Artist: EminemAlbum: Relapse: Refill
Release Date: 21st December 2009
Guests: Dr Dre, 50 Cent, Drake, Kanye West & Lil' Wayne.
Producers: Dr Dre, Eminem, & Boi-1da
No matter where MTV rank him in a list of the greatest rappers at current, or where Hip Hip fans place him on the blogs, Eminem is the best rapper alive today in 2009. This is a statement that I can back up with facts, statistic and reason that will also be backed up by millions more that will back the next rapper. Fact.
So when Eminem released his fifth studio album following the 2005 greatest hits collection, it seemed that the world had gone 'Slim shady' crazy again. He may be one of the most controversial musicians of the modern era, but it soon became obvious that when Relapse dropped in the summer, how much this man had actually been missed - the only other artists that could hideaway for four or five years with so much demand for a return, are probably dead and in the music hall of fame. Its a fact, that the backwards 'E' logo, carries with it more than just a white man who grew up in the slums of Detroit, trying to make it big in a game that traditionally didn't play by his rules. From being a Hip Hop misfit, to felling over 80 million records world wide, it is clear to see why Eminem has touched so many hearts.
As I write this, and listening to the second edition of Relapse, I have just finished reading a story about how Scottish singer, Susan Boyle has outsold the first edition of Relapse, which meant she is now the best selling artist of 2009. I am happy for her, but not only that, but I am happy that Eminem is a markstone for who you need to outsell to be number 1. Not even Bono's U2, or another post retirement Jay-Z effort could come close to Eminem's album sales. So maybe MTV should go away, anylise the people who work for them, have then checked out by mental health experts, and then come back and revise another top 10 list of the greatest rappers of the current time, because their last effort was an insult not only to Eminem, but to Hip Hop, and the music industry as a whole. Rant ended.
So what did I make of the first installment of Relapse? I did not think it was a classic, and certainly not top of the list of past Eminem albums. If I were to rank previous material from Mr Mathers, my all time favourite would be none other than his 2002 album 'The Eminem Show', purely on the lyrical depth that he went into, followed closely by his 8 Mile soundtrack album, then 2000's 'The Marshall Mathers LP', 'Relapse', 'The Slim Shady LP' and finally 'Encore' from 2004. That does not go to say that that I found Encore disappointing, just that it didn;t contain as much excellence as the rest.
The album goes deep into Eminem's troubled private life, mainly his drug problems. The album mixes fiction with personal health issues, and a little bit of exaggeration. Not only is Eminem helping resolve his own problems by extracting it from himself via the use of music, he is also helping others around the world to, from album to album, dealing with depression, drug problems, family problems to issues of fame, Eminem offers an insight into not only how he swerved to avoid them, but added a touch of light hearted comedy to the remedy. Sure when he talked about killing Kim, he was only venting his anger and frustration of a troubled marriage through the power of creativity in his music, but as a society, we knew Eminem was never a mennace with a chain saw - only a fool would believe that.
Relapse itself pokes fun at the media's perception of himself, hence the use of interludes on the album which create little sketches around his rehabilitation program. Songs such as 'Medicine Ball', and 'Must Be The Ganja' all look back at drugs, and are explicit warning messages to others. The album itself told a story, that you would only understand if you listened to the tracks in the order on the disc. From being in rehab, to getting cured, from being high, to being depressed, which songs such as 'Old Time's Sake' and 'Beautiful' portray perfectly.
The album may only have produced three distinguished singles, 'Crack A Bottle' with Dr Dre and 50 Cent, which was the first of two 'cartoon' songs by the famous Aftermath trio, 'We Made It' which was a traditional Eminem single, like the days of 'The Real Slim Shady' and 'My Name Is', and finally 'Beautiful', which acted as the aftermath of when a high fades. All in all, the album was cleverly constructed with time and precision. My only disappointment was that I thought Dr Dre had too much production on the album, and I thought his work was quite a long way from his best. I was have felt easier if Eminem had produced more, but with only one track not produced by Dre, I got the feeling that maybe he was not giving Em his best work - a hint that he is keeping some of the good old Dr Dre beats for another up and coming major album... I am actually hinting at Detox!
