have just been placed at the beginning of the next song and wouldn't have wasted an entire track...

12. Sing for the Moment - 5/5 - Deepest song on the album. This was the first time I heard this side of Eminem. He gives it to us full power. He explains he isn't as bad of a person as we once thought, I remember this song shocking me for hearing him say that and deny his alter ego like that. Wow. He wrote this in jail with all the issues on his mind, this may be the best deep lyricality we will ever see from Eminem. Legendary.

13. Superman - 4.5/5 - Another sex/love gone bad song. I like that this one isn't necessarily about Kim but is about some random woman in general because we all know how played Kim gets in his music. I like it, but it took a while to grow on me due to the beat being rather slow. Great hook and nice story telling, I blare this whenever I'm pissed off at a guy or a boyfriend, great "screw the opposite sex" song.

14. Hailie's Song - 5/5 - Although Eminem isn't much of a singer, gotta give him propz for trying. I think this was the beginning of all the rappers trying to sing, oy, should've left it to this. Inspirational and interesting, a song to his daughter. The lyrics and beat alone give it the 5, the singing just is minor, this song is the reason I became a huge fan years ago.

15. Steve Berman (Skit) - N/A - Another Steve Berman skit, haha, funny.

16. When the Music Stops - 3.5/5 - I would give it more but without a hook it gets a little long. D12 and Eminem rip it speaking about music vs. reality. I like songs like these and for once all of D12 gives excellent visuals and performances, nobody lags. Eminem's verse is one of his best verses he's ever done and the beat is rather nice. Just a bit repetitive without a hook or much beat change...

17. Say What You Say - 3/5 - I love Dre and I love Em, but this wasn't the best they've done together. It was good, but a bit bland. The production didn't change up much and it was basic. I was disappointed compared to other work from these two, especially together. A diss to Jermaine Dupri, good, but after a few listens it's just average.

18. 'Till I Collapse - 5/5 - This song blew my mind. Nothing more than that. Nate Dogg murders the hook. Eminem's verses are the best he's ever produced and probably ever will produce. Beat is blaring. This song is......wow, there are no words. Just listen to it and if you don't get this album, at least download this song, this is hip hop at it's best.

19. My Dad's Gone Crazy - 4/5 - Good beat, funny lyrics before they were forced, witty, and interesting. Em put his daughter on and she sounds so cute, haha. I like this song a lot, but definately is not something for younger kids to hear. I didn't understand most of it growing up and now that I'm older I listen to this and laugh my azz off. It's really a genius song for mature audiences, wow.

20. Curtains Close (Skit) - N/A - Ken Kaniff is back and singing his own rendition of "Without Me" as the curtains close, funny the first couple of times then just skippable.

Overall: I give it 5 stars, no album is perfect, but this album was close in my opinion. This is the last real amazing work by Eminem other than his contributions to the 8 Mile soundtrack.
February 13, 2008

 AWSOME ALBUM
I love this album it is the besy Eminem album. Till i collapse i'm fillin these rapd till the day that i drop. January 26, 2008

 This is The Britney Spears of Hip Hop
Eminem is definitely the Britney Spears of Hip Hop. if you like boring and cheap pop music then this cd is a must-have. it sold more copies than mc donalds sells burgers in one day worldwide. and mc donald's restaurants are the right place where Eminem's music should be played. his voice is the most laughable in the history of music, he rather sounds like a duck than a man. this is probably the worst cd of all time and Eminem probably is the worst artist of all time. if you wanna have a good laugh then download this! Eminem was in 2003 what Vanilla Ice was in 1990. September 18, 2007

 The Greatest Rap Album of All Time.
Who writes this stuff? Because this is the greatest rap album of all time. By sales of this artist, eminem you could easly say this is the most popular musical artest of all time. When i listen to this album I feel like anything good, honest, honorable and virtious is possible. With all the product that comes out of record lables and all forms of media. I ask where is the quality? Here is the quality. Hear is humane music made by a human. Caring, kind, gentle, humanitarian, compassionate, kindly, benevolent, civilized, and charitable is what i the think of the lyrics and vocals of the track I 'm a soldier (what a sonny). August 20, 2007

 Third Strike - at his Critics
Em's flow remains strong here. His writing is maybe a bit less creative in this one, with him paying more attention to the tunes, but still good. The raps definitely hold interest, which is why I gave this one 5 stars. Good raps:

White America - Em muses on his success any mabye it having a lot to do with him being a white rapper and so accessbile to more fans.

Business - very bouncy and catchy rhythm. Dr. Dre is featured. A fun tune to hop along with.

Cleanin Out my Closet - a big blast at his mom

Soldier - different sound to it, fast and nervous, edgy like something's about to go down and the rapper is jonesing

Drips - slow, kinda languid rap about STD

Sing for the Moment - mixes Em's raps with the Aerosmith tune. Works well. Em says you gotta reach out and grab your chance

When the Music Stops - excellent fast and chaotic tune featuring a lot of guest rappers. Looks at how a lot of rappers have let the craziness of their music seep over into their lives and the line is blurred, with tragic consequences in the real world.

My Dad's Gone Crazy - excellent tune about Em and his experiences growing up/coming up and how important his music is. He states in this tune that he'll never stifle himself for the critics. Lots of anger in this one, well directed into energy. June 26, 2007

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