It's a shame that Eminem fell off. Sure, the violence, misogyny and homophobia that he so freely expressed were jarring and maybe even harrowing for some. But they were also necessary. When Eminem emerged in the late '90s, we initially weren't so much shocked that these sort of ideas existed, but that they were being expressed in the town square at such a load volume and in such an unapologetic tone. There were those who treated these themes as pure satire or empty provocation. While others, perhaps more disturbingly, saw this as a vindication of their own feelings. And Eminem thrived in this ambiguity. His favorite subject was his own fame, and all of the dissonance and contradictions that his popularity suggested. But fame, at least on that level, is fleeting, and Eminem was soon replaced by another set of cultural provocateurs, many of whom would rather titillate us than traumatize us. Now he's back, and so's the trauma.
Relapse is as revolting and confrontational as anything he's released. Over the course of its 20 songs, Eminem offers to chop off the legs of lesbians, masturbate to Hannah Montana, and spit on the grave of Christopher Reeve. He revels in variations on the word "faggot," fantasizes about rape (repeatedly) and spins multiple tales involving kidnapping, molestation and murder. And let's not forget about the drugs -- in a field of narcotic Olympians, Eminem is apparently one of the biggest prescription drug users since Elvis (a fact not lost on him). Throughout Relapse, he mentions OxyContin, Vicodin, Methadone, Xanax, Percodan, Valium, Lithium, Zantac (which treats stomach ulcers) and other "beautiful pills." Half of the album -- songs such as "Stay Wide Awake," "3 A.M." and "Must Be the Ganja" - track the exploits of a serial killer. Through these brutal tales, Eminem remains formally mesmerizing. He frequently stretches out his words until they almost completely abandon meaning for sound, and then pulls back from the precipice and continues his rap. It’s a great trick, and Relapse may very well be the crowning achievement from one of pop's most meticulous and accomplished craftsman. But whatever awe these formal acrobatics inspire is ultimately undermined by their emptiness. Once the blood has washed away, and the linguistic gymnastics are over, these songs say nothing to us, or anything about him, really.
Which brings us to the album's core. On "My Moms," Em recalls how his mother would spike his water with valium and feed him paint thinner for dinner. "My mom loved valium and lots of drugs" he raps. "That's why I am like I am cause I am like her." Two songs later, on "Insane," he turns his attention to his step-father, who, Em claims, abused him sexually. Later, on "Déjà Vu," Eminem switches roles with his parents, asking the listener to look at his daughter Hallie's face, and rapping from her perspective: "Mommy something's wrong with dad I think/ He's acting weird again he's really beginning to scare me/ Won't shave his beard again and he pretends he doesn't hear me/ And all he does is eat Doritos and Cheetos."
It's traumatic and deeply personal stuff, but the pitch seems a little off. We’ve been here before, only this time it reads like any number of JT Leroy stories. It's too sensationalistic, too enrapt of its own horror, and maybe a little exploitative of its own experience. It doesn’t ring entirely true, and, what’s worse, it doesn’t seem terribly important. Yes, he still has the ability to make his listener’s uncomfortable, but that’s about it. He’s not engaged with larger culture in any meaningful way. He’s on his own, inside his own head, and that seems like a horrible place to be.
Which brings us to the album's core. On "My Moms," Em recalls how his mother would spike his water with valium and feed him paint thinner for dinner. "My mom loved valium and lots of drugs" he raps. "That's why I am like I am cause I am like her." Two songs later, on "Insane," he turns his attention to his step-father, who, Em claims, abused him sexually. Later, on "Déjà Vu," Eminem switches roles with his parents, asking the listener to look at his daughter Hallie's face, and rapping from her perspective: "Mommy something's wrong with dad I think/ He's acting weird again he's really beginning to scare me/ Won't shave his beard again and he pretends he doesn't hear me/ And all he does is eat Doritos and Cheetos."
It's traumatic and deeply personal stuff, but the pitch seems a little off. We’ve been here before, only this time it reads like any number of JT Leroy stories. It's too sensationalistic, too enrapt of its own horror, and maybe a little exploitative of its own experience. It doesn’t ring entirely true, and, what’s worse, it doesn’t seem terribly important. Yes, he still has the ability to make his listener’s uncomfortable, but that’s about it. He’s not engaged with larger culture in any meaningful way. He’s on his own, inside his own head, and that seems like a horrible place to be.
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC.
WOW, I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS SERIOUS RATHER JUST ENTERTAINMENT...WHO WOULD'VE KNOWN!!
All that waiting, relaps good tile its the same
old same , he has not changed @ all he is still
down on his Mother, who cares blame ,blame , grow
UP , we all have our stuff from the passed .
Move ON!! get something NEW
hmm..guess rapper isnt a rapper if he doesnt base the album on drugs or some drug these days. Zro named his Crack. Dre, cronic. Eminem, pharmaceutical pills..without a perscription I bet...for the purposes of?...
