The Marshall Mathers LP

Vulgar. Moments of genius.

As much as there are some excellent songs on here, ultimately there are a lot of vile, somewhat contradictory lyrics and this album is also just far, far too long. Eminem does not have the musical chops to carry off an album of this length.

Just a masterpiece to be honest.

The production on this album is undeniably high-quality, filled with catchy beats and memorable hooks. Even though I’m not a fan of Dr. Dre and don’t follow his work, I have to admit that he’s a top-tier producer. Now, onto Eminem. I know my opinion might be outnumbered by the masses, but I’ve always struggled to see him as a timeless musical legend. His wacky, silly, and goofy wordplay, laced with provocative and sarcastic humor, just doesn’t resonate with me. It feels more like satire with a level of maturity that specifically targets a young adolescent demographic. Sure, it’s a phase we can all relate to at some point in our development into adulthood. And yes, maybe his music spans generations, but it’s also a phase that we’re meant to grow out of. As one generation moves past that stage, another younger generation steps in to take over where the last one left off. But here’s the thing: if you found yourself relating to Eminem at 20 and are still listening to him at 60, that might be a pretty good indicator that you never really evolved or grew up.

Another classic from my teenage years. It's value has gone down a bit but still bops. I probably don't appreciate it as much as I would if I was going into it fresh. 3.5/5

Legendary

I can look past juvenile lyricism, violence, crude language if done cleverly. Hopefully as he gets older he can get more creative and lean on innuendo when needed. As a teenager though this is a pretty impressive record- oh wait, he was 27 when this was released?

Arguably, one of the greatest lyricists in hip hop history. Em’s wordplay, vocabulary and lyrical ability made him notable. His early, often violent, content made him controversial. I’ve been listening to him since the Slim Shady EP (pre-LP) and even went back to Infinite, but that’s a very underdeveloped version of him. This album was always one I appreciated, but not as much as the Slim Shady series. This is certainly one of his most thoroughly-violent records. The opening few tracks are really great though as he showcases his lyrical talent and creativity. His ability to rhyme such an expansive lexicon of the English language while maintaining an entertaining cadence and rhyme style is really what makes him captivating for me. His violent content is unsavory and difficult to listen to at times (e.g. Kim”), but I feel he’s saying and expressing anger in a way that probably some of us feel at times but know better than to let it out into the world among our friends and family. Em uses his musical platform to express himself, and for this record, he had embraced and recognized his meteoric rise. On an engineering level, the mastering of this record is very well done - no surprise with Dre being the mastermind. I was also reminded how great of a song “Stan” is. Vividly painting a story of a young fan with little to no self-direction. Another reminder that therapy is for everyone. The record loses its appeal a bit for me in the middle and end with the exception of the west coast star-studded “Bitch Please”, and “Criminal” is nostalgic, but overall I’d rate this 3.5/5, so a 4 it is.

fwwf

Offensive, appalling, juvenile, and completely off the rails. So, just about everything you come to expect from Eminem. And that's kind of the point. Yet weirdly, it's also incredibly self-aware and a few parts of it border on humility (e.g. Who Knew) In the end, its catchy as hell, oddly clever and even poetic despite the subject matter, and doesn't pretend to be anything it's not. I can't fault that. And actually, I kind of enjoy it.

I guess I never really understood his vibe before listening Troll but really weighty Couple bangers on here

Favourite Song: The Way I Am

Auto 4 just for Stan and The Way I Am. The rest is angrier than I remember. Unfortunately the album did not age as well as the hits did. You had to be alive at the time of recording to get most of the references. Because of those two things, it is getting a 3/5.

exhausting

++: Stan, Paul, Steve Berman, The Way I Am, Marshall Mathers, Ken Kaniff, Drug Ballad, Bitch Please II, Kim, Criminal +: Public Service Announcement 2000, Kill You, Who Knew, The Real Slim Shady, Remember Me?, I'm Back, Amityville, Under The Influence 8,0/10

This was a top tier album with a great mix of good rap and skits

Man this was nostalgic

Lot’s of homophobic slurs. Had to skip a couple tracks because of it

I really want to rate this higher. I totally get that the shock factor and offensive nature of Eminem is the point. But having this album generated the WEEK after I first listened to The Death of Slim Shady makes it feel… stale. This album was impressive, and raw, and unique when it came out, sure. But he’s still milking the same schtick damn near a quarter-century later. Plus, the dick sucking noises were super jarring to listen to at my 9-5 desk job.

Heard before. Pretty good.

As he says on the album, it's music for middle school boys, and it holds up for that. I remember all these songs from when I was in high school, but it doesn't age well past that. Write extreme lyrics, complain about people not liking the extreme lyrics, write more extreme lyrics. ::shrug::

Lots of cursing and bad-words. It was good, his voice is not annoying but not enjoyable either. Old album tone. Very well done. 7.0/10.

Wow - so many hits. Eminem was everywhere in the early 2000s - and it is understandable. Both the hits and the rest of the songs on here are so catchy - I really like his rapping/rhyming style, and the production is just amazing, but the skits in between are a little too much. I could live without his singing in Marshall Marhers, and I din’t really like Drug Ballad and Kim. Time has not been kind to many of his lyrics on this record. It was a different time”.

MMLP holds a special place in my heart. This came out when I was 9 years old and highly impressionable. Up until this point, I had next to zero exposure to rap, but The Real Slim Shady bled into alternative rock stations and changed my perception of music. Obviously, I didn't follow, much less understand the lyrics, but I knew the beats were fun and the delivery was catchy. I remember asking for an "M&M CD" for Christmas that year... Needless to say, I did not get it, and I'm kind of glad for that; an edited MMLP would be nearly pointless. I am completely biased by the impression this album had on me. That said, I know I am not alone in my reverence of this record. Sequencing start to finish is wonderful, with great flow of energy -- often juxtaposing up-beat with more somber (e.g., Kill You > Stan, Who Knew > The Way I Am > The Real Slim Shady). Classic Dre production is often minimal, but highly effective and distinctive. And Em just flows around everything, jumping from open sneers (Who Knew, I'm Back, Kill You), to outright anger (The Way I Am, Kim), and bombast (The Real Slim Shady, Criminal). He was limber and topical with an ability to showcase his humor as well as demo writing in a more introspective (Marshall Mathers, The Way I Am) and narrative format (Stan). A few posse cuts sprinkled throughout only elevate the album; always a pleasure to hear Snoop slink around Dre beats (Bitch Please II), and Em interplay with D12 (Under the Influence). This is an easy 5 from me. I will say though that nothing hurts my soul quite like having grown up through prime Shady and watching him release album after album of awkward, cringe-inducing attempts to recapture that former flame. This album is a good reminder of where it all started.

If you removed a lot of the crazy Eminem skits and misc stuff in this album I would probably give it a 5. It's a 4.5 for me. So many songs I have loved Stan, Real slim sahdy, I'm back, drug ballad, bitch please II, Criminal. This album was such a big fuck you to everyone back then. I wish I could have experienced it coming out older than 9 lol.

Very real and very raw album. Definitely a weird one to listen to at 8am on a Tuesday. I'm happy Eminem is as real as he is because I feel like if he wasn't well adjusted he would be saying some absolutely off the wall stuff in the media these days.

Such an intense album with some amazing classic songs Slim Shady and Stan. Like his first album, the skits and interludes add so much to the story telling of the album. The emotion that must have gone into writing this whole album is crazy. This is my first time listening to it all the way through and was blown away. Absolute classic of an album and an easy 5.

This album makes me want to burn someone’s house down. Em is unhinged in the best way possible. Lyrics, flow, humor, beats - has it all. Stan is arguably Em’s best song ever. Drug Ballad is his sexiest. Criminal is criminally underrated and probably my most played song from this album. Play Kim at my funeral.

Amazing but messed up

I dunno. Shock music? Not my favourite era of slim. he's trying to be dark, and it kinda works, and I'm not into it. His controversy works best when it's got a bit of a comic edge, a bit like in the melody on real slim shady. All the like.. rape stuff and language about women.. nah. How many times and in how many different ways can someone say they don't give a f**k before it becomes apparent that they really do? Also.. he can't sing. so why? He annoys me more than he really should, and I know that's kinda the whole point. Maybe it's just aged really badly? this is a 2.

