Eminem's Hiatus - Myth

[One Mic]

Why does everyone say Em had a "five year break", or a five year hiatus?

People talk like he literally disappeared for five years straight, and that isn't true at all.

Okay, I appreciate in terms of major studio albums, Encore was released in 2004, and Relapse was released in 2009, but that doesn't tell the whole story.

First of all Encore was released on November 12, 2004. Which is almost 2005 (only 7 weeks away)

Then, singles and music videos from Encore were released throughout the year 2005.

LIKE TOY SOLDIERS
Released: January 24, 2005

MOCKINGBIRD
Released: April 25, 2005

ASS LIKE THAT
Released: June 27, 2005

Then at the end of 2005, Curtain Call: The Hits was released. (December 6, 2005)

Which again, is basically 2006, all but a few weeks. Yes this was a greatest hits type album, but it contained three new songs, and was a #1 album, charting above Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter II".

So two top 10 songs from that album (When I'm Gone & Shake That), accompanied with the music videos carried Eminem into mid 2006.

Then it was quiet for a few months....until Akon x Eminem - Smack That

#1 smash hit in UK, #2 in US.....there was a music video too.

He was also featured on Obie's second album with the track "There They Go"

and then at the end of 2006, Eminem Presents: The Re-Up was released (December 5, 2006)

This was a #2 album, and was only 15,000 copies away from debuting at #1 ... and it didn't even have a single, and was merely a compilation album.

So as it was released at the end of 2006, it was still kind of new/fresh at the start of 2007 and carried Eminem through the early stages of that year. There wasn't much else in 2007, but Eminem had 3 guest appearances in 2007; two of them on mainstream albums which charted at #1 and #2 respectively...again keeping Eminem out there, albeit a very small contribution.

50 Cent x Eminem - Peep Show
T.I. x Eminem - Touchdown
Cashis x Eminem - Pistol Poppin'

Now we get to 2008. What happened in 2008? Not a lot, but this was the year Eminem officially announced his "comeback", his book was released, and he told us officially a new album was coming. Ok, the album he was talking about (Relapse) didn't get released until 2009, but everyone knew he was coming back, and had a #1 best seller with his book. We also got "I'm Having A Relapse" and the collaboration with Trick-Trick - "Who Want It"




DID YOU KNOW?

* From 1998 - 2010, there has ALWAYS been an Eminem track featured on a major studio album each year.

So basically ever since Eminem came out, we have had a new Eminem track every single year. This probably won't end for a very long time.

I've even missed A LOT of other small stuff out.
For example, the LL COOL J PRANK CALL (2008)

So to sum up....I can admit that Eminem was definitely away from the spotlight for a while, and there were periods in time which were extremely quiet, and nothing happened. But to say from 2005-2008 he "disappeared" is not true at all. Even if it was only small, there was something going on.

[Oby One]

Mad propz, I didn't know that.

[xxTrigger1989xx]

It's just he didn't put out an album for 5 years (not including the Re-Up)

Really, we weren't hearing much after 06/07

[Alaine]

all those features are only known/cared by stans to be honest since they're nothing special, at all (they're not singles or best track quality-wise), I probably don't know lots of small stuff like his features or radio appearances if I'm not on this board.

[AnalKiddo]

Because no one gave a fuck about Em in those years, who the hell knows those songs?

It was a hiatus

[Elision]

By Encore, he was already gone lyrically. Just because he happens to be lurking around doesn't mean he was doing music like a real artist. Em was as far away as his fame allowed him to be.

[FreeSpeech]

He did barely anything during these years. Releasing videos and a Greatest Hits album is nothing. His sole contribution to hiphop in 2007 was being featured on Touchdown and Peep Show and a song with Cashis. That is falling off.

[Sam.]

Yes ! that's well put ,it's a fact that he was quiet for a while but he kept on working on a low level .

But it did one good that people never could forget the impact he had on them and he was able to retain most of his fan base (relapse and recovery sales proved that not only that the leaked [unfinished] version of Crack A Bottle which broke a certain Dl record also supports my argument).

But it had it's flaws to as Menzo said a new wave of Hip-Hop came and we can say a whole generation came and went away,what this did was the emphasis on lyrical content faded gradually (Syllables '07 during that time when this new change was taking place shows that even the top cats of the game felt the change) and people wanted only a solid beat a hook ,that is why Artist like kayne and lil wayne are so famous now a days.

And this is the prime reason that kayne album got better reviews than Recovery.

[Alaine]

^ it got better review because it's a better album.

[One Mic]

Because no one gave a fuck about Em in those years, who the hell knows those songs?

