The Slim Shady LP

If you’ve ever wanted to be trapped in a room with a 13-year-old who’s surprisingly good at rapping while he lists off everything he can think of that will make his parents mad if he says it, this album is for you

0 - I fully acknowledge that ppl love Eminem and that this album is technically good. I even used to be a fan. But as a grown ass gay person, I fucking hate Eminem and the shit he spews out of his mouth about the LGBT community and women in his art.

Rhymes within rhymes within rhymes. All the shlocky, edgelord premises are there so Em can play with sounds. “I smacked him in his FACE with an ERASer, CHASed him with a STAPler and told him to CHANGE the GRADE on the PAPer.” It’s not overstating it (it is?) to say that Mr Mathers has a Shakespearian ability to quibble on the sounds of words, taking endless delight in embedding sounds and concepts that come back and slide away and return to tie it all together. Here, he is hiding his light (incredible ability to quibble endlessly on sounds) under a bushel (his obnoxious, hostile personas).

Yeah...so...I know Eminem has some great music but this wasn't it. The beats were good, and he obviously has amazing rhyming capabilities, but the lyrics are just so so SO cringy. The violence and the misogyny reveal an immaturity that is off-putting. My feelings for this album is the embodiment of Schmidt saying: "Youths!"

This hasn't aged well. Some of the lyrics are almost embarrassing.

’97 Bonnie & Clyde isn’t the weakest song here, but it does represent the main drawback: that Eminem hasn’t yet found his register for stories that exorcise his (and 50% of the world’s) violent misogyny. That came once he was a global cause celebre and had the genius to make the Public Eye the prism at the centre of his nakedly honest, frighteningly violent real-or-fantasy bizzare-o-world. But I digress. If ’97 Bonnie and Clyde leaves room for growth and If I Had and Rock Bottom are the residue of previous attempts at gritty East Coast rap, that leaves My Name Is, Role Model, My Fault, Cum On Everybody, Just/Still Don’t Give a Fuck, As the World Turns, I’m Shady and Bad Meets Evil (plus a handful more) as the most outrageously cartoonish, wickedly funny and violently deranged version of Eminem we’d ever get. While it was still possible for him to be this detached, going to the far reaches of his imagination is as refreshing for me as it was cathartic for him. And the images that stand out are the same ones that burnt into my brain when I was a teenager lying on my bed playing Pokémon Blue and spinning this on repeat. Eminem slapping Garth Brooks out of his limestone shirt, standing next to the Loch Ness monster at Kid Rock’s next concert, as an extra-terrestrial running over pedestrians while they’re screaming at him “Let’s just be friends”, wearing a bulletproof vest and shooting himself in the head, having full blown aids and a sore throat, activating his gadget dick, supporting abortion, putting his guinea pig in the microwave, dressing like Les Nessman, putting air in a bag and charging people to breathe, murdering the alphabet. I could just say it’s all in good fun and shouldn’t be taken seriously, but double guessing his sincerity is half the fun. More importantly, it’d mean ignoring that he announces himself with a PSA followed by the immortal “Hi kids”. For all his not giving a fuck, he always wanted his music to be a dialectic. Take it seriously.

"Wow Eminem, you've been blessed with this great gift! What are you going to do with it?" "Well, you know, I've thought really hard about this. And I have to say, I'm feeling drawn to produce an album that can only be truly appreciated for what it's worth by teenage boys. Like, right in that 13-15 range? I've always felt that these are the kind of people I truly connect with, and I'd really like to lean into that."

Let me sum this album up for you: Repetitive bass line + I have a dick and girls are worthless shit = 66 mins I'm not getting back. I lost count of how many times he spoke of assaulting, raping and murdering women. I really struggled to listen to this whole album. I feel like there are basements full of incels that still listen to it everyday. If I was in Jr. High when this came out I'd probably have loved it. Funny voices. Sophomoric bathroom humor. Drugs. Fuck this, fuck that. Bitch, cunt, whore. Yeah, when I was 13 it would've been cool and I would've thought I was cool and edgy for listening to it. Bunch of suburban white boys listening to this thinking they hard. But I'm not, and this is nothing more than a braggadocios teenager with a rhyming dictionary. "What rhymes with pee? ....Tree!!" Cool. On par with "Anybody want a... peanut!"

Eminem tells us all about what a fucking horrible person he is and then throws himself a little pity party. Sucks to be you skittles but I don't need to hear about your rape and murder fantasies. Some of the beats were ok but definitely not good enough to make up for the shitty rapping. This album should have stayed in the 90's.

This is funnier than I remember but also horrible

Absolute game changer. There had never been anything quite like it. You couldn’t not take note. Brash, funny, outlandish, such funny lyrics, so much energy. Dre’s mastermind production elevates this to an all time Hiphop classic.

I didn't think I disliked Eminem as much as I apparently do (or at least dislike this album.) I've heard some of his singles, I saw 8 Mile and liked it, and remember when he and Elton John played the Grammys, which I thought was fairly powerful. So I was expecting a hip-hop/rap album that, while I admit isn't my favorite genre, would be a fun listen and at least tolerable. But wow, I couldn't have been more wrong. The album starts off strong, with My Name Is, a crossover hit that you couldn't escape and still can't. But then, from there, it devolves into an album that's A. Way to long B. Way to repetitive C. Way to violent for no reason I'm not sure who finds listening to this enjoyable. At least in, say, a horror movie, you aren't rooting for the killer. Maybe it was a product of the late 90s, but the violence, hatred, and misogyny is just too much to get over for me. It was honeslty hard to listen to the whole thing. Not a fan.