This is as antagonistic as it gets. I think everything that’s come after is just trying to replicate the angst. Nearly had me clutching pearls, and I don’t even own pearls. Maybe it's contrived controversy. And maybe it still sells because he can get away with being this angry in America…because he’s white. Good social commentary. Good flow, beats, and some solid tracks. Some duds. Feels like the first classic album I’ve come across, but maybe that’s just the hype at the time...

Just great! A true classic

Opens with "s*** my f****** c***"

Severely out of date ideologies, probably one of the original trolls of music. He is however an excellent lyricist.

Thought it was misogynistic, homophobic and not great when it was released but it has aged poorly.

This holds up better that SSLP not because it is less ridiculously offensive and outdated in rhetoric, but because the quality supersedes those faults. This is his best album. At times a very difficult listen, but his talent pulls you in.

A lot of this album is actually really good. It’s at its best when it’s reflective. Eminem wrestling with the his new found fame and how he has been received. A classic theme for a sophomore album. He lets you break down the fourth wall a bit and assures you he is mostly just talking shit. Stan is one of his crowning achievements. It’s extremely evocative and a master class in dark storytelling. Some of it definitely feels like the slim shady LP and that’s when I think it’s at its weakest. Kim is the perfect example of this. It’s an awful song with nightmarish subject matter and no redeeming moral or message. He may hurst be “talking shit” but if you’re going to shock the audience you should at least have something to say. 3.2

I am an old bastard and I clearly struggle to get rap. Through the 1001 I've been educated to some extent by reviewing Slim Shady, Beastie Boys, NWA, and Kendrick to name a few. Most of these, despite some low ratings given, I can see some value in. Even this hass catchy, well produced beats. But the lyrics of this is nothing but macho, antisocial, racist, misogynist, dick-swinging. I didn't even feel the anger in it that it tries to portray as NWA did so well in pointing out the ravages of the Compton experience. This is purely, an attempt to up the ante on shock value and self promotion within circles with like mentality. He succeeds with turning the shock value up to 11. It is VILE. But his self promotion leaves me looking at him as smaller. I have given a 1 star to the likes of NWA as being too angry and, admittedly, unrelatable. But I did recognize they were shedding light on their reality. I find it insulting to that 1 star that I can't give this 0.

Rap isn't my thing, but this album feels nostalgic (in a good way) and reminds me of my teens. I remember overplaying 'Stan' to death back in the day, and I still think it's an incredible track. Some of the things he says on the album can be hard to stomach, but I've always liked his delivery; very tongue-in-cheek and self-aware. Of course, this was written back in the day when tolerance for a certain type of 'jokes' was much higher, so I had to look at it through different lens. 'Kim' and some of the skits are still awful, but otherwise, it is probably one of the very few rap albums I'd listen to front to back. 4 stars

so cringe omg

All these years later, "Kill You" and "Kim" are just too dark for me to listen to, but the rest is straight fire. "Bitch Please II" is one of my all-time go-tos for getting amped.

4.6

Less 'crude' production than his debut. Really love this split personality with Eminem, Slim Shady and Marshall going on. Has an edge to it with songs like Kim that probably drew in a few Nu Metal/ alt kids

If I were a hip hop rap fan I’d probably really like this…so nope.

Gen Z is trying to cancel him! Some messed up lyrics, that's for sure. Gen Z is trying to cancel him!

A savage rap album from one of the masters of the art. Interesting the way this album can cross between fucked up/ shock rap, while also covering some real shit and making you think and reflect sometimes. Why do we like Shady’s music? Perhaps it’s morbid curiosity. What’s he going to say next? Will I laugh, will I feel sick, will a sneer? will I nod to the beat no matter which? There’s some musically identifiable reasons - it’s technically impressive, sometimes catchy, cohesive, it tells dark horror stories of a psyche affected by poverty/violence/mental illness. Somethings are harder to put your finger on, but this is a really fucking good album.

I forgot what a hold this guy had on culture in the 2000s. Hearing him rap about the absolute hysteria around his lyrics reminded me of the moral panic this country went through when he first got big and I think that's how I understand this album too. On one hand he doesn't care what you think - he is going to be a crude and crass as he wants and in some respects he is a free speech warrior, but on the other hand I think he does it just to piss people off and his music suffers because of it too. I think he is one of the most talented rappers of a generation and he is maybe one of the best lyricists of the genre, but it songs like Kim that really turn me off of him. I think if he spent more time writing songs like Stan rather than songs just made to piss people off he would have had a much better album - but then again at the end of the day that's sort of the Eminem experience.

fully understand why someone wouldn't like this, but this is one of the most provocative albums by one of the most technically proficient mcs ever and litchrally invented stan culture idk.

Listening to this makes me wish I had never been born.

eh

Takes me straight back to this era…

Like challenging art ... I remained conflicted ... Occupied by questions ... More impactful than an old masterpiece could ever muster

This guy is incredibly talented, but I don’t ultimately need this in my life. I can and suppose I will, in fact, die without it. 2 for the talent, minus 3 for making the world so much less beautiful

Horrible news: I really enjoyed this album.

As entertaining as it is crass

Iconic, but not going to be an everyday listen for me.

Nothing if not caustic, Marsh always throws down very danceable, listenable beats, at the same time as he tries to shock his audience with his crudeness and threats of violence. What’s most disingenuous is this notion that his listeners are put off by any of this, when has known perfectly well from day one that everyone will always flock to what he’s laying down. On the whole, despite being uneven, overly-long, and something I’m just simply often not in the mood for, it’s quite entertaining.

This is still exceptionally clever and seems more like a play than a musical album at times. However, I must be getting old because I now found parts of this disturbing and now think, 'would I like it if my teenage kids listened to this?'. A big change to when I first heard it as 20yr old. The answer may still be yes, but take note to the parts where he spouts not to take his rap persona as the real person he is.

5 stars for nostalgia... Favorite track: real slim shady other picks: stan, the way i am, i am back

better than I thought. Very angry

I'm not a fan of hip hop. Melody and harmonic progression are my favorite parts of music and I find mechanical performances unmoving. But brilliant works of art transcend genre and are recognizable to even the uninitiated and the ignorant.

Another nostalgic piece for me, I guess I’m still mad at the world. This is just as good as The Slim Shady LP in my opinion.

Oooh, scary! Will the real rapping prodigy please stand up?

A few good songs, a lot of sophomoric rhymes and shocking lyrics for the sake of shocking ..

Dark I can appreciate his lyrical talent, but I’m not into it. Too angry.

Big classic. Sadly, only like 3-4 good songs. But I like eminem.

3 songs carry this album

Man, this album was huge. It wasn’t my thing back then, and it’s not my thing now, but this album definitely held my attention. This album has its ups and downs, and even deeper downs, but for me overall its highlights earn a surprising four stars.

I really, really, really don’t get the whole Eminem thing. It’s like he takes all the criticisms of misogyny and glorification of violence and strains out everything else to focus just on that. Let’s talk about how awful women are and threaten them with violence! Oh and for good measure let’s do the same thing with gay men. Needless to say I didn’t listen to the whole thing but I gave it more than it deserved.

Eminem is so talented and this album is a masterpiece. He’s a fantastic song writer and performer. I still listen to his albums every once in a while. That being said: I can’t get behind his whole “I’m just saying it. I don’t mean it or condone it” thing while pointing at the media and parents as the villains. A lot of his content is reprehensible. So that all drags this down a star.

sophomoric but you can see/hear the talent. This guy's going places

Not my taste

The cruelty is here to titillate rather than disquiet, domestic violence for jollies. Shame, as this is often funny, replete with bold and bright hooks and textures, and Eminem’s voice moves like an F1 car at Monaco.

