The Slim Shady LP (1999)
"Don't you wanna grow up to be just like me?!" So, in 1999, Eminem made his debut album, the Slim Shady LP, with a huge emphasis on violence, drugs, over-the-top shock content, and all of that shit. I recently listened to it, and decided to do a review.
Track #1, "My Name Is"
Hi! My opinion is, my opinion is, (what?), my opinion is, (who), my opinon is, this song is pretty good! His very first song (other than whatever the fuck Infinite is), the first track really judges the overall mood of the album. It has this grimy but goofy beat, with grotesque and offputting lyrics.
"By the way, if you see my dad, tell him I slit his throat, in this dream I had."
Track #2, "Guilty Conscience"
Meet wiggy, someone who's listening to a classic album. While she's writing a review for a song, her conscious suddenly comes into play. Dre and Em really bounce off of eachother really well, them arguing with each other over CLEARLY EASY moral situations, and such a great beat, makes this one of the better concept songs I've heard!
"What, he tripped, and fell on his dick?"
Track #3, "Brain Damage"
His palms were sweaty before there were was vomit on his sweater already in this song. It talks about this kid who gets his ass thoroughly beat and ends up in the hospital with brain damage. The chorus is absolutely my favorite part. In the second part of the song, he talks about re-beating the shit out of this dumb motherfucker, to which he goes home and gets beat by his mom after suddenly breaking out in an overdose-like state.
"The principal walked in and helped him stomp me."
Track #4, "If I Had"
If I had one wish, I'd ask for this song to be shorter. It's good, and a great piece of pent-up frustration in song form, but it's kind of like ICP's "How Many Times" but more lax. For all my non-juggalos, you don't get that. But it's just Em talking about how he hates things and what he wishes for.
"I'm tired of being fired every time I fart and cough."
Track #5, "'97 Bonnie & Clyde"
Just the two of us, as in me and this album. This song is severely underrated, with a scarily haunting melody and lyrics, with Em speaking with a cheerful tone (as he's talking to his infant daughter) while killing his baby mama, Kim. It has offsettling lyrics and chorus, and it's cheerful tone does not alleviate it. The ambience honestly seals the deal. In conclusion, I love this song.
"There's a place called heaven and a place called hell, a place called prison and a place called jail. I'm going to all of them except one..."
Track #6, "Role Model"
OK, I'm now going to review this song. Do try this at home. You can be just like me. This, THIS. This is the peak of The Slim Shady LP, the best song and one of the best in Em's entire career. It's the entire Slim Shady persona in one, perfect song, with a haunting beat and grotesque lyrics, with a chorus that either hypes you up or sends chills down your spine. I could praise this song all day, but you should listen to it, and just bathe in the quality.
"Every girl I've ever gone out with has gone les!"
Track #7, "My Fault"
Em might not be pregnant, but he DELIVERS. While being slightly worse than Guilty Conscience, Brain Damage, and 97 Bonnie & Clyde, Em gives us another great concept song. It's an extremely goofy sounding song, with once AGAIN, grotesque lyrics. I haven't really commented on the overall mood of the album so far, but this really keeps up the grotesque yet deceptively cheery sounding mood. Basically, Em kills a girl by giving her way too many shrooms.
"Stop trying to swallow your tongue!"
Track #8, "Cum on Everybody"
Uhhh...It's groovy. Thats about as much praise I can give it.
"I'm freestyling every verse I spit, because I don't need to remember my shit."
Track #9, "Rock Bottom"
OK, this is better. Here, Em reflects on depression, drug addiction, and people getting famous and leaving their communities. He laments on poverty and the pain of raising a child in such a bad situation. It carries a dramatic beat, and Em speaks in a frustrated yet pained voice.
"This one goes out, to all the happy people."
Track #10, "Just Don't Give A Fuck"
This track is kind of like Role Model, Pt. 2. With a violent and angry tone, it talks about Shady...just doesn't give a fuck. He talks about the things he usually talks about in his songs, murder, crime, drugs, and other heinous crimes. It's meaning or lyrics don't have much to be talked about, it's more of a sonic thing. It has an electric beat, with a sinister and chaotic mood surrounding the whole song.
"Slim Shady, M&M was the old initials."
Track #11, "As The World Turns"
It's really just like Role Model, Pt. 3. He talks about the regular, murder, crime, animal cruelty, drugs, and other heinous shit. All of the songs of this nature on this album since Role Model have been slowly declining, and I really have not much to say. It has a good beat, but a pretty bad chorus.
"But she swallowed my leg whole, like an egg roll."
Track #12, "I'm Shady"
Wow, this is a very...mid track. It has an incredible beat, but very basic Em lyrics and the like. Shock factor lyrics, but on this song, it doesn't really hit. It's mid, and I guess its Role Model, Pt. 4.
"Shoot up the playground and tell the kids to stay in school!"
Track #13, "Bad Meets Evil"
FINALLY! A GOOD ONE! This is an extremely good track, with Royce Da 5'9's verse absolutely blowing me away upon first lyrics. This is what happens when bad meets evil, and the beat compliments the track so much. Royce and Em bounce off of eachother incredibly well, maybe as good as Em and Dre. Royce has an incredible voice and flow on this track, I can't help but praise it. This is a great breather in the album too, a bubble of fresh air in the last 2 bad songs littering the album and leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
"We in the trees, lookin' like Vietnamese people."
Track #14, "Still Don't Give a Fuck"
Now, we've arrived to the end of the album. The last track. First off, it has a fantastic intro, with Em talking about his fear of death. Despite the name, I wouldn't say this song is like Don't Give a Fuck Pt. 2 (or Role Model Pt. 4?), it's more of a finisher. It's one of the best songs on the album, providing a satisfying conclusion to such a phenomenal and classic album. The serious tone of Em in this song and the beat compliment each other perfectly.
"To all the weed I smoked, yo this blunts for you!"
IN CONCLUSION !!!!
The Slim Shady LP was a masterful introduction to Eminem's illustrious career with his Slim Shady Persona, or, this shit slaps. It really tapers and fades in the 3rd quarter, but the last two songs are as good as the incredibly strong beginning.
Cover Art: 9/10
Overall Rating: 9/10
Lyrics: 6/10
Beats: 10/10
Features: 10/10
Em's debut album is one of the best debuts in rap history. Infinite doesn't count, fuck you.
Listen here!
The Slim Shady LP Eminem