5/5 Pitchforks
Thirteen years after “The Marshall Mathers LP” achieved unprecedented success, the game-changing rapper is now releasing a sequel to the iconic album. While tackling a follow-up to what many consider to be his greatest album is an ambitious project to embark on, “The Marshall Mathers LP 2” is brilliantly executed and worth the 13-year wait.
MMLP2 serves as a time capsule that longtime fans will appreciate with its subtle throwbacks to the original album. The sequel demonstrates introspectiveness and maturity from the 41-year-old rapper that was absent in his 20s when he recorded the album's predecessor. Eminem has long established himself as a permanent fixture in hip-hop, but with MMLP2, he succeeds in reviving the lackluster genre.
“Rhyme or Reason” samples the ‘68 hit single “Time of the Season” by The Zombies, and the track is infectious. Eminem actually sings the chorus, and his impersonation of Yoda alone makes the track a must-listen. He then reverts to his comedic roots in “So Much Better.” The tongue-in-cheek song about wishing someone dead is catchy. “Rap God,” with its self-described lyrical acrobats, is extraordinary.
The album also features artists that encapsulate the dynamic of MMLP2. Rihanna jumps in on “The Monster” to create another hit single with an addictive hook. The duo ruled the charts with “Love the Way You Lie” in 2010 and have found the same success with “The Monster.” In “Love Game,” Kendrick Lamar brings in a feel-good vibe before the next song, “Headlights,” deals with dark subject matter.
“Headlights” is one of the best songs on the album, and arguably, one of the best in his career. The beautiful track features Fun.’s Nate Ruess, whose enchanting vocals add to the heartbreaking message of forgiveness of the song. Eminem has musically chronicled the troubles with his mother throughout the years, most memorably with 2002’s “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” in which he raps about his mother’s shortcomings as a parent. After being vocal about a lifetime of resentment and anger toward his mother, “Headlights” is an unexpected song with vulnerability that’s typically reserved for songs to his daughters. In the song, he comes to terms with the tumultuous relationship he shares with his mother and proffered compassion: “I’m way too old to cry, this sh-t is painful though / But ma, I forgive you / So does Nathan yo / All you did / All you said / You did your best to raise us both.”
“The Marshall Mathers LP 2” is a lyrical masterpiece that proves what a wordsmith Eminem truly is. The nostalgic elements in the album are perfectly suited for the sequel that focuses less on gimmicks and more on the revalidation of one of the best rap albums ever made. After being crowned “Artist of the Decade” by Billboard, the MMLP2 promises to deliver the same commercial success that has made the rapper a best-selling artist throughout his entire career.
Reach the reporter at jurgiles@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @MrsMathers94
