The Marshall Mathers LP

"Half the shit I say, I just make it up to make you mad, so kiss my white naked ass" Oh nooo he says awful, crude things and I'm offended!! Pfft babies

I have listened to this album a few dozen times, but never with real intention, and probably never on anything but shitty car speakers and not in YEARS. After only a few tracks, I'm reminded that I love this album. Unparalleled rhyme arrangements, one of the best flows in all of rap, and some of the most truthful, disturbing reflections and scathing indictments of the hypocritical country I live in. I also don't think I can point to a rapper that gives such a transparently emotional delivery either. People got pissed at Eminem because he reflected their values back at them without the thin veneer of "polite and civilized." They somehow think they're different than what he's talking about. He makes great points about the US, and won't allow himself to be blamed for people's unwillingness to have difficult conversations with their kids about art, sex, drugs, and violence. I think a lot of people tend to dismiss the argument he makes, but I'd wager those people aren't introspective enough to see he's talking about them specifically. We pretend a lot here, and if people want change, we need to be honest with ourselves about who we really are. Fat fucking chance though, right? Eminem is a generational talent. I'll die on this hill. I normally write these reviews while I'm listening, and there have been maybe 3 albums of 600+ that have kept me so involved and paying strict attention that I find it hard to write at the same time. This is the most difficult one of those so far. I can't even take notes. His imagery and delivery are cinematic and demand my full attention. I enjoyed this more today than I ever have, in large part because I UNDERSTOOD it this time. I understand that it's a black mirror he aims at us all, and I understand who and what I'm seeing within it. I saw reviews talking about how the lyrics have aged poorly over the last 25 years, but I'd say they were of their time, and as much as we'd like to think it's true, it's a lie that things are any different today. I truly cannot wait until the lyrics are a time capsule and not reflective of who we are as a country. That day damned sure isn't today Outstanding album. Definitely listening again during my workout tonight ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Outstanding

Rap is not my bag at all but this was at least better than The Slim Shady LP

One of my favorites. I’ve listened to it a ton. As a teen, I was more into SSLP, but, once I hit college, I got way into this. Truthfully, I like all aspects of the Slim Shady persona; I think a lot of what he pulls off is even more brilliant than it at first seems. It goes beyond just the wordplay and the flow. Every song is on my liked list. (No skits, though; some of those are crazy).

I've been listening to hip hop since 1980.This record here is rap. Mr. Inem is a damn good rapper and the Dr. makes good sounding beats that are technically advanced but seem to have zero connection to hip hop. G Funk was old, I 'spose, and this is new..no need to pay out on all those samples.Keep all the money in house. The aspiration seems to be full crossover, without losing "authenticity.." Eminem is aware and good on him. He knows he didn't invent shocking tales of violence or bragging about drug use...he knows who Schooly D is and the Geto Boys and horrorcore in general. He knows they procede him by more than a decade in some cases. He is part of the culture and steeped in it. Eminem is just fine, I don't hate him at all. Would I rather listen to Kool Keith or MF Doom...you bet.

I mean some of the tunes on this man, unreal

I remember trying to buy this album on release day, but not being old enough because it was labelled as “explicit” so I had to go home and get my brother who was over 16 to get it for me. It was a popular album for a while for me in my youth. Listening to it now, it hasn’t aged very well, even if we know more about Eminem now and what he was dealing with at the time. Anyway, the hits still hit.

Did the real slim shady ever stand up?

I recognize that Eminem is a wordsmith and an excellent rapper. I'm also not a prude. Profanity doesn't bother me, but I don't like hearing about abuse so this one's a hard pass. As I've gotten older, I like rap less than I did when I was younger and thought it was the cool thing to do.

Sad, undernourished human. Sad, undernourished ideas. Sad, undernourished music. He's got skills but he's a moron and this is an expression of that

9.5/10

I was very surprised how good this album was. Really enjoyed it.

I can absolutely appreciate the skill and talent involved, and I generally appreciate satire in most forms. But some of the references to the violence are hard to listen to, especially knowing how real that violence is for so many women. I loved this when I was younger, but having experienced violence in relationships myself it hits differently now.

I heard Gen Z is trying to cancel this guy.

Los primeros 10 temas son una joya. Después se hace demasiado largo y repetitivo. Qué picante era Marshall

Don't need to listen to this to know it's getting the full 5 stars. Had it on day of release at 15 so it's in that sweet spot for music you love when you're becoming a real person. A load of this is nostalgia but there's no doubt Eminem is an amazing talent. If Ice Cube agrees then it's probably true. Are there issues with the lyrics with 25 years of hindsight, of course but put that against a song like Stan and nothing is black and white. The Eminem v Slim Shady element was never so pronounced. Childish nonsense meets an artist at the top of their game. Great to hear this again.