Ubiquitous during summer 2000, two decades later this is both embarrassingly dated and still hilariously offensive. With Dr Dre at the height of his powers and Eminem's cute rhyming schemes, phrasing and lyrical obsessions sounding fresh, there was a lot to like here despite the content (e.g. "Kill You", "Stan", "Marshall Mathers", "Kim"; love 'em or hate 'em, they're great compositions). Docked at least a point for the incessant dumb homophobia, which reduces this to a time capsule rather than another classic Dre production

eminem is really corny now because he made the worst albums ever, but if he only released this and a few others he would be in the goat conversation

So good

This album gives me a great big problem. Up to now I’ve rated every hip hop or rap type album very low. Main reason is that this music was not made for the likes of me and probably made with the intention of deliberately insulting people like me. So I’ve taken the position that instead of saying I hate it and writing a full diatribe to justify this I’ve let rap music float over me without too much comment because I’m so unqualified to say anything other. This should be the position I adopt now but there is something in the music which Eminem produces that I like. Not the lyrics (God no) or the images he describes which are horrific but sometimes he produces very melodic music which gives an instantaneous hit. I’m a sucker for a memorable tune and Eminem does produce some good ones. There are some good tunes on this album but more so on his later albums. This album then is full of what I don’t like in that I don’t want in my home. I’ve seen enough of real life cretins in my career and witnessed the hurt they bring to innocent people and justify it because of their poor life starts. So anyone exhorting the false virtues of such things I avoid. I doubt that nowerdays in these woke times an album like this would gain the same traction like it did 24 years ago. I’m not a woke’ist but a lot of the subject matter in this album should not be held high in popular culture. The counter to this argument is the inclusion of Dido whose sample must have been sanctioned by her. I get the impression the she is an unassuming typical English Rose so just why she appears on an album full of misogynistic language and imagery is beyond me. So do I like the context of this album? - resounding no. If I could leave this to one side do I like the music? - some of it but not enough to alter my overall view of rap gangster type music. 1.5/5 9/7/24

I was literally a Slim Shady lurking working at Burger King Spittin on your onion rings

Top 5 all time. Hog got me this on wax.

He’s a technically talented rapper , but aside from a couple of tracks the beats & production in this album are so weak, almost amateur sounding ! The lyrics are mostly angry teenager level of sophistication.

Great album

Beats are still good, lyrics do not should have never been okay. F slurs and hard Rs

So much has been said about Eminem's misogyny, rage and homophobia, so I'm not sure what much more this will add, but here is: My first roommate out of college was a gay man raised in the Midwest, who was bullied throughout high school for his orientation. His time as a kid gave him an almost pathological aversion to standard straight guy activities, which was a point of discussion every time I had friends over to play games. I never really emotionally understood how pervasive homophobia was in the early 2000s until listening to this album - the fact that one of the best rappers in the world at the time poured so much of his talent into dumping on gay men and women is such a marker of the cultural landscape (see Ken Kaniff for the best example). This makes me feel really conflicted about this album. For straight musicality, Stan, The Real Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers, Amityville, Kim, Criminal by themselves are absolute standouts in the overall rap landscape. Massive cultural impact aside, I first listened to Stan in high school, and despite being a huge Dido fan, it was the first song which made me realize that sampling wasn't just "stealing" music from other artists. Kim was so visceral that it nullifies the criticism of it promoting domestic violence - the way he captured the blinding rage in the moment is spine chilling, and you would have to be pathologically messed up to want to imitate that. But at the same time, I think about my roommate and how bad things were for him as a kid (egged on in part by stuff like this), and it makes it tough for me to enjoy listening to it. I'm giving it a 4/5 because some tracks really sagged (Kill You, Who Knew, The Way I Am, Drug Ballad) in my estimation, but I honestly wonder how my roommate or girlfriend would rate this - prob significantly lower because the rage hits closer to home.

i have a quite hatred for eminem, especially for the Marshall Mathers LP. 2/10

The boy could write a great pop song. Does drag out a bit - probably trying to fill the 80 min CD.

I get the lyrics have not aged well, but for the time this was released, great project. Favorite Song: Stan Rating: 3.7/5

The singles are great but did anyone else find the rest of the album exhausting?

Look Eminem super talented but having listened to this for the first time in years it's so homophobic you can't even say it's of its time. Hip Hop and Rap have always had this problem and it's still an issue but not as much as it was. There are stand out tracks but can't list them and only a 1 star.

Emidnem, this album stinks

Id give a 4 if there wasnt so much slurping

is anyone else getting the vibe that this guy is a little off his rocker?

"Um, actually it's super cool to include a minute long skit of blowjob noises, playing pretend that two grown men are fantasizing about you while they blow each other." - Eminem fans This album is cringe-fest wannabe cool guy garbage.

Some of the women beating bars have aged incredibly poorly but the classic still go hard, don’t remember the way I am being so good jeez

A classic album for many 90s kids like myself. In the album Eminem explores the similarities, differences, and blurring of lines between himself, marshall, and the slim shady character, a modern day villain. What is real, what is for show, etc. Would be a 5/5 but for the incessant homophobia and misogyny, which of course was of that time but unfortunately takes away from the timelessness.

its so depressing it is that people live their lives with such a terrible upbringing and try to make a place for themselves in the world. I grew up with people like this, and how they both are so vulnerable and then lie about how bad ass they are. its a dark place that I don't really like to visit. I haven't heard anything hes done recently, but it would be interesting how he navigates the politics when he both was polarizing but never really political. Anyway. It's a great album but I hate listening to it because its a little too emotional.

Damn lotta rap coming through now, another easy classic, didn't age as bad as I thought

Why did we let this misogynist get famous

Okay.

Ein Hipp Hopp Album der beseren Sorte. Es überzeugt in Ansäten sowohl konzeptionell als auch lyrisch. Das Stück „Stan“ wird Dido und Enimen auf ewig vereinen. „The real Slim Shaddy“ ist auch eines von einigen ordentlichen Titel.

Probably not Eminem’s best album but I love it anyways. I know some will find it extremely offense (and it is) but sort of his whole alter ego schtick is how offensive can he possibly be and not get banned and as he says in one of the songs, the worse it gets, the more money he makes. There are some great bangers on this record and some good memories. Bitch Please II, the Way I am, and the Real Slim Shady are all great memories from years ago. Stan is an absolutely brilliant written story song that points the finger at those who think lyrics relate to violence through very personal experiences. Like most of his catalogue, I love the album

Full of skits, shock humour and outstays it’s welcome in typical eminem fashion. First half is absolutely fantastic with some of his best songs such as Stan and The Way I Am, the second half really loses steam and I never want to hear Kim again. If he cut this album down to its high points it would be a five stars easy but the album becomes exhausting past the half way point.

Funny to think that a quarter century ago this was the undisputed number 1 record both commercially and critically. The flow is undeniable and the social commentary really was insightful at the time, but it’s fairly repetitive and I got bored halfway through.

I would give this 10 stars if i could. This album is nothing short of magnificent. Not for the easily offended due to the explicitness of the lyrics. It is theatre set to what is brilliant music. Intelligent rap, brutal but so raw and emotional. Left me in complete awe after listening. Wow.

I think we can all agree that this record was huge for rap and hip hop. It changed a lot of what people thought of rap/hip hop. The singles on this record are huge! And a lot of the lesser known songs on this record could be singles too if it weren't for the crazy amount of explicit content. But the rapping is fantastic. Over all, this record is great. But plagued by rap cliche skits. The intro skit was perfect. It was short, to the point, and set the tone of the record. I get that Eminem is sarcastic and tongue in cheak (pun not intended) but do we need to hear asmr quality blow jobs? Nope. Yes, it's fake.... But for an album, it really is unnecessary. This doesn't add to the album. It takes away the tonality and aggressiveness of this record. It does have the "I don't give a Fuck" vibe that is throughout... But drastically not needed. I'm sure this is the most skipped song on any album ever made. Lyrically, Eminem is a genius. The way he bends his rhymes, his speed, and his punches are perfect. But the content is often times disgusting and, I repeat, I get he's being sarcastic, telling stories and not truths, and is being shocking for the sake of being shocking... But rapping about raping your mom is just fucked. Even if it is used in a joking way... Still fucked. Would be a perfect album if the skits weren't included.

Fantastic album. Eminem introduced a unique way of rapping and became a legend. I once heard him somehow make many words rhyme with Orange….who else can do that? This album, like all of his music, is so personal. It’s not just about bravado and self-promotion, it’s about life through his eyes……with a bit of humor. There’s a reason he is one of the best selling artists of all time. Plus, being from metro-Detroit, I love how much positive light he puts in our region.

lyrical genius

♥️

Can't add anything that hasn't been said. Gigantic singles. Undeniable, phenomenal talent. Changed the game forever. And also unbelievably difficult to endure over an hour seasoned generously with unhinged violence, unapologetic misogyny, open bigotry, and skits that aged like milk.

