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The Marshall Mathers LP by: Eminem

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Rating: - The world according to Marshall Mathers

"I wish I would just die or get fired..." $170 million dollars into his career and we find Marshall set pensively on the stoop of a non-specific house in a non-specific suburban neighbourhood, cutting a small figure against the demons that seem embodied by the large tree that looms over him. Eminem is the single most representative figure in today's record industry: a ball of contradictions of race, class and political correctness; simultaneously unmarketable and yet a massive commodity. Causing a stir wherever he goes and knowing it profoundly... commenting on it endlessly, fulfilling his own prophecies by being successful by rapping about being successful, and most of all, explicitly expressing - so there's no mistaking his feelings on it - his hatred for it, his hatred for us, and his hatred for himself. To boot, he can also be measured by the only criteria that ever really concerns the teen demographic: from the pages of Rolling Stone to the artistically rendered shots on Eminem.com, his blue eyes stare out attractively, his jaw-line cocked decisively against the world; he looks the part, he's gorgeous.

For me, the difference between a lumbering, cartoon-like foul-mouthed American rap puppet (cf. ICP, Limp Bizkit, an entire generation of slack-trousered youths) and this proto-intelligent word-warrior that I increasingly see Eminem as was evident when I first heard 'The Way I Am' crackling through my radio. This combination of strangulating rhythm and minor chord riff, punctuated by Eminem's exasperated onslaught of perfectly weighted rhymes, had me hooked, fascinated. It summoned up an image of him, caught in the whirl of controversy whipping up against him like litter on a windy street corner, lashing out articulately, knowing that his best weapon is familiarity with every single one of his detractors' arguments. "Pigeon-holed into some poppy sensation to cop me rotation at rock'n'roll stations..." he spits, and he really does spit it, and I can't think of a better way to deal with your critics. Radiohead could sure learn a thing or two.

'The Marshall Mathers LP' then is a simple title for a work that goes a long way to dispel the myths about the man but literally does not a give a f--k whether you go along with him or not. In fact, in his exasperation to put his case Eminem gets some consolation from causing offence wherever he goes. You made me like I am, he's saying, and you can't look me in the eye when I tell you what's on my mind? "Will Smith don't gotta cuss in his raps to sell his records - well I do, so f--k him and f--k you too!" he points out, quite rightly, in that voice that is so typically him: equal parts funny and insulting. The tone is presented with varying degrees of success throughout. In 'Marshall Mathers', you get a sense that he is making some progress since he was "put here to annoy the world and destroy your little four-year-old boy or girl", and that it won't be long before all the little boy/girl bands that are justly the target of his contempt will have to admit defeat and abdicate from their meaningless thrones. His carelessness knows no bounds though; his slovenly calls to "suck my dick if you don't like my sh-t" and the petty insults traded with the ludicrously naff Insane Clown Posse are the stuff of what's kept hip-hop a world of back-biting and infighting for too long.

What holds it together in the end is the infectious mixture of his incisive rapping style and the great little riffs and tunes that he breaks into to give his songs a real hook, taking them beyond straight lyrical rapping. The body blow is "Kim", a protracted murder fantasy that's strung round an emotive, gothic piano riff and Eminem's almost sobbing chorus "...I don't want to go living in this world without you". Rarely has a rap been invested with such pure naked desperation, yet this screaming match set to music is held solidly together with a rhyming pattern. "But we was kids then Kim, I was only 18! That was years ago... I thought we wiped the slate clean". And of course, the odd love story that is 'Stan' , where you finally here a measured, responsible Marshall saying "I really think you and your girlfriend need each other, or maybe you just need to treat her better..."

A response to his critics, a needle in the side of every conservative, a wilful attempt to corrupt, even a quiet word of advice... all of this is 'The Marshall Mathers LP'.

