Listening to the album Infinite, you can hear the same flow that made The Slim Shady LP such a smash hit, but there certainly is something about his voice and…word choice… that is missing Eminem’s usual vulgarity. Indeed, when you read the name Eminem you probably think of overtly violent and sexual lyrics, but it is important to listen to where he started off to see where went. Eminem posted a remix of his original Infinite. The album didn’t sell very much, so when he came out with The Slim Shady LP, he decided to try using some more vile lyrics.
My Name Is showcases rhymes and lyrics he’d become best known for, but keep in mind this is still a censored version. The album as a whole contained rape lines, blatant homophobia, and an entire song about burying the body of his ex-wife while out at the beach with his daughter. The shock value of some of his lyrics created public outrage among parents, while teens and younger listeners found it as a way to rebel. While this is what most parents and listeners think of when Eminem pops up in their minds, I like to think of some of his best work instead. Stan is either the best or second-best song by Eminem in my mind due to the storytelling element. (If you are listening to the embedded link, the song starts at 1:22). Due to his homophobic lyrics, many people protested his Grammy performance. Eminem invited Sir Elton John and they performed Stan at the 2001 Grammys.
Photo taken at The Grammys by an unnamed photographer.
Overall, my favorite song lyrically from Eminem has to be Lose Yourself. The hyperdense rhyme scheme is why the song sounds so smooth. The fact that Eminem exclusively puts stress on the rhymed syllables gives a natural rhythm to the song, which makes it so much easier to listen along to. Even if the only thing you remember from the song is “Mom’s Spaghetti”, that is okay. Appreciate that it is still a multisyllabic rhyme that is paralleled 6 times throughout the first 4 bars.
“And when I’m producing them lyrical bowel movements These beats are like my saloons ‘Cause these bars always got my stools in ’em” –Caterpillar by Royce 5’9″ feat. Eminem, King Green“Your booty is heavy duty Like diarrhea” –Remind Me by Eminem“But my beef is more media journalists (Hold up, hold up, hold up) I said my beef is more meaty, a journalist Can get a mouthful of flesh And yes, I mean eatin’ a penis” –The Ringer by Eminem“I get dough like Ed Sheeran, so call me the ginger bread man” –Marsh by Eminem
Great use of media and organization! Really interesting content. Keep up the good work.
Great post Nick! This is very interesting to me because I have never heard of nor examined the significance of “Infinite”. In fact, I believe it gets often overshadowed by some of his more popular albums. Eminem has always been a controversial figure in the music industry and I appreciate this deep dive into his career.
Great post! Eminem is such a fascinating figure in the entertainment industry. I know as someone in the LGBTQ community, there are divisions on who supports him and who doesn’t. Other than a few comments he’s made and usages of some words in his songs, I have huge respect for him as an artist, especially with the longevity of his career and continuous artistic and media development. Looking forward to more posts!