Mind Equals Blown
  • Home
  • Music
    • Fast Five
    • 3 Of The Week
  • Film/TV
  • Photos
  • Podcast
  • Pop-Punk May Madness
Album Reviews 15

Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP 2

By Justin Peterson · On November 20, 2013


Eminem has proved time and again that he is a technical and lyrical genius, despite the recent dip in quality of his last few albums. Hopes were sky high when the rapper announced that his next album would be a sequel to his wildly popular album, The Marshall Mathers LP. Unfortunately, this sequel, appropriately titled The Marshall Mathers LP 2, shows no room for improvement for this now-sober father of three. Instead, MMLP2 serves as a portal back in time to where Eminem’s lyrics were filled with misogyny and crass humor, things that have been built upon and enhanced by other rappers who have since done it better.

What is most confusing about Eminem going back to his roots with MMLP2 is that it in every way contradicts the progression that he has made throughout his career. He began as a young punk with lyrics that both shocked and insulted millions of people. But his last album, Recovery, was his path to redemption after his addiction to prescription drugs. Despite his homophobic lyrics, at the 2001 Grammys Eminem performed with openly gay Elton John, who rocked a pink polka-dot suit. He has made all of these progressions in his life, so one would think that instead of treading backwards, he would only move forward, but he did the exact opposite. The whole album feels contradictory, like he’s run out of ideas, so he has to go back to the past that he has tried so hard to overcome.

This being said, the album isn’t a complete mess. Eminem can still spit with the best of them, and his talent is still apparent throughout MMLP2. “Bad Guy” begins the album with a lengthy epic that starts the album off right, with production that fits his style and lyrics that flow and make sense. “Love Game”, the highly-anticipated collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, is another winner, starting off a bit slow with Eminem’s first verse but only getting better with Lamar’s following lines and Shady’s final verse.

While Dr. Dre sits this album out, simply labeled as executive producer, most of the production is created by Shady’s own hand. The songs produced by Shady are arena-rap feeling, which makes it all the more jarring when Rick Rubin steps in. Rubin and Eminem either really click, or miss the mark completely. “So Far…” samples Joe Walsh’s “Life’s Been Good” and Schoolly D’s “P.S.K. (What Does It Mean)” and Shady tears apart the song, which proves to be one of the shining moments on MMLP2. But then we get complete messes like the first single, “Berzerk”. “Berzerk” has Eminem rapping like he’s trying to be the Beastie Boys, and while the rap-rock sound of Rubin’s production may have worked in “So Far…”, it sounds terrible in the single.

We also get yet another Rihanna collaboration, and while “Love the Way You Lie” may have worked on an album like Recovery, “The Monster” is far from inspiring. Then there is one of the most eye-rolling choruses heard in a rap album this year in the form of “Asshole”, which features Skylar Grey belting about how Eminem is an asshole. Do we really need a song like this inserted into an album already filled with vicious call-outs at celebs and homophobic rants? We already know that Eminem isn’t the nicest guy, and making a song about it takes the listener out of the album’s flow.

All in all, MMLP2 is just another example (after Jay Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail) of the rap legends of the last generation fading away. Eminem is clearly struggling for ideas, and in a world where rappers like Tyler, the Creator and the rest of Odd Future have made the horrorcore rap style their niche, it makes it only more obvious that Shady can’t keep up. If you’re a true Slim Shady fan and disagree entirely with my views of MMLP2, go back and listen to some of his classics. Then listen to what you think are the best songs on MMLP2. It is clear when looking back at Eminem’s discography that he started off hot, but his flame has been slowly fading. If he’s going to break any new ground, Eminem is going to need to stop treading ground that he walked on 13 years ago and take some steps forward. Otherwise, albums like MMLP2 will begin crowding what was otherwise an amazing rap career.

Beastie BoysEminemHip HopKendrick LamarMMLP2Odd FutureRapRick RubinRihannaSlim ShadyTyler the Creator
Share Tweet

Justin Peterson

I am a student at St. Bonaventure University, where I study journalism and mass communications. My favorite movies are anything by Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction being the best). I also love all music, except country, which I loathe.

You Might Also Like

  • Real Friends Album Reviews

    Real Friends Search for Stability on New Album “Composure”

  • Listen On Spotify Album Reviews

    Blending Pop, Country and Soul: Dan + Shay Impress Again

  • Single review for Season 13's winner of "The Voice", Chloe Kohanski. This blend of pop and rock aims to keep her from being a one-hit wonder. Album Reviews

    One-Hit Wonder: Chloe Kohanski’s “Come This Far” Has a Deeper Message

15 Comments

  • Ryan Hartmann says: November 21, 2013 at 7:00 AM

    I can agree with a lot of what you are saying in this review but how in the hell can you write a review about this album and not even mention the song ‘Rap God’ are you fucking kidding me?