Has not aged well at all. Too many references about rape for me. Have never been a huge fan of his, even less so now. Seems like shock and awe for controversy's sake. Much prefer Kanye or 50 Cent. Now I realise why parents were worried about their children listening to this. Rightly so

Was excited to listen to this again, it's been years. Production is unreal and Eminems skills are undeniable. However, 97 Bonnie and Clyde is a fucking nightmare of a song. Found it funny and crazy when I was 9, it's beyond wrong now. Ruined my enjoyment of this whole album. Gave up after that.

Did not enjoy. Eminem's flow and wordplay is impressive, but his voice is nasal, the beats are underwhelming, and the subject matter tends towards adolescent trolling. I can see why this album was a massive hit with disaffected white male youth, but when even Marilyn Manson declines to guest on your record because it is too misogynistic, you've got a real problem. Interestingly, Eminem won't use the n-word (out of respect for black people?) but is happy to malign women in disturbing detail. And not musically compelling. This borders on a novelty record (exception: My Name Is) Did not enjoy, will not listen again.

Classic innit, love this album

Haha my name is Eminem. Pee pee, poo poo, farts and pussy (repeat for 50 minutes). He's got the Dr. Seuss "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" flow and it gets annoying fast. Not funny, not even that "offensive", just boring. Aged horribly. Get in the locker.

I thought I didn't really like Eminem. Now I know I don't really like Eminem.

This has not aged well. The two singles are fine and I won't skip them if they came up in a mix. The rest of the album is weird reminder of what was Edgy in 1999.

This album has not aged well

A genius but with a level of misogyny that makes it unlistenable. I don't really care if it's supposed to be a character, TBH.

It's still shocking, it's still nasty, it's still dark, it's still funny. It's all a joke, Slim Shady is just a character, we all get that but it still really doesn't sit well in the woke 21st century, and probably rightly so. An album so fucked up that Marilyn Manson thought it was too over the top for him to appear on. That said, it's still an astonishing album, a true hip-hop classic. There aren't many out there with the rap dexterity, the writerly precision and the comedy timing of peak-era Marshall Mathers.

Okay SO! Did I enjoy the sound of this album? Yes definitely! Did I enjoy some of the lyrics? Yes! Did I enjoy all of the lyrics? Fuck no! (but that's kind of the point right?) Eminem's storytelling is so good and the songs are so catchy it does hold my attention, even if the misogyny does get a bit tiring. Last couple of songs lost me a bit but otherwise I enjoyed this more than I expected

It’s dark AF but I find myself regularly chuckling/sniggering/snickering to his rhymes. An individual style, totally blew my brains when it first came out and scared the bajingo out of me. I think I’m still a bit scared actually. God, I’m scared of Eminem. I’m scared of what he’ll do to me when he reads this. He’ll tear it apart and then he’ll mime blowing my brains out and I’ll start crying and quivering at his feet and he won’t care one jot.

What an album. This isn't THE Eminem yet. Proto-Eminem, really. You can hear some of the pieces that he's putting in place for Marshall Mathers LP. This is...goofier than later stuff and it's clear that he's not entirely sure who he wants to be.

I really didn't want to listen to this. I don't hate Eminem but I have never felt any desire to listen to him. I got through this album, but I sure was glad when it was over. It gets so repetitive by the second half. And as I listened I couldn't stop thinking about all the moronic suburban white boys who worshipped Eminem in the 2000s. Some of this was edgy at the time and some of his lyrics about the frustration of being stuck in a cycle of poverty hit pretty hard, but his constant whining about his ex-wife is so childish and lame. "My Name Is" and "Guilty Conscience" are fun. The rest is definitely not.

Dude is definitely a lyric genius, but DAMN on the content. Just not for me.

This did not age well.... Eminem is clearly talented, but consistent misogyny, violence against women, fat shaming, and homophobia throughout was disgusting. Obviously his intent is to offend people, but this just feels like it's trying to be edgy for the sake of shock value.

Yeah, this was explosive when it came out. I was in college, and everyone was obsessed with Eminem and this album. Being from Michigan, it was even more of an impact. There's no denying the impact and influence Eminem has had since this debut. The speed of his verses and rhymes are crazy, and he also put humor up front in his persona. The Eminem moniker allows him to skewer society in horrendous and crazy ways, but the satire is clear (regardless of all the critics).

Another amazing album. Brilliantly produced, fantastic baselines and incredible lyrics. Another favourite album of mine with only one tune on it that I don't absolutely love. Even the skits are good.

A horrific masterpiece. His rhymes are simpler but maybe less offensive than MM LP. When taken as a cartoon or a work of fiction it good fun.

went into this almost expecting to not like this as much as i had on earlier listens. as irrational as it is, its difficult to not have his recent output's low quality taint eminem's earlier work as well; like maybe he was a fraud all along, and now that the illusion has worn off, i can see his classics for what they actually are. to my surprise, i came out of this listen thinking i might actually have been underrating early eminem. obviously, the rapping itself is of a high quality. the elephant in the room is general obscenity/vulgarity in the lyrical content. the question of "whether the lyrics have aged well," or whether they're "insensitive" etc, is missing the point. in an industry where superstar persona and musical content have melded into one sanitized cube of pristine p.r prepped "product," with reliable marketability as the core virtue, i can't help but appreciate the courage here. although maybe i'm somewhat projecting the neurotic predicaments of modern culture, whereby lyrics are taken too literally—as something worth "cancelling" artists over (and in some cases ie. young thug, legally admissible statements) onto a different era. slim shady, as distinct from marshall mathers, is a construct of fantasy (and in fact subconscious phantasy, unrepressed id). clearly the distinction between the artist and character here is not a total and clean one; even the starkest depravities of slim shady have some unconscious root in marshall mathers—the man who grew up in squalor and really does hate his mother. this inextribality is in fact what makes the character compelling, enabling a transcendence beyond cheap shock value shenanigans. at its best, this album is about a man confronting his darkest perversions and desires. the tension culminates brilliantly on the final track. beneath an admittedly entertaining facade of irony/obscenity/humor, there is a surprising level of vulnerability on here. slim shady would fit right in as one of the droogs from clockwork orange. and like those treacherous droogs, he represents the alienated subject at large. i might be overthinking this, and there are some gratingly sensationalist moments on here that make me question myself—but i do see a bit of like iggy pop in the songwriting here. far from a perfect album though. wouldn't be eminem without atleast a handful of stilted choruses. could also do without the winkingly self aware skits, repeating ad nauseum how offensive i'm supposed to find the album. that sort of contrived metatextuality should be beneath this album. let the actual songs do the work.

