- A can full of gas and a hand full of matches -

It has been a long time coming. After N.W.A hit the scene in the late 80's and changed the face of rap everyone wanted to be like them, rap like them and live the life the they claimed to live. For the first half of the next decade the west coast for the most part dominated the rap world. The east coast of course answered with their rough neck style rappers. They had their own version of brag rap but when it was all said and done it was just a different version of the same thing. Rapper after rapper spitting their bravado and stories of the great life they were experiencing.

Even though this rut has been in effect for years no thanks to MTV, it doesn't mean that everything has been so predictable. Thankfully some rappers were head and shoulders above the rest. Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G, and Tupac to name just a few. They all had a common bond, it made them unstoppable in the early gangster rap whirlwind. But it seems that it could also be their Achilles' heel in the new millennium, only time and the fans dollar will tell. They all seem to sound alike now and even some names I thought I could count on have begun to look a little long in the tooth. Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube with War and Peace Vol. 2 -The Peace Disc to name a couple were major let downs.

Even the Beastie Boys have disappointed, though they had great success sales wise with Hello Nasty it failed to impress artistically. Yes sonically the album delivered with complex and catchy trademark samples and sounds. But it lacked what Licensed To Ill and Paul's Boutique had, plain and simple the stories were gone. Do you remember what She's Crafty was about? Sure you do, what about any one song on the Beastie Boy's latest? I couldn't tell you, just like the gangster rap it is all just disconnected little thoughts thrown together.

Finally someone, the last person anyone in the rap world expected came along. He reminded everyone what the difference between a rap song and album that is a classic and something that is a flash in the pan. Finally a rap record you can listen to and say to yourself "yes I understand what you are saying". The rap world, always dominated by young black men was hit with The Slim Shady LP. Nothing that big had hit for a white man since Licensed to Ill. The only exception might me Vanilla Ice <cringe> but I would like to forget blemish in rap history.

Eminem enjoyed great success and controversy with his alter ego or persona (take your pick) "slim shady". Eminem delivered complicated tongue twisters and graphic stories that really hadn't been done before at the time. On Eminem's follow up The Marshall Mathers LP the title alone tells you that Eminem will share a much more personal story this time around. Never has a rapper described in detail, track after track what a screwed up life they've had. While others exposed their personal pain and experience for a song or two, they never used that as a basis for an entire album. If it has happened before at this scale, I fail to recall the artist and or album.

The Music

When this album opens with Kill you no time is wasted Eminem gets to the point quickly. He describes how his mother told him that his father was an evil man and hated him. Throughout this song his lyrics tell a story of someone that is insane and ready to kill everyone that hurt him. This song moves quickly and covers a lot of ground, from childhood to the negative side of being famous. Stan makes its appearance early and it is in my opinion evidence of the evolution of rap. This song separates Eminem from the rest of the pack. No macho bull, no pulling the gun out at the club a la Puff Daddy and no references to big money or super models. Eminem joined forces with Dido and used Thankyou from her debut solo album No Angel. I wonder if she had any problems having one of her songs appear on Eminem's album. No doubt the label made the decision, but I wonder. Stan is a song about an obsessed fan that is writing to Eminem. The first couple of letters described are casual but with every one this fan is becoming more despondent.

Stan tries to pass the first few brush off's as postal mistakes but soon realizes that this is probably not the case. The last letter describes a fan with personal troubles that have caught up with him and not receiving communication from his idol have only exacerbated his anger. Of course it was all a mistake, Eminem did receive some of the correspondence and it just took a long time to respond. This song has been described in many reviews in its literal sense but I don't recall any mention of the underlying idea. Stan has a lot more going on here. What it really seems to be about is a young Eminem communicating with his current successful self.

Stan is a young man with a young girlfriend that has a baby on the way. In his letters he attempts to create a bond with Eminem by telling him in his letters that he didn't know his father either. All these details mirror Eminem's pre fame days. If anything it is a form of self therapy, just someone realizing where they came from and how things are better (for the most part) now.

Who Knew continues the story of Eminem's fame, here he states over and over Who Knew I would get this big? Eminem explains his surprise at having so much influence on the young music listeners of today. When he says "Damn how much damage can you do with a pen? Man I'm just as f*cked up as you would've been. he actually sounds like he was caught off guard by his fame. With the sound of church bells and an eerie piano playing in the background The Way I Am is a lyrical knife that Eminem uses to stab at the industry and his critics. He points out the irony of being blamed for school shootings among other things when the parents of these criminals are nowhere to be found.

