Any lingering doubts as to the depth of Eminem's skills or his potential for raw yet compelling honesty are dispelled on The Eminem Show's first track. Armed with a quicksilver flow and a thundering rhythm track (the rec... more »ord was exec produced by longtime mentor and partner Dr. Dre), "White America" finds Eminem ferociously mauling the hand that feeds him, lambasting his critics, the industry, and the racism that, in many ways, helped make Marshall Mathers more than just another rapper. "Let's do the math," Em sneers, "If I was black I would have sold half/ I could be one of your kids/ Little Eric looks just like this." After the bombast of The Marshall Mathers LP and Eminem's well-noted use of sexual epithets, this kind of material is made more controversial because it actually rings true. From a brutal retort to his long-estranged and equally troubled mother ("Cleaning Out My Closets") to a surprisingly tender ode to his child ("Hailie's Song"), Eminem examines his life, loves, arrests, addictions, failures, and successes with surprising insight, making this a funk-drenched hip-hop confessional well worth the hype. Note: This limited-edition version includes a DVD that features concert and interview footage. --Amy Linden« less
Any lingering doubts as to the depth of Eminem's skills or his potential for raw yet compelling honesty are dispelled on The Eminem Show's first track. Armed with a quicksilver flow and a thundering rhythm track (the record was exec produced by longtime mentor and partner Dr. Dre), "White America" finds Eminem ferociously mauling the hand that feeds him, lambasting his critics, the industry, and the racism that, in many ways, helped make Marshall Mathers more than just another rapper. "Let's do the math," Em sneers, "If I was black I would have sold half/ I could be one of your kids/ Little Eric looks just like this." After the bombast of The Marshall Mathers LP and Eminem's well-noted use of sexual epithets, this kind of material is made more controversial because it actually rings true. From a brutal retort to his long-estranged and equally troubled mother ("Cleaning Out My Closets") to a surprisingly tender ode to his child ("Hailie's Song"), Eminem examines his life, loves, arrests, addictions, failures, and successes with surprising insight, making this a funk-drenched hip-hop confessional well worth the hype. Note: This limited-edition version includes a DVD that features concert and interview footage. --Amy Linden
Chris D. from OTTERTAIL, MN Reviewed on 9/28/2010...
Fantastic CD, Best of Em....
0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
CD Reviews
If you hate Eminem, skip this review
E.J. Rupert | Milwaukee, WI | 06/05/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"All Eminem haters stop reading now and I'll see you on my next review. Welcome home, Em. He's been gone for a while. "No he hasn't", you say, "he's released the Marshall Mathers LP in 2000 and the D-12 album last year" (don't admit that you actually bought that D-12 album, by the way). But true underground heads know that he took a vacation from the streets and started kicking some Generation-X, MTV-ready raps for all of America to eat up and/or criticize. But just like Jay-Z did with The Blueprint and Nas did with Stillmatic, Eminem brings it back to the streets with his third album, The Eminem Show. There's not one commercial, radio-friendly song on this album (except for "Without Me", which is the weakest track on here compared to the rest of the songs). Forget the title to the first single off his second album, THIS is the Real Slim Shady.If you think he has totally ditched his style (shock value lyrics, dissing your favorite artists for no reason), you're wrong, as evidenced on "Without Me"'s third verse when he disses an *NSYNC member and Moby. The beef continues on "Say What You Say" when guest Dr. Dre takes shots at a certain producer in Atlanta: "I'm a giant...when I see you I'ma step on you and not even know it/You midget/...Over eighty million records sold/And I ain't have to do it with 10- or 11-year-olds." Timbaland also puts his two cents in as well at the end of the track. Unfortunately, we heard all this dissing before (The Roots vs. Nas, Nas vs. Jay-Z, Jay-Z vs. anybody who ain't him) so you're left with a "Who cares?" feeling. Therefore, the diss records (with artists) thankfully stop there. Eminem, still one of the best, if not THE best, rapper in the game, brings it on politically ("White America"), explains his reasoning for him hating his parents ("Cleaning Out My Closet"), and shows affection for the only female he loves: his daughter ("Hailie's Song"). And songs like "Say Goodbye Hollywood" talk about his recent lawsuit(s). Now I wouldn't dare rank Eminem with 2Pac, but just like Pac's Me Against the World versus his other albums, The Eminem Show is Em's darkest and most personal record, which is why it's his best album.Dudes on the block will be arguing over what's the best song on the album, but my pick is "When the Music Stops" with D-12, where, for once, everyone sounds good. And "Soldier" and "Till I Collapse" tie at second. In fact, there's not one song worth skipping on this album, but the aforementioned "Without Me", which really sounds like "The Real Slim Shady Part 2", comes close.You either like Eminem or you don't, and he's not gonna change for no one. Like he said a few years back, he just don't give a you-know-what. But those who think that Eminem has changed his style are just mad because they can't find the "hits" that they found on his last two albums. This album is for the true Eminem fans only, not the mainstream, current-fad loving, bandwagon-jumping individuals. You probably won't see another single off this album on TRL, so that means that most of his fans will throw this album away. Oh well, their loss."
Evolving
ClosedBook | California USA | 05/30/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have been with Eminem from the start, well, atleast the start of his professional recording career. I love his music. I think he is brilliant...yes, I said brilliant. I'm a girl, and he doesn't offend me at all. I think he is very is insightful and sensitive. He sees the world differently and I love that. This CD, in my opinion, is his best to date. He is growing as an artist. He hasn't lost his edge, but he has matured. Every song here is a keeper. If everyone would stop looking for controversy, they would hear great music."