Eminem's debut made him not only loved by many but also hated by the entire other half. It also made him one of the most polarizing figures Hip Hop has ever seen and since then he became the best selling Rap artist of all time. This first album is without a doubt his most Hardcore in terms of style (in terms of sound and listenability, his latest albums are definitely more "hardcore") and lyrics which are also some of the best in his entire career. The album features production by Jeff Bass but also some Dr.Dre tunes that do fit very well with Eminems delivery which comes off as both vulgar and distrubing but also very humorous, funny and exaggerated. The albums intro is the short and comedic 'Public Service Announcement' which sees a narrator giving a warning about the dangers that this album is going to offer. It is really funny to hear and definitely an intro that you won't forget. The quite legendary 'My Name Is' follows and does a Comedy Pop Rap that has some incredibly funny verses that are absolutely stupid but in the best way possible. The beat is well made, the lyrics are also as are the effects that are adding a lot in terms of enjoyment and if it wasn't for the chorus that I think is really overplayed even in the song itself, this would've been perfect. It's still incredible but really "only" because I think the chorus has become annoying and it feels a little bit streched with the way to song plays out at the end. The very skit-based 'Guilty Conscience' sees Dre and Em as the conscience devils, one good, one bad and switching between skits and scenes. The idea is really good and I really like what they did here together but I think that the multiple skits just break the flow of the track too much to have a fully entertaining track. Except of these flow breakers, the track is incredible. The beat is groovy, the perfromances and the lyrics are really funny and often times even crazy with how it absolutely goes too far. I love it. The first bits of Boom Bap appear on 'Brain Damage' which has some incredible rapping as well as some interesting conscious lyrics that together with the comedic and story-telling verses fit really well into Eminem's repertoire. The slower and even slightly sentimental chorus is off place but still fits weirdly well in the song and the story of it. In terms of rap abbility and performance, this might be one of his best ever even if it's not perfect overall. The short 'Paul' skit is just a recorded call of someone talking about the rough version of the album. It's nothing sepcial, or funny or really adding except making a little bit of space between the last and the next song which it does pretty well. The combination of R&B inspired Boom Bap and Slam Poetry on 'If I Had' is going further into the dark and slightly sentimental and much more vulnerable side of the album and I really love it. The backing vocals fit so well with the simple beat and Em's performance is really deep and emotional. I think this is one of the best songs on this album and the first one that I'd call perfect. After that segement of deeper content, the album now turns into the Horrorcore Comedy Rap that people know it for. While it still has a certain sentimental vibe to it, he is just rapping about murdering his daughters mother and drowning here which is also what the cover of the album shows. The ethereal beat with the insect sounds added give it a very relaxed feeling that has a certain indifference to itself that just adds to the comedic effect of it. I like listening to the song but the chorus is firstly not that good and secondly way too often repeated. It's still a great song but these little bits as well as the fact that it's streched too much, just don't help the song stay interesting the whole way through. The 'Bitch' skit follows the theme of phone calls but this time it feels even less interesting and even more redundant. The intro of 'Role Model' is really funny and the following aggresive and Rap Rock inspired track just gets funnier and funnier with effects as well as vocal additions. Even with all this, I think that some parts are a little unfocused and repetitive with what it tries to do. I'm not saying that it's bad but it overall doesn't go further than being a good song. The 'Lounge' skit does a much better job in doing a skit and the a capella drunk singing is helping with the themes of the album. It's not a special interlude but it's funny and pretty good. 'My Fault' has a really annoying chorus, a bad beat as well as some not that interesting performances. It's mainly the comedic parts that save the track at least a bit but it's still pretty bad and feels like it's not finished properly. I really don't enjoy listening to this song even if the idea and the verses are pretty good. The albums second half starts with the 'Ken Kaniff' skit which is just a short Prank call and while the ending is pretty funny, the first half is just useless and annoying and doesn't serve any value to the skit. It's not good. Even as a skit. 'Cum on Everybody' returns to the R&B inspirations and does it more comedic this time which does add some value to it. But: the beat has some really bad parts, the returning themes are really annoying and neither the chorus nor the rapping is enough to help this track out of the mud. It's bad, I'm sorry. Luckily, 'Rock Bottom' follows it up with one of the best songs on the album because not only is the beat both epic and ethereal but just lovely. Plus, the rapping is absolutely phenomenal. The way that the chorus combines a hook with rapping as well is really well thought out and finalised. This is a masterpiece and easily one of the best songs in the entire Eminem discography. The Experimental Hip Hop inspirations on the beat of 'Just Don't Give A Fuck' with the screams is definitely interesting but neither fitting nor all that pleasant. But, Em's rapping is enough to help the track to have at least some credibility which it does definitely have. If the beat wasn't as obnoxious, this would be much more than just good. The 'Soap' skit is just a silly sketch that doesn't really do all that much. I don't care for it at all. 'As the World Turns' comes with some Hardcore lyrics that so stupidly funny that I don't even have much to say against the track except that the chorus is destroying the flow a bit and that the middle isn't as comedic as the start or the end but except that, this is an incredible track and if it finished earlier, even perfect. The Trip Hop sounding beat of 'I'm Shady' has some interesting ideas buried beneath but it overall comes off as annoying and the mixing isn't good. You know what also isn't good? The chorus. It's absolutely abysmal and the somewhat funny lyrics can't do enough to make these two terrible parts of the track forgettable. What sticks is a bad feeling and not a funny one. This is the worst song on the album. The pretty goofy Western sounds at the start of 'Bad Meets Evil' might've been a great intro to an EP or something but it works here too. The Abstract Hip Hop influences on some parts of the song are really adding to the beat, the flow as well as the feature which might even out-perform Eminem. This is another perfect song and definitely the most underrated track on the album. The album ends with 'Still Don't Give A Fuck' which puts a pretty fitting thematical finish to the album that is accompanied by both an incredible beat as well as some really good lyrics. This is simply a perfect Boom Bap track that ends the album with a real Boom. Just crazy, the whole album. favourites: If I Had, Bad Meets Evil, Still Don't Give A Fuck, Rock Bottom, As the World Turns, Brain Damage, Guilty Conscience, My Name Is least favourites: I'm Shady, My Fault, Cum on Everybody Rating: decent 7 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Bon album mais aucune envie de m'étaler dessus, on tourne la page on passe à autre chose.

