Jack's Fav Musicians #5: Eminem

I consider Eminem to be the best rapper of all time, hands down.  To be fair though, I have really grown to hate rap.  I know I'll come off like a cranky old bastard when I say this, but I think that contemporary rap is just plain shitty.  I look at the popularity of "rappers" like Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa, two people who I consider to have caused more harm to the world than Saddam Hussein, and I seriously doubt the ability of my generation to ever make a positive impact on our planet.  When rappers aren't talking about beating up vaginas or spending all their money, they make attempts at being "serious" by rapping about the oppressors and how the political machine is geared against African-Americans, even though rap artists are obviously the cream of the intellectual crop here in America.

Eminem is another monster entirely.  Whether he's rapping about admiring the pubescent Olsen twins, creating a fictional character to tell a story about his new-found fame, or going into graphic detail about killing his wife, his lyrics are always high-quality and clever.  He's actually interesting and unique; every white rapper since Eminem's debut has tried and failed miserably to capture his essence and mystique.  He doesn't view his troubled past and family life as a badge of pride that enables him to do whatever he wants; he discusses it honestly and openly as a means of elevating his art.

I started listening to Eminem when I was in the fourth grade, after my dad gave me a copy of his second album The Marshall Mathers LP (what great parenting, I know), and I'll admit that at first, I just liked listening to it because of all the swear words.  But as I grew older and started actually paying attention to the writing, I liked him more and more.  He wasn't afraid to cross the line and piss people off.  His only goal was to be honest, even if it meant being viewed as fucked up and crazy.  His songs are the only rap songs that I can listen to all the way through nowadays.

Eminem's 10 Best Songs

10. My Name Is (The Slim Shady LP)

• This song was Eminem's first big single, and established his shock value and humorous tendencies.

9. Like Toy Soldiers (Encore)

• A great chorus and great instrumentals helped accentuate Eminem's very serious perspective about rap feuds and his role in them.

8. Lose Yourself (from the 8 Mile soundtrack)

• This song, which I first discovered because I was a big fan of Weird Al's parody version, is a powerful description of Eminem's experiences in the underground Detroit rap scene, as told through the storyline of the semi-autobiographical film in which it appears.  It highlights Eminem's determination and work eithic, two of his most defining traits.

7. No Love (Recovery)

• To be fair, Lil Wayne's verse lifts this song from good to great (this is one of the very rare instances where you will find me praising him), but listening to this song, with its rising tempo and message of writing off the critics, is a great way to pump yourself up.

6. 'Till I Collapse (The Eminem Show)

• This song utilizes dynamic, pounding instrumentals and an outstanding hook by the late Nate Dogg to create a pure proclamation of Eminem's love for his craft.

5. The Real Slim Shady (The Marshall Mathers LP)

• The first and most successful single off of Eminem's best album is probably his best example of how funny and scathing his satire can be.  This song includes send-ups of several people in the music industry, ranging from Will Smith to NSYNC to Christina Aguilera, while also smartly espousing Eminem's disdain for what he views as manufactured pop.

4. Without Me (The Eminem Show)

• This song is an outstanding mix of several aspects of Eminem's style.  He mixes satirical humor with put-downs to his critics, gross-out sexual imagery, and sarcastic comments on the controversy created by his music, all laid out over a sick freakin' beat.  If you're looking for a little bit of everything, this is a must-listen.  

3. '97 Bonnie and Clyde (The Slim Shady LP)

• This is one of those songs that you listen to and wonder "What the hell was Eminem high on when he wrote this?"  On the surface, this song is just a messed up father sugarcoating the reasons why he killed his wife for his daughter with euphemisms for while he takes her to dump the mother's body in a lake.  To make the song even creepier, Eminem speaks in a weird baby tone for most of the song.  But underneath all the "holy shit" moments lies a seriously painful and compelling story about how far a father was driven after his wife cheated on him, and his love for his daughter.  Weird, I know, but really listen to the lyrics (this contains what might be the greatest Eminem line:  "There's a place called heaven and a place called Hell/ A place called prison and a place called jail/ And Dada's probably on his way to all of 'em except one").  It's an acquired taste, but a tremendously good one for those who can get past the eccentricity.

2. When I'm Gone (Curtain Call - The Hits)

• This is Eminem's greatest, purest declaration of emotion and feeling, without a doubt.  The lyrics and instrumentals combine to form a haunting plea to Eminem's family members ("When I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn/ Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice").  It's really hard to describe the song.  I'd strongly suggest to just listen to it, straight up.  If you aren't moved by the poignant and wrenching story the song tells, something's wrong with you.

1. Stan (The Marshall Mathers LP)

• Pure awesomeness.  That's all I can say about this divine piece of music.  Trying to describe the song, by far and away the best rap song ever, doesn't do it justice, because it transcends the parts that make it up.  The beat is simple, just a slow drum and some bass notes.  The lyrics are a little more simplistic than other songs on the album.  Eminem speaks more slowly than usual, and the chorus is just a sample from the Dido song "Thank You".  Perhaps that's why the song is so mind-blowingly great; it doesn't rely on fancy instrumentals or hooks to establish itself.  This song lets the outstanding lyrics create an eerie and engrossing story about a dude named Stan who writes letters to a rapper (Slim Shady - Eminem's alter ego) about how Shady's music has inspired him.  The letters (verses) become increasingly irate until -- I don't want to spoil the story for those who haven't heard the song.  If you only listen to one Eminem song, make it this one.  This allegory about how Eminem deals with some of the less desirable aspects of fame will certainly make an impression.