'Revival'

Eminem has been controversial for his entire career, but now he's making news by doing things that Republicans don't like. Which is, sort of, different? Revival has been pretty unpopular with Eminem fans, and most hip hop fans, too. And yes, it's definitely not his best album, at all. Like I'd say it's one of the worst. But nothing could beat Relapse, maybe, probably, I guess, we'll see.

Yes, I am going to listen to all the songs on Revival and give my honest opinion of them. It will be excruciating.

So, a little background information on Revival. It came out in 2017, and was supposed to be a "comeback" album of Eminem, which doesn't make that much sense. He didn't really need to comeback. It was his eighth consecutive album to top the Billboard 100, which means he did pretty fine in sales. But maybe that's just because people saw Eminem's name on the album and pre-ordered it immediately. Because after everyone listened to it, he started getting backlash for it. I guess it wasn't top-tier like people expected from him.

But anyways, here we go. I am not listening to these in one sitting, because I would never put myself in that much pain. But I'll get through the songs, hopefully, fingers crossed.

1. "Walk on Water" (Featuring Beyoncé)

First impression: Beyoncé's voice is great, obviously, and the piano is nice. I love ballads, but having any rap verses over piano is hard to make sound good. Eminem's voice might not be the best to accomplish this.

It's ironic that Eminem's first verse is all about the expectations of his fans and him trying to reach them. Having your first song on a critically controversial album be about the trials and tribulations of fan's expectations is ironic, but also maybe genius?

"There was a time I had the world by the balls, eating out my palm

Every album song I was spazzing the fuck out on

And now I'm gettin' clowned and frowned on"

I like when artists have a song dedicated to self-reflection. It always ends up being honest and beautiful. Eminem is really letting loose all his insecurities and worries, and there's something truly human about being able to do that.

"Now take your best rhyme, outdo it, now do it a thousand times"

This is what people expect of most artists; to always be outdoing your last song. It is a lot of weight to put on people's shoulders. A lot of the time fans do forget that these singers, rappers, and even actors are just human. It must be devastating to have your work, things you made with your heart and soul, be ripped apart and analyzed. Especially when the outcome is just to be told that you've fallen off, that you should put away the pen.

Oh, wow.

I've listened to this song before, a little bit. I couldn't get past the rapping over piano, because it wasn't done in the best way. It wasn't NF, is what I'm saying. But this song is actually good. It's not the best song in the world, obviously, but it is very good. I don't hate it.

Rating: 8/10

2. "Believe"

First Impression: I don't hate the beat. It's catchy and you can nod your head along to it. It is a very different tone than the first song, where this one is really focused on, or has the tone of being very confident with his rhymes.

"Cause being broke's a poor excuse

That should only give you more fuel"

Very true. If anything, Eminem has shown us that having nothing and having the world seemingly against you is never a valid excuse for not giving your all to your passion.

The chorus isn't horrible. Eminem's singing definitely hasn't gotten any better in the last few years, but he can kinda carry a tune. And no one buys his albums for the singing anyway. Or they shouldn't, at least.

He is still using "retard" very liberally. That's twice in two songs, so he hasn't really progressed his vocabulary. Guess we can't expect much in that department.

"And I'ma get you jacked up like you're tryna fix a flat, uh

When you struggle with despair"

Eminem has always been pretty great at wordplay and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon.

"And when they stacked decks, turn handicaps into assets"

Again, he's talking about changing your circumstance to make it possible for you to achieve your dreams. You never let anyone or anything stop you from doing what you believe you were supposed to do.

Honestly, this song is pretty good. I do enjoy songs that attempt to motivate people to pursue their passions. Which is why I'm going to rank this one pretty high. I'm sure that after this one it has to go downhill, right? Because there has to be a legitimate reason why people hated this album, right? It's not like people hate things for no reason, right?

Rating: 9.4/10

3. "Chloraseptic" (featuring PHresher)

First Impression: It does sound more like a throwback to Recovery. The beat is pretty good, and he is starting to sound like the older Eminem; where his rhymes are always focused against bashing other people.

It will never be not weird for me to hear Eminem, an almost 50 year old man, use phrases popular with teenagers. I understand he is trying to be relevant with the younger listeners of the industry, but him saying "shook" will always unnerve me.

