By: KAYLYNN DAY
“Guess who’s back, back again. Shady’s back, tell a friend.” After being M.I.A for close to 3 and ½ years, rapper Eminem has set the hip hop world ablaze with the release of his 8th studio album. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 comes after the original The Marshall Mathers LP which was released 13 years prior. Shady fans around the world (including myself) have been not so patiently waiting for some new material from Eminem since his last album release in 2010. It’s safe to say that he delivered material that made that long 3 year wait worth it, but we all are dying to know why it took so long.
According to Eminem in interviews he’s conducted since the album’s release, the reason behind the wait was simply pure laziness on his part. “It’s basically because I’m lazy that it took so long!” is what Eminem told France’s NRJ Radio. And although laziness might have been a part of the issue, it’s obvious that there were more contributing factors to the hiatus than Eminem may like to admit to the public eye.
Throughout his entire career, Eminem has struggled with drugs and alcohol which was no secret to his audience. In a way struggling with such an overpowering addiction was the fuel behind the fire that he ignited with his music each time he stepped inside of a studio. But after realizing the negative impact his addiction was having on his life, Marshall Mathers decided it was time to make a change. Eminem did everything that he needed to do to get his life back on track, hence his 2010 album title Recovery. But if he was on the road to recovery, than why did it take him so long to come back and shut the rap game down once again as only one of his high caliber could do so effortlessly. One could speculate that after moving away from his once wild Slim Shady reputation, Eminem was lost and trying to find his place in the music world again.
Changing his life in a way meant that he needed to change the subjects that he talked about in his music. Making this life adjustment would be hard for anyone, especially someone in the spotlight at all times. Taking a break from the game was maybe his way of finding himself and getting to the point of being able to share his craft with the world once again.
When asked about this album compared to the original, Eminem simply described it as “the exact same, but very different,” With this album, Eminem revisits much of the things he spoke on in the original albums work, but it has a more present day feel to it. If you are familiar with his early work, then it is easy to see the direction he is taking his music in once again. Storytelling, sinister comedy and funny skits matched with top notch lyrics is what The Marshal Mathers LP2 has to offer. And although the album keeps true to classic Eminem feel, you can sense a little bit more maturity and growth in the rhymes being spit this time around. It seems as if he has been able to find a balance between who he wants to be in his personal life and who he wants to be in his music. Eminem didn’t just revisit his Slim Shady days with his flows, he had to get the look as well.
The infamous bleach blonde hair is the pretty red bow on this musical gift that he has graced us all with. Mr.Marshall Mathers took a trip back to the past and resurrected Slim Shady from the dead, and it looks like he’s here to stay. But who said taking a trip back in time is necessarily a bad thing?