Revolutionary for the time. Man, should it be a 5? I think I am going 5 on this.

Masterpiece.

Hype at times, utterly harrowing at others

A couple too many songs leaning on samples for the hook for me

esse álbum é exageradamente triste e meio violento, não me passou uma sensação boa, mas tem músicas boas, como stan!

I really did try but could not finish this one. So violent and the production/lyricism/music couldn’t make it tolerable

Definitely was offended by his lyrics but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy listening

Wow. I mean I don’t like rap but that was some display of emotion. Extremely controversial but very clever. Marshall Mathers is truly something different.

Beste rap album dat ik ken. Ik ken er eigenlijk maar 1 🤭 wel veel goede liedjes

An absolute classic...that I've never actually listen all the way through! Glad I had the chance to today because what an album!!! Of course, I knew a lot of these already, but it was great to hear the album in its entirety. So many clever lyrics/rhymes that are synonyms with Eminem at this point!

It’s a classic. I remember being appalled at the lyrics until I got used to Eminem

Beats are good, flow is fire, but Eminem’s entire roleplaying trauma-dumping schtick is so cringe, especially on tracks like “Kim”.

Альбом прям написал Слим Шейди. Мат, насилие, гомофобия, сексизм - все в этом альбоме

eminem is sharp on this album. points off for weak features and length. 3.5

Slim Shady in the house. The Goat. Strong album from Eminem, from legendary early classics to some more lyrically dense songs. This album has a ton. I enjoy the little lyrical touches he always seems to sneak in-between his lines. There are a few low songs on this album. Like the song where he murders Kim, it feels like just raw rage that anything else. But I still keep the album in high regard. Keep it up white boy

Theres like 3 or 4 really good songs on this album, 10 or so that are just good but not great. The remaining are kinda fucked up but that's what you expect from old school em. I don't think this album is as good as everyone says it is, but it's still definitely worth a listen, even for non rap fans. Controversial perhaps but I like Slim Shady LP better. It's a bit more unhinged. Might as well go all the way fucked up.

I don't think I can say anything positive about this crap

This doesnt sound half as good when youre above the age of 13

This would be a 4, but this album is so long. Still "Stan" is on this album so it can't be less than a 3 3.5

Drug Ballad still holds up

Slaps you in the face. It’s so damn catchy. Tongue in cheek lyrics, that are sometimes disturbing, but I think that’s the point in many cases. His persona is original. You just have to crank it up and let go! F’n love this! Just a guilty pleasure I suppose. I hadn’t listened to it in so long.

Cringey edgelord lyrics. Some tracks had a decent beat

yeah

Coming back to hate on this

This is so dog

Have I listened to this album before No How familiar am I with this album Unfamiliar How do I feel about this artist? Neutral Pre-Listen Thoughts: I don't really know hip-hop/rap. very well, but I know people like Eminem. Favorite track(s): Stan Post-Listen Thoughts: This started out as a four, but then gradually worked its way down to a three. I think it could’ve been a little bit shorter. For an album to be this long I expected it to have more substance.

För mig är detta en nostalgisk resa tillbaka till när jag var en wigga, bra beats, ganska cringe texter men ändå många bra klassiker som Stan, Who knew, the real slim shady och många fler.

Not saying a couple of these beats don’t get me singing at a party like a frat boy but I just can’t take this guy seriously 😂 the dick slurping noises really ruined my morning

I'm gonna have to come back to this when I have energy to spare to listen to eminem's kermit ass voice for 40 straight minutes

more of a 2,5 past the age of 14 i never really had a eminem moment, some of the beats go pretty hard but this must be the most on the nose ass album ever made. i fucking HATE diegetic ass story sound effects in music (like the pen scribbling in stan) and this album seems to distrust the listener enough that it needs to be in every other song

Although Eminem will always be nostalgic and has some bangers, this hasn’t aged well. Can’t stop thinking the crowd for this was mostly white American Pie dudes, hard listen

a painful listen (derogatory) bet i wouldve loved this if i was 12 years old one and done for me, had some good beats tho

I've loved Eminem since I heard My Name Is when I was 10. He's my favorite rapper. I really liked this album. It has one of my favorite Eminem songs on it, Stan. That song introduced me to Dido, and I loved the video because Devon Sawa was in it (childhood crush). I also own and love the songs The Real Slim Shady, Marshall Mathers, and The Way I Am.

