the early 2000's. Specifically, right around MMLP (maybe released 2001?).
My appreciation of this album grows every time I give it a spin. I think the reason it was criticized so harshly was because in today's era, hip-hop is mostly punchline rap.
It's sad, really, because this album had the potential to spawn a sequel and possibly an entirely new direction from Eminem if it got positive ratings.
Fuck you, critics.