Lookback at Eminem's career: Review of Slim Shady LP [1999]

[Relapse.LP]

What's disgusting? What's funny? What contains material about the disposing of his wife's body with his daughter assisting him in the back? Well, the Slim Shady LP, of course!

Imagine driving your new shiny Volvo around the block and turning on your radio, seeing if anything would catch your interest. Hmm... nothing there. Uh, that's boring. Yeah... whack shit. Wait, what? You go back to the station that caught your interest and you hear... "I'm trying to get my head straight, but I can't figure out which Spice Girl I want to impregnate." What the hell.

It's not hard to believe there was going to be a white rapper. It WAS hard to believe there was going to be a white rapper who outsold almost every single rapper, black or white, in the world. How did he do this? Well, it's called shock value: to shock your audiences through lyricism to get attention.

The Slim Shady LP was released on February 23, 1999. With it's over-the-top violence and defaming of women (mostly his mother and wife), it was heavily criticized as disgusting. It's not disgusting, it's sick. With this album, Eminem has removed the barrier dividing when he's serious and when he's joking and dumped a whole pot of swear words over the whole thing. The whole album grabs your attention and I highly disagree that the skits take away from the overall appeal of the album. In fact, the occasional break from his tracks are clever, funny, and flow very well to his next song. The songs are evenly paced and there is not ONE song I hate. Here's a track-by-track review... Singles: "My Name Is", "Guilty Conscience", "Just Don't Give A Fuck"

1. Public Service Announcement (Skit) 5/5 (Funny, but the "laces in the shoes" makes no sense.)
2. My Name Is 4.5/5 (It's not the best beat but the lyrics are very creative.)
3. Guilty Conscience 3.5/5 (I personally dislike this track because of the narrator. The lyrics are sick though and Dr. Dre and Eminem make a compelling duo.)
4. Brain Damage 4/5 (It tells the sickest story and his flow is good. The chorus does not match.)
5. Paul (Skit) 3/5 (relentless and short.)
6. If I Had 4/5 (An extended whine about how his life sucks. The lyrics are good, but repetitive.)
7. '97 Bonnie & Clyde 5/5 (Disturbing piece of art.)
8. Bitch (Skit) 3.5/5 (Somewhat funny but a little off from his other skits.)
9. Role Model 4/5 (The beat is strange and the lyrics are crazy.)
10. Lounge (Skit) 5/5 (Hilarious. I love this one.)
11. My Fault 3/5 (The worst song. But it has the funniest chorus.)
12. Ken Kaniff (Skit) 4.5/5 (Disgusting and homosexual. But it's hilarious.)
13. Cum on Everybody 4/5 (The drums are good and the lyrics are good. What more to ask?)
14. Rock Bottom 4.5/5 (Another depressed account of his life. One of the more serious ones.)
15. Just Don't Give A Fuck 5/5 (The best song on the album. The lyrics are crazy and the chorus is crazy. If you do not have this song, you're not an Eminem fan.)
16. Soap (Skit) 5/5 (Makes absolutely no sense, but it's really interesting.)
17. As the World Turns 5/5 (The story it paints is so compelling and sick. The beat is decent.)
18. I'm Shady 4/5 (An average Slim Shady track with the signature lyrics and okay beat.)
19. Bad Meets Evil 4.5/5 (Very good duo. The introduction is a little long though.)
20. Still Don't Give A Fuck 5/5 (Legendary. The chorus is the best on the album. Follows very well with "Just Don't Give A Fuck."

Overall- 90% (Excellent)

If you do not have this album, buy it. The lyrics are genius and the beats are banging. This record really shows Eminem at his very early stages. It's intriguing.

[slimsoxshady]

ummmm. ok . good

[Fa-Q]

personally i didnt LOVE the beats on SSLP especially My Fault and Cum on everybody...but whatever...lyrical genius and thats all that matters

[Xray]

personally i didnt LOVE the beats on SSLP especially My Fault and Cum on everybody...but whatever...lyrical genius and thats all that matters

You didn't feel Role Model? that shit was tight.