I do like how his rhyme and voice changes to match that of a very younger Eminem. I'm thinking somewhere between The Eminem Show and Relapse. Not too much accent, but enough that you know he means business when he says he's going to kill you.

The one thing I do like about Eminem is that he has bars. He knows how to put pen to paper. He's always got metaphors, some more childish and out there than others. Eminem really does know how to rhyme every word in a sentence with every word in the next sentence. It's a skill that I don't think a lot of other rappers have. Most are just rhyming the last word and hoping it matches up to competitors. I am genuinely impressed with Eminem's vocabulary and rhyme schemes; I always have been. I think he is an expert in his craft.

However, that doesn't make a song good. More goes into a song than clever rhymes and lyrics.

He is still using homophobic slurs. I'm not surprised, though.

"She makes iller noises

When she's with me, must be from the Windy City"

I don't know if I'm impressed with that line, or if I want to roll my eyes.

Is Eminem really talking about someone else being a fuckboy? Cause when I think fuckboy... well, he kind of fits the definition.

And, of course, he's back to talking about raping women and then killing them. God, he's actually exhausting to listen to.

He has great flow and vocabulary, but the lyrics are honestly average. He talks about the same shit he used to, which is ironic that he's bagging on mumble rappers for their basic lyrics. He's bringing nothing new to the table. Him respecting women and not talking about raping and killing them, that would be new and unexpected.

Honestly, I have to take points off for the unimaginative and basic lyrics.

Rating: 6.5/10

4. "Untouchable"

First Impression: Already I like this song, if it goes in the direction I'm hoping it goes. I've heard of this song, and I know this album pisses off Trump fans, and based on the freestyle Eminem did during the BET awards, I'm guessing it goes in the right (left?) direction. I'm not good with humor.

So, first we have to address the beat, because goddamn. That is definitely a throwback. That is 90s rock rap, beastie boys level shit. I'm a fan so far. Second, I'm not even a minute in and already, holy shit. He is going off. I do like that he starts in the point of view of, what I'm guessing is, a white cop. I'm very intrigued with what he does with it.

"Time to go find a new one and split his head right in two

No one's ever indicted you"

Oh, shit. Goddamn. That's all I have to say.

"As this beat backspins, it's like we're drifting back in

To the sixties, having black skin is risky

'Cause this keeps happening

Throughout history, African-Americans have been treated like shit"

Preach. Eminem, despite his age and the fact that he's not as active on social media as other celebrities, has proven that he is just as "woke" as a lot of other people. He has surrounded himself with a lot of black people, which probably means that he is more aware of what black people are dealing with in today's atmosphere than other white people. It's good that he's using his massive platform to address these sorts of issues and inequality.

Now, if only he could stop the violence and hatred towards women and queer people, that would be great.

"We done seen 'em beat Rodney King unconscious, and got off

So we don't need all you crooked police officers' peace offerings"

Yes, people love to talk about how you should respect the police, and if you've done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about. But how can you expect black people to be okay with putting their lives in the hands of a system that let someone get away with killing multiple people of their race? How are they supposed to trust the cops when they've been showed just how bad they can be? And yes, there are good cops. But you never know whose good until they show you. You don't know what kind of cop is pulling you over at a red light. You don't know what kind of cop is at your door knocking. You don't know what kind of cop is walking down the sidewalk towards you. You can't put your faith in someone like that. And it's really fucked that our society demands it.

I'm just gonna leave these last lines of the song here for you to read.

"In a country that claims that its foundation was based on United States ideals

That had its Natives killed

Got you singing this star-spangled spiel

To a piece of cloth that represents the "Land of the Free" that made people slaves to build"

I mean, when your chorus for your song is Cheech and Chong, you just win automatically. Like, hands down. Plus, it's a song about racial injustice in America. It's a great song. I highly recommend, honestly. This, so far, is the best song on the album.

Rating: 9.5/10

5. "River" (featuring Ed Sheeran)

First Impression: Ed Sheeran has a good voice. I think most people can agree with that. He's a good singer. An Eminem and Ed Sheeran collaboration is unexpected, though. I would have never thought to put those two people on the same record. But, I can see how these two voices could make a good song so, we'll see.

