DUBCC - Tha Connection > Outbound Connection
EMINEM - RELAPSE (Official Discussion)
Bch:
WTF IS A CRITIC ANYWAY? A CRITIC IS SOMEBODY WHO CANT DO WHAT YOU DO SO THEY WANNA CRITICIZE YO SHIT !! - Martin Lawrence
if any of you would have an ounce of the talent that dr dre has as a producer, we'd know who you are by now.
LodiDodi:
--- Quote from: Stinger on May 07, 2009, 08:26:38 PM ---
--- Quote from: Action! on May 07, 2009, 07:15:39 PM ---The only reason Dre's production on The Documentary was so fine was it being made for a version of Detox and Game getting the leftovers after the project got scrapped. And, as it goes, 3 of them were originally 50's but that's besides the point because the og intent was for Detox, not Game. That said, Dre did fine with this release. He delivered the goods and had a cohesive product.
--- Quote ---Lyrical/creative analysis
Relapse begins with Dr.West. We're dropped into Marshall Mather's checking out of Rehab for his abuse of alcohol and pills. Marshall is having a conversation with Dr.West concerning his concerns of relapsing into addiction post-rehab and controlling himself through the 12-step program. He is encouraged by Dr.West to give into drugs to get through his worries. As the pressure builds on Marshall Dr.West transforms into an alter ego. It is his devil that is unleashed. An alarm clock rings, it's a nightmare.
He wakes up at 3 AM. The door is unlocked, Marshall has relapsed, and is now Slim Shady. The usual dosage of grotesque depictions of violence occurs as Shady describes his memory murder. A review of Marshall's experiences with addictions are included prior to relapsing are included. He's up late at night, can't sleep, and wishes to sleep so he returns to his drugs. 3 AM tracks the transformation from Marshall to Slim Shady; by the third verse Shady is in full mode.
He takes us back to the beginning, to the days of his youth, to the day when his addiction began. This act is part of the 12 steps. One must admit they're addicted, that they're powerless. He tells us that through his Mother actions that that he exists today but that despite the outside circumstances he is no different then his Mother. This is less of a critique as it is more of a review. There is no hatred for his mother, only the realizition that this is how events in his life went down, this is how he became who he is today.
The story of his past continues as Shady tells us of the rape he received as a child from his step-father. Always aware of the gossip, on the chorus Shady addresses those who wonder about his mental state. He continues to face what has haunted him.
Shady then focuses the light on the thoughts that race through his head today: failed relationships, hatred and jealousy, and insecurities about accepatance. He demonstrates that he is Shady and he is insane. He gives in to the perceptions.
His continued desires to be accepted are expressed on Hello. Another source of why he turns to addictions are described - women. Tonya transitions the story of external problems from his past to his issues with females.
Shady's past experiences with relationships are described on Same Song & Dance. We Made You continues as a lighter variation of Same Song & Dance, this time focusing on female celebrities.
Medicine Ball continues the tale of addiction and how Shady constantly attacks the world as if it were his playtoy. This all roots from the belief that people have got to hate him.
Paul comes in as a voice of reason, he comes in as the perception of us the audience. Shady responds to the critique by telling the world to accept it, this is who he is, it's a part of Marshall, and dares the audience to delve into the sick thoughts within on Stay Wide Awake. He continues to appeal to this recommendation on the next track Old Time's Sake. The track also begins to address another addiction - Weed. Must Be The Ganga confirms the depth of his addiction.
Mr.Mathers continues to tell us that Mathers has been gone on this cd and Shady has only existed. We know why, Marshall overdosed on medication that he used to try to fall asleep. Deja Vu is no longer Shady. Eminem is back and he tells the story of his recent addiction until his overdose. During the track Shady is present but is underneath as a whisper.
Marshall comes out and tells us his truth on Beautiful. He reviews his career, his position in life, his current actions, his thoughts, and his fears. It's his truth without the devil, without Shady. He's told us his story in the past 16 tracks - his you, his alter ego, his addictions. Marshall knows all this but it doesn't matter, this is therapy. It doesn't matter that he's said this already, that he's expressed his contempt for his mother, his hatred for the world, his desrive to be accepted - none of this matters. This is Marshall Mathers. You are are you. This is what he wants to do. You do what you want to do. He's being himself.
