Idk if this has been a question thats been answered or not, but i always listen to this album wondering, if ANY of these songs are certified hits or if this album is lowk just a flop.
I understand why some don't enjoy the accents on Relapse, but damn, I fucking love that record. It was the closest I've heard him get to shady since the sslp/mmlp years. A record like Relapse with no accents would be well received in my opinion.
This time around, I figured it would be best for me to explicitly rank and talk about songs I have something to say regarding in particular. I think considering the length of Side B I will talk about it in its own post.
Favourite - You Gon’ Learn - Probably the favourite off this album for me. I adore the chorus and for some fucking reason really want to talk about it. It’s not surprising considering it was by White Gold, who I also loved on Habits in TDOSS. Similar to Darkness, it’s very good building an atmosphere, this one I’d say it’s like somber foreboding? Like being warned of some kind of abstract impending tragedy. I fucking love it, and the verses are great too. My only complaint is that one part of the chorus where the drums are way too loud.
Favourite - I Will - This used to be my favourite on this album and it’s still incredibly good. The rapping is very solid, I’m a fan of the chorus, and Joell’s opening line I still find hilarious to this day. Em is definitely the highlight on this though, his verse goes so hard.
Quite Like - Godzilla - The song everyone’s heard from this album. Obviously it’s technically amazing and a display of his rapping skill. It also is just nice to bump to, with Juice WRLD’s chorus acting as a good way to break up the faster song.
Like - Darkness - I want to make it clear I think this song has brilliant aspects. The final part of the last main chorus where it states he killed himself in the hotel room hit like a truck, kind of like the last verse on Deja Vu but a lot more intense since it was the crescendo of the story’s build-up. The song’s storytelling and atmosphere are really good, the reason I’d say I didn’t like it as much as say You Gon’ Learn or something like Deja Vu is that at some points the rhymes and flow did feel a little bit off/weird and of course storytelling is just one aspect of a song. I do still want to highlight this one though, it’s really good at what it tries to do.
Like - Those Kinda Nights - I promise I’m not gay, but similar to Eminem, growing up my mom did play a lot of Ed Sheeran in the house, so I do like his voice/singing as it invokes certain feelings in me, and so I like the chorus with him singing. And I like Em’s verses too, they have some good rhyme schemes and it’s pretty funny at some points.
Like - Stepdad - I know most people hate this song, mainly because they think the hook sucks, but I don’t think it’s that bad. It’s not great but it’s not like unpleasant for me. And I somewhat relate to the subject matter, which of course gives it a bit of leeway in my mind.
??? - Little Engine - I have legit listened to this song numerous times and I still can’t make up my mind on it. It almost feels like I’m being musically edged? As in, it just feel like SOMETHING is SLIGHTLY missing? (Like half a beat, a word, etc…) I just can’t really decide if I like it or not.
Overall, this is a very solid album, no songs I’d say I dislike, unlike Recovery and Kamikaze that had at least one I wasn’t keen on, but also fewer songs in the higher range, with most songs landing in the “Like” or “It’s Fine”.
Is it gay
To play putt putt golf with a friend
As another year of Relapse anniversary comes and goes I still hope one day we get some kind of anniversary release whether that be a vinyl press, merch, ect... I was listening to the album recently and as most are aware of the conecpt of the album and vidid picture / themes being presented by Eminem one can't help follow the story visually in their minds. I decided to jot some notes / ideas for a short film concept for the album as I went through the album. Before I knew it I found myself more invested in it than I thought I'd be and decided to just take it a little bit further as I was enjoying the creativity and putting scenes together that tied into the songs of the album (with additions to little nods/reference here and there. This is what I came up with, this was just a fun creative exercise I found myself doing, FYI I am in no way a screen writer, just of fan lol
Concept:
A psychological horror short inspired by the themes of Relapse, exploring the internal struggle between Marshall Mathers (Eminem) and Slim Shady. Each scene is accompanied by instrumentals or songs from the album, serving as the film's score.
Scene 1 – Intro / "Dr. West" Skit
Music: "Dr. West" Skit
Location: Therapist's Office – Interior
The film opens inside an intimate therapist's office. Marshall Mathers sits across from Dr. West as they engage in a calm but unsettling therapy session that closely mirrors the original skit.
As the conversation progresses, Dr. West slowly rotates a prescription pill bottle in his hand. Marshall becomes increasingly fixated on it until he falls into a hypnotic trance—a visual homage to Get Out's "Sunken Place."
This moment establishes the underlying premise: Slim Shady has orchestrated everything. The therapy session serves as the mechanism that pushes Marshall into the Sunken Place, allowing Shady to begin taking control.
Scene 2 – "3 A.M." / "My Mom"
Music: "3 A.M." transitioning into "My Mom"
Location: Marshall's House – Night
Marshall either drives home or is already back inside his isolated, rundown house, potentially his childhood home.
He remembers very little about the therapy session or how he arrived home.
Disoriented, he stumbles toward the bathroom.
Standing before the mirror, he silently stares at his reflection for nearly thirty seconds, questioning reality.
He opens the medicine cabinet and discovers a full prescription pill bottle along with a crumpled photograph.
After unfolding it, he realizes it is a childhood picture of himself and his mother.
The image triggers a violent psychological break.
The screen fades to black as the audience hears:
Scene 3 – "Insane" / "Bagpipes from Baghdad"
Music: "Insane" / "Bagpipes from Baghdad"
Location: Bathroom / House
Slim Shady awakens on the bathroom floor.