"Knife in hand, says their relationship's hangin' by a strand

So she's been on the web lately

Says maybe she'll be my Gwen Stacy, to spite her man"

That's clever. "To spite her man" is good wordplay because it also sounds like "despite her man" and, obviously, "to Spider-Man". I did acknowledge before that Eminem is a genius when it comes to wordplay and lyrics. That's a brilliant line to have in the first verse. It's catchy and it makes me want to keep listening.

The trope of Eminem being with a girl that's cheating on her boyfriend to be with him is very played out. Eminem has a lot of lines in his songs about cheating. Either it's him or it's the girl, either way he obviously doesn't have a lot of faith in monogamous relationships.

That being said, I like the song so far. I'm very into Ed Sheeran's chorus.

So, is Eminem going to sing on all of these songs? Seems like a theme. Boy, I think it's a little too late to try to get your singing career off the ground.

"This love triangle left us in a wreck, tangled"

Clever.

It is a good song. I'm surprised; I thought this album would be a lot worse than it has been. Maybe the worst has yet to come.

Rating: 8/10

6. "Remind Me"

(I'm not doing the intro because I have nothing to say about that, other than I didn't think it was necessary.)

First Impression: I wish he would have done a whole album with these rock rap beats because these are songs you blast in your car while driving down the street; a great beat, honestly.

But the lyrics are trash.

Like, I know he's sober, but was he high when writing these? Because so far, they're not good. At all. It's a waste of a dope beat. Tragic.

He disgraced Joan Jett with this blasphemy. "I Love Rock and Roll" is an iconic song and he butchered it. This is a travesty and I hate it. How could Joan let him do this to her music?

This physically hurts to listen to.

But, I gave it a second listen just to see if it was as bad as the first time. It was.

The lyrics were bad and very juvenile, and the chorus was a mess. This song is a disaster and it should have never been released. People are actually calling this a sequel to "Berzerk." False. "Berzerk" was good. This isn't. Which I guess makes sense because most sequels aren't very good.

Rating: 3/10

7. "Like Home" (featuring Alicia Keys)

First Impression: An Eminem song with Alicia Keys? Oh, God.

Oh, fuck. I wasn't expecting that. Yes, I knew Eminem's stance on Trump beforehand, but I didn't know he was going to do this. It takes guts, seeing as most of his fanbase are most likely Trump fans. That's just the crowd he's gathered.

"While he looks like a canary with a beak

Why you think he banned transgenders from the military with a tweet?"

I never thought Eminem would be someone to say something like that. Like, yeah he goes after Trump, talks about racial inequality because he's friends with people who experience it, but he has always said things against the LGBT community. Bashing Trump for doing something against the transgender community doesn't make sense to me. You'd think he'd be all for it, since he's so against the Queer community.

"Didn't wanna piss your base off, did ya?

Can't denounce the Klan, 'cause they play golf with ya

You stay on Twitter, way to get your hate off

Nazi, I do not see a way y'all differ

And all you got are race cards, bigot

The swastika with your name carved in it

Should be your trademark, 'cause hate's all you played off

And you just lick the plate off

So I guess it pays to feed off of chaos

So basically, you ate off Hitler!"

This is a long one, but it was necessary. He's got good points, but I do find a lot of it to be a little ironic. The "feeding off of chaos" is basically Eminem's trademark. And I wouldn't call Eminem a bigot, but it seems like he holds some bigoted views. So, it's funny to see two personalities so similar be so against each other.

"Know we would rise up

Against this train wreck and take a stand

Even if it means sitting when they raise the flag

To sing 'The Star-Spangled Banner'"

I can fully agree with this, and I am impressed with Eminem for addressing this and everything in the song. It's a bomb song. I don't even mind Alicia Keys being on it, although it still is a bit weird. If you ever need a "fuck Trump" anthem, I'd recommend this one.

Rating: 9/10

8. "Bad Husband" (featuring X Ambassadors)

First Impression: I'm getting "Stronger Than I Was" vibes off of this track. Which makes sense, since it sounds like it's for Kim. It also sounds like it may be an apology song for her which is very big of Eminem to do. He has apologized to people in the past in songs, like his mom in "Headlights." It'll be interesting to hear how this plays out.

