Slim Shady LP, The (Clean Version) - Eminem

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Phenomenal, yet sick Debut
Disadvantages:	Some weaker moments as expected

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

When a well-respected underground emcee crosses over to mainstream, typically two things are most common to occur. On the one hand, the emcee will keep his original, rugged, and hungry style and drop a video and attempt to have it accepted by the masses as a new, ecleptic form of hip-hop. Unfortunately, (and sadly), this world is loaded with idiocy and the closed-minded fans of commercial hip-hop absolutely refuse to accept true hip-hop, complex intelligent lyricism, and rugged sounds which make the underground such an amazing genre of hip-hop. On the other hand, there is an alternative. The emcee can completely change up his style, to appeal to the masses, and become what i like to call "jiggy". Many emcees have basically commited the act of "selling-out", as theyve completely given up all of the talent that the underground, true fans adored over sales and exposure. Unfortunately, that is the relative problem with the music industry when it comes to rap... this always happens... until 1999 when everything changed.

Eminem, born Marshall Mathers, was a hip-hop fan since youth. In listening to his idols such as Nas, Biggie, Redman, Rakim, Outkast, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, N.W.A. and many more, he wanted to be like these artists, who never cared about selling out (at least not during this time), and only wanted to bring realness and respect to hip-hop music. After a troubled childhood, he finally got to record his first EP entitled Infinite and released it in 1996. Poor sales and lack of exposure plagued the otherwise worthy album and it never sold anything. Soon after he adapted a sort of changed style, creating an semi insane hip-hop alter-ego named Slim Shady and unleashed him on the Slim Shady EP. Still no sales...

All of this changed when N.W.A. alumni and hugely successful west coast producer and rapper Dr. Dre got his hands on a tape full of Eminem's sh*t. He wasted no time in seeking out the young emcee and getting a record deal immediately. Eminem signed a deal with the doc and immediately went to work on his debut, full length LP. Eminem hit the mainstream in 1999 with the amazing Slim Shady LP. Eminem's success was unbelievable and at last he did what few could do... keep his style and sell records. Some say it was because he was white... but i think that true skill, creativity, and appeal cannot be ignored...

Track List & Rating

1. Public Service Announcement (NOT RATED)
2. My Name Is (5 Stars)
3. Guilty Conscience f/ Dr. Dre (4 1/2 Stars)
4. Brain Damage (5 Stars)
5. Paul (NOT RATED)
6. If I Had (5 Stars)
7. '97 Bonnie & Clyde (5 Stars)
8. B*tch (NOT RATED)
9. Role Model (5 Stars)
10. Lounge (NOT RATED)
11. My Fault (4 Stars)
12. Ken Kaniff (NOT RATED)
13. Cum On Everybody f/ Dina Rae (3 Stars)
14. Rock Bottom (5 Stars)
15. Just Don't Give A F*ck (4 1/2 Stars)
16. Soap (NOT RATED)
17. As The World Turns (5 Stars)
18. I'm Shady (4 Stars)
19. Bad Meets Evil f/ Royce da 5'9 (4 Stars)
20. Still Don't Give A F*ck (5 Stars)

Eminem kicks off the album with a hilarious skit known as the "Public Service Announcement", warning the listener about the incoming subject matter. In case you dont know yet, Eminem has quite a uniquely insane style and a potty mouth, and never holds anything back. Immediately after this we are taken the hit single which blew Eminem up in the mainstream, the unbelievable "My Name Is...".

If you haven't heard this track yet, i suggest that you are either braindead, deaf, or stupid, as it is the lead-single. Featuring a twist on the classic G-Funkish Dr. Dre sounds, Dre laces a classic beat for Eminem to showcase his unique, witty, and humorous storytelling, introducing his alter-ego Slim Shady to the world. He touches on his troubled past, the fact that he thinks he is going insane, and his inner desires. He drops a couple of names, but overall tones the controversy down a bit to just shock humor, which is reminiscent of one of Eminem's idols Redman.

"Guilty Conscious" is the second mainstream single from this album. Eminem and Dre team up and trade off verses, playing the part of good and evil consciousness, trying to talk three different people from commiting good or sinful acts ranging from robbing a grocery store, underaged sex and sadgitory rape, and revenge for a cheating wife. The humorous lyrics are dope, but the track would've been 5 stars if it were like the single version, which has an amazing chorus. However, its near-perfect due to its storytelling.

Eminem has always been an ill emcee and a great storyteller, even when he touches on his very own childhood. On "Brain Damage", Eminem's lyricism is higher in quality than any of the aforementioned tracks and he steps it up with his vocabulary. Featuring some sombre, almost mafiosio guitar flicks, and thumping bass done beautifully by Mel Man, Eminem drops some unbelievable stories about his insanely troubled childhood ranging from being bullied in school, to his mother's negligence, and his early use of drugs. The song is a nice mixture of fact and fiction due to the fact that Em often overexaggerates the tales... but always tells them with charisma and humor, and of course, a multi-syllable flow and ill punches. The song is a beautiful look into the very mind of Marshall Mathers and a classic.

"If I Had" is the first majorly serious, introspective song on Slim Shady LP. It is basically a higher quality version of the same song found on the Slim Shady EP. Featuring some pounding bass, haunting pianos, and drum claps, the beat is atmospheric and perfect for the seriousness and concern Eminem displays lyrically. Eminem shows his true pain of living in poverty, not being able to feed his daughter, and live the right life. The depressing and tear-jerking feel of the song is unbelievable, and its interesting that Eminem still tries to inject some humor into it, and it is welcome, but we can easily see that he is in pain. Eminem's lyricism is top-notch once again as he delivers yet another classic.

The controversy hits a new high on "97 Bonnie and Clyde".

