Eminem released a surprise album, “Kamikaze,” on all streaming services on Friday. This comes eight months after the rapper released his last album, “Revival,” which was met with polarizing responses as critics and fans alike felt divided over the album’s political message. However, Eminem isn’t rapping about politics as much on his 10th studio album release. Instead, he’s focused on getting back to the old Slim Shady and going at almost everyone who has criticized him over the past few years. He opens the album with “The Ringer,” a song in which he goes at critics for their reviews of “Revival” and disses rappers like Lil Xan and Lil Pump. He also mentions Lil Yachty, saying he sees why people listen to the “One Night” rapper, “…but not me though.” In the intro, Eminem also gives props to Big Sean, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole, all of whom have mentioned Eminem as one of their musical influences. It is a decent opener and gives us the context to what most of the album will sound like and be about. In the next track, “Greatest,” he talks about his status and influence over a Mike WiLL Made-It beat. Despite the big name producer on the track, the beat isn’t very elaborate. Despite this, Eminem shows off his ability to flow, use metaphors and imagery making “Greatest” one of the better songs on the project. “Lucky You” features the first guest appearance on the album, with Joyner Lucas opening the track. Eminem then comes back into the track mentioning his many accolades, saying, “I sound like a broken record every time I break a record. Nobody could ever take away the legacy.” He also takes some subliminal shots at rappers who use ghostwriters. The back-and-forth and contradictions of both rappers’ levels of success leads to “Lucky You” being one of the better tracks. We then get a skit featuring Paul Rosenberg, Eminem’s manager, much like the older Eminem projects with Paul leaving Eminem a voicemail to question his actions. This is then followed up by “Normal,” one of three songs on this album about Eminem’s love life. After a skit during which Eminem answers Paul’s message, Eminem delivers “Stepping Stone,” a track seemingly dedicated to the rap group Eminem started his career with, D12. He opens by reminiscing about his and the group’s popularity in the early 2000s that later came crashing down after the death of friend and D12 member, Proof, as well as the failure of D12 solo albums. At the end of the track, he claims that D12 is officially over. On “Not Alike,” he reunites with Bad Meets Evil collaborator Royce Da 5’9” and the two flow over a Tay Keith-produced track. While Eminem and Tay Keith are an unusual pairing, the track is one of the highlights, and both Eminem and Royce’s verses were some of the best on the whole project. This song also features a Machine Gun Kelly diss that has escalated into MGK responding with “Rap Devil” on Monday, a direct response to Eminem’s 2013 hit “Rap God.” The title track, “Kamikaze” and the following track “Fall” have arguably been the most talked-about tracks in the news and on social media. With “Kamikaze” being more of a proclamation that this isn’t “Revival” but a return to the old Eminem, “Fall” is where he goes full Slim Shady, taking shots at Joe Budden, Charlamagne Tha God, and many more. Of the list of disses on “Fall,” the two that caught the most people’s attention are the disses toward both Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt, who have referred to Eminem as an influence in the past, but have since criticized his albums. The diss toward Tyler, The Creator is even more controversial because he uses a homophobic slur, which comes after many speculated that Tyler came out on his most recent album “Flower Boy.” This is the song that has gotten Eminem the most flack from critics and fans alike and rightfully as it feels like the Tyler diss was made solely for shock value. The album closes with “Nice Guy” and “Good Guy,” both about Eminem’s love life, and “Venom,” a song for the upcoming Marvel Studio movie of the same name. With “Normal,” “Nice Guy” and “Good Guy,” these are the worst tracks on the album as they contextually don’t match the album’s main narrative, plus the Jessie Reyez features don’t add any quality to either “Nice Guy” or “Good Guy.” While “Venom” isn’t necessarily a good track and has nothing to do with the album’s main topics, it gets somewhat of a pass as it was made for the purposes of being recorded for a movie soundtrack of the same name. This album contains a lot of disses directed at those who have criticized the rapper in the past, but it doesn’t feel the same as it does when listening to older Eminem albums. His attempt at trying to bring back the magic of ‘02 Eminem feels like someone trying desperately to be relevant. The production on this album is rather generic despite having producers like Ronny J, Mike WiLL Made-It, Tay Keith and Boi-1da, and despite the “controversial” bars, most of the verses throughout the entire album aren’t anything special. If “Kamikaze” is the last album of his career, he sure did not go out with a bang. And when stacked up with his entire discography, this, as well as his more recent work, doesn’t come close to his classics and could affect his legacy. Rating: 2/5<doc-sep>Photo Credit: Shady Records Eminem needs no introduction. He hasn’t needed one in over 20 years. Taking the world by storm at the end of the '90s, few artists in history have stretched their popularity as successfully over the span of two decades. Maintaining public interest is equally as difficult as making people care in the first place. The public, to some degree, still has interest in Marshall Mathers. On the short list of rappers who can stop social media with a surprise album release, Em is near the top. Last night, without any warning, Eminem