Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP turns 20 today.

[swerve]

Revisited the album recently. Peak em. I think the verses and flows still stand up. The lyricism is top notch but man the production is lacking on here. The fact that Eminem was apart of the chronic 2001 sessions it’s insane to think the beats on here weren’t better. The production on TES as well. His beats should’ve been way better in retrospect.

Another thing Eminem albums lacked a great A&R. I don’t think he ever dropped an album that was cohesive less than 60 minutes. Some tracks should’ve been left on the cutting room floor. Also Royce should’ve been on this album.

I see what youre saying but I think Eminem and FBT were a great match back then. I'd rather Xzibit pick up some of those chronic 2001 leftovers and made an entire album with them. Restless was dope but it couldve been a classic with Dres full support and guidance.

Em needed those stripped back gritty beats to capture a certain mood

 

[Izanami]

I see what youre saying but I think Eminem and FBT were a great match back then. I'd rather Xzibit pick up some of those chronic 2001 leftovers and made an entire album with them. Restless was dope but it couldve been a classic with Dres full support and guidance.

Em needed those stripped back gritty beats to capture a certain mood

It’s not a noticeable problem cause his lyricism is top notch. But I think Ems discography would be viewed differently if his production was up to par with his lyricism.

 

[Yehuda]

These were the best beats he ever rapped on. shyt was cool for what it was but the older I get the less patience I have for the Controversy™ surrounding this album, it was just some shock value fake edgy shyt and it did what it was supposed to do which is sell records.

 

[Mickey Kane]

1st rap album I essentially memorised word for word.

 

[OfTheCross]

Once I found that out this morning, I decided to put this album in for a spin for the first time since 2001/02. I remember when this album dropped, the summer of 00 could've been retitled the summer of Eminem because you couldn't go anywhere without hearing dozens of white people bumping it or turn on the tv without seeing Em on MTV or BET.

Rap was once again thrown into the political spotlight with politicians throwing shade at it and I always remember the funny interviews with non rap artists when they were randomly asked about the album.

Songs I still like: "Kill You," "Stan." "I'm Back," "Remember Me?," "The Way I Am," "Marshall Mathers," "bytch Please 2," and "Criminal." I never cared for the first big single "The Real Slim Shady" and "Kim" is hard to listen to now. . That may have to do with the fact that I'm two decades older now.

Most consider this to be his best work, but I remember that I liked two of his other albums (SSLP and TES) a a lot more (although to be fair, I haven't listened to TES in a decade either.) It's nice to remember a time where Em wasn't a glorified male version of Rachel Maddow with a beard.

Anyway, this should be a good discussion if it picks up. Any reflections on the album now that it's turned two decades old?

It's an undeniable classic

 

[Me12k]

Em's magnum opus.

I'll listen to TES more frequently, but MMLP is his best work imo.

I need to give it a full spin in the next few days.

 

[Love Sosa]

My shyt

 

[Bondye Vodou]

A lyricist getting a diamond plaque. You tell me.

Life after death.

 

[drugxglory]

This came out when i was in jr high, you can spit a line out @ lunch and nikkaz will finish it, it was a napalm at the time. Even my history teacher had a gripe with em, he started the class the day after the album came out with
“Guys, whats up with this eminem guy?”
everybody in class:

 

[Take It In Blood]

Eminem had potential to be one of the greatest ever

but his subject matter never matured in the last 20 yrs

Listen to a Jay Z album 20 yrs ago and listen to one today, you hear growth and wisdom

Em is still rapping bout the same shyt he did when he was 25

 

[HipHopStan]

I used to always be amused when I'd go to Target or FYE and Eminem would be lumped together with the likes of Nsync, the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and Creed.

I do know a lot of people who got into hip-hop/rap thanks to this album.

 

[JustCKing]

I used to always be amused when I'd go to Target or the CD shop and Eminem would be lumped together with the likes of Nsync, the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and Creed.

I do know a lot of people who got into hip-hop/rap thanks to this album.

This.

I actually think it was by design. He was dissing Britney and Nsync and here they were lumping him in with them. He benefited greatly from that because I still remember video footage of white kids buying those Nsync, Backstreet Boys, and Nsync album in bulk like it was toilet paper. Albums were like $10.00-$17.00 back then and they at the register with 5-6 copies of the same album.

 

[Busby]

Eminem had potential to be one of the greatest ever

but his subject matter never matured in the last 20 yrs

Listen to a Jay Z album 20 yrs ago and listen to one today, you hear growth and wisdom

Em is still rapping bout the same shyt he did when he was 25

Em HAS showed growth. “Recovery,” MMLP2, and “Revival” was Em’s growth subject wise. In his last few albums he talked about his pill addiction, apologized to his mother, apologized to Kim, talked about race issues, why D-12 failed, and tackled his own insecurities.

Now was the music good? That’s up for debate.

But Em has showed his maturity And growth through his music. Y’all just weren’t listening for it.

 

[patscorpio]

Em HAS showed growth. “Recovery,” MMLP2, and “Revival” was Em’s growth subject wise. In his last few albums he talked about his pill addiction, apologized to his mother, apologized to Kim, talked about race issues, why D-12 failed, and tackled his own insecurities.

Now was the music good? That’s up for debate.

But Em has showed his maturity And growth through his music. Y’all just weren’t listening for it.

this and the music wasnt really good unfortunately

 

[Mike the Executioner]

Eminem had potential to be one of the greatest ever

but his subject matter never matured in the last 20 yrs

Listen to a Jay Z album 20 yrs ago and listen to one today, you hear growth and wisdom

Em is still rapping bout the same shyt he did when he was 25

To be fair, Eminem has diversified his content a lot over his last few albums. He wouldn't make songs like "Bad Husband" and "Headlights" when he was younger. The problem is, the overall songs sound terrible.

If he was still making respectable music on a consistent basis (not MMLP/Eminem Show level, but close to it), combined with the more mature content he has now, no one would be questioning his credibility. He would absolutely be top 10, if not top five.