This is the prelude to "Kim" from Marshall Mathers LP. The haunting background beat sets up an atmospheric and disturbing song where Eminem talks to his daughter in storytelling mode about killing his wife. This song is very disturbing as Eminem lives out his fantasies by dumping his wife in a river for all of the misfortune. He speaks in a very monotome style, low-voiced patern sort of like he really is speaking to his daughter. Its one of those songs which you can put on repeat after the first listen to make sure you really, honestly heard it because it is pretty jaw-dropping... to be honest.

"Role Model" is the third lead single from this album. The feel of the album kicks up a notch to a more light-hearted tone, featuring some beautiful guitar flicks, drum loop and hard clap, and thumping bass, Eminem returns to his comical, humorous songs. Eminem uses a hilarious form of sarcasm, speaking as to how good of a role model he is, as he loves to kill, do drugs, and poke fun at bad events. To be honest, this track is loaded with thousands upon thousands of memorable lines which will drive heads insane with laughter such as: "You beef wit me, I'ma even the score equally, Take you on Jerry Springer, and beat your a** legally, I get you blunted off of funny home grown, Cause when I smoke out I hit the trees harder than Sonny Bono", "My rap style's warped, I'm runnin out the morgue, witcha dead grandmother's corpse to throw it on your porch", and "I'm bout as normal as Norman Bates, with deformative traits, A premature birth that was four minutes late, Mother.. are you there? I love you, I never meant to hit you over the head with that shovel, Will someone explain to my brain that I just severed a main vein with a chainsaw and I'm in pain?". Unbelievable....

The album sort of hits a slump here with a few weaker tracks and useless skits, but picks up with the introspective classic "Rock Bottom"

Following the same trend of depressing songs like "If I Had" and "97 Bonnie and Clyde", Eminem continues with an introspective, thought-provoking, and poetic track. This song is completely serious and void of very little humor with the exception of Em's somewhat witty lines about poverty. Lyrically, this is untouchable, with a multi-syllable flow, inventive similes, and unbelievable use of vocabulary. The instrumental is beautiful and shows exactly how good Dre can be when he tries, as we get a haunting, sort of sombre track, providing a more-than perfect atmosphere for Eminem to drop ill rhymes over. You can truly feel Eminem's poverty and frustration with living the poor life and he is frankly sick of it. The emotion is something rarely heard from Marshall, but when he pulls it off its always magic, and this is no exception. This track ranks highly as one of my absolute favorite Eminem songs ever. Still don't believe me? Check this out: "I feel like I'm walkin a tight rope, without a circus net. Poppin perkaset, I'm a nervous wreck, I deserve respect; but I work and sweat for this worthless check, I'm bout to burst this tech at somebody to reverse this debt, Minimum wage got my adrenaline caged, Full of venom and rage, 'specially when I'm engaged, and my daughter's down to her last diaper, it's got my a** hyper, I pray that God answers, maybe I'll ask nicer, Watchin ballers while they flossin in they Pathfinders, These overnight stars becomin autograph signers, We all long to blow up and leave the past behind us, Along with the small fry's and average half pinters, But playa haters turnin b*tch like they have vaginas, Cause we see them dollar signs and let the cash blind us, Money'll brainwash you and leave yo' a** mindless when snakes slither in the grass spineless".

"I Just Dont Give a F*ck" isn't exactly fitting on this part of the album, but it is still a classic. The ill beat and humorous lyrics are of the typical Eminem nature, which is why this track was the first underground single to be released (when Em had black hair). Eminem's lyricism is brilliant and his choice of words is truly unforgettable as he proves that he can also deliver a punchline driven track.

Using the same comical storytelling found on "Brain Damage", "As the World Turns" finds Eminem dropping a hilarious tale about his ordeals with an overweight woman. Could be the funniest song Eminem has recorded, as we get dark humor and comical storytelling. I sort of wish Em still made tunes of this quality.

After two high-quality lyrical songs, we come to a close with the ominously haunting, sort of prophetic track known as "Still Don't Give a F*ck".

After a short, spoken-word intro we get the final track on the album giving us a beautiful, and perfectly fitting closure. Immediately, from the onset of the song, it is easy to see exactly why Eminem is considered one of the greatest emcees of all time... coming on the track with some furious introductory lyrics: "I'm zonin off of one joint, stoppin a limo, Hopped in the window, shoppin a demo at gunpoint, A lyricist without a clue, what year is this?, F*ck a needle, here's a sword, bodypierce with this... Livin amuk, never givin a f*ck, Gimme the keys I'm drunk, and I've never driven a truck, But I smoke dope in a cab, I'll stab you with the sharpest knife I can grab, Come back the next week and re-open your scab". Just with those lyrics its enough to see exactly how ill he is. Backed by haunting production featuring thumping bass, piano loops, and hard drum claps, the melodic feel is a masterpiece. Eminem sort of pays homage to all of those who never said he would make it, and sort of shoves it in their face. He uses a mixture of his Slim Shady and Eminem personas, as he is still vicious and angry, but stays comical. This is the absolute perfect way to close to Slim Shady LP.

A lot of people consider Slim Shady LP to be Eminem's finest work... but that is not the case in my opinion (Marshall Mathers LP is slightly better), however, that does not mean that it isn't ill as hell. Eminem hits the mainstream with a VERY underground-influenced album, loaded with complex lyricism, introspection, humor, and a perfect mix of everything needed to make it a dope album. Besides just Em's sheer skills, Dr. Dre delivers the goods with dark, fitting production. This was the first step in the invasion of Eminem into the music industry and i highly suggest picking this up to own a piece of history and the birth of a hip-hop icon...

4 1/2 Stars... Rounded up to 5