I really love reading the reviews on this. I think there are a lot of nostalgic songs here but... it is pretty dorky and represents some of the worse parts of the early 2000s

3 stars Listening to this album is like watching a 2000s Judd Apatow movie. If you were there at the time, you get it. A lot of things don’t age well, but there is also a lot to appreciate. There is clear skill and craft put into this. But it’s a little over long and over the top. “Kim” in particular is just unnecessary in its entire existence. Just shocking for the point of being shocking. Not a masterpiece, but significant enough to have earned a position here.

no thakn you

white boy tries to be edgy

Pretty uncomfortable listen for me. Am I a pearl clutcher now?

long but good

I'm way too old for this edgy shit.

This is my first Eminem project and I enjoyed it wayyy more than I thought. The beats are so fun and his storytelling is insane. The constant fucking in the ass stuff brings the rating down

Stunning. Not a massive rap fan in general but this is stunning! Dark lyrics on top of beautifully crafted backing tracks creates something dark and armospheric. Stan is a great highlight as is Marshall Mathers. Kim is one if the most unsettling listens i can ever remember. Grear stuff.

juvenile but talented

Started on 10/1, Finished on 10/13 I want to like this album. I really like the first half of the album but the second half gets so grotesque and aggressive that I struggled to finish it. I liked a lot of songs from the album, but overall rate it at a 3/5. Listened to the whole album but skipped the Ken Kaniff Skit Favorites: Kill You, Stan, Who Knew, The Way I Am, The Real Slim Shady, Bitch Please, Under the Influence

Damn. DAMN What a good album

1.5

One of my least favourite artists. He can Rap, but I do not like his lyrics or style. “Stan”is the only good song on this album and there’s a couple that have decent beats chore to listen to 1.5/5

Been a classic, knew every song. Embarrassing to listen to in 2026 tho

Lyrically great

Šlykštus agresyvus vaikas, žinau kad jei nebūtų tapęs populiarus, gal mano šeima nebūtų tokia išsiskyrusi.

This album makes how people (boys, teens) interacted with the world in the 2000s make a lot more sense to me; there's a lot of evocative imagery here Eminem is trying to tell a deeper narrative with, that can easily be and was taken on as a shallow, aggressive identity; similar to south park, gta. If we ignore how this was (mis?)interpreted (a little generous to eminem) this is a 4/5, memorable, enjoyable, and resonant, but its hard to distance it from how its vile language was taken literally.

s falloff isch genuinely crazy

Linguistic genius. Doesn’t quite hit like it did as a 16 year old boy.

Eminem is undeniably talented, and that shows through here, but even at the time I just couldn't with the sophomoric shit lyrics. He does definitely have a way with words, and if you can just go with it it's tolerable, and even great.

The real slim shady at his finest

not the type of music I like, still a couple of good songs here but overall nothing that I would listen to again. A 2 star because of the 2 songs I liked

I liked it until I saw someone acknowledge that it's just an album where the artist complains about haters and asks people to suck his dick. Also the homophobia

eminem might just have changed my view on rap

i cant believe gen z is trying to cancel eminem

This was definitely an interesting album. Very difficult to rate. I find some things are great, while others are...not that good. Starting with the good: Eminem's ability to write rhymes is spectacular. I also really like his phrasing. Also on the positive side, some of the "political" songs: "Who Knew" or "The Way I Am". I also like the humor he uses in some of the songs. The lyrics of "Stan" (probably my favourite track) are also great. Apart from this, I also enjoyed some other tracks like "Kill You", "The Real Slim Shady", "Criminal", or "Marshal Mathers". On the negative side, I'm not a big fan of the musical choices. And, to be honest, I find some of the allegedly transgressive stuff (especially when related to sex) pretty childish, or even ridiculous. The transgressive themes work better when related to violence ("Kim") or substance abuse ("Drug Ballad" is ok). That being said, I'm already in my fifties (and I was not into hip-hop back in the nineties). I guess I would've enjoyed this much more if I had listened to this when I was in my twenties. In any case, I think this is clearly in the 4 star range. Probably not if based exclusively on my personal taste or preferences, but this is objectively interesting and original.

Yes

I love this and hate it at the same time. I'm coming to Kim as I'm writing and I've listened to it a time separate from this so I know how terrible it is. Cannot get past how offensive these lyrics are. They are offensive, inappropriate, homophobic, and misogynist. I am not fond of how he talks about killing and beating his wife. He even talks about rape a few times. I tried so hard not to like the album but I cannot help but tap my foot to it, which obviously means that this is a great album. I think that he gets how sad he was at the time because when I listen to ts, I feel deep in depression. no highlights because I can't bear to. 7/10 cuz I can't bear to give a rating any higher. P.S. Eminem is still a bully white boy who can't get get bullied for race or gender very easily.

