Hi guys, today besides being my birthday is the day I choose to review the newest Eminem album. The Marshall Mather's LP 2 is a revisitation to the highest selling Eminem album the Marshall Mather's LP. It has been a month since it's release so I am included spoilers. Yes, spoilers for a music album (you will see why soon).

Ever since I was thirteen years old, I was allowed to listen to Eminem. One of the first albums I was given from my older brother was the Marshall Mather's Lp. Growing up with this album was great and the newer album gave me that same feeing. I even write my own stuff. (WARNING SELFISH PLUG) Check my YouTube Channel DJ Dim Tim.

The album begins with Bad Guy. The narrator in the song is unidentified. The first time listening to the song I knew the speaker was not in fact Eminem or Slim Shady. It was only until I heard the lines about the death of someone did I realize who it was. The narrator is Matthew Mitchell little brother of Stan. Anyone who lived in the early 2000s would remember the Eminem song Stan. It was about an obsessive fan who killed himself over not getting a letter from his idol Eminem. Fans have wanted a sequel to Stan. This song is a seven minute long masterpiece. Eminem clues us to the symbolism of Stan and Matthew. I think Matthew is a symbol for an old Eminem fan who constantly wants Eminem to make horror rap. Stan is an Eminem fan boy who likes everything he puts out and takes it to real.

The Parking Lot skit is a continuation of the skit that takes place in the middle of Eminem's song criminal. This is a great callback but the skit loses meaning to newer fans who never heard the first LP. It isn't really that funny (unless you have a twisted sense of humor).

The next song is Rhyme and Reason which samples Time of the Season by The Zombies. Who are the Zombies, you may ask. They are an 1960s rock band. Their sample fits into the song because this song has a more of a rock rap feel. Eminem discusses topics previously discussed on the MMLP such as his father and mother relationship. Eminem has toned down on his hatred as he grew older but this album shows he still is the same person he once was. The end of the song uses the flow from Criminal in the last lines for example "The last Mathers LP done went diamond
This time I'm predicting this one will go emerald!". Some of the rhymes are cheesy but the tone and mood make up for some poor rhymes. The song still has clever wordplay when he is not rhyming walk and talk.

So much better is a song about Eminem saying how much life would be better without someone or something. Knowing Eminem, it has to be Kim (his ex-wife) or the rap industry. The real answer is the rap industry because on recovery, he patch things up with Kim (sadly they still are not together). Eminem personifies the rap industry and describes it as an unfaithful woman. He used this concept in his song 25 to life also on Recovery. Treating the rap game as a person makes some interesting lines such as "Well, screw you, and I'll be the third person who screwed you today
Oh, four; Dre, Drake, Lupe -- oohm touché". The beat of this song is a modified version of (you guessed it) Criminal. I do not know why Eminem choose to use Criminal so much. It wasn't a single or the best song on the MMLP.
From this point on Eminem begins to bring more and more profanity. I did not recommend for kids to listen to this album with laces in their shoes (Joke from an old Eminem skit comment below if you got it).

The next song is Survival, the Eminem single that is being used to promote Call of Duty Ghosts. I blame this song for being the reason for people calling this album Recovery 2. Just because Eminem uses the same flow and style on this song does not mean it is a sequel to that album. Eminem switches his style for every album, because he does not want two albums to sound the same. This song is one of those Eminem songs you play to get pumped up and motivated.

Legacy is an insane song. Every verse starts with the same line "I used to be the type of kid that would always think the sky is fallin'". First off, this line takes an well known expression (I guess you could call it an expression) and uses it to explain his mind set. He follows this line with a another that describes his emotion and attitude. The phrase sky is fallin is rhymed throughout all the verses (that's the entire song expect the hook). This track is impressive and describes a younger Marshall Mathers that we are not used too.