released Kamikaze. The 13-track album comes just eight months after Revival, the artist's tragic ninth studio album that was rightfully panned by critics and fans alike. Did the reaction to Revival inspire a return to the drawing board? Kamikaze is an unusually quick return for Em at this stage in his career, but is he doing so with self-awareness? Did he read the criticism of what made his prior work such a musical chore to complete? Will this be Eminem’s redemption release? It's the most important question that comes to mind before pressing play. To retain public interest requires being interesting. Sadly, that’s something Eminem hasn’t been in years. If nothing else, I’m going into Kamikaze looking for music and an artist worth getting excited for. In usual 1-Listen fashion, the rules are the same: no skipping, no fast-forwarding, no rewinding, and no stopping. Each song will receive my gut reaction from start to finish. Godspeed. 1. “The Ringer” Three seconds into the album and there’s an explosion. That’s one way to begin, with a bang. Em’s speaking, says he wants to punch the world in the mouth. Did he just say he wanted to ra… Shock value is the most boring tool in his hip-hop utility belt. 21 Savage has to be the most referenced new rapper. Frank, JAY-Z, Eminem, the list goes on. He’s doing the Migos flow. It’s awkward but not terrible. Eminem is going through an existential crisis. With hip-hop getting older, mid-life crisis music should become more common. In a sense, Em’s a pioneer for that brand of rap. Why is he doing this? I understand lyrical exercises but Em is becoming a treadmill that’s juiced up to a frantic speed. There are some good ideas here, though. Just mentioned the BET cypher and shouted out the colorblind people. Was that a Joe Budden shot? Shooting at Trump. He’s really bothered Trump didn’t try to box in public. Beef with journalists. Meh, meh, meh. 2. “Greatest” Eminem and Mike Will! Wow. Uh, I didn’t see this coming. Sounds like Eminem asked Mike to make a version of Galaga background music with bombastic drums. I can’t believe I’m listening to Eminem make a subpar song about being a GOAT. I’m trying to imagine Em playing Playboi Carti’s “Wokeuplikethis*” and I can’t fathom it. This hook is horrendous. Muhammad Ali spent a majority of his life teaching us how to brag just for Eminem to make a sauceless anthem that sounds as if he’s trying to convince himself more than the general public. I can’t consider him a shell of his former self when he sounds so removed from what made him captivating. I do like the riffs that are bringing life to the bass line. I’m pretty sure Eminem is now a parody of artificial intelligence hip-hop. Did he just mimic Kendrick’s "HUMBLE." flow? Okay, I laughed. That was mildly entertaining. He just mentioned Ali. How dare you speak of the champ and not do a song called "Greatest" justice? 3. “Lucky You” ft. Joyner Lucas Joyner Lucas and Eminem. If the remix of “Lucky You” features Kendall Jenner and Pepsi then racism in America will spontaneously end. Joyner is starting this one. No drums, I like the slow buildup. Joyner doesn’t sound bad. I’m into his energy. An interesting trap banger. Starting to think Kamikaze is Eminem’s KOD. Lot of shots at fellow rappers on this album. He is rapping, and I’m pretty into his tongue-twisting flow. I really hope Em can match the energy. Okay, he doesn’t sound so bad. Said he sold his soul for some GRAMMYs. I’m not mad at this one thus far. This is definitely his KOD. I can do without the mumble rap slander. He could actually learn a lot from them if he listened. I can see the Mountain Dew rap community being very much into this. Has Eminem been so legacy-focused before? Seems like the Revival criticism has Em bringing out his trophies and putting them on display. Interesting. 4. “Paul (Skit)” Throwback Shady move. Paul is asking about Em replying to everyone. Ha. The concept of Kamikaze 2 reacting to the critics of Kamikaze is a hilarious slippery slope that I pray does not happen. 5. “Normal” Eminem is everything but normal. A relationship song? Man, how did he not put Drake on this. Did he rip this beat off YouTube? It sounds like he downloaded the 128 kbps version. What is he talking about? Eminem thought it was a good idea to make a song about a toxic, abusive relationship in 2018. Wow. I mean this is the guy who killed his wife on wax. I guess what they say is true: if you give a man an inch he will never stop walking on your patience. I like this third verse flow. “Let's sleep on it like they did Revival,” this man is hurt. I pray by the time I reach 40 the last thing I care about is critics. 6. “Em Calls Paul (Skit)” Em called back Paul. Honestly, this is a skit that should be on your first album, not your 10th. I guess you never stop caring. We went from Stan stalking Eminem to Eminem pulling up on critics. Including, I think, our own Andy James haha. This is the worst timeline. 7. “Stepping Stone” One thing Em can learn from the mumble rap period of rap is shorter records. Wait, this sounds good. Reflecting back on 2012. Mentioned the death of Proof. I love this beat, it sounds like something he should be rapping over. The hook completely killed all enthusiasm. I feel like I was in a hot air balloon, enjoying the scenery, and he suddenly decided to deflate the bag with a needle. He’s still capable of self-reflective, passion-driven rap music, but he needs a better editor. Someone has to say: This is not a good hook, this is not a good flow, this is not a good beat, this is not a good idea. Having the ability to be great doesn’t absolve you from falling short of said greatness. Third verse is good. This is the mid-life crisis rap I’m here for. Did he just end D12? Eh, wasn’t expecting that. Conceptually, the stepping stone metaphor is really good. It just needed a better chorus. 