The Eminem Show [Clean] [Edited] (CD - 2002)

THE EMINEM SHOW won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.

THE EMINEM SHOW was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Award for Album Of The

Year. "Without Me" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Record Of The Year and Best Male Rap Solo Performance.

This deluxe limited edition includes a bonus DVD containing previously unreleased footage and interview with Eminem.

Personnel includes: Eminem (rap vocals); Nate Dogg, Dr. Dre, Obie Trice, Hailie Jade, D-12, Dina Rae.

THE EMINEM SHOW won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.

THE EMINEM SHOW was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Award for Album Of The

Year. "Without Me" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Record Of The Year and Best Male Rap Solo Performance.

Personnel: Jeff Bass, Mike Elizondo (guitar, keyboards); Steven King (guitar); Joe Perry (electric guitar); Ron Feemster, Luis Resto (keyboards); DJ Head, Denaun Porter (drum programming); Dina Rae, Conesha Owens, Shy Felder, Traci Nelson, Barbara Wilson (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Dr. Dre; Steve Baughman; Steven King.

Recording information: 54 Sound, Detroit, MI; Encore Studios; Larabee West; Marshall's House; Sierra Sounds.

Photographer: Jonathan Mannion.

Unknown Contributor Role: Timbaland.

As one of the most controversial figures in hip-hop history, Eminem can be forgiven for being somewhat self-obsessed. THE EMINEM SHOW's opening cut "White America" sums up the notorious rapper's self-defense by keenly observing that while the color of his skin has something to do with his widespread popularity it's also the reason his lyrics are examined so scrupulously by critics who otherwise wouldn't bother. "I could be one of your kids" he proclaims, getting right to the heart of the matter. Despite the abundance of introspection, Eminem doesn't back up a single step on any of the themes that made him such a hot property. He's still into glorifying violence, as on "Soldier" one of the many cuts where he waves his broken-home/dysfunctional upbringing like a flag to justify the hatred that seeps from every pore of THE EMINEM SHOW.

Over the course of the album, he threatens to brutally murder so many members of his family that one begins to lose track, but this is just the kind of hard-ass image that's helped make him an icon. The aforementioned cut finds the former Marshall Mathers making one of his most telling statements; "I'll never be Marshall again." It's clear that the Eminem identity allows him to fully vent his rage and get lauded (by some) for it instead of imprisoned. In his continuing effort to show that he's as hardcore as any black rapper, he extends his rancor Professor Griff-stye to Jews on the skits "Paul Rosenberg" and "Steve Berman," the latter of whom we hear getting shot for whiningly taking Em's music to task. Love him or hate him, Eminem makes no apologies, and THE EMINEM SHOW is as strong a statement as he's made to date.

While Eminem has revealed levels of depth far beyond his Slim Shady persona, few could have anticipated "Mosh," the second single from his 2004 release, ENCORE. This song, by one of music's most controversial artists, features Em focusing his rage like never before, ultimately calling on the youth of America to rise up?and vote. While his brilliantly scathing tirade against President George W. Bush didn't lead to the politician's defeat, it certainly captured the country's attention and attempted to raise listeners' political awareness. It also effectively increased the already-huge stature of the expectation-defying Detroit rapper only a few weeks before his highly anticipated fourth record's release.

ENCORE is far from a letdown, as Eminem's twisted mind continues to produce razor-sharp rhymes, whether examining the world (the aforementioned "Mosh"), venting his spleen ("Puke"), exploring his soul ("Like Toy Soldiers") or just being plain silly ("My 1st Single"). While Em's inclination towards the shocking is well documented, other than "Mosh," the record is relatively toned-down; he even apologizes for racist comments made on a 1993 underground tape. However, that's not to imply that the proceedings are low-key; ENCORE burns with the fire of a master lyricist letting his words loose on whatever crosses his mind.

It's all about the title. First time around, Eminem established his alter-ego, Slim Shady -- the character who deliberately shocked and offended millions, turning Eminem into a star. Second time at bat, he turned out The Marshall Mathers LP, delving deeper into his past while revealing complexity as an artist and a personality that helped bring him an even greater audience and much, much more controversy. Third time around, it's The Eminem Show -- a title that signals that Eminem's public persona is front and center, for the very first time. And it is, as he spends much of the album commenting on the media circus that dominated on his life ever since the release of Marshall Mathers. This, of course, encompasses many, many familiar subjects -- his troubled childhood; his hatred of his parents; his turbulent relationship with his ex-wife, Kim (including the notorious incident when he assaulted a guy who allegedly kissed her -- the event that led to their divorce); his love of his daughter, Hailie; and, of course, all the controversy he generated, notably the furor over his alleged homophobia and his scolding from Lynne Cheney, which leads to furious criticism about the hypocrisy of America and its government. All this is married to a production very similar to that of its predecessor -- spare, funky, fluid, and vibrant, punctuated with a couple of ballads along the way. So, that means The Eminem Show is essentially a holding pattern, but it's a glorious one -- one that proves Eminem is the gold standard in pop music in 2002, delivering stylish, catchy, dense, funny, political music that rarely panders (apart from a power ballad "Dream On" rewrite on "Sing for the Moment" and maybe the sex rap "Drips," that is). Even if there is little new ground broken, the presentation is exceptional -- Dre never sounds better as a producer than when Eminem pushes him forward (witness the stunning oddity "Square Dance," a left-field classic with an ominous waltz beat) and, with three albums under his belt, Eminem has proven himself as one of the all-time classic MCs, surprising as much with his delivery as with what he says. Plus, the undercurrent of political anger -- not just attacking Lynne Cheney, but raising questions about the Bush administration -- gives depth to his typical topics, adding a new, spirited dimension to his shock tactics as notable as the deep sentimental streak he reveals on his odes to his daughter. Perhaps the album runs a little too long at 20 songs and 80 minutes and would have flowed better if trimmed by 25 minutes, but that's a typical complaint about modern hip-hop records. Fact is, it still delivers more great music than most of its peers in rock or rap, and is further proof that Eminem is an artist of considerable range and dimension. [The clean version of this album has been edited in attempt to remove profane material.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize