I have come to the conclusion that...

[Blu]

The Eminem Show is average.

It's just not that great, Slim.

In 2002, Eminem released a stellar album known as The Eminem Show. Two years prior to that, he had released The Marshall Mathers LP (usually considered his best work), and a year before THAT album he had released The Slim Shady LP. These three albums are undoubtedly considered his best pieces, his "classics."

But what if it turned out that one of these albums were.. well.. just average? It's not The Marshall Mathers LP, and it's definitely not The Slim Shady LP, so which album is it? I'll let you have a guess.

The Eminem Show isn't really game-changing, it's not as innovative as the previous two albums; it's not jaw dropping. It's full of excellent rhyming and great beats, but it's not anything special. The news may come hard on some of you, but it's only the truth (since my opinion is the ultimate fact and you must all follow it).

Now, I am not in any way saying that the album is terrible, there are definitely a bunch of tracks that stand out; but do they beat songs like "Stan"? What about "The Way I Am"? Or even "Rock Bottom" and "'97 Bonnie & Clyde"? Eminem is a fantastic storyteller, but it seems on the 2002 album some songs were just too forgettable.

I mean, do some of you even know the D12 track WITHOUT googling it or looking at your music library?

I think it was called "Words Are Weapons", right?!

Then you have other pretty forgettable songs like "Business", "Drips", "My Dad's Gone Crazy", "Say What You Say", and "Superman".

Eminem really added some filler tracks to the album, when in reality it only should have been 10 tracks long (excluding skits).

What do you guys think?

[DƎRDYPK]

agreed, goodnight.

[Amaranthine]

Blu, you just broke my heart.

[Sekou]

Well, he pretty much stuck with the same formula as for the previous albums, toning it down a notch on the controversy and thus making everything seemingly less spectacular.
In 2002, Eminem was on top of the world. Once you're on top you can only fall. But that's exactly what Eminem DIDN'T do with The Eminem Show. There was no way he was going to be even more controversial, more shocking and jaw-dropping that he had been with The Marshall Mathers LP, he knew that. This release secured his position as indisputable king of the Hip-Hop world (in 2002 he was), with perfectly executed flows and rhymes, amazing production for which he took the credit on almost the entire album, and the same goofy, aggressive persona from the previous albums mixed with a newfound maturity.

This is what makes The Eminem Show just as much of a masterpiece in my eyes. I think a lot of people don't see how difficult it must have been for him NOT to fall off, but remain at the same level after what he'd done with The Marshall Mathers.

[mdemaz]

Meh, I still prefer it over Encore, although, I like Encore a bit.
Even a horrible album overall for Eminem has some decent songs.
That's what's soo great.

[Innovation]

It's far from average. Some of his greatest material is on that album and musically, it's immense. Calling it average is a reach in my opinion.

[tadpole25]

it was my first Em album so ill always hold it close to my heart.

i do agree in a sense that the production was weak and dre should have produced the entire album.

[Trimss]

You're retarded.

My Dad's Gone Crazy is a filler? Superman? Business? Really? Are you even serious..

That last verse of my dad's gone crazy was HUGE.

Now, I am not in any way saying that the album is terrible, there are definitely a bunch of tracks that stand out; but do they beat songs like "Stan"? What about "The Way I Am"? Or even "Rock Bottom" and "'97 Bonnie & Clyde"? Eminem is a fantastic storyteller, but it seems on the 2002 album some songs were just too forgettable.

What?

Sing For The Moment, Say Goodbye to Hollywood, White America, Cleaning out my Closet are some of Eminem's best work. Yes, they're at least as good as Stan, The Way I am or Rock Bottom.

If anything, it's his most accomplished and best album.

[_Hawk_]

No, they are not at least as good as Stan, Kim, or '97 Bonnie and Clyde. Those tracks reach different levels of genius, commenting on topics in innovative ways which most rappers wouldn't dare to touch. Sing for the Moment, for example, is an excellent track, but it isn't anything new or inventive. It certainly isn't game changing.

TES is an amazing album because of the aforementioned nature of its release. Em could easily have fallen off but he didn't; he completed a trilogy of albums which perfectly emulated and completed his Eminem/Shady/Marshall Mathers personas, and provided a plethora of tracks which divulged each of these characters to ridiculously witty, and scarily funny ways. If Eminem is being judged on his albums, really these three are hard to separate as they intertwine so beautifully together.

[Blu]

No, they are not at least as good as Stan, Kim, or '97 Bonnie and Clyde. Those tracks reach different levels of genius, commenting on topics in innovative ways which most rappers wouldn't dare to touch. Sing for the Moment, for example, is an excellent track, but it isn't anything new or inventive. It certainly isn't game changing.

lol this.

If you seriously think "Sing For The Moment" = "Stan", then you have some mental issues.

[AbramIsaac]

I don't think that "My Dad's Gone Crazy" should have been included in your list of forgettable filler tracks, but other than that...

Eh...

[Mr.DGAF]

There is literally no way in which The Eminem Show is average. Encore is average. This is not.

[Emadyville]

SFTM, white america, till i collapse, sqaure dance, say goodbye hollywood, and hailies song are forgettable?

o but of course, i forgot...smh

[_Hawk_]

No, they aren't. However, when listened together, at least one of them is. Think about it for a minute....

[Blu]

SFTM, white america, till i collapse, sqaure dance, say goodbye hollywood, and hailies song are forgettable?

o but of course, i forgot...smh

Did I list those songs? No.

The others have pretty much no impact. "When The Music Stops" WHAT A GREAT SONG!