Jan 18, 2020

I think one the greatest accomplishments of this album was having Skylar Grey on a track without ruining the song. Quite the opposite, she was a nice.

 

Jan 18, 2020

At this point in his career, you would think that Eminem isn’t bothered by criticism, but there are several times throughout the album where he appears to really care what others think of him. On the opening track, “Premonition,” Em reflects on his career as a whole, from the years when he was considered “the illest” to more recent times and the criticism they’ve brought. He specifically addresses the negative reviews of 2017’s Revival and 2018’s Kamikaze, spitting, “Revival flopped, came back and I scared the crap out ’em / But Rolling Stone stars, I get two and a half outta / Five, and I’ll laugh out loud.” He suggests the feedback doesn’t bother him, comparing himself to LeBron James or Tom Brady, but then expresses more of his frustrations as the track progresses. He also wrestles with the conversation about his age. He references JAY-Z and 2 Chainz rapping in their 40s, saying that they have all been mocked for their age instead of being praised. “I wasn’t dissin’ Tech, that was not a shot at 2 Chainz or to JAY-Z,” he raps. “They probably feel the same way because lately / Instead of us being credited for longevity / And being able to keep it up for this long at this level, we / Get told we’ll never be what we were.” Elsewhere on the 20-track project, the rapper questions why he’s faced so much hate in recent years (“All the hate, can’t tell exactly where it stems from / But it’s happening again, huh? / Y’all used to be in my corner”). —Jessica McKinney

 

Jan 18, 2020

Eminem and MGK have been going at it for a couple of years now (as if this is the rap beef we all needed and wanted). On Em’s last album, Kamikaze, he fired shots at MGK three different times, bringing on a beef that the Detroit rapper claims started when MGK called his daughter “hot as f---” and accused him of barring his music from Shade 45. Although Eminem claimed he was bigger than MGK career-wise, he continued to retaliate until things fizzled out. A couple of years later, Eminem speaks on their beef once again. On “Unaccommodating,” Shady explains that he ended their battle victorious. “But when they ask me, is the war finished with MGK? Of course it is / I cleansed him of his mortal sins, I’m God and the Lord forgives even the devil worshippers,” he raps. Even though he claims the beef is done, he later sends two more shots on “Yah Yah” and “No Regrets,” completing yet another three-peat that makes listeners question if this claim had any merit in the first place. —Kemet High

 

Jan 18, 2020

Younger hip hop fans missing the throwback vibe on "Yah Yah"

 

Jan 18, 2020

lmao Farewell. oh god. I'm glad Don Toliver will be getting some shine from No Regrets but at this point Em's flow is just hurting my ears. I'll never understand how one of the smoothest flows in hip hop history devolved into this.

 

Jan 18, 2020

A little over a month after Juice WRLD’s unfortunate death, we received his first posthumous track on “Godzilla.” On a song that’s produced and delivered with high energy, the link-up between Eminem and Juice WRLD feels seamless, despite the generation gap. After some rapid-fire bars from Marshall that contain more words than this post probably does, Juice WRLD checks in for chorus duty, skillfully moving from Godzilla to Louis Vuitton carpets. “When the moon shines like Ice Road Truckers / I look like a villain outta those blockbusters / Godzilla, fire spitter, monster / Blood on the floor and on the Louis Vuitton carpets,” he sings. At first, his voice is hard to hear, but once he finds his pocket, the track turns into something special. Rest easy, Juice. —Kemet High

 

Jan 18, 2020

We’re only a couple of weeks into 2020, but Don Toliver’s already having a breakout year. Don finished 2019 with Cactus Jack’s compilation pack, JACKBOYS. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and his appearances on “What to Do?” and “Had Enough” were highly acclaimed by critics and fans. Coming off of last year’s success, Don managed to nab a spot on Em’s surprise project, appearing on “No Regrets.” While the record finds Eminem reflecting on his controversial past, Don Toliver’s emotionally rich and melodic chorus is most memorable and soothing. His latest feature is just more proof that he is a star on the verge of a major break. —Jessica McKinney

 