Some very comedic parts coupled with very dark sections. A great listen - lots of great production and obviously talented rapping

i dont like m&m im sorry

Sounds like it was made by and for bratty teenage boys..

One or two Eminem songs are nice, but I get real tired of his flow and voice and skits at the end of the album

I hated 'My Name Is' the first time I heard it on the radio. When this came out it sounded like something geared toward 14-year-old boys who were just realizing that they wanted to upset their moms and weren't sure why or how to do it. I was WAY to old to enjoy this stuff back then. Older than I am now. That said, I don't really enjoy any of this. It feels like a comedy record where the comedian couldn't come up with funny stuff, so they went for the shock. There are bits and pieces that are fun and then sometimes it comes real close to saying something, but then sort of undercuts it. I don't know. Not for me. Two stars because there's clearly talent invovled here. I don't think this is something just anybody could do.

I can understand using art to express states of mind like extreme frustration or anger. But, to make a huge understatement, I think fantasizing about disposing of your wife's dead body is not entertainment and is a misapplication of creativity and talent. He committed that not only to this record but to the record of his character for all time. And frankly I can't see past it. I acknowledge the importance of this record but I have no appetite for it at all.

To this day I still don't understand the appeal of Eminem. He's like the nu-metal of hip hop - an historical mistake that should never be repeated.

puerile ramblings haven't aged well

Absolute banger.

Can't believe I've been sleeping on this one for so long; I guess I just started with the 8 Mile soundtrack as a kid and never went back to The Slim Shady LP. One of the few rap albums where every single track slaps—the flow is tight, the bars are right, and the production from Dr. Dre and the Bass brothers is killer. Even the (comparatively) weaker songs are great. Favorite tracks: Role Model and Still Don't Give a Fuck, but it's hard to decide. 10/10, a masterpiece.

"The Slim Shady LP" is the groundbreaking debut album by American rapper Eminem, released on February 23, 1999. This album marked the beginning of Eminem's rise to stardom and had a profound impact on the hip-hop industry. Here is a detailed review of the album: Introduction to Slim Shady: The album kicks off with an intro track where Eminem introduces his alter ego, Slim Shady. This sets the tone for the dark and twisted themes that run throughout the album. My Name Is: The album's lead single and one of Eminem's signature tracks. It's a humorous and attention-grabbing introduction to his unique style of storytelling and wordplay. Guilty Conscience (feat. Dr. Dre): This song features Eminem and Dr. Dre taking on the roles of the devil and angel on a person's shoulders, giving conflicting advice. It's a clever and thought-provoking track that showcases Eminem's storytelling abilities. Brain Damage: Eminem tells a personal story about his experiences with bullying in high school. It's a raw and emotional track that sheds light on the hardships he faced growing up. Paul: This short skit features Eminem's manager, Paul Rosenberg, leaving him a voicemail expressing his concerns about the controversial content of the album. If I Had: In this track, Eminem explores the idea of changing his past to create a better future. It's a reflective and introspective song that showcases his lyrical prowess. '97 Bonnie & Clyde: One of the album's darkest tracks, Eminem tells a chilling story about a father disposing of his wife's body with their daughter in tow. The contrast between the upbeat production and the macabre lyrics is jarring and effective. Bitch: A humorous and explicit track where Eminem vents his frustrations about difficult women. It's a testament to his ability to tackle controversial and uncomfortable topics. Role Model: Eminem addresses the idea of being a role model, or lack thereof, for his young fans. He acknowledges his flawed personality and controversial behavior. Lounge (Skit): This skit adds some comedic relief to the album as Eminem encounters a fan who is overly enthusiastic about meeting him. My Fault: In this track, Eminem tells a story of a drug-induced sexual encounter gone wrong. It explores themes of addiction and regret. Ken Kaniff (Skit): Another humorous skit featuring a prank call from Ken Kaniff, a recurring character in Eminem's early work. Cum On Everybody: This track is a party anthem with explicit lyrics and a catchy beat. It's a departure from some of the album's darker themes. Rock Bottom: Eminem delves into his struggles with poverty, addiction, and a failing career. It's a deeply emotional and introspective song. Just Don't Give a Fuck: One of the album's standout tracks, Eminem raps about his determination to succeed in the music industry despite the odds against him. Soap (Skit): Another humorous skit featuring a fictional soap opera. As the World Turns: Eminem tells a story about a dysfunctional relationship with humor and vivid storytelling. I'm Shady: In this track, Eminem acknowledges his controversial reputation and the criticism he faces from the media and the public. Bad Meets Evil (feat. Royce da 5'9"): Eminem teams up with Royce da 5'9" in this track, showcasing their lyrical prowess and chemistry. Still Don't Give a Fuck: The album closes with Eminem reaffirming his determination to succeed and not caring what others think. Overall, "The Slim Shady LP" is a landmark album in hip-hop history. Eminem's complex and often controversial lyrics, combined with his technical prowess and storytelling abilities, established him as a force to be reckoned with in the genre. The album is a dark and twisted journey into the mind of Slim Shady, and it set the stage for Eminem's continued success in the years to come. It's a classic in the world of hip-hop and remains a significant part of Eminem's legacy.