"You hit me once and that I would use

To continue the pattern of abuse

Why did I punch back? Girls, your dad is a scumbag, I’m confused"

I do like that he acknowledges the pain he's caused in the relationship. Domestic abuse is never excusable and from the songs he's put out, it sounds like it was very toxic on both of their sides. They both seem to have inflicted emotional and physical pain on each other. Getting out of those types of relationships are hard, and it can also be hard to look back and admit you were in the wrong for something. I applaud him.

I do also love X Ambassadors. Great vocals and a very good choice for the chorus and mood.

The last verse of this is my favorite because it really is beautiful. It's ultimately putting everything to rest. It's "yeah, we loved each other but we didn't complement each other." Two strong personalities have to be careful because it can start off passionate, but if there's nothing to balance it out, it just becomes volatile. I'm not gonna put the full verse in because it would be too long, but I will do a little from the beginning of the verse.

"We brought out the worst in each other

Someone had to make the sparring end

'Cause I loved you, but I hated that me

And I don't wanna see that side again

But I'm sorry, Kim

More than you could ever comprehend

Leaving you was fucking harder than

Sawing off a fucking body limb"

And my favorite line from the whole song:

"Not bad people, just bad together"

This is an emotional song and I'm glad we got to hear it. It's necessary to find closure and I'm glad that they got it. I also think it may have been necessary for his fans, just to clue them in for anyone thinking that relationship wasn't over with. You know how fans can get.

Rating: 9.5/10

9. "Tragic Endings" (featuring Skylar Grey)

First Impression: Skylar Grey has done a few songs with Eminem already, and it's no surprise since her voice is fantastic. It really does compliment his voice.

Eminem has a habit of writing songs about abusive relationships. He doesn't have a single song where he depicts a healthy relationship, and I think that says a lot about his character and the relationships he's situated himself in. Maybe he really never has been in a healthy relationship, which is why he's formed this habit and, according to the media, seems to be single. Some people just aren't meant for those types of commitments, or they're not ready for them. But I'm not really here to analyze him.

"But, somehow she musta took the carton of eggs off the counter

Cracked them and placed all the shells on the ground for

Me to walk on when I'm around her"

I like the vision he always seems able to create. I've said it before but he is really a genius with words.

"She don't want me, she just don't wanna see me with someone else

The idea of seeing me happy destroys her in itself

To see me falling to pieces brings her joy and brings her health"

Sadly, there's a lot of people in life like this. They feed on your sadness and it's only after you've discarded them from your life do you realize the kind of people they really are. They try to drain you of everything you are. They're some of the worst kinds of people.

I do really like Skylar's vocals and lyrics in this. It makes the whole song way more beautiful.

Rating: 8.5/10

10. "Framed"

First Impression: I've already said that Relapse sucks and here Eminem is making songs that sound exactly like they're from that album. The beat isn't bad, though. I'm very into the guitar in the back.

Haven't we had enough songs about him murdering people? We get it, he's fantasized about being a serial killer if the whole rapping shtick didn't work out. But this is tiring.

However, like "3 AM," it is kind of catchy.

"But dog, how the fuck is Ivanka Trump in the trunk of my car?"

I'm sure Donald Trump wouldn't approve of these lyrics. Or maybe he would?

The chorus is kind of annoying to me. Maybe I haven't heard it enough to like it, though?

It just seems like the concept is kind of played out already. Eminem's done this before, like so many times. It just seems like this is his safety net. When in doubt, rap about killing people and hope it's edgy enough for people to not notice that you have no other material.

Rating: 6.5/10

11. "Nowhere Fast" (featuring Kehlani)

First Impression: Kehlani has a beautiful voice. I do understand what people were saying about him having too many "poppy" tunes. He has a lot of pop or mainstream artists and I think it has made him look softer, but you have to give him some credit because he can make a fire track with almost anyone.

So, basically this song is about him being on top of his game. He's got a lot of songs about that, too. He's not completely wrong, though. There will never be an artist like Eminem. He is one of a kind. His style, his flow, the way he can manipulate words into verse. He seems to have really been destined for rap.

