Eminem - Encore

 Eminem

Encore

March 2006

All of the usual characters are back for Eminem’s latest full-length Encore– Kim, Hailie, Em’s mom Debbie, the dad he never knew and of course Dr. Dre.  New characters include his current or recent beefs – Benzino, Ja Rule and George Bush – and his guest appearances from his cash cow, 50 Cent.   

Eminem also brings back his apparently endless struggle between goofy Slim Shady and the overdramatic Marshal Mathers.  On Em’s last record The Eminem Show, he said, “People don’t want Marshal no more, they want Shady, I’m chopped liver.”  The success of 8 Mile and his grammy-winning “Just Lose Yourself” changed that.  Suddenly, Eminem wasn’t the foolish, sexist, homophobe that everyone loved to hate.  He was the media darling who was making serious music that everyone couldn’t help but love. 

He tries to change that on this record.  The ridiculous first single “Just Lose It” pokes fun at the easiest of all targets – Michael Jackson and Pee Wee Herman.   Eminem also goes to great lengths to prove he still is a homophobe.  The great disappointment of this album isn’t that Eminem refuses to grow up, it’s that the Slim Shady character’s immaturity bleeds over into possibly-really-good Marshal tracks such as “My First Single” and “Puke.” 

Eminem is at his best when he finds middle ground between the two characters.  Far and away the best track of the album “Encore,” combines catchy beats with a serious rap style.  It also proves that Dr. Dre still drops hits and that while featuring 50 Cent in a song gets airplay, it doesn’t really make the song much better. 

Only a few album tracks made it on to my iPod:

Evil Deeds, Yellowbrick Road, Like Toy Soldiers, One Shot Two Shot, Mockingbird, Encore