Lynne Cheney hates him, Tipper Gore hates him, gays hate him, feminists hate him, Benzino hates him, Vanilla Ice hates him, even his own mother hates him. Screw ’em, kid’s got skills.
Released in 2000, when Eminem was busy causing controversy instead of talking about causing controversy, his sophomore effort, The Marshall Mathers LP, proved that D-Town’s favorite son wasn’t just a flash in the pan. His flow was first rate, his lyrics were clever and the beats produced by Dr. Dre et al. were straight bangin’.
Em blurred the line between satire and downright cruelty, sparing no one in the process. His mom, his ex-wife, Christopher Reeve, a recently-deceased Sonny Bono, Christina Aguilera, Will Smith – all recipients of Shady’s wrath on both angry bangers (“Kill You”) and pop-rap gems (“The Real Slim Shady”).
Eminem showed his earnest side on “Stan,” told from the perspective of a disenchanted young fan, and “The Way I Am,” a song about dealing with fame.
Since the release of The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem has rightfully risen to the top of the rap game as one of the most talented and respected MCs. Forget the controversy, forget the haters; Em’s done Detroit proud.