[R.A.W.]

1. Public Service Announcement (Skit) 5/5 (Funny, but the "laces in the shoes" makes no sense.)

Yes it does. The shoelaces can be used to hang yourself, thats why "the kids should not listen to the album with laces in their shoes!".

[cc20]

Good Review. Especially with "Still don't give a fuck".

[wrestler1256]

for me, I would say the SSLP is his best work. You had so many killer songs on that album. And it was a hard album. Guilty Conscience, Role Model, My Name Is, Don't Give a Fuck, Still Don't Give a Fuck, Brain Damage, Bonny and Cycle, Just the Two of Us.. That album is classic. I would say it's better than MMLP and TES. Let's compare it to MMLP. The REal Slim Shady can match My Name is. And then Stan is good for a lot of people. But Kill You, Bitch Please song, Who know, drug ballod 2, and the rest of the songs are good but not quite as good as the list on the first album. The first album was the most classic.

Bonnie and Clyde and Just the two of us is the same fucking song dude. it was just called Bonnie and Clyde '97 on the LP and Just the two of us on the EP

[Solace]

for me, I would say the SSLP is his best work. You had so many killer songs on that album. And it was a hard album. Guilty Conscience, Role Model, My Name Is, Don't Give a Fuck, Still Don't Give a Fuck, Brain Damage, Bonny and Cycle, Just the Two of Us.. That album is classic. I would say it's better than MMLP and TES. Let's compare it to MMLP. The REal Slim Shady can match My Name is. And then Stan is good for a lot of people. But Kill You, Bitch Please song, Who know, drug ballod 2, and the rest of the songs are good but not quite as good as the list on the first album. The first album was the most classic.

Bonnie and Clyde and Just the two of us is the same fucking song dude. it was just called Bonnie and Clyde '97 on the LP and Just the two of us on the EP

And there was never a Drug Ballad 2?

[Solace]

I laugh at you how ignore your little mistakes when you talk about your idol

[Solace]

There's no reason to lock this topic. Just cause you came and said something stupid is not a reason. This review is legit.

[Relapse.LP]

Give me some feedback... I got too lazy to write a full review.

1. Curtains Up (Skit) 5/5 (Haunting and grabs your interest. Excellent intro.)
2. White America 5/5 (Excellent follow-up track. The drum kits sound very polished.)
3. Business 4/5 (The beat is slightly childish, but the lyrics are pretty good. Decent track.)
4. Cleanin' Out My Closet 5/5 (The beat is very nice. Reminiscent of "The Way I Am." Talks about his troubles with his mother.)
5. Square Dance 4.5/5 (Lyrics on top. Beat on top, although strange.)
6. The Kiss (Skit) 3.5/5 (Dragging skit that leads rather inadequately to his next track.)
7. Soldier 3.5/5 (His flow is good, but the beat really does not grab my attention.)
8. Say Goodbye Hollywood 4.5/5 (I like this track strangely enough. Good intro.)
9. Drips 4.5/5 (What's so bad about this track? Obie's flow is very unique and Eminem's spits are good.)
10. Without Me 5/5 (The self-produced beat is crazy and so catchy. I love the chorus.)
11. Paul Rosenberg 3.5/5 (Yawn... More gun talk?)
12. Sing for the Moment 5/5 (The lyrics are amazing and the sampling is very good... I love it.)
13. Superman 4.5/5 (The beat is hot. Track 13 with Dina Rae again.)
14. Hailie's Song 4/5 (It's alright, but his singing is a little off-pitch. This is a very personal song.)
15. Steve Berman 4.5/5 (These skits are always funny.)
16. When the Music Stops 3.5/5 (D12 songs never flow well enough and the structure is random.)
17. Say What You Say 4/5 (Good collaboration and the flow is typical-Eminem. Good.)
18. 'Till I Collapse 5/5 (If you don't like this song, at least admit no one spits like him.)
19. My Dad's Gone Crazy 4.5/5 (The third verse is dope. His lyrics are a little bizarre though.)
20. Curtains Close (Skit) 4/5 (He manages to squeeze in Ken Kaniff in this album...)

