This album was released on May 23rd in 2000. It’s pretty much considered to be Eminem’s magnum opus. I’ve heard it a couple times, and I already know I like it. I don’t think it’s a perfect album. However, Eminem’s appeal was undeniable. Production was handled mostly by Eminem, The Bass Brothers, Dr. Dre & Mel-Man. I haven’t listened to this project in a long ass time, so I’m excited to hear it again.

1. Public Service Announcement 2000

The album starts off pretty much the same way that The Slim Shady LP started. It’s basically just Eminem being a disrespectful asshole. It’s slightly humorous, but there’s really no reason to discuss this track.

2. Kill You produced by Dr. Dre & Mel-Man

This song is fucking awesome. I’m gonna be honest, I was a little skeptical of how much I would end up enjoying this track when I heard Eminem singing at the very beginning, but goddamn as soon as he starts rapping I feel like a dumbass for ever doubting him. He fuckin’ slaughtered that first verse. His bars are outrageous honestly. He starts the album off with lines about raping his own mother. It sounds pretty fucking terrible on paper, but I promise when you hear him rapping it’s actually really fucking dope. The beat is perfect for a lyrical MC to go in on. He killed all three verses. I even like the sung hook. It sounds really good with the beat. This is a fantastic opener. I have absolutely no problems with it. It’s dope af.

3. Stan featuring Dido produced by The 45 King & Eminem

Stan is one of the best Hip Hop songs of all time. I really shouldn’t have to tell y’all why this track is so good. It’s great as a song, but it’s also just a really good story. It’s crazy how Eminem basically made such a good song that the name “Stan” took on a whole new meaning. It’s really an iconic track. You don’t wanna be like Stan. I hate stans. I hate them so, so much. Do I even really have to say anything about this track? What are the chances that anybody reading this hasn’t heard the song already? Everybody knows why the song is great. I think it’s one of the most well written Hip Hop songs ever created. The beat’s good, and the hook from Dido is pretty solid too. I love the way it all comes together on the final verse from Eminem’s perspective. I remember playing this song in the car once. I think it was my mom’s first time hearing it. When it ended, she said “woah” out loud. I don’t know why I remember that. Anyway, I think it’s a perfect song. It’s dope af.

4. Paul (Skit)

This is a completely unnecessary 11 second long skit in which Paul Rosenberg says nothing of importance. There’s zero reason to discuss this track.

5. Who Knew produced by Dr. Dre & Mel-Man

This track isn’t as good as the first two songs in my opinion, but it’s still really good. Em’s basically combatting the idea that his music influences children to do fucked up things. I can’t really get behind some of the things he said in the first verse…

Take drugs, rape sluts
Make fun of gay clubs, men who wear make-up
Get aware, wake up; get a sense of humor
Quit tryin’ to censor music: this is for your kid’s amusement

The words themselves rhyme together really well, but he’s literally telling his listeners to be rapists. And I know he’s not serious, but I don’t really like the idea of kids laughing about rape. The hook is nothing special. I like the verses a lot, even though I can’t really get behind the quoted lyrics. The way Em flows is pretty mesmerizing to listen to. It’s a dope song. Again, I don’t think it’s as amazing as the first two songs, but it’s still pretty good.

6. Steve Berman (Skit)

This is a humorous skit in which the president of sales & marketing at Interscope Records basically tells Eminem to make poppier records because the album won’t sell. It leads pretty well into the next single.

7. The Way I Am produced by Eminem

I’ve never really considered Eminem to be that great of a producer, but the beat on this track is actually really good. Em’s flow on this song is really unique, and I love how pissed off he sounds. The hook’s really good too. It really sticks in your head. This is probably the best beat Em’s ever produced. I don’t really have any problems with this track. It was remixed by Ace Hood on his third Body Bag mixtape, which turned out pretty well. It’s another really great song. I don’t like it quite as much as the first two songs, but I think it’s better than the previous one. It’s dope af.

8. The Real Slim Shady produced by Dr. Dre & Mel-Man

The beat on this track is pretty great, and the hook is actually really catchy too. This single is a lot more playful and lighthearted than the previous track, which had a very angry tone. I really don’t have much to say about this track. It’s pretty similar to the other songs structurally. The three verses are really good. There’s not really any aspect of the song that I dislike. I think it’s dope af.

9. Remember Me? featuring RBX & Sticky Fingaz produced by Dr. Dre & Mel-Man

This track definitely has one of the most underwhelming Dre beats I’ve ever heard. It’s not bad at all, but it’s definitely not that great. It’s pretty average. I think it was pretty cool of Em to go back in time and get these forgotten old school rappers for this track. The first verse from RBX isn’t anything special, but I liked his delivery a lot. Sticky Fingaz fuckin’ snapped. His verse is awesome. It’s really a toss up between him and Eminem for who had the best verse. Apparently Em rewrote his verse after hearing Sticky Fingaz’s verse. They both slaughtered this song. It’s a good thing RBX went first because his contribution really pales in comparison. Anyway, this is a really awesome song overall. I think it’s dope af.