Jan 18, 2020

On “No Regrets,” Em reflects on his mistakes. In responding to the mountain of criticism and hate thrown his way, he admits that he’s sometimes targeted the wrong people. Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt are two of the people he regrets lashing out against. Em originally fired shots at them on 2018’s “Fall,” calling Tyler homophobic names. Here, he suggests the track was a result of misplaced anger. “Some targets’ll get the k--- shot / Some, I just barely nicked ’em / I can make a mistake and erupt and end up takin’ a dump / Or sayin’ some dumb s---, thinkin’ I run s--- / Misplacin’ my anger enough to give Earl and Tyler, The Creator the brunt,” he raps. Eminem addressed his remorse in a 2018 interview with Sway, saying, “It was one of the things that I kept going back to and saying, ‘I don’t feel right with this.’” In that same interview, he revealed that Dr. Dre shelved songs from Kamikaze because “they went too far.” —Jessica McKinney

 

Jan 18, 2020

Fans were happy to hear Slaughterhouse unite on the single “I Will,” but one person was noticeably missing from the reunion. Joe Budden, who has been a part of the group with Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, and Royce da 5'9" since their inception in 2008, did not appear on the latest track. To be fair, Joe is technically in retirement, but his absence could suggest that he and Eminem are still beefing. Budden suggested there was a riff among the group members when he revealed that he wasn’t part of the Slaughterhouse group chat. Budden’s critique of Em’s 2017 single “Untouchable,” which he called “disgraceful” during an episode of Everyday Struggle, is probably what marked a shift in their relationship. Eminem then followed with a diss on “Fall,” rapping, “Somebody tell Budden before I snap / He better fasten it / Or have his body bag get zipped / The closest thing he’s had to hits / Is smacking b------s.” Budden has not commented on the new single on social media yet, but we’ll likely hear his take on The Joe Budden Podcast. —Jessica McKinney

 

Jan 18, 2020

Eminem makes some bold statements on this album, but would it be an Eminem album if he didn’t? On Music to Be Murdered By, he dances around a number of personal and national tragedies, addressing everything from his hellish relationship with his father to the Route 91 shooting on “Darkness” and the bombing at Ariana Grande’s Manchester show on “Unaccommodating.” These instances, along with certain bars (“Ball like J, but not Jay as in / JAY-Z, J as in Leno / ’Cause I got a huge mansion / No, huge man chin”), lead to a couple of cringe-y moments. But throughout the project, he confidently raps that he’s still one of the best in the game. And when he’s not exploiting dark lyrics for shock value, his rhyme schemes, varied flows, analogies, and incorporation of multiple genres make a case for that statement. —Kemet High

 

Jan 18, 2020

And there it is!! I Will is the kinda song I've been waiting for ever since Go To Sleep dropped in 2003. Its f---ing funeral music. THIS is the kinda s--- I wanna hear from Marshall. The Slaughterhouse dudes were dope but I kinda wish Em didn't have a verse on this. Its just overkill. no pun intended.

 

Jan 18, 2020

Em this month, royce next month. I bet we get BME this year too.

 

Jan 18, 2020

It's what you've been wanting from him since 03 but you wish he didnt have a verse on it? Lol

 

Jan 18, 2020

I mean Em's flow ever since 2010 lol. it just not enjoyable to me at all. literally almost everything he's put out in the past 10 years has had this jerky i'mgonnarapreallyfast for... the .... first PART ofthebarandtheni'mgoing to.... slow..... IT DOWN.

Even when he sounds 'calmer' on certain songs he still can't hit the f---ing beat right. he still keeps try-ING to b-REAK up.the.WORDSlike.thisMICH-ael.MY-ers.

The only post-hiatus songs (excluding Relapse) I can think of where he's sounded like he's actually listening to the beat is Going Through Changes, Castle and Fall. Maybe 1 or 2 others I'm forgetting. But certainly nothing on this album.

 

Jan 18, 2020

I never was been claiming rap
But it's not yours
If it was anyone's house g rap and rakim
Would having you mop floors
Run DMC would be having you clean sinks
Yeah your group was off the chain but you were the weakest link !

 

Jan 18, 2020

yeah i guess that didn't really make sense lol. I mean I was a massive Em stan back then and it was these kinda dark, demonic, funeral dirge kinda songs that I liked most. Words are Weapons. Say My Name. Go To Sleep. I feel like he captured that aesthetic on this with the instrumental and the hook but i didn't enjoy his verse - was too long and too try-hard for my liking.

 

Jan 18, 2020

Ohhhhh I get you now lol

 

Jan 18, 2020

Intro is great