Eminem explores Eminem on ‘MMLP2’
DON’T be fooled: Eminem’s latest, “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” is not a sequel to his gloriously unhinged 2000 rap masterpiece, “The Marshall Mathers LP,” as the title initially implies. Instead, it’s a summation of a mission statement, a revisitation of what the 41-year-old rapper has done best in 15 years at the center of the maelstrom that is pop culture.
Unlike “Recovery,” his Grammy-winning 2010 comeback album where he laid bare his battles with drugs and depression and reclaimed his lyrical and commercial dominance, “MMLP2” is a return to a more confident and familiar Marshall Mathers.
Everything he’s done best is here, from noirish murder fantasies with devilish twists to big-chorus pop songs with moments of great humor, anger, fear, self-reflection and verbal virtuosity impossible to untangle in just a few listens.
There are violent scenes, scatological jokes and the kind of moments that will continue to rile gay and women’s rights groups. But at mid-life, his most memorable songs are those in which he reveals what he’s learned over the years, whether in metaphor or open letter.
It’s satisfying on every level — as a story, as poetry, as a performance — and it’s also filled with hidden meaning and insight into how Eminem views his own fame. Few in rap reach this complex level of artistry, and listening to it unfold when compared with the often monochromatic world of popular rap in 2013 makes it even more vital. (AP)