I remember first hearing this in Luke’s attic and being blown away by it. I was hooked by the humour and narratives in the lyrics and the production. Wasn’t really a hip hop fan before it, and it opened up a world of new music to me. An absolute classic and an album I still listen to and love today.

I could score this 5 solely on music and probably another 5 solely on legacy/influence. Awesome album. Plus it has Chase & Dave on it. 10/10

classic

maybe nostalgia, but it's always a 5 from me

It was good

Classic!

Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP is a wild paradox—technically brilliant, deeply problematic, and still weirdly addictive. The beats slap, the rhymes twist, and while some lyrics haven’t aged well, it’s a chaotic time capsule that shaped rap’s future for better or worse.

Absolutely kick-ass hiphop album. Very distinct style.

Kind of remarkable to think that earlier this year (July 2024, "The Death of Slim Shady") Eminem just released a coda to Slim Shady 25 years after this album came out. It's never been the most elevated concept, but you gotta hand it to Enimem for the longevity of this pathetic "alter-ego" figure. And even though it's a pretty uneven album, there's something about it that I've always enjoyed listening to, and in a weird way it's held up much better than some of the other rap/hip-hop albums in this collection. My favorites are probably "Guilty conscience", "If I had", the genuinely disturbing "97 Bonnie & Clyde" and "Rock bottom", but most of the tracks are fun to revisit. (I suspect that some of the tolerance I feel for this album is because it's not as focused on drugs, gangs and (realistic) violence as some others, although that guy has a serious mouth and Slim Shady certainly (and likely Eminem too) has some serious issues with women.) I know a lot of people find his voice's tone/timbre super annoying, but I'm thankful that I don't suffer from this.

I really loved my name is and guilty conscience when I was 12-15 and while those songs are still fun, this album is best left in your puberty years. I get that the crassness, questionable morals, and posturing about violence was eminem's whole bit at this point but it really wears thin after the 3rd reference to the OJ Simpson murders, and like 80th skit (like, it feels like they're half the runtime of the album). Listening to this after the Marshall Mathers LP I didn't realize how many songs he's devoted to murdering/raping Kim in various scenarios and have a greater appreciation for Stan because it's like his first song that's about something more than wanting to throat fuck Hillary Clinton or whatever. Despite all of this, though, you can't deny that he really brought the juice technically. From the flow to the beats it all sounds great but it's like inventing the calculator only to use it to write boobs upside down over and over and over again.

Доктор Дре, брачо, ты если читаешь мой очерк, то от души тебе за явление этого Антихриста народу. Ты открыл ящик пандоры. Я бы поставил 5, но этот LP плохо состарился и звучит сейчас как винтажный хоррор-бумбэп. Свои пятерочки Эм получит далее, а это только Начало..

‘The Slim Shady LP’ is generally as funny as it is horrifying, but its true genius lies is in trying to figure out whether Eminem was being sincere or just taking the piss. Turns out it was a bit of both. Where the album falls down a bit is in its somewhat hit and miss production and overly long length. At its best however, Eminem’s imagination and storytelling ability is both amazing and outrageous, with an angry and urgent, but often humorous hallucinogenic quality and a sense of danger you don’t often get anymore from an artist, especially on their debut.

You know you’re in for something intense just by the cover alone. Slim battle raps his way through some of the best punchlines hip hop had seen. Incredible word play. It’s comical, outrageous, pushing buttons, pushing limits, politically incorrect and something that the world obviously wasn’t ready for. Dre and Em are a sick match together and they created some real fire that still burns hot now. Some of it hasn’t aged well but the vast majority is timeless. Top 5 1 my name is 2 role model 3 if I had 4 just don’t give a fuck 5 bad meets evil

Eminem is a single god. Literally every album has at least one or two songs that are pure masterclass. But somehow I have difficulties listening to a whole album of his. Maybe we should have put the best-of album in the list, this would have been an easy 5/5

When this album came out it was tongue-in-check sophomoric humor blending shock-rap and pop culture. Little did we know that this was the introduction of genius. Songs like “My Name Is” were received some radio play but most of this album was listened at parties or on cars due to the graphic and psychotic nature of the protagonist (antagonist?). As both Eminem and I have gotten older this album appeals to me less because it focuses most on shock factor, especially when compared to his master work on Eminem Show, Marshal Mathers II (Rap God is impressively fast) and even his most recent album in which he kills Slim Shady at last (Guilty Conscious II is a career culmination gone wrong but so rightly done!), which seems long over due in retrospect. Back then he was doing what no-one else was doing, and now everyone in rap and film is opening a door into their dark psychology. I don’t know if we are better off for it….

