The "Whole-Other-Level" Eminem Tracks

[FreeSpeech]

OK, IMO everything SSLP-8 Mile was golden. However, there are some tracks where Em just got to a whole new untouchable level. Songs like Rock Bottom or 'Till I Collapse are incredible, but they just can't match the intangible quality of these songs:

The Way I Am
White America
Cleaning Out My Closet
Sing For The Moment
Lose Yourself
Stimulate

The common denominators I noticed on these songs:

-Rock sound, with strumming guitars and a steady, military-type drum, and solemn bells/pianos
-They address Em's biggest issues: Censorship and his feeling of desperation.
-They are 100% serious. They say nothing intended for pure controversy or comedy. Also, obscenities are relatively low for an Eminem song.
-All are produced by Eminem
-All have great rhymes, but don't over-do the complexity of rhyme schemes
-He's angry on every song. Like, not pretending to be angry like on LTWYL or Almost Famous, but genuinely PISSED OFF. If someone had interupted him while recording one of those songs, he probably would have ripped them apart right there.
-He talks a lil at the beginning of each song except Sing For The Moment

Thoughts? I know threads like this have been made before, but just wanted to throw out my observations.

[Sh8dySl1m]

I love all those songs

[EminemBase]

Kill You / Criminal / Square Dance / 8 Mile

[FreeSpeech]

Criminal

Nope, doesn't fit. I love it, one of my favorites, but he's generally just screwing around. It's a comedy/controversy song.

[slimshadylappin]

I think I would put Rock Bottom and Til I Collapse with those songs

[EminemBase]

@ FreeSpeech - Well yes it does fit for me. You can't tell me what I think is 'another level' or not lmao. And, it's not just a comedy song where he's screwing around, that's such an injustice to its concept.

He takes the concept of being a criminal for writing lyrics, merging real crime with lyrical outrage, even committing a bank robbery IN the song. PLUS, it's ALL about execution. Doesn't matter what a song is about, it's the execution, that takes it to another level. And on "Criminal", he's un-fucking-touchable, its production and execution are out of this world.

[murphmanny]

Criminal

Nope, doesn't fit. I love it, one of my favorites, but he's generally just screwing around. It's a comedy/controversy song.

but still on another level lol

[FreeSpeech]

@ FreeSpeech - Well yes it does fit for me. You can't tell me what I think is 'another level' or not lmao. And, it's not just a comedy song where he's screwing around, that's such an injustice to its concept.

He takes the concept of being a criminal for writing lyrics, merging real crime with lyrical outrage, even commuting a bank robbery IN the song. PLUS, it's ALL about execution. Doesn't matter what a song is about, it's the execution, that takes it to another level. And on "Criminal", he's un-fucking-touchable, its production and execution are out of this world.

I 100% realize its meaning/concept. It's one of my favorites, probably more than White America. And I'm not tryin to tell you what you think is best. I can't describe what it is about the songs I listed other than the common denominators I listed, they just can't be touched.

[BILI]

Sry but Rock Bottom>>>>>Any of those songs(The Way I Am,SFTM and LY come close tho)

[EminemBase]

@ FreeSpeech - Well yes it does fit for me. You can't tell me what I think is 'another level' or not lmao. And, it's not just a comedy song where he's screwing around, that's such an injustice to its concept.

He takes the concept of being a criminal for writing lyrics, merging real crime with lyrical outrage, even commuting a bank robbery IN the song. PLUS, it's ALL about execution. Doesn't matter what a song is about, it's the execution, that takes it to another level. And on "Criminal", he's un-fucking-touchable, its production and execution are out of this world.

I 100% realize its meaning/concept. It's one of my favorites, probably more than White America. And I'm not tryin to tell you what you think is best. I can't describe what it is about the songs I listed other than the common denominators I listed, they just can't be touched.

Well then if your reasoning is TOTALLY based upon your taste this thread will become pretty endless and aimless no offence lmao.