It was a hiatus

What years are you talking about exactly?

You can't count 2004, because D12 World and Encore were both #1 albums.
D12 World also spawned a very popular/well known single - My Band

2005 he had a #1 album (Curtain Call: The Hits)
and two top 10 hits; When I'm Gone = #8 and Shake That = #6
AND singles/videos from Encore were still being released throughout 2005

2006 he had a #2 album (Eminem Presents: The Re-Up)
only 15,000 copies away from #1 without any singles / music videos

+ in 2006 he had a club banger & smash hit with 'Smack That'
- #1 in UK, #2 in US

PLAYED IN EVERY CLUB I WENT TO IN THAT ERA. WAS A SMASH



2007 - nothing really in terms of mainstream, no album/compilation releases just a few features that appeared on #1 and #2 albums.

2008 - announces comeback, releases #1 best-seller book, few features, prank calls etc

Even if we're including non-Stans, it was only 2007 & 2008 he didn't really do anything in the mainstream. Once he "officially returned" 2009 contained a #1 album, and #1 single....as did 2010.

You do see my argument right?

[FreeSpeech]

Yes ! that's well put ,it's a fact that he was quiet for a while but he kept on working on a low level .

But it did one good that people never could forget the impact he had on them and he was able to retain most of his fan base (relapse and recovery sales proved that not only that the leaked [unfinished] version of Crack A Bottle which broke a certain Dl record also supports my argument).

But it had it's flaws to as Menzo said a new wave of Hip-Hop came and we can say a whole generation came and went away,what this did was the emphasis on lyrical content faded gradually (Syllables '07 during that time when this new change was taking place shows that even the top cats of the game felt the change) and people wanted only a solid beat a hook ,that is why Artist like kayne and lil wayne are so famous now a days.

And this is the prime reason that kayne album got better reviews than Recovery.

Have you listened to Kanye? He's incredibly lyrical, legit every single MBDTF was a personal song and not made for the hook. Just because he isn't tossing in 4 syllable multis doesn't mean he's not lyrical...

[ShadyVsEminem]

He put out less than 20 songs and freestyles in 5 years,thats why

[Sam.]

Yes ! that's well put ,it's a fact that he was quiet for a while but he kept on working on a low level .

But it did one good that people never could forget the impact he had on them and he was able to retain most of his fan base (relapse and recovery sales proved that not only that the leaked [unfinished] version of Crack A Bottle which broke a certain Dl record also supports my argument).

But it had it's flaws to as Menzo said a new wave of Hip-Hop came and we can say a whole generation came and went away,what this did was the emphasis on lyrical content faded gradually (Syllables '07 during that time when this new change was taking place shows that even the top cats of the game felt the change) and people wanted only a solid beat a hook ,that is why Artist like kayne and lil wayne are so famous now a days.

And this is the prime reason that kayne album got better reviews than Recovery.

Have you listened to Kanye? He's incredibly lyrical, legit every single MBDTF was a personal song and not made for the hook. Just because he isn't tossing in 4 syllable multis doesn't mean he's not lyrical...

I am not doubting his skills ,i heard his album the only thing that i wanted to convey was doing lot's of singing and very less rappin does not make an album gr8 .
Ok now you would say recovery too had lot's of singing but not that much as compared to MBDTF.
Sorry i won't argue on MBDTF v/s Recovery ,that's is not the reason why this thread was made.

^ it got better review because it's a better album.

In your opinions .

[Alaine]

This kinda make me think, the hiatus actually did him something good, if he never got drugs problem & nearly died he would run out of things to rap eventually (which he already showed that around TES time). Now that he had a tragic time and be able to make a "comeback", everyone sympathizes with him & shit. We fans got to say he's a legend with more than 10 years in the game and still going strong when technically he's only working on half of that lol

^ it got better review because it's a better album.

In your opinions .

which is the majority's opinion
j/k, I'm not forcing you to like MBDTF better since I myself like Recovery better, but unbiased MBDTF is pretty much as perfect as a music album can be.
And you don't compare kayne to eminem's music, you just don't, they're different types of musician, Eminem's focus & drawing point is his lyrics, people come to him for the lyrics (that's why not many complain about his horrible beats sometimes) while people come to kayne for musical experience (that's why not many complain about his horrible verses sometimes)

[Sam.]

^ it got better review because it's a better album.

In your opinions .

which is the majority's opinion
j/k, I'm not forcing you to like MBDTF better since I myself like Recovery better, but unbiased MBDTF is pretty much as perfect as a music album can be.

Okay ! that's a sensible reply .