Relapse - Eminem

Marshall Mathers, better known by his stage name Eminem/Slim Shady was born 17th October 1972 in Detroit Michigan. He first gained notoriety in the early 90's when he began performing in rap battles around Detroit. His first album, entitled The Slim Shady EP was released in late 1997, the album didn't do very well in the mainstream, however it gained him notice by Dr Dre who was and still is a major influence in the world of hip hop. Eminem was signed to Dr Dre's record label Aftermath in 1998. Since 1999 with the release of his first mainstream album The Slim Shady LP, the album spawned the debut single My Name Is, the song went straight to ...  Read the complete review

Despite his own admission that people have been wondering 'where the f**k' he's been the last four years, it is hard to believe that it's been a full ten years since Eminem first graced us with the drug-fuelled, profanity-laden Slim Shady LP. Now though, four years after his last record, 2005's Encore, he's back with Relapse, a record that carries a huge weight of expectation. In the last four years, Marshall Mathers has endured drug addiction, rehab, more drug addiction and more rehab, on top of losing his best friend DeShaun 'Proof' Holton to a nightclub gun fight. Slim Shady has a whole world full of new issues, and he's going to share every last dark part ...  Read the complete review

So, Em's finally back after 5 years of anonymity, and i've got to say, I, along with many others, have missed him. Although Encore was definately not the best album of the year, after he released that many people wrote him off, saying he'd lost it. He proves here that definately isn't true. Whilst this is definately no Marshall Mathers LP or Slim Shady LP it is certainly a very good album that is well constructed and has some classic Eminem songs on. The first real song on the album comes in the form of 3am. A brutal song detailing mass murder. The first verse in this song is one of the best on the album: "You're walking down a horror corridor, it's ...  Read the complete review

5 years out the game, sleeping pill addiction, re-marriage and then separation, and weight gain. Eminem has had a lot on his plate. As mentioned in other reviews (and in fact by Em himself in this album), the last album Encore was generally believed not to be 'up to scratch'. The reasons for that feeling seems to be based around the strange voice (which remains), weaker production and generally weaker songs. This album sees Eminem back to his best. He did address the concept of the strange voice on Westwoods radio show, where by he described it as a tool for bending words as he had become bored of the language. A strange description perhaps, tho I think its ...  Read the complete review

After an almost five year absence from the recording studio, the most famous and far-reaching rapper alive today returns with a 20 Track record which forms the first half of his 'Relapse' release. There will be a second album, presumably entitled 'Relapse 2' later on towards the end of 2009. The rap game has seemed to have go a bit stagnant over the past few years with most rappers inthe media being turned into a joke, Kanye West is a prime candidate. So what better time for Eminem to return and try to raise the bar whilst whipping the whole industry back into proper shape. Now for those of you have been living in a remote underground cave on Mars, ...  Read the complete review