Is Relapse "Prime Em"?

[Rafael]

Some songs were amazing. My Mom, SS&D, SWA, Deja Vu, Must be the Ganja.

I can't really name anymore memorable songs from that album besides that.

[Music_box]

Some songs were amazing. My Mom, SS&D, SWA, Deja Vu, Must be the Ganja.

I can't really name anymore memorable songs from that album besides that.

What about 3 a.m. ?

[Rafael]

I enjoy the theme and the concept of it, but overall I don't feel like it was anything special. I loved it when it first dropped though.

Insane can also be thrown up there... Its attempt at shock value was something I really liked.

If we're counting Refill, then Music Box is top 10 Em song.

[Music_box]

I enjoy the theme and the concept of it, but overall I don't feel like it was anything special. I loved it when it first dropped though.

Insane can also be thrown up there... Its attempt at shock value was something I really liked.

If we're counting Refill, then Music Box is top 10 Em song.

I used to love Music Box, but not anymore. Deja Vu is top 10 for me.

[TheGentlePlayer]

Yees!
Relapse>>>MMLP2

[yoda you can call me]

His fucking flow on My Mom during "lick the fucking plate",is eargasmic. Dre helped elevate the album tons as well.
I don't really give a shit about this "prime" business given that I enjoy over 90% of everything he's dropped thus far. wouldn't be here otherwise

[JamaicanPattlez]

No. But if Em was more comfortable and polished back in 2009 after returning to do Relapse, I think it would've been a true return to form. Relapse was an album where he was getting used to it all again, and felt a lot of pressure to follow up on... considering he hadn't dropped a solo in years. So that naturally has an effect on how you approach a record. On the album he didn't have to rely too much on his life material, which gave him creative freedom to do what he did. And Dre is a big reason why that album is the Eminem album people want a sequel for. Dre's said that he likes to get into an artist's head and understand their mentality, so if Em had went to Dre and had him produce all of MMLP2 just like he did Relapse, that album could've been the "Relapse 2" everyone waited for, since Em's mind is sharper now.

[DetroitSkills]

Music box >

[EminemInsider]

Relapse was Eminem rebooting the computer. It was pink cloudinem. Not that he was actually in the pink cloud phase of recovering from the pill addiction at that point, but rap-wise, he was in that phase. He was just so excited he could rhyme again that he wanted to do the rhyme equivalent of his 14 miles of running per day.

The issue was he'd lost his rap voice and had to train himself how to deliver lines again, and that other than the addiction, he didn't really know what he was going to do conceptually. Enter the accent and the serial killing stories.

So no, not prime Eminem, but it was cool to see because it was the greatest talent rap has ever seen going into rhyme hyperdrive...the computer spitting out the kitchen sink.

[EminemInsider]

The issue was he'd lost his rap voice and had to train himself how to deliver lines again.

If anything was on point with Relapse it was his flow and delivery, especially when compared to Recovery and MMLP2. His flow was as smooth as it gets, even with all the intricate rhyming going on.

I'd also argue that the delivery was better because it didn't sound as forced as it did on Recovery and even on MMLP2 to a lesser extent.

The only issue with the album is that it left more to be desired content wise, but I honestly enjoy the horror/drug themes on it.... I felt like he did an adequate job of covering other topics between Recovery and MMLP2, though I wish it would've been done as smooth as Relapse.

So while he may have been training himself on how to rap again with Relapse, I say he did a great job and was on his way to something much greater.... only to digress in that department with Recovery. MMLP2, however, was definitely an improvement from Recovery... but I still prefer what we has doing on Relapse as far as delivery and flow are concerned.

His flow was on point but he didn't remember how he was enunciating things in the MMLP/TES years.

[Drax207]

SS&D, SWA, 3AM, Insane, My Mom, BB, Déjà Vu and Music Box (especially this one) are classic songs, Prime Em level. Unfortunately, even though the rest of Relapse / Refill is mainly really good, it's forgettable.

So yes, Relapse includes some Prime Em just like TES, but no, the album is not a classic. Even though it clearly has the potential to be ... Who knows, maybe in some years we'll look back and rerate it.

[Him Shadow]

Relapse is not prime Em but it's one of my favourite albums of all time

but what do I know... Arena Rap is in my Top 5 albums ever

[Plank]

Stay Wide Awake, My Darling and Music Boxes are some of my favourite songs ever tbh... Too bad he stuffed songs like that with We Made You quality songs too...


Underground is great to me, never understood the criticisms

[Drax207]

Underground is great to me, never understood the criticisms

Great beat, voice, flow, fantastic hook but the lyrics are way too random I guess. But still, I like the song a lot

[Jaba]

if Em had went to Dre and had him produce all of MMLP2 just like he did Relapse, that album could've been the "Relapse 2" everyone waited for, since Em's mind is sharper now.

Mother of god......

That would've been great. Although I feel like Rubin is his new Dre, I want to see them work extensively with one another. I love Rubin's use of classic rock samples and Em sounds great over them.

I agree. Em sounds amazing on tracks like RoR, Love Game, So Far, and especially Groundhog Day(pretty sure Rubin produced GD?). Em seems to be a lot more comfortable on Rubins tracks than anyone else's lately.