Very interesting album for sure. Some real bangers on here, My Name Is, Still Don't Give a Fuck were great. Surprisingly I ended up liking '97 Bonnie & Clyde and My Fault. But some other songs I felt were just... meh. The beats are all fantastic, its more-so where the lyrics were kinda balls. Like Guilty Conscience, or As The World Turns. Like, woah, Eminem song about rape :0 woahhhhh. It's kinda fascinating though. He obviously writes whatever the fuck he wants, and respect for that shit, but sometimes the 'whatever he wants' ends up being the same shit "edgy" kids in middle school thought was high comedy, especially when it came to shitting on girls, because I guess its hard to pull bitches in 7th grade? Idk, I'm 50-50 on it. Some great songs, some ass songs, would probablt listen to again, or at least parts of it.

Eminem's always been too much for me. And I vowed, after first going through his discography, to never go through it again. I actually enjoyed that first go quite a bit - it was a few years back though. I saw his records for what they were - trying too hard to be edgy but in a (mostly) fun way. Eminem's music is a listen-once-and-done type of thing for me. But here I am listening to this again. I always liked Dr. Dre's production, especially on the song 'Guilty Conscience'. And this song, despite containing all the gimickiness I've never enjoyed in Slim's music, I've always enjoyed the over-the-top nature of it. 'Brain Damage' is another high watermark in Slim's career, the guy was always great at storytelling and his recalling of why he's so messed up in this overly gorey and traumatic way was engaging to say the least. And 'Bad Meets Evil' is a genuinely great early '2000s-styled rap song. Everything else here is standard Eminem. Production is consistently lowkey, the type that you would chill out to. That is until Eminem's yelpy vocals and sound effects sort of take you out of the trance. I don't hate Eminem's voice, I certainly enjoy his old voice more than his new one. It's just different and again gimmicky and not the type I'd throw on casually. And the hooks here are awful generally, sort of a staple for this time and style of hip-hop - but the one on 'My Fault' got stuck in my head. Eminem's a lyrical talent - he does great things with words but after a second listen to this, I feel like I've had enough Eminem for, like, the next few months. Again, I think it boils down to him being too much for me. But I'll always appreciate this dude, he was a force to be reckoned with for the time and he means a lot to a lot people.

You can see the beginnings of his talent, but this was his angry middle school notebook

this doesn't stand the test of time, I used to love this album and thought it would join my elite grouping of 5 star albums, upon giving it a listen in 2024 it's really not that good, and quite irritating in parts. Guilty Conscience and My Name Is drag this up to a 3 star

Nr. 128/1001 PSA NR My Name Is 4/5 Guilty Conscience 3/5 Brain Damage 3/5 Paul - Skit NR If I Had 4/5 '97 Bonnie & Clyde 3/5 Bitch NR Role Model 3/5 Lounge - Skit NR My Fault 2/5 Ken Kaniff - SKIT NR Cum On Everybody 3/5 Rock Bottom 4/5 Just Don't Give A Fuck 2/5 Soap - SKIT NR As The World Turns 3/5 I'm Shady 3/5 Bad Meets Evil 3/5 Still Don't Give A Fuck 3/5 Average: 3,07 Pretty raw and often times immature record. Excited for his other more mature record on this list.

Overall quite decent due to Dr. Dre’s songwriting and production. Would love to give it 3.5, but gotta do a 3.

I *like* Eminem. His lyrics are creative, poetic, funny, and you can tell are his personal stories. A whole album of the monotonous beats is a bit much, though.

Wow, this is vintage hip hop but damn I was a little shocked at the levels of vulgarity and violence. I love some of the classic tracks, but am continually reminded that this type of gangsta rap isn't really for me. I do appreciate the broader culture around hip hop, and its not even necessarily about the quality of the music but rather the ecosystem of artists, competition, collaboration, one upsmanship, and a lot of other complex cultural aspects. Fun, but one and done for me.

Ok, I haven’t actually started the review but I just saw on Wikipedia that on the censored version, ‘Just Don’t Give A Fuck’ and ‘Still Don’t Give A Fuck’ are changed to ‘Just Don’t Give’ and ‘Still Don’t Give’ and I just find that really funny. Also I just remembered the line “Go-go gadget dick” and while the song it’s on isn’t great, I find that absurdly hilarious. Anyway, this is a fun album with some problematic lyrics. More specifically, I like the deranged-ness of it all when it doesn’t feel misogynistic, homophobic, etc. I like the other stuff, though, so 3.

This album is the epitome of old Eminem: edgy, over the top, misogynist insanity. The skits are fun, but not something that I always love in an album. It's hard to give this album a better rating when his next two albums were just miles ahead and, in my opinion, peak Eminem. This album really suffers from the fact that Eminem cannot write a chorus to save his life (there are definitely exceptions, but more often than not the verses are catchier than the chorus). Nearly every song on this album just has the weakest chorus imaginable, but he's just got his unique style that instantly gets you vibing so it's easy to ignore. Giving this a 3 because the excessive misogyny (which I realize is kind of his shtick) feels harder to stomach now that I'm older, and because his other albums are just straight up better. Probably a 4 if I was scaling this review with the rest of the albums I've heard so far.

Honestly, this didn't age as well as I thought it would. I know that, when it came out, it was somewhat groundbreaking and I appreciate the injection of comedic and lighthearted storytelling elements into a genre that, at the time, was preoccupied with being "hard" above all. But it's just not that great 20+ years later. There are still good moments and solid hooks in here and "My Name Is" is still a fun joint. But it's not enough to pull it above a middling 3-star score.