Who are we to judge him. What a sad life. The one person whos suppose to protect him turned on him. As a mom I could nerver imagine doing that to my children and I have 5. I'm so sorry he had such a life full of hate and a sense he wasn't wanted. We shouldn't judge him only God can do that. And until we walk in his shoes we have no room to judge
who cares ...is the album any good?
you guys are all caught up in the soap opera of his life where he is making millions.
Sit back and enjoy the music , relax
I got a friend who blaims him mom even when he gets late at work. Once, I told my friend(the blaimer) stop making stories about your poor mom then he gets upset with me.
So Eminen have to stop geting upset and try to get a medical attention for his difficulty.
There is no love greater than mother's love- "sons take care your mothers"
My son, is the one who first had me listen to Eminem. The song was "Stan" I loved it!! It told a story and was interesting from beginning to end. He is a lyricist and good at what he does. If he wants to rap about things that most of us would like to talk about and just don't, let him! I am a 52 year young woman and I have a daughter 29 and a son 27 and I love Em. His style is unforgettable and unique and this young man does not have hate in his heart. He is an artist. Leave him alone and let him create. This world is full of so much waste and mess, if all he wants to do is write about it. Let him be!!! We must be listening, or we would not be talking about him.
wow, got some real critics here... eminem still has what people want. Has he every really been deep and insightful with his lyrics? not really... but he's a lyrical master among the best. his story-like lyrics and flow coupled with dre's beats are why people keep buying his albums. I like it
Thank you. I am 49 and also love to listen to Eminem, and I can not stand rap. He is the best at what he does. I don't can if what he writes about is based on his life or not. The first time I listened to his works, I was offended, embarrised, amused, and turned on all at the same time, and could not stop listenning.
Em is an artist with mad talent. I am such a big fan of his and everthing that he has put out is crazy. He is one of the top mc's and you all just need to give him that. He stays in his own lane, and that works so well for him so just give him his props, he deserves it. Welcome Back Em.
Eminem has many pshchological problems with his past and present. Instead of exploiting his skeletons to the young minds of today, he should be in rehab and get some needed help. Taking drugs and drinking and whatever Eminem does recreational or not is only magnifying his myriad of problems. Eminem is disgraceful to today's youth. He needs to stop brainwashing others into believing that there isn't any hope for a person that has been raised with bad roots. You can become a good person in spite of a dysfunctional childhood. He should want more for his daughter! Get help Eminem and rap about your recovery.
I don't think that anyone is "judging" him. Only pointing out the fact that in spite of his "bad luck" and "terrible upbringing"....he has since had some "fantastic luck" and a chance to turn it all around and give his daughter the upbringing that he believes he should have had. Instead he just continues to feel sorry for himself and inflict the same awful influence on Hallie that he claims his mother inflicted on him. I enjoy M's music and I am very glad that he has been recognized for the artist that he is. However I think that by this time in his life he should have been able to do so many more positive things with what he has accomplished. Instead he just continues down the same old path. Now what does this say to me? Well I wonder if his mom might not have tried a little harder than he wants to admit to keep him on a better path than she had but M wanting to be the pitiful bad boy chose his own roads. I mean who really knows. Couldn't she just as easily blame it all on HER parents. He needs to grow up and stop his whining and belly aching if you ask me.
Poor Em (not). Poor US actually. Frankly it would have been nice if his latest drop was a bit more evolved. I mean, let's face it, we already know where he comes from. We "should" already know that aside from his always controversal content, he is one of, if not THE most, "creative" lyricists the rap genre has even seen- he's certainly the best non-black EVER to pipe the beat box. We know intimately that he's declared himself a victim of pretty much every personal, familial and antisocial disorder one could possibly imagine. As far is baadd sh_ _. He's already done that, spewed that, disseminated that and we've all simultaneously listened, bought in, been outraged, and debated while he's made millions-...despite of or maybe even because of all the controversy.
On a personal level, I'm just sorry that he couldn't or wouldn't take his pencil and paper to another level of insight. Found other issues, even shocking or controversal ones to bring to the discerning world's attention. Let's face it, there are so many juicy, nasty or just plain more important things he COULD have rapped about this time. I certainly would want to hear it and it would evedence that he has grown-not changed, but evolved. Growth is good. Personal evolution is good, but sadly, none of that is evidenced in RELAPSE.
Having said that, however, growth and or evloution is clearly NOT necessary for an artist to be successful and it's certainly not necessary to make your mark in history. Just look at Bob Marley, the man, the legend and un-arguably the greatest reggae singer/songwriter that has ever lived. His musical message at its core, never changed. He sang constantly of revolution, resistance to oppression, South Africa's injustices and the plight of the disenfranchised in general. He made an entire career of being a voice against social injustice. He was the true voice of REVOLUTION, but in the case of his musical EVOLUTION, there was NONE. Most importantly though, in Bob's case, musical evolution was not a needed, because his messages, haunting lyrics and the beauty of their delivery are still relevant... still worth listening to and enjoying right now and maybe even forever.
