Eminem, “The Eminem Show” (Shady / Interscope)
Eminem’s now-familiar mix of egomania, self-loathing and smart-aleck charm is as compelling as ever on his third album--no small feat for an artist who still relies on shock to put his stories across.
Eminem’s now-familiar mix of egomania, self-loathing and smart-aleck charm is as compelling as ever on his third album--no small feat for an artist who still relies on shock to put his stories across.
But Eminem has learned the Tupac lesson: you’ll be a more likeable rapper if you soften your thuggery with bits of humanity. When he tells you in “Cleaning Out My Closet” (one of the disc’s highlights) that he would’ve killed his now ex-wife if he’d have put bullets in his gun, he later (in “Soldier") explains what put him in the mental state to consider such a thing, and that leaving the bullets out of the chamber was a conscious decision. It doesn’t explain away such a stupid action, but it’s the difference between good storytelling and anger for anger’s sake.
This album may represent Dr. Dre’s best production work to date. Even though it clocks in at nearly 80 minutes, “The Eminem Show” is not a tiring listen.
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