Around him are an empty prescription bottle and scattered pills. The sink has overflowed, sending water across the bathroom floor.
Unbeknownst to the audience, Shady has now taken control.
He begins pacing throughout the house in preparation for a hunt.
His movements are frantic, nervous, and skittish.
Although he occupies Marshall's body, he appears unfamiliar with the home's layout—as though this is his first time inside.
This serves as the audience's first subtle clue that someone else is in control.
He searches the house, collecting materials needed for an abduction:
Scene 4 – "Hello" / "Tonya" Skit / "Same Song & Dance"
Music: "Hello" → "Tonya" Skit → "Same Song & Dance"
Location: Neighborhood Roads / Rural Highway
Early evening.
Unable to contain his excitement, Shady begins looking for a victim earlier than intended.
He slowly drives through nearby neighborhoods searching for a victim.
Eventually, paparazzi recognize him and begin photographing him.
Panicked, he speeds away recklessly.
Hours later, he finds himself driving down a nearly deserted road with little to no street lighting.
He notices a young woman stranded beside her disabled vehicle.
Shady approaches with a friendly demeanor and offers assistance.
She politely declines, explaining that a friend is already on the way.
Fearing the opportunity will disappear, Shady impulsively abducts her and places her inside the trunk of her own vehicle.
Scene 5 – "We Made You" / "Medicine Ball" / "Paul" Skit
Music: "We Made You" transitioning into "Medicine Ball" and the "Paul" Skit
Location: Marshall's House
Shady pulls into the rear of the house and opens the trunk.
The unconscious woman is dragged through a side entrance and into the living room.
He ties her securely to a chair.
While "We Made You" plays, he turns on an old television.
Breaking news fills every station.
The paparazzi photos taken earlier now dominate the broadcasts.
The headlines subtly imply that the man in the photos is Slim Shady not Marshall, providing the audience with another clue about who is truly in control.
The media coverage serves as a visual representation of the toxic relationship between Marshall, Slim Shady, and the press.
Growing increasingly enraged, Shady flips through every news channel to see the same paparazzi photos before throwing the remote across the room.
As "Medicine Ball" continues playing, he smashes the television.
Suddenly, a blinking red light catches his attention.
The house phone has a voicemail.
Confused, he presses Play.
The voicemail is revealed to be the "Paul" Skit.
Scene 6 – "Stay Wide Awake" / "Old Time's Sake"
Music: "Stay Wide Awake" transitioning into the chorus of "Old Time's Sake"
Location: Bathroom / Kitchen
The bathroom bathtub is filled with murder tools, carelessly thrown inside.
Shady begins selecting them one by one.
He repeatedly walks between the bathroom and kitchen, sharpening each tool before returning for another.
The sequence becomes methodical, almost ritualistic.
As the preparation continues, the chorus of "Old Time's Sake" gradually replaces "Stay Wide Awake."
Scene 7 – "Mr. Mathers" Skit / "Deja Vu"
Music: "Mr. Mathers" Skit transitioning into "Deja Vu"
Location: House
Shady begins plugging his power tools into various electrical outlets throughout the house.
The sounds of already-running equipment fill the background.
When he plugs the final tool into the last available outlet, the electrical system overloads.
The lights flicker violently.
The power surge briefly pulls Marshall from the Sunken Place—a second visual homage to Get Out.
The disruption overwhelms Shady.
He becomes dizzy and collapses.
As he loses consciousness, the "Mr. Mathers" Skit plays.
The audience believes help may be coming, but the sequence is ultimately revealed to be another hallucination, symbolizing the ongoing internal struggle between Marshall and Shady.
When Shady awakens, he remains in control.
"Deja Vu" begins playing, providing the audience with another indication that Marshall has lost the battle.
Scene 8 – "Crack a Bottle"
Music: "Crack a Bottle"
The introduction of "Crack a Bottle" plays like a triumphant victory anthem.
This marks Shady's apparent victory over Marshall.
The vocal portion plays through approximately the first twenty-nine seconds before transitioning into an instrumental version (the most obvious hint to the audience that Shady has been in control).
Shady returns his attention to the victim.
She slowly regains consciousness.
Weak, frightened, and disoriented, she realizes she is restrained.
The tension steadily builds toward the inevitable conclusion.
Scene 9 – "Underground"
Music: "Underground" (Instrumental)
Location: Living Room / Basement
Shady psychologically torments the restrained victim.
Eventually, he approaches a closed door inside the living room.
The audience does not yet know what lies behind it.
He opens the door and slowly descends into the basement.
As he walks downstairs, the victim's screams continue from upstairs.
At the bottom of the basement is a disturbing shrine.
The space is littered with:
The camera lingers on the shrine.
Credits begin to roll.
Music: "Beautiful" plays over the end credits as the camera remains fixed on the shrine.
Hi everyone.
I am revisiting our man's entire discography.
Observing how em evolved over his career.
I just found this in the process.
https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-eminem-albums-ranked/
I just don't understand, why is the marshall mathers LP2 ranked so low. 😭
Even below infinite.
Rest I don't find offensive, as reviews are subjective
But why, MMLP2
I loved MMLP2. Enjoy it a lot even today.
And not talking about the juggernauts like rapgod and monster only.
What do you guys think about it
And the overall list ?
Peace.
I believe he mentioned that while 8-Mile's story is fictional, it could very well be his autobiography.
So in the end a street kid that dreams big, but actually makes it big. You cannot know that in your past. Did he help out other street kids?