Overall- 95% (Classic)

[Relapse.LP]

Give me some feedback... Too lazy to write full review.

1. Curtains Up (Skit) 3.5/5 (Drags... When does the first track start?)
2. Evil Deeds 4.5/5 (I like the beat and his flow for some reason. Nice track, but his weakest intro, because all his other intros are pretty legendary.)
3. Never Enough 4/5 (Short and a little boring. The lyrics are decent and the beat is alright.)
4. Yellow Brick Road 5/5 (The unusual grooves and killer bass makes this an excellent track. His lyrics depict his childhood and his early rapping. One of the only tracks that I like his singing.)
5. Like Toy Soldiers 5/5 (The chorus is sampled extremely well. One of the best lyrics on album.)
6. Mosh 4/5 (I personally find "White America" way better, because this beat isn't polished. The message is strong and the lyrics are interesting enough though.)
7. Puke 3/5 (Does he sing the whole thing?)
8. My 1st Single 3/5 (The beat is really different from usual, and his lyrics are very random. Parodies himself as well.)
9. Paul (Skit) 3.5/5 (I'm getting tired of these boring calls from his manager.)
10. Rain Man 4.5/5 (This track got a very catchy beat and his lyrics are dope. Except second verse.)
11. Big Weenie 2.5/5 (Worst song on album. He whines about his jealous enemies.)
12. Em Calls Paul 3.5/5 (He's taking a crap while replying to his manager into some terrible recorder. Takes some shots at Michael Jackson. Dragging.)
13. Just Lose It 4.5/5 (Many people may disagree with me on this one, but I like this track a lot, because it manages to grab my attention unlike the other ones. Funny.)
14. Ass Like That 3.5/5 (His humor is getting repetitive. The bass is killer though.)
15. Spend Some Time 4/5 (Eminem's flow is decent and the collaborations manage not to be murdered lyrically by him. The chorus is boring.)
16. Mockingbird 5/5 (Emotional and sad. One of his most personal songs and the beat is good.)
17. Crazy In Love 4/5 (The sampling of Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" cannot be compared to his "Like Toy Soldiers" or "Stan." The instruments are really weird, but his flow makes it up. Lyrics are eh.)
18. One Shot 2 Shot 3.5/5 (Stop the D12 collaborations.)
19. Final Thought 3.5/5 (Dragging again. Leads fairly well into final track of album.)
20. Encore/Curtains Down 4.5/5 (The beat is dope and the collaborations are dope. It just doesn't have Slim Shady in it somehow.)

Other tracks:
1. We As Americans 4.5/5 (The lyrics are really good and the beat is good.)
2. Love You More 4/5 (Average track. Sounds like forced misogyny.)
3. Ricky Ticky Toc 3.5/5 (I don't understand this track. Maybe because I don't listen to it much.)

Overall 80% (Good) It's not a bad album, but compared to his previous albums, it does fall off slightly. Own it still, paid or not paid.

I forgot to review "Stimulate" from my the Eminem Show review. Here it is.

1. Stimulate 4/5 (Decent lyrics but the beat doesn't fit too well. Could be improved. No wonder "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" made the final cut instead of this.

[Brandon S]

so is all the one's Egoesin did.

Dude get off E's Dick

[Brandon S]

Egoesin is the man. I subscribed to him and i believe in all of what he says. I feel him. I believe wayne is bad. I agreed how eminem shouldn't have supported wayne. i believe hip hop is dead. i believe all the stuff he said. I will buy his cd when it comes out. Egoesin, you should subscribe because he tells it how it is.

i've been subscribing to him since like January. He talks real shit about hip hop, and I usually agree with everything he says. But that doesn't mean you have to tell ppl about him on every fucking post. You must have mentioned him in 10 different posts by now, WTF.