Album #209: Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I absolutely hate people telling me that I should be offended by something. Signposting it. I find it to be the most hacky thing. And this album has aged very strangely in my opinion, because back then there wasn’t really a cancel culture like there supposedly is now. I personally don’t believe in cancel culture, because a lot of these guys are out there with these huge platforms trying to get cancelled, saying whatever they want while also saying you can’t say the things that they’re saying. Ricky Gervais for example! And nothing ever happens to them. And they know nothing is ever going to happen to them! It’s so hacky, so boring, and so unbelievably unfunny and unentertaining to me. So when you’ve got Eminem here talking about how much I should be offended by all the stuff that he’s saying and all the outrageousness, it just rubs me wrong. Not in an offensive way, in a boring, eye-rolling kind of way. But I suppose it’s not really his fault because this was a different time. He did get in trouble for some of the stuff he said. He nearly got banned from going to Canada. He had the government kind of speak out against him. But at the end of the day, he was still able to make this music. He wasn’t cancelled, and it just goes to show you can say whatever the fuck you want, especially when you’ve got enough talent and charisma about you. He’s just an amazing rapper. He’s an incredible wordsmith, very witty, quite funny and very creative. I probably like this less than The Slim Shady LP, which I’ve reviewed already, because I feel like he’s trying to one-up himself with how disgusting and crazy it all is. It’s slightly try-hardy. The juxtaposition between that and how he doesn’t want to be bothered by fans, while also seemingly not giving a fuck, just kind of confuses me. It’s a bit jarring. Similar to The Slim Shady LP, he’s actually not my favourite thing about it. He’s got a very musical way of rapping, which I really love, but the music itself is the best part. The production is top-notch. It’s a fantastic-sounding album, and the choice of beats suits his tone and his music so well. It’s goofy. It’s not overly serious. The little asides and samples here and there are really funny throughout. Great beats. After this album I lost interest in his music. I think he got too serious and too self-referential. He was already getting that way here. This whole album is about himself for the most part, about all the work that he’s done before and how offended we should all be. He lost track somewhere after this album, in my opinion. But he is capable of amazing songs. Stan has gone into the dictionary now, but when songs get that well-known that they enter the zeitgeist, you almost forget what got them there in the first place. Listening to it today, it is an amazing piece of work. It’s a big outlier on the album as this serious song, and it’s a little jarring in context. But as a standalone piece, it’s phenomenal. So yeah, great album. Really enjoyed it. It’s very entertaining. It’s impossible to be offended by because it’s so ridiculous, in my opinion. And that should have been known when everyone else was getting upset about it back then. How could you take something like this seriously? It’s impossible.

Iconic album with a couple of mega-hits. Stan is so iconic that it created a new term in the English language. The Real Slim Shady is probably the biggest rap hit of that decade. I think it really set the trajectory for being a rap GOAT.

Итс э риал слим шейки, плз стенд ар плз стенд ар Но я прихуел с 72 минут белого репа

291.

Probably a 4 in reality but I'll top it up with nostalgia.

FUCK slim shady im so fucking scared how many of the things he raps about did he actually do like is he a serial rapist or just pretending nevertheless eminems early stuff is so catchy icl and i used to be a big fan at like 13

Bien.

So much anger, violence, and misogyny. I'm not into it. But it's clearly a very influential and culturally important album. That (and the fact that some of the music is pretty catchy) are what elevates it from a 1 to a 2 for me (although I'd do 1.5 if that was an option).

Sacando Stan que es un tema que está bueno, no pincha ni corta. Una vergonha!

This album does remind me of the kind of people I hated in middle school but you can't deny it sounds good

Enimem is so incredibly talented and one of the best artists out there, in my opinion. I remember when this album came out and how high my expectations were based on his previous work. While this record can be really hard to listen to at times, especially as a female, Eminem is playing a character much like an actor plays a part. The character is certainly drawing on his own life experiences though and this makes the album really painful and makes me empathetic to all the pressure and criticism Eminem was trying to navigate. His lyrics show a real vulnerability and anger that is covering significant pain, but he channels these into profound beats and words combined with his amazing voice and rap ability. This record will always be legendary to all, but to me personally as well.