"There's a lot of shit I said in jest that's tough to swallow

But if at times my heart it seems

Like it's in the wrong place, it's probably 'cause it's on my sleeve"

Eminem is known for controversial lyrics and not being afraid to say what's on his mind. His heart being on his sleeve is most likely about his private life, which has been made public in the past by not only him, but other people in his life. His songs seem to be s morphed reflection into his life. I don't think he'll ever be truly public about his life and relationships now because he's no doubt learned his lesson. But, if you look hard enough, I'm sure you can take a peak at where he is in life and what he's currently going through.

It's a very melodic song and both Kehlani and Eminem are good on it, but in all honesty, it feels like a filler song. It feels like the record label needed a few more songs so he just through some together and put them on. It just doesn't seem to be at the same standard as the rest of the songs. It definitely had the potential to be great, but it just fell off somewhere.

Rating: 4.5/10

12. "Heat"

First Impression: This song is reminiscent of songs from the Marshall Mathers LP 2, more specifically "So Far...". It doesn't have a terrible beat, and the lyrics seem to be playful. It's catchy so far.

"Grab you by the (Meow!), hope it's not a problem, in fact

About the only thing I agree on with Donald is that"

I mean. Is he calling Trump out or just agreeing with the sexual assault? Who knows.

But he put Mark Wahlberg on the track, so it's now officially trash. I don't make the rules.

"Plus she's bumping my music, ain't chasing no tail like a skunk in heat

I could sweat her to some degree

But fuck it, I'm the male, let her come to me

(Could you repeat that again?)

"Letter" come to me - "mail." "Sweater", "heat," "some degree." Fail"

Wordplay. Genius.

I was joking before when I said Eminem through filler songs on this album, but I'm not joking now. This song wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. I'm not a fan right now.

Rating: 3.5/10

13. "Offended"

First Impression: It's... catchy? There's not a lot to say at the beginning since there's very little beat and it's really just Eminem rapping. The beat is subtle. I'm hoping it gets better. Eminem's lyrics aren't a mess, so that's something.

"I need to stop being debated

You're still copying, Xeroxing, I'm still copping a feel"

Interesting lyrics, here. Eminem's whole career is surrounding with controversy and debating; on whether or not he's a good rapper, on whether he's a bad person, and even on whether or not he's being serious about what's he's writing in raps. And after, thirty years? I'm sure it gets a little exhausting.

"Kiss my butt, my set of principles

Is gone, but 'til I get the President to respond

My pen and pencil is a missile launcher

And send it to Mitch McConnell

Just as big of a bitch as Donald—shit's on, bruh!"

I do enjoy him taking any opportunity to bag on Trump. That's my favorite part of this album.

"Ivanka, stiff-arm her while I'm hitting on Melania"

He's even bringing in Trump's family. How nice.

The chorus is... juvenile. Like, really juvenile. He's singing a nursery rhyme. Oh, no.

"And drag my name through the mud, through the dirt

But I'ma make you eat your words"

People do like trashing Eminem's name, and he has proven to a lot of people how wrong they are for doing that.

"Like Justin Ross Harris at a nursery

Goin' ham at candy yam on nanny cam

I'm gettin' handies with the zanny Xannys in the Caddy armrest

I'm imagining objects

So I'm batting cobwebs from a daddy longleg

In Hamtramck, got the panoramic camera

Xanax, a banana hammock and a Santa hat"

Although, his rhymes on this are fire. Especially the start of the second verse. Goddamn.

"My competition can't see me—'cause I don't own a mirror!"

This isn't the first time he's said that his only competition is himself. Eminem doesn't see anyone else as real, legitimate competition. Which, for the most part, is a good way to live. It's cocky, though.

"I guess I better go harder than ever 'cause

I'll never get another motherfucking opportunity again

To offend as many people with this I can simply because I can"

Because that's what he does. He knows what makes people mad and offended. He uses that to his advantage. All publicity is good publicity to him. He is an internet troll, by definition.

Yes, this was childish. However, most of the lyrics were good. I might listen to this song occasionally, if it were to come on.

