If you pick up the new Eminem album, The Eminem Show, in stores on May 28, 2002, you might notice a different sound compared to his three previous albums. Previously, he had recorded Infinite (1996), The Slim Shady LP (1999), and The Marshall Mathers LP (2000).
The Eminem Show was originally set for release on June 4, 2002, but due to piracy and underground selling of the record, the release date has been pushed up to May 28. The first single off of the new album is a growingly popular song called "Without Me."
Eminem's previous album, The Marshall Mathers LP, released two years ago, enjoyed widespread success. From that point on, Eminem has spent most of his time in court with his mother, Debbie Mathers-Briggs, his ex-wife, Kim, John Guerra, the man who Eminem assaulted with a gun outside a Detroit nightclub because he was kissing Kim, and the Insane Clown Posse (or ICP). But those two years weren't only spent in court fighting lawsuits. Eminem still found time to go on tour and produce Devil's Night (2001) by D-12.
The concept of the new album is based on the fact that Eminem's private life is eaten away by the media. "Nothing I do is private anymore...I usually feel like a monkey in a fucking cage with people looking at me. The whole Eminem Show concept was just, 'Fuck it, if the world wants a show, here the fuck it is; here's my show.'"
Eminem's previous two multi-platinum albums were largely produced by Dr. Dre, the man who has brought onto stage countless amounts of acts, including the NWA, and Snoop Doggy Dogg. But this time around, most of the tracks were largely produced by Eminem himself, resulting in an album which sounds "more rock than g-funk," according to MTV. This new album also deals with more real-word topics, but the three main characters found on each of his albums (his mother, ex-wife, and daughter, Hailie) still remain the most popular allusions on the CD.
Once listening through the CD, fans will notice a much changed Eminem-not only in lyrics, but also in beats and style of music. Eminem's new album includes a remake of the Aerosmith classic, "Dream On." Eminem also sings (yes, he actually sings) for the first time on this CD-on a track called "Hailie's Song," which is an ode to his daughter. The original version of the song was an interpolation of the song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," by George Harrison, but Eminem had to re-sing the whole song due to some unusual circumstances.
Like all rap albums, The Eminem Show also brings with it, its share of skits. One such, called "The Kiss" is similar to the John Guerra incident. Outside the Hot Rock Sports and Music Café in Warren, Michigan (June 2000), Eminem allegedly beat Guerra over the head with a pistol for kissing Kim, who was his wife at the time. Eminem is now serving probation for carrying an unloaded concealed weapon, and he recently agreed to pay Guerra upwards of $100,000.
The Eminem Show really shows Eminem evolving into a more well-rounded rap artist (if there is such a thing) and shows sides of him which fans never knew had existed.
Information gathered from www.rollingstone.com and www.mtv.com.