It was the first single off the Eminem Show that just killed his music for me. I have a total mental block at the moment and cant think of what it was called but you know how it goes "now this looks like a job for me ..". Oh yea, its called Without Me. That song just signified to me that Eminem had gone totally commercial.

I don't know about too commercial- part of Em's catchet has always been his love of the spotlight- but The Eminem Show was a really weak album IMHO. Additionally, the completion of the album trilogy has painted him into a stylistic corner that he hasn't shown any sign of having the musical fortitude of escaping.

Two brilliant albums is more than enough for me, though.

I'd defiantely have to agree. The Eminem Show just seemed to be the end of the line. The creativity was gone, and Eminem's own lacking production techniques took over. The life and wit of the previous two albums (and an EP) were somehow missing, and the whole album had maybe three or four listens before it got tiring. It seems that in Eminem's haste to gain a better flow (which turned out to be a more "slippery" flow, almost Nellyish unfortunately), he forgot to make his rhymes actually clever. Oddly enough, he seemed to bounce back with three excellent tracks off of the 8 Mile soundtrack which showed renewed life, passion and a new dimension in the production, a depth that had been lacking in the Eminem Show. Em's contributions to 50 Cent's album were better than his previous efforts in The Eminem Show but now with the new D12 album, he's sunk to a level he has never been to.

Em simply needs to forget about his own life for a little while and focus on being a sharp social commentator (like on his stunning Jay-Z colaberation "Renegades", "Role Model" and forget about the tired, predictable "White America" BS) and pick up his excellent and hilarious storytelling abilities previously on display in the tracks "8 Mile Road", "Stan", "My Fault" etc.. Just like on the 8 Mile soundtrack how he focused on a new character (Rabbit), I think it could certainly help him to focus his energies on some new situations with new characters. Another album full of gross out humor and his autobiographical "poor me's" isn't going to cut it on the next album.


As it stands, Em has two albums that will forever stand as hip hop classics, regardless of where he goes or whatever revisionist history comes along. Anyone who denies the talent of The Slim Shady LP and the Marshall Mathers LP is simply blinded by his admittably rather tiring MTV persona.

I have all of Eminems albums so far, and for the most part, i like them. there are some songs that get annoying, only because i would hear them on every freakin radio station 10 x's a day..but, other than that I like him!

Surprise, surprise- Encore is more unlistenable than anything Wolf Eyes could ever put together.

Umm... Em's been making the same album for the last 5 years. Don't get me wrong, the first was good, and the 2nd was GREAT, but that was all she wrote.

And yes, he's a horrendous producer.

I've always been really into Eminem's stuff, especially the first two. However, the third turned me off on the music as well as most of you. If I've picked up one thing from Em's music its been - in not so many words - "I'll never change for anyone, I'll never change for the media, etc"... I liked that vibe it gave off when I thought, huh, this man is so successful over being bad, and he won't compromise. But wait! What does he go and do on his newest cds? He drops his immature perversness and gives up what was causing such a fuss... so now hes nearly completely clean, next we can expect Eminem to be a friggen Backstreet Boy. By the way everyone, I'm watching a movie so if what I'm saying is semi unfocused sounding, thats cuz its the troof.

eminem is a backstreet boy...i mean think about.i bet any one of those guys could rap,andybody can say shit,fuck...etc...etc.I takes no skill to rap like that.

Its like fill in the blanks rapping.

And everybody is using the same template.Listen to some rappers today like sage francis or buck 65 or busdriver...and u will hear real skill.

Eminem DIDNT always rap like that though. Well, he did swear a lot, but he also said more. He was controversial because of the content, like, for instance, "role model" was a hilarious sarcastic song that pretty much said "dont be like me" I always thought his flow was easy to listen to and VERY VERY talented. If he wasn't talented, you think he'd be the first white rapper to be famous? Nah, hes gotta be good to get recognition from both sides because you KNOW most of the black rap listeners wanted to hate him.

hes not the first white rapper to be famous(vanilla ice) or the first white rapper that was respected in the hip hop game (mc serch).