I shouldn’t have been listening to this at a young age, but his music was definitely a gateway to listening to more unconventional music. Classic.

O disco tem algumas músicas interessantes, mas como quase todo disco de Eminem, parece se focar mais nas polêmicas a serem causadas do que na música.

Great

I think I've found this one harder to rate than any other album on the list. Teenaged me listened to this album a lot and would have given it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ no questions. Adult me is a lot more troubled by the misogynistic, homophobic and violent lyrical themes even if they are sometimes slightly tongue in cheek. I ummed and ahhed and considered every rating from ⭐ to ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. In the end, I've gone somewhere in between.

Some of his best stuff

Super dark in places

OOOOOOO its soooooo edgyyyy. I don't care, it might be satire or he might be playing a character but Eminem cannot convince me that he's not stuck in a 13 year old middleschooler mind. This shit is not funny at all. I haven't skipped a song so far in this challenge but I haven't been closer than when listening to Kim, something that genuinely had me feeling ill. It also baffles me how he makes something like this which is clearly aimed at young impressionable people, and then is shocked when one of these kids does something he says in his songs. Stan and The Real Slim Shady are cool songs I guess but the other hour + of cringe tryhard gangster bullshit I wish I hadn't had to sit through.

I made it half way through the first song. 1/10

Ughhhh he’s so skilled but the violent misogyny was too much for me

Astonishing how much of this I can accurately remember despite not hearing it through for 20+ years. Never been a true Eminem fan but it's hard not to admire a lot of his wordplay. Get rid of some skits, the badly-dated inflammatory nonsense, and the flabbier verses (along with some of the more rinky-dink musical backings) and there's probably an ultra-strong ten or twelve track record locked inside this one's boot and headed for the parapet.

Not my thing.

Fuck this shit.

TLDR: This album could've been called "I Should Go to Therapy." I'll get the one good thing to say out of the way: The music to Kim sounds like the Corporate Ministry theme from the WWF and that goes. I wish this album went past the submission process for this list and I didn't listen to it. Some of the albums I've listened to for this I'd consider BAD but this was maybe the worst to get through so far. Why? Beats - solid 3/5, would be 3.5 if I could rate it as such Flow - 3/5, not my bag but not bad Delivery - 4/5, it's powerful and committed Lyrics - instant, irredeemable 1/5. So much so that it weighs everything else down. I grew up in the 90s and graduated high school in 2003. Eminem was inescapable. I never got into him, at the time not being into rap but since opening my mind. I've added "Without Me" to my running playlist. But, damn, dude, these lyrics are SO misogynistic and homophobic, what the fuck am I supposed to do with this? Forget the murder fantasy schtick, I love death metal and Gravediggaz did it great, but, oh yeah, the rape fetishizing too. Fuck off with this.

Trying really hard to view this through the lens of the time it was released. This is when hip hop went to shit as far as I’m concerned, trading in simple bass and drum beat backing for fully produced “songs”. It moved the focus from MC to producer and I think the art suffered. Undeniable that Eminem's flow and delivery were totally unique when this was new. But lyrically, it’s impossible to enjoy this album. Murder and rape fantasies, over the top misogyny, homophobia at every turn; this is an album made by a fucking narcissistic sociopath. This influencing an entire generation sort of makes our current shit society a little more understandable. This is juvenile, selfish, garbage.

i’ve already listened to this album recently for the first time. though eminem has technique, this album aged pretty badly due to the random attempts at being edgy. at this point, it really took away from the listening experience. this is the only eminem album i’ve ever really sat through and listened to critically. i know he can do much better with this, tell us real stories about your life or something, the edgy aspect is overdone and takes away too much.

Probably shouldn't have given the Shady one 5 stars, kinda have to inflate the following ratings a little to match. But, well, this is still fantastic.

One of the greatest albums of my generation.

Powerful white Rap.

im supposed to hear this misogynistic shit before i die? fuck this lol this shits ass

Another struggle. It's unapologetic, it's catchy. But my stars its just so profane. Not one I could review at work.

Loses steam toward the end but there's no denying this is a big classic. Probably the biggest album of 2000, at least from a popular culture perspective. Some beats got a bit old but mostly in a charming way, like Old Snoop Dogg albums or something.

Probably his best work. Great all the way!

Another hardcore hip-hop classic given by a very provocative and vulgar Eminem. The album is too long winded and looses power in the end, but fortunately, there's enough hits and strong songs to compensate that.

A lot more controversial than I thought, very harsh album. Makes you think about rap as a cultural thing.

After listening to this entire album, I am still perplexed why this album and this artist interests or moves anyone. I'd give it a 1 but Dr. Dre did give it some production props that deserves at least a 2.

If I could give it a zero, I would

That one skit made me almost stop listening Public Service Announcement 2000 - X/5 Kill You - 4.6/5 Stan - 5/5 Paul (Skit) - X/5 Who Knew -3.8/5 Steve Berman - X/5 The Way I Am -4/5 The Real Slim Shady -5/5 Remember Me? - 3.5/5 I'm Back - 4.5/5 Marshall Mathers - 4.7/5 Ken Kaniff (Skit) - X/5 Drug Ballad - 4.2/5 Amityville - 4.4/5 Bitch Please II - 4.7/5 Kim - 4.9/5 Under The Influence - 3.7/5 Criminal - 4.8/5 Total - 4.4/5

Peak aggro Eminem, can't argue with the sheer power and capability but gotta say it's pretty cringe to modern ears

Classic but a bit too much swearing

Eh. S'ok

first time for me I heard a complete Eminem album and was suprised, since this is not my genre. I enjoyed it!

Revisiting the old Eminem, having mostly blanked out on the work for the past decade or so, and after him descending into crude dad jokes and struggles to maintain some edginess, I cannot quite filter this album through all that knowledge. All of this is just a few notches under the hard-hitting banger factory it once was revered as. Now it all sounds like an angsty rebellious youth but with a better budget. Such is my dumbass lukewarm 2024 take on Eminem.

die 2. und eine der besseren

I vaguely remember my mom immediately changing stations every time Stan came on the radio. But here I am, twenty-something years later, being an absolute stan of the song.

Good

Kim and Stan on the same album holy cow. Honestly, brutal lyrics and the vibe of the 2000's. But mostly brutal lyrics. Made me anxious throughout, interesting experience.

The edge has been dulled in the ~quarter century since it's been released, but the good songs are still REALLY good, and the not-so-good ones are still pretty great.

Obviously, hip hop is not my thing. I learned this after listening to this album. I mean, all the songs sounded basic. Basic beat. Nothing else. I'm not doubting Eminem's talent, but Jesus Christ, is he vulgar. There was a whole song dedicated to murdering his at the time wife. I get that he's a chill guy in real life, but if I didn't know that, I'd hate his guts. I did not enjoy this album one bit. Actually, that's a lie. I like The Real Slim Shady, but that's it. 1/5

This album is fucked up. I guess that's by design? The only Eminem I really know is 'Without Me'. I was a kid when that came out and it was like my first favorite song ever. But for whatever reason hip hop kinda fell away from me and I started listening to other genres. I could only listen through this once, and I breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. Some of the songs are incredibly disturbing. 'Kill You' is one of the worst songs I have ever heard. I get the shock value is probably part of the reason the album is so highly rated, but it just sort of disturbs me (again, probably by design). 'Kim' is so fucked up that I feel like listening to it has ruined the rest of my day. The thing is, the beats are actually pretty good. And I've always somewhat liked Eminem's voice. Also, the album has one song on it that I like. In fact, I love it. 'Stan' is an incredibly clever track and a pretty powerful statement on toxic fan culture. Other than that, I absolutely hated this album. 1.25/5

Even the most ostensibly self-reflective song on this album (Stan) manages to be mad homophobic. Swap this out with the Tenacious D album and you'll equally appease cis white millenial boys (such as myself) with a similar strain of sophomoric humor *and* deliver the message that it's good to tell a man you love him.

I found this a tough listen. On the one hand, I respect Eminem's talent. But on the other, his immaturity makes him very difficult to like. This felt like listening to the class clown completely spin out in front of everyone. Sometimes he strikes gold, sometimes it's just cringe/edgelord stuff trying to offend as many people as possible. Then you have what sounds like a very serious and alarming song, Kim. Too much for me.