Things take a turn and go more in the direction of the brag rap that dominates the airwaves now with Remember Me? With a 808 style bass boom and the rattle of a spray paint can in the opening, rappers RBX and Sticky Fingaz join the fray. I enjoy this type of rap, just not an entire album of it. Thankfully Eminem does not forget to season The Marshall Mathers LP with just a little of this hard-core spice. With lines like " ....reappear in hell with a can of gas and a match" and Dre in the background this track kicks. Marshall Mathers is a big middle finger to all the celebrities that Eminem hates. He mentions New Kids on the block and boy bands in general, miss Spears, ICP (Insane Clown Posse) Vanilla Ice, music magazine writers, his mother, step father and even fans that claim he sold out. He even attacks all the relatives that came out of the woodwork after the money and fame hit.

Of course no rap record would be complete without the big name cameo's. On B*tch Please part II Dre, Snoop, Xzibit and Nate Dogg drop in like someone called in the S.W.A.T team for an emergency infusion of gangster sound. The original song appeared on Snoop Dogg's Top Dogg and it remains true to the original musically. The song delivers for the most part. Snoop and Dre do an admirable job and Xzibit does not disappoint, he delivers his crisp, clear hard hitting rhymes. Nate Dogg delivers his usual smooth gangster singing on this track.

Most of the negative publicity surrounding this album have not come from the aforementioned tracks. What really upset so many are tracks like Kim. A man that is so hurt and angry that he comes back for his ex. He kills her current husband and wants to get rid of Kim and take his daughter Hailie. Of course these are all details from his real life. If anything this is just him at his angriest fantasizing out loud. Material like this is bound to cause drama for Eminem in his real life. Being separated from his daughters mother and currently involved in a lawsuit brought on by his mother no less, aren't helping his anger any.

The hardware

This album runs about seventy two minutes long. There are eighteen tracks but two of those are spoken word skits. The booklet included contains many color and B & W photos of Eminem and friends. Oddly enough there are pictures of Eminem as a very young boy (school pictures) they no doubt serve to remind everyone that the devil is human and was a child like everyone else. Sadly the lyrics are not included but all the songs are so long lyrically that extra pages would have to be added and I guess it all comes down to cost. Another thing worth mentioning is that there are several different "covers" available. It has been done before, with Howard Stern's Private Parts coming immediately to mind. No doubt a ploy to sell additional units to the devoted fan.

While most rappers enjoy giving those "shout outs" and the end of the booklet, Eminem does not take advantage of that opportunity here. This is one of the shortest thank you's that I can remember so here it is.

"Eminem would like to thank everyone that knows that they deserve it.
And f*ck you to everyone that deserves it too."

I think that there are a couple of things going on here. One: Thanking everyone can show a nice and thoughtful side of Mr. Marshall, maybe that can be a sign of weakness? Maybe thanking a long list of people is showing too much of his personal non rage side? Maybe it is much more simple than that and I'm looking at it too hard, but that's what I get from it.


Different from the rest

Eminem has taken rap to another level. The incredible production supplied by Dr. Dre and others is a piece to this puzzle. But what really makes this album stand out is the subject matter and the delivery. Eminem's use of BG vocals to end a rhyme, double rhymes or rhyming twice in a line for example. His writing is clever, complex and they always carry a double meaning. More information is garnered from subsequent listens, as there is a lot of information to digest. At this point in time there is no other rapper that I'm aware of that has a tongue as sharp and quick as Eminem. There is much more to his talent than the songs that hit the radio.

The Controversy

There are those that would like to see Eminem get hit by a bus and with good reason. His material can at times be graphic, violent, dark and crude. He offends every group that you can think of. Womens groups, gays, and lesbians have voiced their displeasure with this artist on many occasions. I wouldn't be surprised if their anger with his lyrics are that of stories relayed by others or by listening to the album once and throwing it out in disgust. It could have that effect on those that don't have the stomach for something this detailed and honest. Yes he does say at one point to rape woman, make fun of gays and kill something or other. But what is never mentioned is that before he delivers that line he also mentions that he is only being sarcastic. He also states that "you all say my albums are just about violence so here it is". He then proceeds to spit out the offending lyrics. So decide for yourself but listening to this work once and then taking a side is flawed in my opinion. This work is too complex for a one listen decision.

So many parents are angry that their kids have access to music like this and I can't blame them for their concern. They ask their congress men and women and anyone that will listen why something like this could be allowed on the airwaves and in the stores. If this album were simply about hating various groups of people as it may appear on the surface I would be the first to slam it. But no matter how many people cry foul that is not the case here.

Though their questions and concerns are valid ones they are not the questions that are the most important. To those that are skeptical of anything like this having any value you should be asking those around you another more important question, and it is this. What kind of world do we live in that a man like Mr. Mathers would be possessed enough to write the things that he does? His father was not around, his mother abused drugs and he grew up in a slum. Does this make violence against women okay? No. Does it explain a lot of things about young angry men in America? Yes.

In the end we are all simply products of our environment, and The Marshall Mathers LP is a product of the life that Marshall Mathers has lived. So who should we really be pointing the finger at?