"The Eminem Show" 3rd times a charm!
K. Andersen | Mariposa, CA USA | 05/30/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have found "The Eminem Show" (Eminem's 3rd full length solo CD release for interscope records) to be honest, intelligent, frightening, and important.
Eminem keeps it real, and I love him for it!
The CD's content is much more personal this time around, a
logical next step in profit Shady's evolution."
Third Time Is a Charm....
N. Whitworth | Louisville, KY | 05/28/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"1. Curtains Up (Intro) - It's an intro, so nothing to get excited over (N/A)2. White America - Eminem raps about his views of America and does it well. Blasts some top-shelf political figures too. (5/5)3. Business - Classic Eminem. Party type of beat with Eminem dropping some funny lyrics. (5/5)4. Cleaning Out My Closet - Eminem's anything-but-loving ode to his mother. Really powerful song that makes you feel for what Eminem has gone through. (5/5)5. Squaredance - Really new sound for Eminem. I think it works really good. The beat is crazy and he takes time out to demolish Canibus with only two or three lines. (5/5)6. The Kiss (Skit) - An okay skit. Tells about the night he pistol whipped the bouncer for allegedly kissing his wife. (N/A)7. Soldier - The beat is ok and the lyrics are tight, but overall, i'm just not feeling this song. Something about it isn't too appealing. (3/5)8. Say Goodbye Hollywood - Nice production value and Eminem is always spitting lyrics that touch on personal subjects. Good song. (4/5)9. Drips - One funny song about the dangers of un-protected sex. Obie Trice, Shady Records new artist, drops some hilarious rhymes and almost out does Eminem with his potent lyrics. (4/5)10. Without Me - Great lead single off this album. Lyrics are funnier towards the end. Only problem is that this song sounds too much like D-12's hit of last summer "Purple Pills." (4/5)11. Paul Rosenberg (skit) - Funny skit from Eminem's attorney who tells Eminem not to shoot off his gun in public. Funny and short. Serves its purpose. (N/A)12. Sing for the Moment - Great use of the Aerosmith song "Dream On." This is the type of song Eminem shines on. Great beat, excellent lyrics and Joe Perry. What a combo! (5/5)13. Superman - Deep bass beat for Eminem to spit funny lyrics about the reasons he won't get deeply involved with another female. Funny stuff towards the end. (5/5)14. Hallie's Song - Shocked this reviewer when I head Eminem starting to actually SING! Struck me as odd too, but Eminem holds his own. Touching song. (5/5)15. Steve Berman (skit) - Seemingly, the last skit with Mr. Berman since Em shoots him at the end. The skit with him on the D-12 album was the funniest though. This one is ok. (N/A)16. When the Music Stops - Eminem and D-12 show off incredible lyrical structure over one of the best beats i've heard in a while. Bizarre actually is funny on this song, too. (5/5)17. Say What You Say - This is the battle track of the album. Eminem and Dr. Dre go back and forth ripping one anothers current foes. I would hate to be JD right now. (4/5)18. 'Til I Collapse - This is the best song on the album. With a hip-hop sound mixed with "We Will Rock You," you get a hype song with Nate Dogg helping out on the chorus. (5/5)19. My Dad's Gone Crazy - Eminem's duet with his daughter Hallie. Hallie is really funny on this song. Eminem also drops potent lyrics. Great closing song. (5/5)20. Curtains Close (outro) - THE RETURN OF KEN KANIFF!! I was wondering if Eminem was going to leave him out. Funny skit with Ken reciting his own lyrics to parts of "Without Me." (N/A)In the end, this is a very well-rounded album. I hope Eminem stays on top of his game for the rest of his career."
Eminem at his best.
american_psyco12 | Boyertown, PA United States | 05/31/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The last two albums were great! They both, like this one had amazing crazy lyrics. But those two only had a few serious songs and the rest of the cd was joking around. Not this one, most of the cd is serious and deep. Its a lot more fersonal that the rest.
Track Assesment:
1 Curtains Up(skit)
2.White America- Great anti government song 5/5
3.Buisness - cool song, coll lyrics 5/5
4.Cleaning Out My Closet - serious, deep, personal, amazing 6/5
5.Square Dance - cool beat, cool lyrics 5/56.The Kiss(skit) - kim....
7.Soldier - I'm at a loss for words 6/5
8.Say Goodbye to Hollywood - cool song, personal, 5/5
9.Drips(w/obie trice) - little too nasty, but cool 4/5
10.Without Me - ya'll know this one 4/5
11.Paul Rosenberg(skit) - em, dont bring you're gun around..
12.Sing for the Moment - awsome remake of areosmith classi, 6/5
13.Superman - cool song 5/5
14.Halies Song - to halie, em has the balls to try and sing, peronal, meaningfull 5/5
15.Steve Berman(skit) - he finaly dies!
16.When The Music Stops - realy cool song 5/5
17.Say What You Say(w/dr.dre) cool song, dre disses dupri!!5/5
18.Till I Collapse(w/ nate doog) - cool chorus by nate, cool backroung 5/5
19.My Dads Gone Crazy(W/Halie Jade) - really cool, halie pust good touch on song, 5/5
20.Curtains Close(skit) - Ken Kaniff is back!After reading that you should relize how amazing this cd is.
The bonus dvd is pretty cool. It has a couple live preformances, a few interviews, I Just Dont Give A ... video and an episiode of The Slim Shady Show.
In the DVD em says its best for an artist to grow each cd and get better, and he sure ...did on this one, ... ps-I dont know if its possible for him to grow after this one"