Eminem: The Slim Shady LP (1999). The Age of Slim Shady Begins

B. Cox and Domo review Eminem's sophomore album The Slim Shady LP as it turns 25. The now legendary emcee was just a little know upstart white rapper from Detroit when he clew up the underground scene by tearing through the '97 Rap Olympics. Despite losing in the finals, the word was out. After recording The Slim Shady EP, the tape made its way around the circuits and found its way on the desk of Dr. Dre, who promptly signed him and to Aftermath Records. The two clicked and got to work on his album.

Overseen by Dre, who also produced a couple of tracks on the album, it served the world's introduction to Eminem and what would become his famous alter-ego — Slim Shady. In this character and slipping in between his actual persona of Marshall Mathers, he juxtaposed his rhyming with clever wordplay and "rhyme bending" to create adequate rhyme scenes. Inside of those lyrics were rife with shocking one-liners, verses and songs: topics on everything from depression, dark humor, drug use, addiction, disdain for his daughter's mother and outlandish and controversial sayings that would become the hallmark of his early career. His rhyme style made him among the elite; his topics and subject matter made him vulnerable, controversial and hated all at the same time.

The album was backed by three main singles — the two most popular being "My Name Is…" and the Dr. Dre duet "Guilty Conscience". The album was a huge success, selling almost 7 million records and would be the beginning of him being the biggest music star in the game just four years later and the greatest selling rap artist of all time.

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Show Notes

"The Slim Shady LP" Eminem's Warning Shot at Hip-Hop

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-slim-shady-lp-eminem-album/

The Ringer: Eminem has been America's Nightmare for 20 Years

https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/2/20/18232748/eminem-slim-shady-lp-20th-anniversary

Albumism: Eminem's 'The Slim Shady LP' Turns 20 | Anniversary Retrospective

https://albumism.com/features/eminem-the-slim-shady-lp-turns-20-anniversary-retrospective

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