10. I’m Back produced by Dr. Dre & Mel-Man

This is one of the best songs on the album in my opinion. The beat from Dre & Mel-Man is really dope, and Em ripped the verses to shreds. There’s really not a single aspect of this track that I dislike. Even the hook is catchy as hell. It’s kind of a long song, but it doesn’t feel like it overstays its welcome. I kinda wish the lines about Columbine weren’t censored. I get why they got taken out, but I’m personally not really offended by it. It was a relatively recent incident when this album dropped though, so it makes sense that it was censored. Anyway, I think this song is awesome. I have no complaints. It’s dope af.

11. Marshall Mathers produced by Eminem & The Bass Brothers

This is yet another fantastic song. I’m not really crazy about the sung hook, but it’s not really bad. Just like with every other song on the album, Em’s spittin’ his motherfuckin’ ass off on this track. The instrumental’s a bit softer than the other beats on the album. It’s dope though. I love the diss to the Insane Clown Posse on the second verse. He did that elementary school shit where you change the person’s name to something stupid. Nas did it when he called Jay-Z “Gay-Z.”

Faggy 2 Dope and Silent Gay

I love when artists do that honestly. Drake should’ve called Pusha T “Pussy T” in the Duppy Freestyle. Anyway, this is another phenomenal song. The beat’s dope, and Em killed the verses. It’s dope af.

12. Ken Kaniff (Skit)

This was a really disturbing skit to listen to honestly. It’s the sound of the members of ICP sucking Ken Kaniff’s giant throbbing cock. I’m pretty sure Ken Kaniff is just a made up character by Eminem. This was a pretty good way to diss ICP, but it was really hard to listen to for me.

13. Drug Ballad featuring Dina Rae produced by Eminem & The Bass Brothers

The beat on this song is decent. I’m not really crazy about the background vocals from Dina Rae, but they’re not really bad. Lyrically, this song is an ode to substance abuse. Em’s rhyming is fuckin’ awesome on this track. The hook could be better, but it’s not bad enough to ruin the song. This is definitely my least favorite track on the album so far, but it’s still pretty good. I just don’t really like the poppier sound it has. It’s still a good song though. I fuck with it. It’s dope.

14. Amityville featuring Bizarre produced by Eminem & The Bass Brothers

This is an alright song. The beat’s better than that of the previous track. The hook’s really goddamn annoying though. Bizarre’s verse was wack as hell too. I’ve always thought Bizarre was a terrible rapper. It’s not even that I’m offended by his outrageous Horrorcore lyrics; I just think his flow and delivery are wack. The final verse from Em was pretty good, but it’s not dope enough to save the song in my opinion. This track is mediocre to me. I’d probably like it if it weren’t for the hook and featured verse from Bizarre. It’s not for me though.

15. Bitch Please II featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit & Nate Dogg produced by Dr. Dre & Mel-Man

This song is awesome. I have no issues with this track. I think it has one of the best beats on the album. The original Bitch Please song appeared on Snoop Dogg’s 4th album, No Limit Top Dogg. You can tell from the way Dre is rapping on this track that his verse was ghostwritten by Eminem. That’s for the best though. Snoop’s verse was decent, and the hook from Nate Dogg is really dope too. Xzibit killed it, but Em definitely had the best verse in my opinion. Well, maybe I shouldn’t say “definitely.” X’s verse was awesome. Anyway, I have no problems with this track. It’s dope af.

16. Kim produced by The Bass Brothers

This is definitely the most intense song on the album. I think this is a standout track for most listeners, but I’m gonna be honest; I can’t really fuck with it. I mean, I kinda like the song, but it’s not really something I can go back to and enjoy casually. It’s mood music for me. I always thought the idea of this song coming on shuffle while having sex was hilarious. That would kill the mood so quickly. The song is just Em being a psycho abusive monster who murders his girlfriend. I think it’s a really well written and produced song, but it’s not something I’d ever choose to listen to again. It’s definitely above average though. I kinda fuck with it. Not really though.

17. Under the Influence performed by D12 produced by Eminem & The Bass Brothers

This is another great song. The beat is dope, and Em killed the first verse. I haven’t heard too much music from D12, but I know they can all rap their asses off. Except for Bizarre. All the verses on this track were really dope… Except for Bizarre’s. Seriously, the dude just sucks. Proof fuckin’ killed it though. He probably had my second favorite verse behind Em. The beat gets kinda old after a while, and Bizarre’s verse sucked, but aside from that this is another really good song. I fuck with this track. It’s dope.

18. Criminal produced by Eminem & The Bass Brothers

This track is a great closer, and is one of the best songs on the album. Em knew he had to go out with a bang, and he definitely did. I love how upbeat the production is. The opening lines in the first verse are super homophobic, but honestly Em’s rapping is so good on this track that I don’t even care. I didn’t even mind the skit right before the final verse in which he robs the bank. This is another amazing song. It’s dope af.

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This album is really great. If you’re like me and you enjoy listening to rappers who really spit their asses off, you’re fuckin’ up if you haven’t heard this album before. Eminem seriously annihilated every single verse on this album. Even the songs I wasn’t crazy about were better than the average rapper’s best songs. There’s not a consistent flaw on this project. I do think the quality took a slight dip after the Ken Kaniff skit, but it wasn’t too bad. I’m glad I finally got this review outta the way because I’m not that familiar with what came between this album and its sequel. I’m looking forward to hearing his less popular work. Anyway, this album is super dope. I fuck with it.

Favorite Song: I’m Back
Least Favorite Song: Amityville

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