Yeah, context and content are important and that makes Bob ever-relevant. In that regard, Em's RELAPSE will be successful both critically and financially, due in no small part to the ruckus his content will create, but with the same ole story line over and over, will his music ever be relevant? Will HE ever be RELEVANT? Maybe those questions are IRRELEVANT. It's just music. After all, of the thousands of new songs, and hundreds of new artists appearing each year on the musical scene, how many of them do more than tittilate, irritate or soothe our spirits for longer than the "THREE AND A HALF" minutes the song plays? Hey, it's just music and as such, relevance is NOT always necessary. Eminem's evolution on RELAPSE is therefore also not necessary, but damn dude, you have maddddd skills. AND, as you even say, opportunity knocks once in a lifetime, so don't miss your chance to grow. No, it won't happen with this album, but next time out, change the script a little bro will you? In the meantime I'll listen to this one a little...
Theodore Kelsick
A simi fan
In the LBC
Were all missing the real point here. Which is he has more money than all of us here and can put out any album he wants.Somebody mentioned he had bad luck I dont think so, He deff. turned it into positive luck.
If you dont like the album just download it for free and stop all your complaining.
Talk about damning with faint praise! I'm not especially fond of his lyrics and subject matter, but that does not take away from the fact that the man is a gifted artist. Sure, he has problems - don't we all?
I set aside a musical career to raise my family. When I was singing though, the songs acted as a catharsis. I found putting the required energy and emotion reuired into them helped me to vent my feelings harmlessly and give others enjoyment. From the perspective of years, I can see that it was a form of self-therapy - I chose songs I could resonate with and sing from the heart. He writes songs from the heart that resonate with others.
Bottom line - if you don't like the music, don't listen. It is that simple. I will continue to listen, picking and choosing the songs I like and passing on the rest. After all, isn't that what we all do anyway?
It is true that eminem is a bad bad sample or example as Ms. Debbie said and it is not a judgmental.
It is over for the people who care only negative or problem but not the solution.
Eminem is not a muscial but someone who is wasting time and bad image today , yesterday and tomorrow.
PLus I agree with Ms.Debbie(5/24/2009)-that he has more that phsych.. issue.
Creativity and versatility meaning how different and creative the present project is over the previous projects. I admire what other artists are doing by collaborating bringing on new and creative music. It shows unity and that there common bond is to bring music to the fans to distract us from the hardships in the world we are facing. There also comes respect for the artists that they are recording with at the time. Its ok to want to discuss all types of situations that occurs in the world good and bad (thanks to Phil Donahue, Oprah, and Sally Jesse for opening the forum). Art, creativity, and versatility. How as an artist can I make a difference staying true to oneself and using creativity to accomplish this task? I enjoy how an artist creates to cause other artists to become competitive keeping me on the edge of my seat and saying wow that was so creative. Also,I like to sit back and watch artists collobrate and combine two styles into one sound. Work is required to stay on top of the game. A lot of competition out there today and new and upcoming artists are hungry and creating different sounds. I am loving the changes in music today. From gospel,blues,jazz,rock and roll,r&b,hip hop,and neo soul music has shaped and evolved.
1. My mother left when I was young (walked out) and I pretty much took care of myself since... I'm fine and everything is good. eminem can cry all he wants about his life... poor me... bla bla...I think the truth is he is Gay and is denying it.
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2. I think songs about serial killers, molestation, drugs, etc.. is real good for millions of kids to hear and idolize about. Can't wait to visit them in jail or grave (or the graves of the people they kill) or the aids they contract. Real good future ahead for these kids. He is not an Artist, only a bad infuence.
LOL at the review.......Relapse is pure genius if you ask REAL HOP HOP fans........the darkness he shows is so real......nd tht beautiful song..oh man.......nd Deja vu....evn tho me nd em havent eva met...but i felt as if tht song was for me.....asid12345678@gmail.com......eminem fans mail me:)
Some people have the ability to move on and some do not know how because they are unhappy, need someone to blame, take drugs to cover the pain, & afraid to move out of their comfort zone. I am so sick of people who think that they really understand where the artist is coming from when they have NOT walked in their shoes. It takes all kinds to make this world. If you don't like his music, don't listen to it. So simple! Move on and listen more instead of complaining about what someone else is doing. Amazing how some people can be.
If you honestly believe that he is the cause of today's youth becoming addicted to pharmacueticles, that's your opinion. Let me explain what I mean. I've been listening to him since I was a freshman in high school, and I can tell you that I don't like pills. In fact, the only "drug" that I like is marijuana. Let me ask you something, why are you so sensitive?
I personally love the new album.
Most of these comments are obviously from children. So what if he's stuck in the "mom" thing...he's stuck and that's the point. Any problems don't leave the past in the past. Anyone who bitches about, "he should just move on," just doesn't have enough life experience to know.
I'm an adult, and I don't like a lot of what he says, or how he was treated...whatever. The kid is genius with words, admit it. Even if we boil it down to his addictions, I can relate, and anyone not walking in these shoes can just be quiet, to put it nicely.
Listen and learn, listen and just enjoy the beats and poetry, or listen to something else. Or better yet...why don't you go be creative in some way.