By Sarah Elkeaikati
Whether you love him, hate him or are still recovering from his
last album’s drug induced tracks, Eminem is back with “Relapse,”
his newest compilation of hits that was officially released on May
19.
With the reputation that he’s upheld in music, it would surprise
no one to say that “Relapse” pushes the envelope. But even this is
a drastic understatement for hip-hop’s latest.
Let’s just say Eminem takes a sharp knife to the envelope all
while popping Valium and fantasizing about raping celebrities. The
entire album gives fans a deep look into the life of an addict”and
he doesn’t spare a single detail.
The first track, “3 a.m.,” describes a drugged-out episode that
leads the rapper on a killing spree. In a dark, yet comedic
undertone that only he has managed to master, Eminem references
murder, drugs and Hannah Montana all in the same verse.
Several tracks flaunt Eminem’s rhyming brilliance, reminding
fans of older hits and making up for the ridiculous rants that
dominated his “Encore” album.
“Dej_ÒåÊ Vu” follows Eminem’s relapse back into drugs and alcohol,
as he describes how one sip of NyQuil turns into a drug binge.
“Couple of sips of that then I gradually graduate/ to a harder
prescription drug called Valium like yea that’s great/ I go to take
just one and I end up like having eight.”
On “My mom,” a track that is almost a sequel to “Cleaning Out My
Closet” from 2005’s “Curtain Call,” he claims “Valium was in
everything, food that I ate, the water that I drank, f***in’ peas
on my plate/ She sprinkled just enough of it to season my steak/ so
everyday I have at least three stomach aches.”
In true Eminem fashion, many tracks slip into an uncomfortable
zone that even the most devoted fans might find excessive. On
“Insane,” he raps about being molested by his stepfather, and “Stay
Wide Awake” details him raping and killing a girl as he admits,
“There’s a monster inside me. It’s quite ugly and it frightens me.”
Nowhere near the caliber of his previous albums, “Relapse”
offers a few good tracks, a few disasters and enough Slim Shady to
give you nightmares.
Reach Sarah Elkeaikati at
lifestyle@thepolypost.com
Relapse’ shows a darker Eminem