The next song is titled with an seven letter A cuss word. So for the purpose of this review, I will replace it with astronomy (apple is already an Eminem song). Astronomy is basically saying that Eminem came in a time when they needed someone to point out the flaws of society. This is true because Eminem fought against the Bill Clinton scandal, blaming rap for increasing crime rates, and how parents were never blamed when their own children's actions. He talks how he got stuck in this position to basically judge the world and you were the cause of his popularity (you made him famous). Eminem then shows how times didn't really change talking about the tragedy in Chicago. One thing I loved about this album was all the callbacks and references to his previous works. True Eminem fans will enjoy this album more than anyone else.

Berzerk is a tribute to the Beastie Boys. Eminem stated on interviews throughout his career that he was a fan of this rap group. Getting to work with Rick Rubin allowed Eminem to channel in his inner Beastie Boy. This song is a good combination of Eminem and early rap. However, I have a few problems with the song. The first is that some curses are really not needed and serve no purpose. The second is that the song does not feel natural. Eminem doesn't really fit in the whole concept.

Brainless is the song where Slim Shady is completely back chainsaws and all. The concept is clever and that line "If you had a brain you would be dangerous" gives me a great feeling. The outro is a humorous joke on the English language and how rap slang made its way into the vernacular. "Insaneness ain't even a word, you stupid (food)
Neither is ain't".

Stronger than I Was is suggestive to be Kim's perspective of their relationship. Some lines I have trouble with believing this. Could it be a different side of shady?

The Monster is a great way to transition from Recovery to MMLP2. After Encore, Eminem fell into a dark period that was caused by his late friend's death, Proof. Eminem lost his ability to rap. Slowly, he retaught himself. That is why Relapse is kind of awkward for his fans. Eminem over came this monster (addiction) and became friends with this monster (slim shady). The music video hints that he will be bringing Slim Shady back. The song is great at telling us how Eminem is still the person he was during MMLP2. He raps about his past work and how he looks at it. Also Rihanna is on the song.

So Far... is my favorite track. This song is on the lighter side of things. Eminem is describing the crazy life he lives. Remember those callbacks I talked about. Well, this song intelligently uses two old songs from MMLP, Criminal and The Real Slim Shady. There are more callbacks, but this two were cleverly put in and you have to listen to this song.

Love Game- Unlike what many people think, Eminem and Kendrick wrote this song before the whole control verse. I never listened to Kendrick and I am waiting for him to be in the game longer before I do. This song is Eminem and Kendrick going back and forth telling stories about these crazy women they know. Eminem raps about what I think is the rap industry. Kendrick raps about Sherane. I have not listen to Kendrick so I do not know who she is, but this song was a good induction and in the future I will listen to him more.

Headlights stars the unlikely duo Nate Ruess and Eminem. This pair works well and create one of the most shocking songs of Eminem's career. He apologizes to his mother on a full length track on a major studio album. I never thought I would hear this song and if I did, I thought it would be an rare track from some mixtape that he would deny making. This song tries to make up for all the past songs where Eminem's mom was center to ridicule. This doesn't at all make up for the dozen songs he makes fun of his mom. Also it makes you think if that book she wrote was true. Eminem said in a skit on the Kimmel show that he takes his life and pictures it ten times worse for his music. If this true, Eminem's mom may be the greatest victim of his music. The emotion on this song and pure reality makes this song classic. Everyone who I talked to said this song is Eminem's best song on the MMLP2.

Eminem finishes strong the album with Evil Twin. This song is dedicated to Slim Shady. This song contrasts to Eminem's songs about him and Slim Shady being two people. At the end, he says Slim Shady was just a device he used to say what he wanted without paying the full consequences for his words. This song also includes a lot of things pointing to another album. Some speculate a Slim Shady LP 2. This does make sense yet it is to soon to make an educated guess. Some think it may be Eminem's last record. In interviews, Eminem says that he would quit rap when it is not fun anymore so most likely this is not his last album.

Overall- I loved this album. There was a little bit of everything. I may post reviews for the bonus tracks if I get a positive response. Comment your thoughts on the album. One thing that I disliked about the album is the lack of Eminem doing his own choruses. Eminem used to make catchy rapping choruses such as the one for the real slim shady. The singers on this album were good but I miss Eminem's choruses (in which he does not sing). Happy Holidays (late) and Happy New Year (early)!