I was expecting to like this a lot more than I actually did. At the time, this was groundbreaking, but seemed almost cliche today. Unfair? Maybe. But I’m giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ anyway.

This was a bit of a slog. Americans are, mostly, deeply serious people. Many though are afflicted with a curse of wanting to desperately try to appear fun. It hardly ever works. Mathers is one such American and the curse really shows itself. The serious parts of the album have something but they are undermined by the painfully American take on fun that attempts to gatecrash the album at every turn. The twists at the end of songs are a nice idea but these get old very quickly.

Eminem is a very talented rapper. He is a better story teller than I've heard amongst rappers; he is eloquent and has skill as a wordsmith that is unmatched. Unfortunately, Eminem is disturbed - his story trend toward abusive relationship, and violence toward women. These songs are more melodic than most rap, but still lack the musicality that most genres employ. Eminem may be a great rapper, but these are disturbed, dark stories.

Any musical value to be derived from this was automatically cancelled out by just how FUCKING ANNOYING IT IS. I don’t like him, I don’t like his voice, I don’t like his lyrics. No thank you!

Angry young white man music was an unfortunate trend in the late 90s. I, too was an angry young white man in the late 90s and have many regrets from that era. At least this isn't Kid Rock or Limp Bizkit so it gets an extra star. But it doesn't forgive My Fault and it's horrifying lyrics.

some good songs but most are just mid

Can't be doing with his "ironic", "humorous" misogynistic violence. Even if he is claiming it's all done in character. The music is potentially good, but lyrically it's just unpleasant.

This one seemed to be going big for shock value. Some clever rhymes but pretty much nonsense for the most part. Had a time and place, best left there.

oof. did not age well, I know it was edgy back then too but I felt dirty even listening to it. still had a few good bars so 2 stars instead of 1 but good lord the pearl clutchers were right to hate this dude

Man this is both raunchy AND dark. Good beats, but dang this is not good lyrics. Yeah kinda what I said already. I just don't like his lyrics. Which is unfortunate cuz the sound is good.

Shite

I’ve compiled a list of ALF’s favorite bands based on references made in the show: The Archies, The Partridge Family, The Chipmunks, The Beach Boys, Bob Seger, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, ZZ Top, and Stevie Wonder.

Meh, I forgot about the days where there were skits or interludes between every track -- glad those went out of style (except for the Wu-Tang interludes -- those are still the best thing ever). This is just a, mostly, boring album that seems to care more about shock value of what Em is saying than anything else. I do appreciate some Eminem -- not this album.

I just listened to this stupid FUCKING album for the best 50 hip hop/rap albums of all time, and it sucks. Throw this out into the trash

Not a fan at all. The music is mostly excellent but isn't that to Dr Dre's credit? Sure it's integral to the album and I care infinitely more about music than lyrics/vocals but when it's so damn distracting and obviously the main course and I hate it.... then I can't enjoy it at all. And I don't. Sure time passing has a way of making what was once shocking almost humorous, but jfc this is still gross - it's just awful. I really do still hate Eminem's voice and his style; whiny/nasally and slightly behind the beat. Hard hard pass on all fronts. 2/10 1 star.

Had to suffer through this again.. Yeah not for me and it's gotten worse with age. I think 20 years ago I might have given it 3 stars but now I have to give it a 1.

That was pretty awful. Not for me, anyway.

This did not age well.

So I'm well aware that this is Eminem's second album, but as far as I was concerned in the early 2000s, it might as well have been his debut. Over a summer where I was working across various parts of Africa, all I had was this and his next album to listen to. Although I probably prefer the Marshall Mathers album, there's still a lot to like here, and the first few tracks are really strong. I like the horror-core humour, and I love the beats and delivery. I would probably give this around 4.5, but I'm going to round it up to 5 stars.

Hip hop peaked here.

Like high school all over again. Wild lyrics but serious rap chops.