I agree with all those songs on the list but, surely there needs to be some kind of... base definition we can all sort of reconcile with of what makes a track 'a whole other level'. I know you listed some common denominators but those were just traits they share...

But, I definitely think "Criminal" is the the upper-echelons of Eminem material. As well as "Kill You", purely because of how overbearing, unrelenting and fearless the execution is. Everything about them clicks to such a magic degree, they melt the brain, they're rap music in its most powerful form.

The way the silent spots in "Kill You" for example are utilized, it's so haunting. And "Criminal" is just him effortlessly bouncing between his various persona's within persona's, the beat and flow are amazing and the final result is... an atomic bomb.

We'll just have to (AND I HATE FUCKING SAYING THIS BUT SOMETIMES IT'S THE BEST THING TO SAY)... agree to disagree (I sicken myself as I type that).

But PS. I realize, all those songs you listed have a 'cinematic' quality if that's what you mean, as in they're larger than life and "Sing for the Moment" for example is like a zeitgeist song for a generation, no doubt. And "Criminal" is not THAT, but... I think there can be different levels within the 'other level' category also. Not all of them have to be as great as each other, but I still think there's songs like "Criminal" which certainly deserve a mention.

[Emadyville]

Interesting points, and I love all of those songs, lose yourself being in my top 3 songs ever, and SFTM being my #1a song of all-time (behind say goodbye hollywood) makes the list more itneresting to myself. white america is on another level, as is stimulate, but I can't speak for cleanin out my closet, cause for some reason I never really enjoyed that song. Cool topic though too

[FreeSpeech]

Well then if your reasoning is TOTALLY based upon your taste this thread will become pretty endless and aimless no offence lmao.

I agree with all those songs on the list but, surely there needs to be some kind of... base definition we can all sort of reconcile with of what makes a track 'a whole other level'. I know you listed some common denominators but those were just traits they share...

But, I definitely think "Criminal" is the the upper-echelons of Eminem material. As well as "Kill You", purely because of how overbearing, unrelenting and fearless the execution is. Everything about them clicks to such a magic degree, they melt the brain, they're rap music in its most powerful form.

The way the silent spots in "Kill You" for example is utilized, it's so haunting. And "Criminal" is just him effortlessly bouncing between his various persona's within persona's, the beat and flow are amazing and the final result is... an atomic bomb.

Yeah it is based on my taste haha, I usually don't make threads like this, but TR is pretty slow today. And you keep bringing up my favorite Em songs haha, Kill You is another one I love. I can't describe what it is exactly about the songs I listed, other than the common denominators.

[hellbound4themoment]

for me... 'marshall mathers' is in or around that group, it definitely ticks alot of the boxes - talking at the start, rock vibe to it, he's serious. this track doesnt get whole lot of praise but its one of his best imo.

[EminemBase]

^ I added a bit more to my post.

Maybe it's what I added that is what you're referring to about these songs. ie. they have a cinematic quality that makes them larger than life and almost outside of his own music, they become iconic in their own right. Timeless and undeniable.

And whilst I agree "Criminal" and "Kill You" aren't that on a broad scale, I still think they have such a deeply magic quality about them where everything is SO right that they're beyond great. But yes, obviously I'm not saying "Criminal" is in the same ranks as say "Lose Yourself"... that's something else. But, I still think it's in the elite ranks of Em material.

[FreeSpeech]

^ I added a bit more to my post.

Maybe it's what I added that is what you're referring to about these songs. ie. they have a cinematic quality that makes them larger than life and almost outside of his own music, they become iconic in their own right. Timeless and undeniable.

And whilst I agree "Criminal" and "Kill You" aren't that on a broad scale, I still think they have such a deeply magic quality about them where everything is SO right that they're beyond great. But yes, obviously I'm not saying "Criminal" is in the same ranks as say "Lose Yourself"... that's something else. But, I still think it's in the elite ranks of Em material.

Poetry to my ears

But nah, you said it perfectly right there.