Rating: - the publicity stunt lp

eminem is a talented rapper,no doubt about it. unfortunately he uses this talent all wrong, dissin' pop stars proves only that eminem is a huge publicity stunt. while all the teenyboppers love eminem any true rap fan knows that the marshall mathers lp is nowhere near as good as dr dre 2001 or snoops new release tha last meal. eminems first album was a great album and is one i enjoy listenin to. i gave up listenin to this album about 1 week after buyin it last summer. its repetitive and irritating and although it has its moments bitch please 2,remember me and maybe kill you and the way i am. the rest of the album is pathetic and filled with crap lyrics. eminem tries too hard to be a tough gangsta rapper but by dissin britney spears and nsinc he proves that he is just lookin for attention and publicity and of course he easily gets it.with those lyrics its bound to get bad publicity by parent groups. but any publicity is good publicity so there fore he sells records. eminem is a great rapper with real talent but unfortunately with the chessey and fake ( not from the heart , just for the publicity ) lyrics , he ruined any chance of this album being , in my eyes,a classic. now he will never be compared with hiphop greats such as tupac ,biggie , snoop , eazy and dre. if u want ot get an eminem album get the first one because its not a publicity stunt. any one who gives this 5 stars is one off the many sheep who jump on the eminem publicity stunt train because its cool to say nsinc suck etc. anyone who isn't blinded by the great white publicity stunt can see that eminem is just the laughin stock of the hiphop world. a great rapper ruined by his need to impress the pop lovin tenny bobbers. eminem r.i.p . the marshall mathers lp = the death of the only good white rapper. at least he had one good album. or maybe its a phase he will grow out of. i hope so.

Rating: - If you dont like his songs dont listen to him

I bought this album ages ago and whereas some albums can wear a bit thin this has justified its tag as a modern classic. If you dont know how good this album is by now then where have you been? Firstly I'd just like to say that I get fed up of do-gooders and campaigners for gay rights etc. who say that his music should be banned. What for? Being innovative, ingenious and influential? Now I've got that out of the way I can focus on his album, and what a masterpiece it is. The limited edition is extra special because it includes the bonus track "The Kids" which is witty and hilarious (as are most of the tracks). Everyone knows the killer singles so they need no explanation but in with the 'poppier' efforts are also orthodox rap songs with a whole range of guests. "Kim" is an original concept where the song revolves around an aggressive eminem who has lost his rag with his soon to be ex-wife culminating in him murdering her. It is also the prelude to "97 Bonnie and Clyde" on the "Slim Shady LP" and the differences between the two albums are subtle but present. "I'm Back", "Marshall Mathers", "Bitch Please", "Kill You" and "Criminal" are all highlights of a varied and solid album. The only fault is the inclusion of "skits" such as "Steve Bermann", "Ken Kanniff" etc. which break up the album and are even more annoying on random play on the cd player.

Rating: - marshall mathers LP

Recently Eminem has been in the news alot, even getting notices as far afield as Radio 4 for one reason or another. The idea of students protesting against this guys freedom to express himself really makes me sick - what kind of little fascists are they gonna turn out to be?

This all misses the point that mnm is awesomely talented and this record is a beast. The music is clever, but the guys lyrics are spectacular. People who want to hate him probably won't like to know how intelligent and self aware of his place in the wider media he is, and that the way he reacts to and deals with it is self assured and good news for us lot, great to listen to. This is really just awesome stuff to think about, piss off students who think that you should only be free to express yourself if you're the child of a middle class new labour family and most importantly, enjoy.

Rating: - Not so great

This album is way too overhyped, and just isn't worth listening to. There has been so much controversy over the content of the record, including references to homosexuals and the killing of boy bands members etc, saying it's disgusting and in bad taste. Mathers and all his fans say not to take it seriously, so I guess it is meant to be funny. Well I don't find it funny at all, and would rather listen to Kevin Bloody Wilson, Mr Bungle or even The Bloodhound Gang instead for laughs. I don't find the record remotely offensive as I don't take anything really seriously, but if it was funny I wouldn't really care less. As for the songs, only a few are worth listening to, including 'Criminal' and 'Who Knew', and all of the singles, but they are all getting annoying after constant radio play and MTV. 'Kim' and 'Marshall Mathers' are awful, and have no real emotion as all I do is cringe with his attempts at singing, poorly. Songs like 'Kill You', 'Under the Influence' and 'I'm Back' are just awful, and all the lyrics get annoying as all he seems to do is talk about himself, which is pretty dull. All the skits are worth listening to ONCE and any joke that is remotely funny on the album is only for first time you hear it. This album is for little children who find him funny cos he swears and says rude words, and real fans of hip hop should avoid this overhyped overproduced, nicely packaged drivel ...

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