He just talks about himself at a quick pace for 78 minutes.

Yep

Would you look at that? We've got a topical album today! Because of his recent single and upcoming album, people have been talking about Eminem more than they have been for some time, so getting this album when myself and many others are thinking about Eminem is pretty neat! Anyways, this album's an absolute classic. I don't really need to explain why it's on here. It's probably the most acclaimed album from one of the most iconic rappers of all time. It really just boils down to that. The album's certainly an interesting one to look at today. The big thing people look at is the writing and the nature of the writing. Look, I'll say that there were parts where this album was a tough listen. Songs like "Marshall Mathers" and "Kim" are the obvious examples of this. However, I feel like there were points to be made. Like, one could say that the writing is just offensive for no reason, but I'm here to say that it's offensive for a reason. I think some songs boil down to it being from a character's perspective like on the opener "Kill You," while others make a point about the world like on "Who Knew." I'm not excusing it per se, I'm just saying that I can still see the appeal of the album today. Speaking of which, the musical contents are pretty good. The beats are fun, and when they're not fun, they're like that on purpose like on songs such as "Stan." I enjoy the rapping. I think Em is at his slimmest and shadiest when he's just having fun and not trying to be the fastest rapper or whatever. The technical skills are still there though, and they're great. The features are solid and the skits are tolerable. Also, there are some great songs on here. The obvious highlights are the aforementioned "Stan" as well as "The Real Slim Shady." These two songs represent a great dichotomy between fun Eminem songs and serious Eminem songs. Overall, while I have problems like the album, namely certain lines and the overall pacing, there's no denying that this is an interesting and very important album that I would say I enjoyed as a whole. Light 4/5.

Eminem was writing songs about beating his wife for an audience of twelve year old boys.

groundbreaking

Damn, I remember liking this back in the day. Stan is still a good song.

There is a video where Eminem shows off his ability to rhyme the word orange and I find it so funny that anyone takes it seriously. That sentiment applies for all things Eminem. It’s embarrassing to enjoy this.

pleasantly surprised by this album after getting the slim shady LP literally 2 days ago and finding it mid at best. marshall mathers is where i feel eminem peaked still would not touch the album with a 10 foot pole on an average day but its far better than other eminem releases 3.7/5

this album starts off with like 5 classics in the first 6 songs, it tapers off and the skits kinda drag it down but it's still good. kim is a brutal listen.

like okay and?? he thought he ate so hard 1/10

Solid but some parts made me really uncomfortable. Like Kim. But I guess that's the point. - 6/10

Better than the first one. The skits are pretty corny and there are a lot of cringeworthy bars, but there are some enjoyable tracks.

I cheated w this album. I listened to Kim(like 2 minutes of it) first because everyone wrote about it in ur guys' reviews. after that I kinda just skipped through each of the songs to vibe em out and I dont want to listen to the rest so rating based on what I did listen to. I feel like maybe that's not the point of this but also Im getting a little bit behind and I just dont feel like listening to this and I dont know that I will ever be in the mood to.

Jesus. I had to skip Kim. This waffles between classic Eminem songs I know and stuff that’s just awful and unpleasant to listen to. Kim brings this down to a 1… I don’t care if it’s his experience / his truth, that was so awful 1/10

2/10 - At first I was like this just sounds equally as bad as the first album but then I heard the real slim shady which is not a bad song. The rest are decently bad but for the first time I had to turn off a song because I needed a break. When listening to Kim I needed to pause it and listen to anything else because it was too vulgar and I did not like the imagery. I really hope there are no more eminem albums if he stays this horrible. I do not even mind if the music is bad i just do not want to him talk about brutally murdering people.

Some of the songs are pretty good but the lyrics are just too vulgar and mean to really be enjoyable. I didn’t really like the last few songs at all

Two old eminem albums in and I cannot understand people who defend him as an artist claiming his old stuff was good. Dido was far and away the best part of this album, and even Stan, which easily the best song, is way cornier than I remember. And the lyrics on every song are, of course, unbearable to listen to.

Some of this album really sounds cringe-worthy nowadays but overall it still holds up decently. I was definitely part of the target audience back in 2000 when it dropped but even then I didn't necessarily think it was classic from a quality perspective, but it definitely was a classic from a cultural impact perspective.

3.5

Eminem is legitimately talented, but this was a tough listen. It’s just so dark (and gets even darker than you’d expect).

Wow. These are something. I've never listened to the early Eminem. It's tough. Had a very visceral reaction to Kim. If music can do that, then it's important.

Im not a hip hop/rap fan but remember this coming out as a kid. Unbelievable to think this was 20+ years ago. Several iconic tracks on this album. Even though it was quite long even the filler songs were decent. I still dont get these skits that they do. Good beats, lyrics and a few banging tunes. Overall id give it a low 4/5 with it having 3-4 massive songs on there.

Lots to like here: Dre's beats are first-rate and Eminem is off-the-charts as a rapper, and there's real anger and humor and creativity in it, though also an excess of sophomoric humor and a smugness that's not nearly as clever as it thinks it is. The many interesting bits – the Dido sample, say – but just as many nasty, misogynistic, racist, etc. bits. Further on the downside, the skits are silly (as on so many other hip-hop records). What's great about the record is intrinsically caught up in what's truly awful/despicable about it; take "Kim" – one's put in the mind of the Doors' "The End" but clearly this isn't such a dramatic statement (or maybe it's intended to be?); it's debatably briliant but indisputably rephrensible/degenerate at the same time. Also, shouldn't the Snoop Dogg track be on, like, an actual Snoop Dogg record? More broadly, as concept, this is overdone by an order of magnitude. One has to care a lot to grok the character and track the sublteties and interconnections, and one just doesn't care that much, especially now (actuallly one might care more now than one did then, when furor was all distraction and made it all seem very much not worth effort). The question is, just how serious should this be taken today, two decades out. It's also safe to say that the both the prudish haters and the passionate backers (and Stans) were both exactly right about this record, which is why it's worth knowing, even if one isn't inclined to listen very often.

Although his content may be objectionable at times, Eminem is just an extremely talented individual. He has clever wordplay and a keen sense of meter and rhythm. I hadn't heard most of this album before but was impressed by the material and use of guest stars. I didn't really expect to like it so much, though I guess I appreciate it more than like it.

First Album

Good listen

Good

Hope I never hear this one again.

its def a vibe

I guess I get why my parents wouldn’t let me listen to this. It’s great.

Some catchy beats and lines. I like the minimalism. Impressive wordplay. But also very juvenile and disturbing. A bit weird to listen to in my late 30s.

I don't like Eminem. This was better than the last album I got, but still very hard to listen to with the misogyny and homophobia. I gave it 2* only because of the real slim shady which has the benefit of millennial nostalgia

I don’t have a ton of nostalgia for Eminem, he’s never been my favorite rapper. There are some standout tracks here though, the ones everyone knows. Those are worth the 4 stars, but this album definitely didn’t need to be this long

Not for me

Yeah it’s good

Never really listened to much Eminem outside of his massive singles but found this to be a really strong and consistent album front to back. While I was already familiar with "Stan" and "The Real Slim Shady", I was struck by the intense emotions of "Kim", the haunting production of "The Way I Am", the lyrics of "Amityville" and the catchy hook of "Criminal". Honestly enjoyed this much much more than I expected to, so I'm giving it a 5.

Tiene una tremenda energía

São algumas das piores letras que já ouvi. Elas são puramente sádicas e não acrescentam nada à qualquer um que ouvir. O álbum é terrivelmente longo, tive que fazer uma pausa no último esquete (Ken Kaniff - Skit) de tão escroto que é, só para descobrir que ainda tinha 30 min de álbum. Não sei se esse álbum entrou na lista pelas vendas ou pelo impacto, mas tenho certeza que ele poderia tranquilamente não existir que não faria falta alguma. Ouçam rappers bons de verdade.