So overall, I was satisfied in the summer of 2009 when this album dropped, it sold well and fans seemed to enjoy it, so what do I make of the re-packaged version? Is it just a late rally for more sales before Christmas? Or was Eminem so desperate for his fans to hear all of his work that otherwise, may have just been scrapped? Well I will hide no fact that Aftermath records are in serious trouble. They owe parent company,Interscope millions, and it is becoming an issue, especially in the current climate. That is why some of the less selling artists on the label have gone - why spend thousands putting beats together for a B list rapper to rap over, then another million or so on promotion and shooting videos, when the only reason that artist gets 'some' sales is because he has been mentored by Eminem? So for that reason Obie Trice left the label. Stat Quo left the label. Bobby Creekwater left the label, and I have a feeling Ca$his wont be getting royalty cheques from Mr Iovine for too much longer either. As much as I like these artists as a Hip Hop fan and writer, they are not the way forward for a label like Shady Aftermath. That is why in 2009, Dr Dre knew that only the big hitters could come out. Eminem had to put something out there, whether it meant eating less takeaways and getting back into shape and getting back into the game, whethe rit meant 50 Cent had to his the streets with another CD, and of course, whether it meant the biggest myth on the planet since the creation, 'Detox' would come out, then it had to be done. Believe me, Detox will be out soon, it is happening and it has to - Aftermath depends on it.
So Eminem had 'good' sales from Relapse, but they wern't his highest, and maybe the label could have wished for more. Afterall, I remember Eminem saying he would record 30 songs before selecting the best for a CD, the rest hidden away in Jimmy's lost files, never to be heard by the public - so for Eminem to be doing this, you know times must be deperate, and 50 Cent's album sales wont be turning those frowns upside down.
Refill kicks off witha song that only came about by accident. 50 Cent revealed that Eminem had recorded a verse Drake's song, only to next year that Kanye West and Lil' Wayne were also on the finished version of the song. The song is a battle of the lyricists as Drake and Eminem seem to go head to head, the latter victorious in my opinion, with Lil' Wayne and Kanye off form. 'Hell Breaks Loose' is next, and as I suspected, Dr Dre was the producer of this, and the rest of the songs after this on the CD. Theese songs are basically a carry on from what has already been heard on the album, so that is the sort of thing that you should expect.
'Elevator' is by far my favourite of the new tracks on the CD. The song talks about his vision of his career before he met Dre in the mid-late 90's. It talks about how he never expected to sell records, as well as a reminise of the late Proof. Not only does the song then talk about how he can now afford an elevator in his mansion from the success of his record sales, but it also is a metaphor for the direction that his career has taken.
The best beat on the album goes to 'Taking My Ball', which gamers may find familiar from the recent DJ Hero game that was released a few weeks back for Playstation 3 and XBox 360. I get the impression that the chorus may be talking about the fact that although he has become so well respected in the industry, that he has been feared, and nobody will 'take his ball', meaning go against him. Maybe Susan Boyle will play with him (and I meant that as a personal joke).
'Music Box' dark and mysterious song which is hard to understand the meaning of. It talks about being drunk, high and this is reflected in the sureal lyrics. Finally, another Dr Dre beat, which you can tell because he has almost used the same beat that he gave Mary J Blige on 'Family Affair' in a song called 'Drop The Bomb On Em'. The song talks about not his MC career in total, in a battle rap format against a fictiocious character and situation. Hip Hop fans might jump to the conclusion that the fact a current rappers name was mentioned that he is taking shots. I doubt it, but make your own mind up. Em raps: "Boy I told ya boy, Im a soldier boy, Im DeShaun/holding in this b****, Im the proof boy, you're a fraud." Whatever this is about, Im sure this is not an attack on Soulja Boy!
To some this album up, I am unsure whether fans should by this repackaged CD if you already have the first edition of the album. Since Rihanna, Chris Brown, 50 Cent and Lady Gaga have all brought out delux editions of their albums with either new tracks or bonus DVDs or whatever, it will not make this a best seller of 2009. In fact, Em stated that this was to keep fans in the frame of things while Relapse 2 is in the pipeline. But overall, I am a Relapse fan, but if you are such a fan that you would buy the album again for seven extra tracks... then its up to you. Lets see what Santa brings eh?!
9/10
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