7.8/10. Em's second album, it was fueled by hitting it big, being discovered by Dr. Dre, and going more into drug problems and relationship issues with Kim, particularly surrounding their daughter, Hailie. There is an obvious influence of anger, sadness, drug use, and newfound success, all shown heavily, but the album gets particularly dark for the tail end. I enjoyed it, I haven't listened to much of his other albums, only the hits, but this one still had the rawness that some of hit later albums lack (especially when he got clean), as the anger at the world was still with him.

Gave up half way through track 3 - there’s only so many rape references that I am willing to put up with. And that would be none.

Trying to shock or just fucked up? Not sure. Elements of humour in most of the songs.

Just not my music

This was an interesting one. I am usually quite lyrics-deaf: I guess that's an advantage in this case. However genuinely awful or provocative (is there such a big difference between being a violent misogynistic homophobic incel or pretending to be one?) the stuff Eminem was rapping here, I could enjoy the music, rhythm and flow (not Kim: that's too hard to stomach even for a lyrics-deaf person). Then I went back and try to listen to what he was actually saying and found most of it stupidly funny. While the Slim Shady LP was repetitive and boring to my ears, I found this one way catchier and more enjoyable. (And I usually hate hip-hop, probably because of the lyrics-deaf thing...)

It's actually insane how many Hip Hop albums can be a 5/5. I think this says a lot about the genre of Hip Hop as a whole, especially most recently from the 90s and onwards. I mean compare it to other genres that have been spitting 10/10 classics since the 60s and even before then. That being said. I think that this album has to be rated at a 5/5 for it's influence and it's staying power from the 2000s onwards. It's tough to think of ONE of Eminem's albums not being listed as a 5/5 (but honestly, it's closer to 4.5/5 and higher) THE POINT IS TO MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE. THE POINT IS TO MAKE YOU MAKE A SCRUNCHED FACE AND BE DISGUSTED WITH HIM. THE POINT IS TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS DATED, BECAUSE IT FUCKING IS DATED. IT'S A TESTAMENT TO HOW DIFFERENT THE CULTURE WAS MOVING IN 2000. IT'S A HISTORICAL MOMENT WHERE HIP HOP TRANSCENDED FROM THE EAST COAST V WEST COAST, BLACK COMMUNITY, AND GANGSTA RAP ERA OF THE 90S. A WHITE DUDE HAD TO RAP HIS ASS OFF AND SAY SOME OF THE MOST UNHINGED SHIT IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLE TO PAY ATTENTION TO HIM. LOL. YOU'RE MISSING THE FUCKING POINT IF YOU RATE THIS A 1/5. ALIENS HAVE TO HEAR THIS SHIT. (at least one of the 2 between MMLP and SSLP by Eminem, tbh I'll list the other one as a 4). BUT DUDE YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT, THIS ALBUM IS WHACKED OUT AND IT HAS TO BE ON THIS LIST. The production knocks because Dr. Dre was experienced and a FORCE at what he was doing. Eminem was going stupid on the bars on this one, and spit his way to creating 2 iconic songs in Stan and The Real Slim Shady. The former is literally the reason why it's a word that's used as slang today to refer to crazy people who love a pop culture figure. I don't know man. Kim is one of the most "free speech premium" moments of all time. An unhinged dramatic recreation of domestic abuse on fucking wax that is soooo off putting that I doubted leaving 5 stars on this thing, but THAT'S THE FUCKING POINT. It's closer to a 4.75/5 but I gotta round up. It's gotta be on this list. Even if you've watched FD's video on white rappers and realize that yeah man...this dude definitely benefitted from being a white rapper who rapped his ass off. Whatever man. Politics aside, it's a stupid moment in history that has to be accounted for. He was a cult figure. If we cut this album list down to 100, he would have one album on it. It's that serious. Fucking kids in (insert 3rd world nation here) give a fuck about this record still. It's fucking crazy. You don't gotta love it, I get it.

For all the positives on this album - Stan is a great song, and Who Knew is a pretty solid social critique explaining that societies problems go way beyond one man with a microphone - there are just too many things that make this an uncomfortable listen. Kim is an horrific listen, far more so than Kill You, and although some of the observations about other singers can start out with some amusement, for instance Christina Aguilera and J-Lo, they get carried on to a nasty level that's no longer entertaining. It's misogynistic and homophonic and too aggressive for me, and while I agree with the comments on parenting, and I appreciate that a lot of this may have been quite therapeutic for Eminem, it's not nice. Eminem may not have been the cause of the problems, but this is not a solution. 1 star.

great but tweak

je pensais vraiment détester donc c'est une agréable surprise si on enlève le ken kaniff skit qui me DEGOUTE

It would be difficult to write a more immature album.