That "movement" took place during the 2000 MTV VMA's in New York City three and a half months after Eminem's second album, The Marshall Mathers LP debuted. Today marks the 10th anniversary of that landmark release which is still regarded as Eminem's finest work to date. From the stunning and controversial lyrics on the album to the litany of protests it created, it was a masterpiece of writing, imagination, brutal honesty and production. Eminem wasn't just at the apex of his popularity, he was masterminding a cultural shift in two separate music genres simultaneously.
Wow.
After Em's major label debut The Slim Shady LP debuted in early 1999, he was hailed as a stupendous wordsmith with a twisted sense of humor. His themes were often dark, but they were delivered in a way that made it seem as though he was just being hyperbolic or jokey. Indeed, that first album was violent but it was cartoonish and seemed too over-the-top to be anything real. But on The Marshall Mathers LP, it's never really clear if Eminem is being silly or if he's telling the brutal truth. He opens the album threatening to rape and kill his mom and later in the album, he actually does murder his daughter's mother. In between, Eminem disparages homosexuals and numerous figures in pop music while also taking the media to task and sneering at his critics.
Not only is the album a classic, it also showcases Eminem at his most skillful and vitriolic. What I most admire about it is the way he comes out shooting with a purpose and with the intent to make a statement. He pulls no punches, bites no tongues and never holds back. He knows he's going to offend many people and he simply doesn't care. He's going to deliver his perspective on things regardless and sees no point in self-censorship. Personally, I don't think he has ever been as ambitious as he was on this album, but that's okay. He still crafted tons of great music since then. But on The Marshall Mathers LP, he gave hardcore rap and hip-hop a brand new face with his re-imagining of the genre and made many would-be naysayers and doubters respect his unfettered brilliance.
And it transformed him from star to cultural icon.
Tracks that really stand out to me; "Stan" is a stunningly ingenious song that features a written correspondence between Eminem and an obsessed fan, who unbeknowst to Em has already committed suicide by the time the fan's letter arrives to his hero. "The Way I Am" is a rant against Eminem's critics and fans alike, both of whom he has little patience for. Every song is brilliant in different ways, but "Kim" is disturbingly brilliant, not because Eminem delivers it in an infuriated, raspy tone and yells for most of it. Rather, he simulates a fiery domestic dispute with his "baby momma" which ends in her murder. In many ways, it's a very resonant song and is a perfect example of what Eminem himself does so well; depict the harsh realities of his real life with stunning detail and honesty.
Among the great accomplishments of this masterpiece album, it earned a spot in The Guinness Book of World Records by selling nearly 2 million copies in the U.S. in its first week alone! It has also been critically acclaimed by countless publications as being one of the best albums in history.
A month from now, Eminem will release Recovery, his sixth professional solo album. From what I can tell, it seems like it will be a return to the searing lyrical dominance that defined his first three classics, but was mostly absent from his last two. Whatever the case, Eminem's eminence will remain untouchable.
Without question.
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