Album Review Artist: Eminem
Album: The Marshall Mathers LP
Year: 2000
Label: Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records.
Producer: Eminem
- Eminem
Track Listing:
- Public Service Announcement 2000
- Kill You
- Stan
- Paul
- Who Knew
- Steve Berman
- The way I Am
- The Real Slim Shady
- Remember Me?
- I’m Back
- Marshall Mathers
- Ken Kanniff
- Drug Ballad
- Amityville
- Kim
- Under the Influence
- Criminal
Chart Positions:
- # 1 USA
- #4 UK
- #9 Canada
“The Marshall Mathers LP” is the 3rd studio album by an American artist, rapper, songwriter, and record producer Eminem, which was released on 23rd May 2000 by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album is considered as one of the most significant achievements in Eminem’s career. The economical success of the album is revealed by the sales reaching up to 1.7 million copies during the first week after release and 35 million copies worldwide by April 2018. In April 2020, the album marked 20 years after its release. Most artists including Eminem and Lil Wayne have cited this album as an influence in their careers. The release of the album became the foundation of Eminem’s journey in music. The most critical factor in his music was the reflection of the times during the release of the album. Eminem’s inspiration to produce “The Marshal Mathers LP” was rooted in the disappointment of his debut album, Infinite, released in 1996.
Despite being one of the biggest stars in the new millennium, Eminem had invested a lot of energy in his work to produce his album. Similar to his previous albums, Eminem incorporated provocative lyrics in “The Marshal Mathers LP” according to critics. “The Marshal Mathers LP” functions as both a remake and a sequel that references old ideas. Notably, “The Real Slim Shady”, one of the songs in the album became an iconic song in the rap culture. The album, therefore, paved a way for future rappers like Kendrick Lamar to begin their journey in the music industry. The most notable characteristic in Eminem’s songs in the album is the manic speed and erratic rhythm. Consequently, his multiple personas including Marshal Mathers, Chiefly Slim Shady, and Eminem gave him an opportunity to rap at high speed, thus creating a new way of producing hip hop music.
Eminem’s “The Marshal Mathers LP” does meet expectations. Why? The album is an account of what was happening in Eminem’s life at the time. Notably, Eminem grew up without a father and in poverty. Additionally, he lived in a lower-middle-class black neighborhood where he was subjected to near-death bullying. Thus, his music serves as an expression of his anger that he experienced while growing up. For instance, in “The Real Slim Shady”, Eminem presents an anti-society perspective that seems to questions how parents expect their children to be different while observing their behaviors. In this case, Eminem tends to critique the current society through his songs. “The Marshall Mathers LP” helps Eminem in showcasing his rapping skills. The tracks in this album are an expression of Eminem’s ideas and opinions. In this album, he acknowledges the fact that the majority of the media does not care about him. Consequently, he criticizes other celebrities for using shock content such as swearing. Thus, this approach tends to influence the music industry in producing inspirational pieces. The “Marshal Mathers Lp” is mostly about a middle-aged man who refuses to grow up. In these songs, Eminem reflects on his childhood experiences while expressing his disappointment in his father. Notably, the album’s cover is an image of his childhood in Dresden St. in Detroit. While one half of the album complements Eminem’s vocals, the other half tends to be dominated by experimental pop sounds. This combination seems to align with the speed of Eminem’s rap which is distinct from other artists.
“The Way I am”, one of the songs in the album begins with Eminem sitting aloe outside. In this track, he is also seen standing on a balcony where he raps as a crowd gathers down the street. This setting gives a perspective of the influential nature of Eminem. “The Way I Am” captured Eminem’s essence and does not need to talk about his achievements I the industry. Although some critics term these lyrics as violent and inappropriate, Eminem uses his voice to express his anger regarding the situation of society and his life in general.
“The Marshall Mathers Lp” is appealing due to its stylish approach that captures personal experiences and emotions. Although many people lost their lives in “The Marshall Mathers LP”, the album is not about murder. Despite the demise of the characters, the songs represent a mystery. The performance of the “Kim” is unlike actions in movies where violent domestic scenes are presented. In this case, Eminem’s style is to represent the scenes in the form of lyrics about the disagreements between hu8sband and wife. The song portrays Eminem as playing his own wife and performing the sound effects himself. He also made a sound of rustling leaves in the woods by getting some leaves in the studio. The impression of this song is creativity that characterizes most of Eminem’s work. The intense nature of the songs requires full attention from the audience, thus making it interesting. At the beginning of the song, Eminem talks about his daughter, Hailie. Notably, Eminem and his wife take out on a journey in his car and heads to the woods. It is during the journey to the woods where he reveals that he had killed his wife’s new husband together with his step-son (a 4-year old boy). Thus, he reveals how he had killed the two and that they were laying dead as he went on to ill his wife in the woods. The song incorporates a very dark instrumental by Eminem’s production team. The intense nature of the song makes the audience feel like part of the setting while following the events that occur in the scenes. The idea of committing the unthinkable is also another impression of the song. Eminem manages to gain the attention of the audience through the use of unique scenes accompanied by unique voices aimed at expressing the ideas in his minds.
The impression of “Who Knew” is a parody intended to critique parents who claimed that Eminem was influencing their children’s behavior. In this track, he blames the parents for taking his lyrics too seriously and that they ought to have a sense of humor. In this case, Eminem tends to reveal how his lyrics are distant from the truth, thus making them a fiction. However, this approach represents his character in expressing his ideas through rap music. Thus, the idea of addressing the controversies underlying his music through a song is an indication of creativity in his work. The accompaniment of instruments in Eminem’s lyrics ignites an overpowering feeling for the audience. Notably, Eminem’s songs present both a humorous and thrilling experience through unique styles like rapping faster and the inclusion of unique instruments.
Conclusively, “The Marshal Mathers LP” has portrayed Eminem’s creativity in a unique way that helped in shaping his music career. This iconic album has been influential for various artists who define it as an inspirational piece. The most interesting aspect of “The Marshall Mathers LP” is that it will pave way for future generations aspiring to showcase their talents in the music industry. Notably, “The Marshal Mathers Lp” helped Eminem in wining the 2001 Grammy Awards for the best rap album. Consequently, the album won the MTV Europe Music Awards for the best album in 2000. The use of fictional characters in his work has made a significant contribution to his success. Despite controversies brought by critics, the album has contributed significantly to the hip hop industry by helping rappers like Kendrick Lamar in embarking on their musical journey. Despite the constraints faced by many musicians in today’s era, Eminem has strived to build his career in the music industry. The most interesting aspect of the album is that it uses characters to present Eminem’s life experiences as a child. Through musical capabilities and the selective use of instrumental beats, the rapper has emerged as one of the best rappers alive. “The Marshal Mathers Lp” is therefore one of the greatest contributions in the music industry for the last 20 years.
Work Cited
Armstrong, Edward G. “Eminem’s construction of authenticity.” Popular Music and Society 27.3 (2004): 335-355.
Calhoun, Lindsay R. “Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?”: Masking whiteness, encoding hegemonic masculinity in Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP.” The Howard Journal of Communications 16.4 (2005): 267-294.
Eminem. The Marshall Mathers LP. Superd, 2000.
Mathers, Marshall. “Eminem.” Cleaning Out My Closet.” The Eminem Show. Eminem. Interscope Records (2002).
Mojica, Nick. “Kendrick Lamar Says Eminem’s’ The Marshall Mathers LP’Changed His Life-XXL.” (2018).
White, Russell. “Behind the mask: Eminem and postindustrial minstrelsy.” European Journal of American Culture 25.1 (2005): 65-79.