LP

Some good tunes but overall just not my vibe

6/10

I remember that when I was a child (this album came out when I was 5), I really liked Stan. 20+ years later, I'm realising that I was a fan of Dido, because I sure as hell don't like Eminem. This album is the epitome of raging against nothing in particular. This is an angry man who doesn't know what he should be angry at, so he spends the whole album rapping about his haters and punching down on women and gay people. That's not edgy or cool to hate on marginalised groups that everyone is already hating on. I can't believe making jokes/comments about committing domestic violence was ever fine, and homophobia in 2000? Groundbreaking. It's all the aesthetic of rebellion without actually fighting against an oppressive force. The whole rebel without a cause bullshit is embarrassing. Grow the fuck up, Marshall. This is hot garbage, and it should fill you with shame that you rapped about how your fans are all kids that are acting like you just to look cool, and encouraging violence in them. Does that sound familiar? Putting on a hateful persona to look cool and edgy? Fuck you, man. Regardless of how much or little you believe what you're rapping, words have weight, and it's irresponsible and ridiculous to not acknowledge that.

Despite being really big into Eminem when I was a kid, a front to back listen of this album had still somehow escaped me for some reason. Upon listening I think my favourite would still have to be The Slim Shady LP, but I can absolutely understand why this is the acclaimed album. Songs from this record make it feel like he must have made them years into his career and fame as opposed to about two years after he became well-known in the mainstream. It's ironic that he's become the artist that he's become (seems like he's doing better as a person though), because this album drips with self-awareness of who he is, his space in hip hop, and his place in the musical zeitgeist in an almost soothsayer-like fashion. Just awesome stuff, if listened with context in mind as a LOT has changed since this album came out.

This is a pretty brilliant record, really. The 'horror' is still terrifying and pretty silly really - makes it hard to take some of this seriously. At the same time this definitely has that feeling of a deep and revealing piece of art that also manages to gain popular acceptance. Unfortunately I think the popular acceptance has a lot to do with the dumb horror BS... Either way I think, even speaking as someone who's not well versed in hip-hop history/lore, I think this is one of the best records by one of the genre's best ever. I'm flip-flopping back forth from 3 to 4 stars. Settling on 3 but I could be convinced either way.

Not really my thing but I didn't hate it.

Disturbing stuff

Aside from the f slurs being thrown around, this was pretty good.

Pretty entertaining. Some of it doesn't really hold up I don't think. But I also kind of think that was the point.

Offensive misogynistic insel juvenile rape celebratory waste of sound vibrations. The worst of what is mistakenly called music. Should not be in this list.

Very good!

Vulgar and classic.

the older I get the less I like Eminem. Yes, he is undoubtedly talented and has a ton of hits, but I cant get past the ex/mother hate stuff anymore. That being said I'd be lying if I said I didnt enjoy a bunch of these songs regardless. Also it has Stan which has one of the choppiest ending lines to a song that feels like a reverse cumshot but I still listen to the full thing. "Come to think about it, his name was, it was you. Damn"

So turns out despite how distasteful his lyrics can be I really loved this album. So many hooks and fun beats. Funny and cringey and sad. I think he didn’t like his ex very much

This album better than most captures the angst and powerlessness felt by young men who feel they need to last out and bring people down in order to bring themselves up. It sounds immature because that's the point.

In addition to being a great rapper, I often think of Eminem as a champion of free speech. I’m not sure anyone has pushed the envelope of what you can say in a song more than him and this album has got to be one of the all-time pinnacles of saying things you shouldn’t say. The violent misogyny of “Kill You” is quite a way to open the album. I’d understand if you turned off the album there (and I don’t particularly like the song) but Eminem is also clearly very smart and thoughtful about his words too. The very next track, “Stan,” tells the story of a fan with an unhealthy obsession with Eminem who believes Eminem would want him to imitate the violence in his music. It’s a stunning, heartbreaking song and one of the best rap songs of all time. Eminem follows this up with “Who Knew,” another song that plays with the idea of whether or not he’s responsible for his words. The answer isn’t exactly a “no” but more like, “If I am, then all of you are just as responsible if not more.” He continues to shrug off his responsibility on the classic “The Way I Am.” The track has a stunning beat and Eminem’s flow is relentless. And then there’s “The Real Slim Shady,” which somehow packages his devil-may-care, idgaf scumbag persona into a pop anthem. I remember hearing this song so much on the radio and seeing the video on TRL. It’s still a blast to listen to. And ooh… that wailing g-funk siren at the end of the song is so good. This album swings wildly between furious venting at his critics, uncensored therapy sessions and gleeful vulgarities about pop stars and Bill Clinton. Eminem delights in saying the worst thing he can think of and if you don’t like it, he spins the responsibility back on you for being the one bobbing your head to the music. Not all of it is great though. As the album continues, the mood gets increasingly grim and gloomy. The homophobia of “Marshall Mathers” is indefensible. The song on a whole is bitter and hostile in a way I find grating. On the first half of the album, Eminem argues that he has the right to rap about any vile or disgusting thing he feels like. And sure, I agree, especially when he's playful and tongue-in-cheek about it. At a certain point though you have to ask, "But why? What's the point?" How can you possibly justify spending six minutes on a song where Eminem interrogates his cheating wife before murdering her? That the song plays out as a dramatic scene rapped in verse is kind of incredible but it feels like a waste of creative energy. It’s self-indulgent in the most disgusting way. Wow, I’m surprised to hear him pull back from saying the n-word on the closing track “Criminal.” Incredible to know that he actually does draw a line somewhere. This is a fascinating album with some undeniably great songs and tons of excellent rapping. It gets weighed down by the brutal second half though. Eminem is one of the greatest rappers of all time and dealing with the complexities, contradictions and occasional despicableness of his music is always going to be a part of the listening experience. I definitely enjoyed engaging with this today.

My first full listen-through of this record even though I've heard all of these tracks separately so many times before. (Don't tell my wife who is obsessed with these early Eminem records) I love that Eminem was such a phenom- such a force, and he came and never left. Sure, these early records are the ones that did all of the paradigm shifting, all of the milieu reinventing, but he's still an incredible rapper and lyricist and it's funny that young up and coming rappers (like the vastly inferior MGK) try and fail to take shots at him. He's earned this "untouchable" status I think. One of my favorite sounds here is the jokey music/beats, and the jokey and silly flow that both contrast the often serious lyrical content. Eminem is a master of this sound because it is his sound. I think there's other rappers who have tried it, but these early records are so unique in it. This blend made it palatable for things like "Total Request Live", and heavily censored radio plays. In fact, it seems like radios HAD to play these songs back in the day. It's funny to me that in this album there are times where he mentions both TRL and radio stations having problems playing his songs. Only realizing that after I wrote this note! I can't believe this album goes from "Kill You" to "Stan". What a crazy eclectic 1-2 punch. I also completely forgot that "Stan" and "The Real Slim Shady" were on the same record. "The Real Slim Shady" is one of the funniest wackiest and best rap songs ever. Sure, it feels dated and a bit too silly these days, but I actually think that's a testament to the current culture of popular music (which unfortunately I think attempts to be abnormally serious) rather than a reflection on the song. The music video is also one of the best music videos of all time, and watching it again now, probably some 20 plus years later, I can still remember so many of the scenes. Watching his mannerisms in the video in the more acted out "skits", you can tell that he has "it"; that he has an eye for funny moments in the visuals, and that he is more than just the person who supplied the audio track. Man I love him talking trash about Carson Daily and MTV in that track. Then they gotta play it on TRL. So, so, so funny. The pop culture references throughout are timeless in a funny way while also feels like a time capsule to these "issues" then. I'm pondering the simplicity of life in 2000, a year before the US had started to change, and how all of these problems in the music industry wouldn't really be problems in today's day. The downside of this album is that I think that Eminem pushes the boundaries a little too much at times, and it's hard to conceptualize the challenges in his life into the songs and at what point does he fall into hyperbole for the sake of a more dramatic lyric. I ended up listening to this album twice, and a little bit of his next album, "The Eminem Show", and I was pretty consistently turned off how gross some of his lyrics get, or how many times he needs to reiterate a homophobic slur to get to a punchline lyric that isn't funny or enjoyable beyond what I would imagine some frat bros would get a chuckle at. For those reasons would I give it a much harsher rating than I want? I'm not really sure. I think that for someone to truly the push the boundaries in art they have to go beyond what they think a norm could be, and then reel it in from there. I get that- it makes sense to me when I listen to the atonal music of Schoenberg in the early 20th century, I understand that he isn't always writing this music for people to simply enjoy, he is testing the maxim to see what can be done. Later atonal music is much more listenable because of these early explorations. Eminem I kind of see as the same in a way. Regardless, he's one of the best rappers of all time and there's no doubt this record is on a plateau with legends.