Rating: 7.5/10

14. "Need Me" (featuring P!nk)

First Impression: Okay, is all his songs on this album featuring pop stars about abusive and unhealthy relationships?

P!nk has a good voice that I've always enjoyed. I do think her and Eminem's voice really do blend well together.

"Starting to think we were made for each other

But one of us in this relationship is raising the other

You remind me of my mother

We drive one another crazy as each other

And we're both adults, so there's no excuse

For the games that we play with each other"

This is how most unhealthy relationships are. It's very clear that Eminem has a lot of experience with these types of relationships, and maybe that's why he has so many songs about it. He's just writing what he knows.

"Going to bed mad, I keep on tryin'

To make a bad girl good"

Everyone always thinks they can change someone, but the truth is you can't. If someone's going to change, then they will, by themselves. But you can't make someone change. If they're not going to change for themselves, then they most likely won't change for you.

"But haven't I stood by you in good times?

And bad? I'm starting to feel like your goddamn dad"

It's a common saying that every guy grows up to marry someone like his mother, and every girl grows up to marry someone like her dad, but if taken too literally, you can end up in a pretty messed up relationship. No one should really be with someone that they have to parent or babysit.

"But I think I'm a pretty damn good guy

And you're a good person too

I can save you, I can make you change"

Again, with him thinking he can make her change. But the point of this song, really, is that you can't make anyone change. You need to either accept them for their behavior, or move on.

He just likes writing songs about bad relationships. Maybe it's because he's afraid of having a genuine, real relationship, one that isn't abusive or unhealthy.

Rating: 7/10

15. "In Your Head"

First Impression: Yes, I love The Cranberries and I'm glad he did a song using "Zombie." It's sad that Dolores passed a month after this song was released.

"I try to look alive but there's nothin' like holding

Your head up high when you're dead inside and I just hide"

I feel that. I feel that line with my whole soul.

"Fuck it, I've done enough in this rap shit

Recovery brought me nothin' but back

To right where I was and perhaps

This coulda been my victory lap, if I wasn't on the verge of relapse"

How are you supposed end your successful career as one of the greatest lyricist in the world? Not many rappers have been known to retire. A lot of end up dead, either because they were murdered in gang wars like Tupac and Biggie, or they die of an overdose like Mac Miller.

"Hailie, baby, I didn't mean to make you eighty

Percent of what I rapped about

Maybe I shoulda did a better job at separating

Shady and entertaining from real life"

I think one of the biggest mistakes he's made in his career that he's really owned up to is the drama of his private life going public. I know for celebrities separating the two can be difficult, but when you have kids involved, and you're a rapper who raps about the shit Eminem does, then you really need to learn to find a balance between those two lives.

"Okay, so ladies and gentlemen

Let's strip away everything and see the main reason that I

Feel like a lame piece of shit, I sound cranky and bitter

Complain, beef and bicker 'bout the same things

'Cause when I look at me, I don't see what they see

I feel ashamed, greedy

And lately I've been contemplating

Escaping to get away and go wherever this road takes me

It's making me crazy"

I think that may be one of the realest shit he's ever said in one of his songs. Because it doesn't matter what everyone else is saying about you if your own thoughts won't let you be happy. That insecurity and low self-esteem is a bitch and it won't let you breathe if you let it take over. And that's what really let the addiction take place in life. The people that are dealing with addiction are also the people that are dealing with the pressures in life and in their own mind.

I really do like this song. It's a great reflection and it's got The Cranberries so that's dope.

Rating: 8.5/10

16. "Castle"

First Impression: First off, I like the beat. I also like these vocals. Who is that singing?

So, this song is about his daughter? Okay.

"I can barely support me, but as long as you're healthy

That's all that matters for the time being"

That's a good attitude to have when you're raising a child. The child is the priority, they will always come before your needs.

"My Infinite CD flopped, too many soft tunes

They're talking bad about Dad, it's ticking me off too

Makes me feel like I don't belong or something, ooh

I think I might have just stumbled onto something new

Got a prediction for the future, I'm hoping that you

Open this envelope when you're older and it holds true"

After his first CD flopped, he came back stronger and more shocking, which is really why he gained media acknowledgment and went mainstream. Maybe that's why, even today, he still uses vulgar and offensive lines. He doesn't want to go back to feeling like he did when his first CD didn't take off, so he sticks to what he knows has done him well in the past.