    Reply
    • Justin Peterson says: November 21, 2013 at 12:03 PM

      I get what you’re saying, and I do consider ‘Rap God’ one of the better songs on MMLP2. However, with the way I focused my review I didn’t feel like I needed to focus on that song in particular, so I didn’t put it in. I’m sorry that you feel that way but I hope that you enjoyed my review otherwise!

      Reply
  • Ryan says: December 15, 2013 at 6:26 PM

    Okay. Because of this piece of garbage poor excuse for a review. I find this entire website a joke. You don’t know what half of the songs are even about, and it seems like you haven’t even listened to them. Most of this review seems to be more of a personal opinion, not at all what a review should be. This type of album was by request of his fans, not because he “ran out of ideas.” He was planning on ending his career but he was stilling having fun with the game and fans still urged him to put out more. So he wasn’t trying to re-fuel his flame with the material from the past. Unlike other artists, he was trying to do what his fans were asking for. Get your information right before you write a review. Amateur.

    Reply
    • Justin Peterson says: December 24, 2013 at 7:56 PM

      I’m sorry I don’t know everything about the artist, I was picked to write a review not an auto-biography. If you have a problem with my writing, don’t take it out on this website, take it up with me instead. I didn’t like the album, pure and simple. I also definitely listened to it in it’s entirety, in fact I listened to the deluxe edition every time, and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a complete chore to get through each of those times. I understand that you might be upset that I gave an artist you like an bad review, but that’s life friend. Also amateur by definition means a person who engages in a pursuit, on an unpaid basis, so yes I am an amateur seeing as I’m a college student contributing to this website without pay. Plus reviews are personal opinions so I’m not sure what you’re getting at by saying it’s “not at all what a review should be.”

      Reply
  • Jarrod’s Top In 2013 | Mind Equals Blown says: January 1, 2014 at 4:43 PM

    […] The Civil Wars – The Civil Wars 9. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP2 8. Conditions – Full Of War 7. letlive. – The Blackest Beautiful 6. Protest The Hero […]

    Reply
  • judi togel says: February 21, 2020 at 8:40 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] There you can find 31278 more Information to that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • SEOgine New York SEO says: February 23, 2020 at 7:09 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Find More Information here on that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • 데모바카라 says: March 2, 2020 at 6:36 PM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Info to that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • https://firma-opinia.pl/ says: March 6, 2020 at 4:28 PM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Find More Information here to that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • are vegetables unhealthy says: March 16, 2020 at 10:31 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Read More on on that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • satta king says: March 19, 2020 at 8:55 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Read More to that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • 토토사이트 says: March 20, 2020 at 7:14 PM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Here you can find 45803 more Info to that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • 안전놀이터 says: March 23, 2020 at 8:55 PM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Here you will find 30042 more Information to that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • ignou synopsis says: April 24, 2020 at 1:36 PM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Read More Information here on that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • data keluaran hk says: May 20, 2020 at 7:19 AM

    … [Trackback]

    […] Information on that Topic: mindequalsblown.net/reviews/album-reviews/eminem-marshall-mathers-lp-2-review […]

    Reply
  • Share Your Thoughts With Us! Cancel reply

    Music

    • An Absurd World: Bright Eyes and Meaning of Our Own Making

      September 11, 2020
    • Living Through the Emotion Revolution

      August 27, 2020
    • Folklore Proves That Taylor Swift Has Always Been This Good

      August 24, 2020
    • Daddy’s Beemer Ain’t Scared of Nothin’

      July 22, 2020
    • Previewing the Rest of 2020 in Album Releases

      July 12, 2020

    Film

    • Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak Becomes an Eerie Reality as the Coronavirus Spreads

      April 2, 2020
    • Joe Pera Talks with You Is the Perfect Medicine in a Divided Time

      March 12, 2020
    • Everything Is Fine, and Other Takeaways from The Good Place

      February 26, 2020
    • Why I Picked Parasite to Win Best Picture (and Why I Was Right)

      February 11, 2020
    • Let’s Discuss This Year’s Academy Awards Nominations

      January 17, 2020

    Photos

    • Kansas City Fell For White Reaper This Valentine’s Season

      February 23, 2020
    • Thrice Perseveres to Put on Anniversary Show in Chicago

      February 10, 2020
    • Transcending with Illenium

      November 26, 2019
    • KC Bundled Up for Sweater Weather with The Neighbourhood

      November 20, 2019
    • Dreaming of a Plain White T’s Christmas

      November 19, 2019
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Press Kit

    Subscribe & Follow

    Follow @mindequalsblown
    Follow on Instagram
    Follow on rss
    © 2016 Mind Equals Blown All rights reserved.

    © 2013 Solo Pine Designs, Inc. All rights reserved.