I can't stand Eminem. It's just angsty middle schooler music. This album doesn't even deserve one star

I barely have words to express how glad I am that after 70 long minutes I am done listening to this album. While music at its best is a celebration of life or at least constructive commentary on society and human nature, this album is dark, so very dark. Homophonia, misogyny, violence, anger, hatred...it is all here. No reprieve. No mercy. No way.

🐐! The third track, Stan, is probably my favorite of all Shady tracks!

Quintessential misogynistic, angry rap. Obviously he hit a chord with many young men who used his rhymes to validate their own lives. Not sure if Eminem was playing a character or sublimating his own life story. Perhaps a bit of both.

This was a mixed bag. Basically therapy session as artistic musical expression and shared with the world. Some true bangers: Stan is so good it literally has become the cultural standard for representing (troubled) superfans; Em has proven to be prescient with this cut. And his technical rapping ability is on point, fitting perfectly with Dre’s production style. Amazing for sure, but damn if I wasn’t wincing with some of the misogyny, violence and homophobia. Very misogynistic and violent

I genuinely don’t know if I’m being too generous or too harsh at two stars. There were SOME parts of this album I enjoyed, such as the production, but the subject matter and lyricism made it a rather unenjoyable listen for me. I’m all for exploring dark/heavy themes in art - it’s expression, after all - but there is a difference between that and just being blatantly upsetting and offensive on an immature level, which is what this felt like to me. While there were some high points, I don’t think I’d ever willingly listen again.

Artist who has tested time, unlike most rap artists, here today, hone tomorrow. Still do not like rap.

This is a hard album for me to review. It's prickly and crass and mean spirited in a way that makes me want to hate it. The misogyny and homophobia were cringeworthy at best in 2000, and are straight up appalling today. I forgot how difficult it is to listen to "Kim," which... I'm just speechless. But there are also flashes of brilliance here that are impossible to dismiss. The rapid fire flow, the sharp hooks, the dark vibe, the subtly crafted narrative - this album is the real deal. Eminem's anger and animosity toward his own fame, his fans and the music industry in general (not to mention his own freaking wife) are palpable in these songs. But it's riveting in a way few albums are in this genre. To be clear, I don't want to hear this again. I don't even think I can do higher than a 2. But I have a grudging respect for it. Fave Songs: Stan, The Way I Am, Marshall Mathers, Bitch Please II

I remember when this got released. My friends and I were big Eminem fans the first couple albums. Oh man, these songs are bringing me back.

Fierce and kinda gross, “The Marshall Mathers LP” by Eminem is a great album. Eminem uses this album as a platform to respond to a lot of criticism he’s received about his race, grotesque imagery, and other controversial aspects of his career. The impact of Dr. Dre on this album is quite noticeable but Eminem owns it and makes it his own. Overall, a very impressive album.

Absolute classic.

Parts of this are really shocking, but it's a great listen and I really enjoyed it.

It is what it is

I don't want to get all Tipper Gore in this review, but I found this album to be pretty disgusting. The cuss words don't bother me, but the glorification of misogyny and domestic violence is extremely offensive. I wouldn't be happy for a child of mine to listen to this, and would worry about the impact it might have had on some men that grew up listening to it at an influential age. Where the record isn't promoting violence, misogyny or homophobia, it is generally juvenile and puerile. It picks fights with titans of the stature of NSYNC. If I had to use one word to sum this record up, it would be 'pathetic'. Rating: 1/5 Playlist track: Stan Date listened: 03/05/24

Rap is not usually my genre, but this is just really, really good stuff. The rhymes and flow are so incredibly creative and tight, and the character work by Eninem is just awesome. The production quality was just flawless and everything was just amazing. I will listen to this again, right now. Five stars.

If you can’t bring yourself to believe this is satire, you’re gonna hate this. Or you should, anyway. I’m only giving this a four because the intent is veiled enough that this really reinforced some negative beliefs for some imperceptive people.

Iconico, costruito perfettamente, già ascoltato più volte. Ha in fila 'Kill you', 'Stan'; poi 'The way i am' e 'The real slim shady'

I am happy Eminem has evolved beyond this album

Lost a star due to Kim- horrible song that does more to justify domestic abuse then condemn it

TRL but also Kill You is fun.

No white rap! Not even music!

I always chuckle at how mainstream Eminem has become over the years, to the point where his music (maybe not lyrics) are featured over sports broadcasts by Disney owned affiliates whenever a Detroit team is playing. This album is dark and twisted but also impressive and self-aware.

Hard not to feel like its a waste of talent.

no. just no.

Can’t bring myself to give this one 5 stars bc of the disturbing abuse and misogyny themes heavily present throughout the album. But i was surprised by how much i did really like the flow and production of this album. I’m a little too young to have listened to Eminem during his prime era, and not really in the target audience anyway but i enjoyed the quirkiness, experimentalism, and honesty present throughout this album. And it helps that it’s a pretty fun listen too.

A great album marred by casual homophobia and misogyny. Some of the incel-level fantasies about hurting women leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Some bangers, some famous guests, some frightening violence. Missed this on release. Bet it made for a lot of pissed-off parents.

- I have always enjoyed Eminem, but I am admittedly no more than a casual fan. With that in mind, listening to a whole album is a bit more of a rough experience than I initially envisioned. - Some great tracks -- in particular, "Stan" is a true standout and such a different work. I also found myself more taken by "Drug Ballad." - He has unquestionable skill...no doubt about that. I can see why this album is historically important. - Some extremely rough material; at 35, it is hard for me to listen to "Kim" or "Criminal" and not be a bit disgusted with the misogyny and the use of gay slurs.

The first edgelord? He's a good rapper, but I didn't enjoy this.

Sick

Obviously incredibly talented, but the content...

Sé que la actitud y el sonido del disco eran el puro zeitgeist de su época, pero se ha quedado tan viejo... Tiene varios temas buenos, pero tantos momentos de puro cringe... Desde la intro en actitud "no me importa lo que pienses, me comes el culo", hasta canciones de un histrionismo insoportable, la actitud de tío duro irreverente y rebelde, no sé, todo muy cringy. Las bases son buenas, le doy un 2, me debatiría incluso por darle un 2'5, pero lo bajo al 2 solo por el interlude de la mamada, que es quizá la cosa más asquerosa que he escuchado.

Musically and rhythmically interesting; lyrically unpleasant

Really hate the violence

Said f word too much

Disgusting in every sense of the word. Before this, I saw Eminem as a mediocre rapper for edgy 12 year old white boys. And indeed he is. But some of the stuff in here is absolutely horrible, and unfit for listening for anyone, let alone his apparent pre-teen audience. The abhorrent lyrics are still present in the hits Stan and The Real Slim Shady. The only bearable song on this album really is the one where Eminem doesn’t open his mouth until 2 minutes in, Remember Me?. Putting the lyrics aside, it’s still mediocre beats at best. Mr Mathers is another self-centred rapper who thinks he’s the shit. But in fact, he’s just shit. Absolute shit.

Fucking love it! 4.5

Eminem is a talented rapper and his way of using samples, rapid-fire rap, and collaborations creates a sound that is unique and original. Unfortunately it’s hard to endorse lyrics that are derogatory towards women no matter how good the music may be.

He makes it very clear that he "Doesn't give a fuck" which is exactly what I think about this album. Just background noise, not even memorable enough to dislike or hate it.

This album is a milestone! its Comical, Dark, Violent a person struggling with an insane amount attention and constant scrutiny but takes the time to examine his place in the spotlight and turn the tables on his accusers to say whats your role in the misdeeds of the world? Some things have aged poorly like the track "Kim" it was difficult to listen to such graphic telling of violence but that said his artistry is insane and its a compelling story if not down right terrifying. The hits are blockbusters and the rest are amazing I dont think theres a skip on this album.

While it sports various moments that combine the verbal gymnastics, dark themes, powerful beats and satirical characters perfectly, most of the time it crumbles under the banality of its own violence

Não gosto

What an album. Nothing like this before or since. Do I agree with a lot of the things he says? No. Do I enjoy the creativity of the guy? Absolutely. I'll never forget hearing Kim for the first time in the common room, actually blew my mind. Music wise the production is incredible, buttery smooth and the rhymes are fantastic (just take everything he says with a massive pinch of salt)

It’s a great album with some of his best songs on it. Stan is a masterpiece. Love Eminem but it hasn’t aged well for modern society to say the least.