"I've said your name but always tried to hide your face

This game is crazy, I wanted to claim my love for you, but dang

I never knew it'd be like this, if I did I wouldn't have done it

You ain't asked for none of this shit, now you're being punished?!

Things that should've been private with me and your mother is public"

Eminem isn't in an industry for kids, that's true. It makes sense that he'd want to keep her away from it and let her have a normal life. I think, for the most part, she has. She's stayed out of the public eye and the media for the most part, so she got to spend her childhood being a kid, which it seems is all he really wanted for her.

"Excuse the cursing, baby, but just know

That I'm a good person, though they portray me as cold"

I have to slightly disagree with this one. Yes, the media does portray him that way, but Eminem also portrays himself that way, which is why people think he is in the first place. If he hadn't kept up with all the offensive lyrics and threats against women and gays, then I don't know if people would still think of him that way.

"And if things should worsen, don't take this letter I wrote

As a goodbye note, but your dad's at the end of his rope

I'm sliding down a slippery slope

Anyways sweetie, I better go

I'm getting sleepy, love, Dad… shit, I don't know"

This is a truly heartbreaking song. Eminem has dealt with a lot in relation to addiction, and to know that you were on the brink of death and if you were only a little bit late to get to the hospital, your whole life could've ended? He's strong and I'm glad that he's moved on from the dark place he was in years ago.

This is an amazing song. I love the beat, the chorus, the lyrics. Altogether it's just a fantastic song.

Rating: 9.5/10

17. Arose

First Impression: It's already giving me chills; hearing the machines in the background with that haunting vocalist. I can tell that this song is going to be deep and it's going to make me feel some things.

"But death is turning so definite—wait!

They got me all hooked up to some machine

I love you, Bean, didn't want you to know I was struggling

Feels like I'm underwater submerged like a submarine

Just heard that nurse say, my liver and kidneys aren't functioning

Been flirtatious with death, skirt-chasing, I guess

It's arrivederci, same nurse, just heard say they're unplugging me"

Eminem has talked about his overdose on songs before, but I feel like other than "Deja Vu," he hasn't been this honest and upfront about it. I'm sure it was a very traumatic event that him and his family had to deal with and might still be dealing with on some level.

"I just thought about the aisle I'll never get to walk us down

Never see you graduate in your caps and gowns"

I can't imagine not having my parents for big moments in my life, and to think he might have never had that chance to be with his children during them is heartbreaking. He must have had a tough time writing this song because of the recollecting he must have had to do to get in the perspective of himself dying.

"And, Proof, I'm truly sorry if I let you down, but this tore me in two

The thought of no more me and you"

Losing your best friend is one of the hardest things to do in life. Eminem has always been honest about how close they were and how much losing Proof destroyed him. His addiction spiraled out of control and grieving makes us do some pretty messed up things.

"I'm tryna rewind time like a tape

Find an escape, make a beeline, try and awake

From this dream, I need to re-find my inner strength

To remind me, even if a steep climb I must take

To rewrite a mistake, I'm rewinding the tape"

Eminem is genius. This song is amazing and so was the "Castle," so the fact that he even goes back to that song to rewrite it on this one... genius.

"Consider them last four minutes as

The song I'da sang to my daughters

If I'da made it to the hospital less than 2 hours later, but I fought it

And came back like a boomerang on 'em"

Ugh, I can't explain how much I love this song. The beat, the lyrics, the honesty and heartbreak. I like raw Eminem; he always makes better songs when he's vulnerable, not when he's putting on an act.

Rating: 9.5/10

Most of these songs individually are fantastic. There are a few songs on here that really shouldn't have made the final cut, but everyone makes mistakes. The problem with this album is that these songs don't fit. If he had taken a bit more time with it, this could have been a really good album. It's just a mess altogether. Individually it's great, but there's just something that makes it bad when it's put together.

I can't bag too much on this album, though, because without it being as bad it is, we never would have got Kamikaze, which would have been a tragedy. So, I guess, in the end, it was a necessary evil.