( CNN ) -- Eminem was a bit of a novelty when he burst on the music scene in 1999 with his major-label debut album , `` The Slim Shady LP . '' One of the highest-profile white rappers not only to have major crossover success but also street cred , the artist born Marshall Mathers no longer has to deal as much with the issue of race in a music genre dominated by African-American men . Instead , he is grappling with issues regarding another minority group . `` I poke fun at other people , myself , '' Eminem recently told Rolling Stone magazine about using a slur against gay people in his rhymes . `` But the real me sitting here right now talking to you has no issues with gay , straight , transgender , at all . '' The rapper has always courted controversy , and it 's not the first time he 's attracted attention for gay epithets in his music . Eminem now is feeling the heat for the not at all gay friendly lyrics in `` Rap God '' from his eighth solo album , `` The Marshall Mathers LP 2 , '' which came out Tuesday . A sequel to his hit 2000 album , `` The Marshall Mathers LP , '' the latest project is garnering some critical acclaim . Consequence of Sound writer Mike Madden notes in a Time piece that `` Eminem does n't have that center-of-the-universe pull these days , nor could he or anyone else have expected 'MMLP2 ' to yield the results of its alpha . '' `` But , this one 's nostalgic in all the right ways , a worthy look back at the LP that made him the world 's most popular cult figure , '' he writes . `` And , since we still have n't found an inheritor to his madness , this version of Marshall Mathers is more than welcome . '' In reviewing the album , USA Today 's Edna Gundersen gave it 3Â½ stars out of 4 , saying , `` On 'The Marshall Mathers LP 2 , ' he recaptures the original release 's wild , clever , emotional brilliance in a flurry of caustic , brazenly honest , rapid-fire rhymes and aggressive beats . So what 's the problem ? Once the bravest visionary in rap 's underworld , Eminem spends much of 'MMLP2 ' gazing into the past , reworking early tricks and wading in nostalgia rather than forging a fresh path . '' Eminem returns to hip-hop at an interesting time . Two of its biggest stars , Kanye West and Jay Z , are known as much for their high-profile relationships ( to Kim Kardashian and Beyonce , respectively ) and roles as fathers as they are for their music . And the new rising stars include the likes of Kendrick Lamar , who is making a name for himself basically by dissing everyone . It 's an era where music artists strive to be shocking ( Miley Cyrus , anyone ? ) while still in fear of running afoul of the political correctness police . Sober after an addiction to prescription drugs he told CNN almost killed him and the father of a teen daughter , Eminem , now 41 , has also grown . The new album is a follow-up to a different time in his life , but it remains as personal as his past projects . `` I always say this about my music , and music in general : Music is like a time capsule , '' he told Complex magazine . `` Each album reflects what I 'm going through or what 's going on in my life at that moment . '' He told the magazine he is unsure of where he fits into today 's musical landscape . `` I struggle with that sometimes , '' Eminem said . `` I guess it 's more about where people see me , and where people feel like I fit in . Hopefully when all is said and done , people see me as just an MC . '' These days there are a plethora of white rappers that can thank Eminem for further opening the door to the genre . Artists such as Mac Miller , Yelawolf and Macklemore are now hip-hop mainstays . When Brand Nubian rapper Lord Jamar recently criticized the latter during an interview ( `` Okay , white rappers , you 're coming to this almost as a guest . Okay , matter of fact you are guests in the house of Hip Hop . Just because you have a hit record does n't give you the right as I feel to voice your opinion . `` ) , others condemned the comments . `` I mean as far as white people rapping , who gives a f**k , '' said actor/comedian Lil Duval to Vlad TV . `` Is it f***in ' up yo money ? No . '' Rapper Mackelmore offers an interesting counterpoint to Eminem 's new single given that the former 's anthem to gay equality , `` Same Love , '' has become a hit . When Rolling Stone writer Brian Hiatt recently questioned Eminem as to `` why , in 2013 , use ' f**got ' on that song ( 'Rap God ' ) '' and `` why use 'gay-looking ' as an insult '' given that he has gone out of his way to say he has no problem with the gay community , the rapper attributed it to his hip-hop persona . `` I do n't know how to say this without saying it how I 've said it a million times , '' he said . `` But that word , those kind of words , when I came up battle-rappin ' or whatever , I never really equated those words . ... '' To being a homosexual , Hiatt asked ? `` Yeah , '' he said . `` It was more like calling someone a b**ch or a punk or a**hole . So that word was just thrown around so freely back then . It goes back to that battle , back and forth in my head , of wanting to feel free to say what I want to say , and then ( worrying about ) what may or may not affect people . ''
He is answering questions about anti - gay lyrics . His new single , ` ` # ##per , '' features a gay chorus . Marshall 's latest album is a sequel to ` ` The Marshall Mathers . ''