Some amazing bars and hooks with some terrible themes and content. Easy to see why this is influential but does not age well.

- love the public service announcement. pre-9/11 ass intro Kill You - not my fav. he sounds like he really hates women lol Stan - beautiful sample, the beat slaps. did he coin the term “stan” in 2000?? really cool premise for a song & irs a whole story Who Knew - i guess this is his way of trying to say it’s not his fault what people do after listening to his songs. which like. it isn’t i guess? we still have issues with this concept 24 years later! if a youtuber told their fans to harass someone or shoot a cop and they did it, that person would be cancelled so quick. maybe they should release a fan music video to this song! Real Slim Shady - omg i love this one!i knew it tho obviously lol Remember Me - Woahhhhh i like this too, the first verse was the best. eminem’s was the worst actually Marshal Mathers - idk if i’ve ever listened to an album where an artist ponders their own fame like this before. he said faggot so many times in this song. and mentioned D12 Ken Kaniff - why would you make me listen to this. tried looking up who this guy is and got some answers but also got more confused Drug Ballad - actually a bop kinda Bitch Please II - SNOOP! he has 50 guns but he loves them just the same. this is epic Kim - ahhh the abusive husband song! two songs that mention significant others in a trunk. even though it’s self aware, it’s still hard to listen to

- “The Real Slim Shady”: banger, as expected - “Amityville”: more unknown, really good - “Kim”: harrowing, incredible storytelling - “Ken Kaniff - Skit”: kinda gross, ngl

some bangers on here and this is probably eminem at his finest, but it’s still just decent overall

This album came out when I was in seventh grade. I remember well how it was all the rage amongst my classmates, in seventh grade while some of the songs are iconic and I get a smidge of nostalgia from it, I think that maybe I have become a prude, Eminem is a very talented rapper, there’s little question of that. His ability to rhyme and his flow are un and as good as anyone has probably ever done it that said when I think about Art, I think about something that is a net positive for humanity , when I listen to this album, and hear the relent homophobia, violence, and needlessly, pathetic humor, I just don’t feel like it contributed anything beneficial to our world on a net standpoint. Thinking about it now, I can’t imagine what it was like for some of my friends that I now know our gay to have heard music like this. It takes so much away from Eminem Eminem talent, and it distracting from the really great musical moments on this record.

I'm not his demographic

Some absolute classics on here clearly but what are rappers always so self indulgent. Some of the nonsense and filler later in the album marks it down a bit. Don’t let the ego run rampant. Less is more guys!

Personally I could've done without the skits, but some great songs on here.

we should be together, too...

пиздатый

Well, I have to admit I enjoyed this pretty much walking around a major European city with it as my soundtrack. The rhythms and beats are compelling and the attitude is way forward - storytelling seems a bit - what, gotta get some cred so .... but I have to say, if you take this genre far from it's origins (e.g. Queen Latifa) it just falls flat. This is more Public Enemy style and it works.

Music for suburban white kids who are angry at their mom’s for not buying them an Xbox. Homophobia, misogyny, and violence… so edgy

Some dark lyrics but this is the best work from a rap genius.

this is a long time to listen to someone talk about themselves. It sounds better than the Slim Shady LP but its longer and full of false brags and posturing based on a sense of being unappreciated which just seems like a persona and not a reflection of his success. I just can't enjoy it when it is so sophmoric regardless of how clever it is.

Songs are very catchy, but vulgar. I'm not a fan of the skits between songs. I was going to go with a 4 until I heard 'Kim'. Sheesh. 3/5

sick production stan so good I like the vocal performance of eminem throughout, esp on the real slim shady ok hes acc a good rapper guys

Unlike the last album, his flow is undeniable here and it makes it more understandable that he became so huge. But the edginess sure is cringey.

The homophobia is hard to look past, but this album does have some hits

I really wasnt expecting Stan and Slim Shady to be the only good songs. The 'skits' were the cherry of awful on top

A relic of the 2000's, probably should stay there to be honest.

really fun to listen to!! i liked that there was a sort of storyline throughout the whole thing, it feels like a complete album. lots of classics i knew already. defo will listen again. scratched my brain.

High shock value, I am all angry this morning pounding through emails - great.

It's so long and he makes the same three statements in each song

Juvenile but amusing. Oh hey, that's the song that the term "Stan" comes from.

Absolute classic

An hip hop classic. Eminem at his best. Some repetitive production now and than but you can't deny the bangers

The beat on kill you slaps so hard but I felt physically sick listening to the lyrics fr! Production is so so so good wtf !!!! it’s just a shame the hatred towards women/ gay people is so pungent. I understand why BO greasy boys like him so much LOL Nevertheless, really enjoyed. Dre popped off 👍

DNFed bc the lyrics are disgusting and I actually cherish my finite time on this Earth.

Is best album but not my favourite

Not my cup of tea, 1 extra star for Stan which is great storytelling

Not a fan of hip-hop really, i get the vibe and all of that here, but this is full of homophobia and misogyny. Why is this here?

What an angry, little man. I saw Eminem live once at a Festival, and before he came out, he played a Lipton Ice Tea commercial about how he's Eminem and doesn't do commercials...WHAT?! Then he lip-synced the through the rest of the show. It was so bad A LOT of people just left, including myself. This album would be complete trash is Dre wasn't involved.

Eminem at the absolute top of his game. Wildly offensive and silly, but great rap album.

Sorry, not my music. Sound and melodies are OK, but the lyrics are not for me ...

This album lost me with the opening Public Service Announcement track.

Bara klassík, en pirrandi að þurfa að hlusta á sanitised útgáfu

absolute classic album

Em is angry and you can tell.

Huge songs on this album, even the tracks kept off the radio have great beats and memorable moments. Eminem is not my favorite rapper, but he has a place in the history of rap music, and his massive popularity teaches us a lot about the music industry and society in general. He's the best selling rap artist of all time, does he deserve that spot? Does it matter?

oh, eminem... it feels unsurprising for me to like this album as i'm a white guy but hey, i liked it and i think that's all that matters. eminem can be very vulgar and VERY shocking when it comes to the material he raps about, so if you can't handle that sort of subject material i would highly suggest staying away. this album isn't just mindless shock value fodder though, it's full of real life experiences and frustrations from his own point of view, growing up and seeing the harsh realities of life and dealing with rabid fans.

Powerful

It’s hard to ignore how catchy some of his verses and songs are. But a lot of the time I was thinking if I would be ok if my kids listened to this? Or at least not while they’re in high school? I don’t know. Is it truly satirical? Who knows. Overall, can’t ignore a good chorus or hook. But very homophobic and “uncomfortable”.

This record has some good songs but it is not something I would listen to regularly. Some of the lyrical content is overly violent but completely tongue-in-cheek. Although you cannot deny Eminem's talent for rapping, it is still not my thing. A bright spot is the track "Stan".

I personally prefer Em's next few albums over MM, but this classic put him on the map. Some all-time great cuts but a bit too long as an entire body of work. Favorite tracks: Stan, I'm Back

2/10. Rap not my scene although Stan is a good song

4.7

4.4

Well you can't say that today..... still 4 stars

You know, I've managed to go the last 7 days without rating a single album less than a 3/5. But unfortunately, that streak ends with this album. I found very little, if anything to like about this album. I can appreciate that Eminem is a talented rapper, but his delivery, on top of his awful lyrics, just make me cringe. Seriously, let's talk about the lyrics on this album. Well over half the songs are violently misogynistic and homophobic. The average 14 year old Eminem superfan is going to hear shit like that, calling women "sluts" and portraying gay people as gross, and then of course follow his lead on forming opinions on oppressed groups like that. After having listened through the majority of this ungodly long album, I was then treated with an interlude containing a blowjob in excruciating audible detail, and then a song where Eminem attempts (and fails miserably) at playing the role of a women being verbally abused. I really don't understand how any sane person can belive that this album has any merit what so ever.

The OG of Not Giving a Fuck.

I guess I'm suckin Shady's dick because I did not like this