Nostalgia inducing

OVERALL: I've been meaning to listen to an Eminem album, and I've listened to 17 rap albums already, but none were by Eminem. After listening, I can confidently say that I understand the Eminem glaze. There are some weak songs, and most of the skits aren't the best, but when it's good it's really good. And thank god basically every song is really good. He really puts a lot of character into basically every song, and when he isn't Slim Shady he becomes very emotional and vulnerable. Songs like Role Model, Still Don't Give A Fuck, and Bad Meets Evil are good examples of Slim Shady and the amount of character on this album, while If I Had and Rock Bottom show Eminem as Marshall Mathers. Pretty good SONG AVG: 8.7 PERSONAL RATING: 9/10 Public Service Announcement: Skit. I've heard many good things and songs from Eminem, so I'm pretty excited to hear this. Pretty nice little intro. I know skits are pretty common on older rap albums, so hopefully they're pretty good. SKIT/10 My Name Is: Honestly, I don't think I've heard much of this song outside of the chorus. Pretty fun, the production isn't the greatest but it's still good. I don't really like the background effects that much. Pretty solid performance, the lyrics are fine and his flow is pretty good. I've heard people call this one of Eminem's most defining songs. Pretty good I guess. 7.75/10 Guilty Conscience: Don't really like the introductions and the interlude, everything else is pretty good. Nice production. I really like the concept of this, where Dr. Dre is basically abandoning is past and Eminem is embracing it. Great flow, and the lyrics are pretty nice. The raping a 15 year old girl part is weird though. "Wait, what if there's an explanation for this shit? What, she tripped, fell, landed on his dick?" is pretty funny ngl. 9.25/10 Brain Damage: I've heard really good things about this song. I also know that his bully sued him for this song. Really nice storytelling, pretty good exaggeration (I hope) of his experience with bullying. Also really good lyrics and pretty good flow, and his voice is pretty nice. 9.5/10 Paul: This is 16 seconds long. I guess it's good? SKIT/10 If I Had: Pretty big tone change. Pretty emotional, while still keeping some of the same lyrics that Slim Shady is known for. Pretty powerful, shows how he grew up with nothing and still didn't really have anything at this point. Nice production. I guess his flow is slightly weaker. 9.25/10 '97 Bonnie & Clyde: I feel like the intro takes too long, but once the song starts it gets really good. Holy shit, this is Kim part 2. Pretty good storytelling, basically tells us the story of Kim and why he killed her through the lens of Hailie. Pretty haunting, great production and his voice definitely sounds like a dad telling his child something while hiding some details, really good overall. 9.75/10 Bitch: Another skit. I did some digging, this is a real voicemail by someone who dated the A&R person. Kinda interesting ig. SKIT/10 Role Model: I've heard this one before. I like the production, and the lyrics represent Slim Shady very well. Pretty fun, nice flow and rhymes. "I tie a rope around my penis and jump from a tree" is pretty funny out of context. Really good overall 9.5/10 Lounge: Skit. Pretty nice as a segue into My Fault. I guess it's good. SKIT/10 My Fault: What is the "pizza mix"???? Nice story, but I think Eminem's singing is kinda weird. Pretty fun and surprisingly feminist, the crying at the end was very unexpected but also a really good detail. The rest of the song feels very unserious, especially for the topic, but it sounds good so it's fine I guess. 8/10 Ken Kaniff: This skit is over ONE MINUTE LONG. Pretty funny. SKIT/10 Cum On Everybody: Eh. The chorus is carried by Dina Rae so much, but still sounds fine. The verses don't really stand out to me, the flow in like the second half of verse 3 is good. Sounds good, but isn't much of anything else. Above average production. 6.5/10 Rock Bottom: I've seen people call this the best Eminem song, let's see if they're right. Amazing production, genuinely might be perfect. Very emotional, shows Mathers' state at the time with incredible lyrics. Really good flow. 10/10 Just Don't Give A Fuck: Weird screeching, weridly works??????? Other than that, the production is very good. Great flow, really good lyrics. Kinda like Rock Bottom but rapped by Slim Shady instead of Eminem. Slightly worse, mainly because of the screeching. 9.25/10 Soap: Skit. Sets the soap opera vibe for the next song. SKIT/10 As The World Turns: "Duh-dah-duh-dah-duh-duh, go-go gadget dick!" is maybe the funniest lyric of this album so far. Pretty creative storytelling, also pretty goofy but still works. Nice overall, kinda captures the whole essence of the album so far. 8.5/10 I'm Shady: Holy shit that chorus is awful. Kinda similar to Pusherman by Curtis Mayfield, which is a song I've heard because of this generator so that's nice. Nice production. The verses are pretty fun, but the god forsaken chorus brings this from a high 7-low 8 to a high 4. Also the outro isn't that good. 4.75/10 Bad Meets Evil: The name sounded familiar, later realized it was the name of the Eminem and Royce Da 5'9 duo. I'm gonna be honest, I forgot to write a review because I was very invested in this song. Great production, great lyrics, great concept, great flows. The only thing holding it back is the weird cowboy, but it still works with the overall theming. 9.92/10 Still Don't Give A Fuck: I don't think he gives a fuck. Fantastic production, the fake out intro is pretty good. Really good overall, less good lyrically than Just Don't Give A Fuck but better in terms of production. Great ending to this album. 9.9/10

I don't think I can look at this objectively at all, it's just so tied to it's context and like my first real deep dive into rap. That being said, I can't help but love it. I mean it has 97 Bonnie and Clyde, Guilty Conscience, My Name Is, some solid hits. The sheer lyrical gymnastics that he can do are amazing. And he's just great at making some infectious beats. I don't hate the content either especially in light of the more recent work he's put out. I think it works in terms of an album written as Slim Shady. Is it his best album? No, but it still holds up and I can still happily listen to it all the way through.

This was pretty much the last time Eminem was relevant. It’s the last time he really had a sense of humor. The last album before he became mad at everything and needed to sound angry in almost every song. This is the perfect fun hip hop album. Regardless of how serious the content of the song is. It made me a fan but oh how quickly I walked away . It’s hard to pick out a choice cut because the songs are so close together in goodness. I chose Bonnie and Clyde. I like to put it on for my wife and remind her what would happen if she left me. Uhhh Did I say that out loud? Choice cut: 97 Bonnie and Clyde

Top 3 greatest rap albums ever. Only one song I dont relly like bit ot still great in the album as part of hos amazing storytelling Simply perfection recorded.

Bleak, gritty, rough at times but incredible vocabulary and several enjoyable tracks. Worth a listen!

"I don't give a fuck, god sent me to piss the world off" - a perfect quote to sum up this album I grew up listening to Eminem, and the lyrics don't really shock me anymore. I've always assumed it was an alter ego when he raps. I do understand why people find it offensive though! I knew a lot of these songs and skits already, and even though I'm not usually a fan of skits, it was enjoyable! My Name Is - probably the biggest song on the album, but there's quite a few big tunes on this one I think my score was influenced a lot by nostalgia, because some of these songs did not age well lmao (still think they're bangers). Eminem is also very good live so I'm probably biased 😆 5 ⭐️

Dark album with bits of humor sprinkled throughout. I've always loved the way he bends words. Probably his best album imo.