Eminem’s newly released Marshall Mathers LP2 is by no means a sequel to the Marshall Mathers LP he released in 2000. Rather, it is a welcome contrast that’s darkly autobiographical, violent and full of clever witticisms; in a nutshell, what Eminem does best.
Opening with “Bad Guy,” Eminem revisits his “biggest fan” Stan, mentioned on the first MMLP. Stan’s brother, Matthew, is out to avenge Stan’s death and turn the rapper’s own contempt against him. He harkens, “I also represent anyone on the receiving end of those jokes you invent/I’m the nightmare you fell asleep and woke up still in.” Self-aware, this track signifies a departure from the Eminem who wrote the Grammy-winning album “Recovery” in 2010, but rather a return to the assertive and familiar Marshall Mathers from the turn of the century. This notion is emphasized by the song “Survival,” an anthem of his own perseverance and pride. He raps, “From the beginning it wasn’t about the ends/It was ‘bout busting raps and standing for something/… I’m fucking back again.”
Standing at whopping 16 tracks, MMLP2 is self-indulgent—however, there’s no getting past the lyrical genius of Eminem. Overall, the album varies tremendously in musical style and, at times, is even comical. The fourth track, “So Much Better,” offers a bit of comedic relief with clever one-liners like “I avoid Cupid stupid wasn’t for blowjobs you’d be unemployed.” Perhaps the greatest track, however, is “Monster.” Debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, Eminem reveals his struggles with being the “Bruce Lee of loose-leaf” and how it’s messed with his mind. Rihanna choruses “and you think I’m crazy, well, that’s nothing.”
The album ends with an unexpected apology to Eminem’s mother, a source of much anger throughout his career, “All you did, all you said, you did your best.’’ The limitless expectations Eminem have revered and hated have been reinforced by this album in a resoundingly familiar way. All in all, MMLP2 is a stunning return to form.
Grade: A-