I mean c;mon how many more songs can we hear about his family.We got it you had a fucked up childhood and life in general.There has to be something different to rap about.He hit his peak at the 8 mile stuff.From here on out it will just be a laugh what he comes up with next.A joke.

Yeah, he's not even the first white rapper to completely sell-out.

Thats not completely what I'm saying though. See, I agree with you about the selling out and his prime being 8-mile, but I totally dig his old stuff that was funny and well composed. First off, have you even heard the Slim Shady LP, if you haven't, thats what I'm talking about, so you need to hear it.

of course i have.I am a hip-hop fan...and i can get prety rabid about it.I even have a copy of his first album infinite...which in my opinion is lyrically his best album.Production wise it is so-so...and actually it stands up with some of the classics lyrically also.I bought it after the slim shady lp...so i am not rying to say i wa son him before he was hot.But, Infinite is his best album.

Thats good, I never could get a copy of Infinite, but, I live in Alaska, so what can I get? No, I ordered Slim Shady LP a very long time ago, so I've listened to it for a while. It still stays fresh! Guilty Conscience (mispelled?) was great, Brain Damage was funny offering a new breed of humor in rap. My name is, was funny too! Then, we move on to Marshal Mathers LP, which offered songs like Stan, which is a pretty haunting and well told story. Then, Drug Ballad, a cleverly composed and rapped song about Eminems -fake?- drug addiction. There are... MANY other good songs that are good, I just dont want to continue on.

i personally wouldnot consider any of those songs great.There is a short list of great songs and there is no eminem songs on there.

Maybe they are considered great because all songs that are played on major radio are beaten into your head so thickly that after a long time without it sounds refreshing and evokes warm or not so warm memories.It happens to me too...it is almost unavoidable, and i dont even listen to the radio.With commercials and movies and everything else using commercially popular and always very catchy tunes it is hard.Good songs become played out and great songs never see the air time they deserve.

I commend you Imprezu for such darn quick responses! Its great saying something and so soon after having someone respond. No, its not at all radio play that gets me, I'm totally in touch with my indie side. Thats not me bragging, thats me not getting and radio reception out here in the woods. No, I have absolutely no respect for 50 cent or these new popular rappers that rap 1 syllable words ( I have on occasion listened to internet radio.) I guess with you its a 'no go' for the Eminem thing, its just I really used to like his tune. Its not that it evoked warm images, it compelled me to create these mental images of the way Eminem USED to be. I've said it like 100 times, I hate the new stuff.

You, after listening to "I'm Shady, or Mushrooms, or The Kids (unreleased)." Cannot tell me he doesn't have talent. Its also his persona, kind of someone the kids look up to, but shouldn't listen to at all. It all used to be a neat and unexplainable package... can't explain any farther than that.

Oh, and Imprezu, I've been listening to Sage Francis for the last 2 weeks, I got "A Healthy Distrust" when I went to Fred Meyer the other day. How are you on ICP? I used to dig them, but I got tired of the repetition. In the cds there always seems to be one golden song though. Also, you ever listen to "the Streets"? Maybe Brit-Rap isnt your style but you should give it a listen

Oh yeah i love the streets.I used to be into icp just for the fact that it was wierd and kind of funny.I never owned a record, but heard it quite a bit.If u like a healthy distrust...which i really do not.You should get the personal journals album.Which in my opinion is one of the best rap albums of the 00's so far.Or the Non-Prophets album.
I am totally on the brit-rap thing...i am also heavy on the grime scene right now.Honestly not to toot my own horn...but there really isnt alot that passes me by in rap or electronic.I spend way too many hours a day just looking at new artists and label webpages.Between that and magazines and shows and stuff.I dont think anybody could surprise me in this genre with an artist or album.

i disgree.
his first 2 albums were best. rock bottom. amazing.
but the eminem show not being as good is still a great CD. songs like sing for the moment hailes song are just great.
i must admit he lost me with encore. a few good ones but mostly cheezy.