8. “Not Alike” ft. Royce da 5’9” TAY KEITH DROP!!! By far the most exciting moment of the album. That’s his signature piano melody. Meh, Eminem using the SoundCloud rapper flow is blowing my non-existent high. ROYCE! I’m ready to make the case that 5’9" has adapted better to the times, matured as an MC, and makes better music than his Bad Meets Evil other half. Debate your local drug dealer. He’s money dancing all over these keys. Tay Keith has to pass Royce the pack. “Your music sounds like Dr. Seuss inspired it” got a chuckle out of me. Em, stop torturing me. This parody is torture. Okay, the verse is an improvement. Eminem’s usage of ad-libs is so awkward. Creating an entire album criticizing the state of rap is very bland. I need David Dennis to send Em a “Go season some food” tweet. The explosion with the flow switch is hard. Eminem calling Trick Trick is a phone call I want to be on the other end of. Prodigy shoutout made my heart warm. This flow is ridiculous. He’s packing one million words into this pocket. This is robotic. He changed flows more times than Beyoncé changed wardrobes at Coachella. Technically, I’m impressed. 9. “Kamikaze”<doc-sep>Lincoln, NE (68508) Today Thunderstorms - some locally heavy downpours are possible, especially late. A few storms may be severe. Low 63F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms - some locally heavy downpours are possible, especially late. A few storms may be severe. Low 63F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%.<doc-sep>
advertisement advertisement Kamikaze is an apt title for Eminem’s new album, which he dropped on an unsuspecting populace Thursday night like emergency munitions. The new project fires lethal slugs in every direction, including whichever one contains the nearest mirror, leaving scads of pissed-off listeners in its wake. advertisement advertisement “Last year didn’t work out so well for me,” the rapper says at the top of the title track. By that point in the album, more than two-thirds in, you will be intimately familiar with how 2017 played out for Eminem. To recap, the former Slim Shady captured the world’s attention last fall with an explosive anti-Trump freestyle on BET. After turning in his best performance in 15 years, expectations were sky-high for the album that followed a couple months later. What arrived instead, though, was Revival, an album that earned him some of the worst reviews of his entire career. This (unintentional) crash landing is the origin story behind Kamikaze. Part of Eminem’s beef with how Revival was received is that, in his view, critics seemed to just give the album a cursory listen before reviewing it. Admittedly, that’s sort of what I’m doing here, with this very post. However, this is not exactly a review. My one-listen hot take is that Kamikaze is way more in line with what I expected after that BET freestyle, rather than Revival. Eminem sounds hungry to reclaim his tarnished legacy here in a way that resembles how hungry he once was to get rich and earn his spot in the pantheon. Over a series of beats made by himself, Mike WILL Made It, and a slew of other producers, Em’s technical skills are impressive as ever, weaving clever, biting wordplay into dextrous, tongue-twisty speed rap that even Twista would appreciate. Aside from one absolutely unlistenable song, Eminem is either in top form or close to it throughout. Perhaps he had to go through the experience of critical and commercial failure with Revival to arrive at an album like this, one that earned a coveted LeBron James endorsement: Now if y’all think this @Eminem “Kamikaze” album isn’t ???????????????????? you’re just hating and incompetent of lyrics/cadence/breakdown of his raps. Oh and he putting quite a few in a body bag too ????! ???? ???? — LeBron James (@KingJames) August 31, 2018 advertisement advertisement So there’s the review portion done. What this post actually is, though, is a guide to what people will be talking about after they hear Kamikaze, so you can get in on that conversation even if you haven’t had time to listen yet. Let’s go. 1. Eminem is pissed about the reception to his last album. Like, really pissed. Kamikaze is Eminem’s most existential album yet. It’s as though he’s staring down potential irrelevance, and shadowboxing against his own highlight reel. As mentioned above, this anxiety is fueled by the reaction to Revival, which he mentions directly on at least half of the album’s tracks. He doesn’t just blame critics, though; he blames fans for not putting in the work to “get” the album. It’s an attitude best revealed on opening track, “The Ringer,” which is destined to cost Eminem some fans. (Kamikaze truly is the right name for this album.) advertisement I guess when you walk into BK you expect a Whopper You can order a quarter pounder when you go to McDonald’s But if you’re lookin’ to get a porterhouse you better go get Revival But y’all are acting like I tried to serve you up a slider Maybe the vocals should have been auto-tuned And you would have bought it But sayin’ I no longer got it ‘Cause you missed the line and never caught it ‘Cause it went over your head, because you’re too stupid to get it ‘Cause you’re mentally retarded but pretend to be the smartest With your expertise and knowledge, but you’ll never be an artist He’s not just mad because of this one album, though, but rather the general direction his career seems to be going in. On “Stepping Stone,” he gives an overview of his whole trajectory, dripping with vulnerability. Bacardi in hand, never thought the party would end One minute you’re bodyin’ shit, but then your audience splits You can already sense the climate is startin’ to shift To these kids you no longer exist advertisement If there’s a unifying theme in Kamikaze it’s that Eminem refuses to go gently into that good night. 2.