Crack a Bottle is the celebration of this realization, of being yourself, of his career and what he has done. His therapy is nearly done. He has made it through his post-rehab phase. Eminem is ready to come back so he visits Steve Berman. Berman is the audience who's waited for Eminem, who's tired of his antics - Berman represents the world outside of Marshall.
Underground concludes the album. Eminem is back to form. He resorts back into his battle flow, his crazy rhymes, his passion, and he's ready to prove the world he's back. He's admitted to his story and he even makes fun of his own material via Ken Kannif - We Made You's corniness and poppiness is made fune of.
--- End quote ---
In conclusion of this lyrical analysis, honesty and self-expression is why I dig Encore and it's why I dig Relapse. It's all deliberately planed out. It's the story of Marshall Mather/Eminem/Slim Shady. A story is told of part of what he's been up to the in the past couple of years. His accents are on purpose, his lack of emotion on tracks is on purpose. They all serve to be part of the collective whole. That's why I dig this. It's not just a collection of random tracks that sound hot like on most albums.
As do the beats match what's being spit? I would say yeah they do. Even those more manufactured towards consumer appeal such as We Made You are picked at via Ken Kannif.
True, other artists would have done something different but Eminem made it his own. That's why I dig this shit. He only presents what he knows and doesn't tell us otherwise. He doesn't rap as if he's slinging weight or packing heat or as the hot headed Shady he used to be. He even know the material itself is kind of contrived and tells us this but he doesn't care because it's something he has to go through, this is how he wants to be represented.
I say it's as good as Encore. I'll stick with my og score of 6.5/7 out of ten. Why? I don't know. Lack of re-playability for one. But it's still all dope.
--- End quote ---
I read this and then listend to the album. Shit makes sense. And pretty much says this album isn't as good as relapse 2 will be. Well i can hope.
--- End quote ---
Good analysis, I was thinking as I heard it that it's a concept album of some sort. I was also going to address that maybe the whole use of the "accent" was due to an identity crisis/split personality angle thrown into the concept. Who knows, if I'm not mistaken the closer "Underground" does not feature the accent? I don't remember. But if so, then maybe there will be no accent on Relapse 2, and it was only on this album because it had something to do with the concept.
Stinger:
I hope the industry copies his formula of ONLY a guest or 2. Not 10+
Action!:
--- Quote from: Matty on May 08, 2009, 08:15:59 AM ---i love how there is so much defensiveness against any negative opinions. discounting the trolls and general stupidity, it's obvious that people are literally STARVED for some good music.
i won't front - from an instrumental viewpoint this isn't a complete fuck up (although personally i'm not that impressed) but that is a terrible argument for the album being good. dre is supposed to be a PRODUCER, not a beat maker and lets face it, more than half of this album is unlistenable due to eminem fucking it up. that seems to be the concensus too.
will relapse 2 be encore part 3? i wouldn't bet against it.
and that 'same song and dance' track is really terrible, a bad look for dawaun parker.
--- End quote ---
You're accusations to those that defend the music or provide counter points to why Relapse isn't bad is that we're starved for quality music? Come on, you're not giving us enough credit. Starved? That's laughable. Maybe! Just maybe we don't think his vocal and his content is terrible. Maybe we - now I'm transition from we to I - I actually think this is a quality release. The same way I think Encore wasn't terrible. I think it's a dope concept record about his past couple years of his life.
When I read some of the critics complaints about his content I'm convinced they're not listening to the songs. A lot of the critics focus on something such as his comments on Christopher Reeves but they miss the message and overall point to the song. There's a focus on individual tracks compared to the comprehensive whole - which is fine, to be able to put a track on repeat is nice but not all music is supposed to be that way.
Then the argument that another rapper could've done justice to the beat better. Um, right! That could be said nearly for any beat.
Meho:
I've just read that analysis. Very interesting indeed. It's a sick concept on the other hand it could be just something an Eminem groupie came up with to justify several tracks. We'll see if it's true once Relapse 2 drops. I still don't see the reason for accent though, he could just leave it at bizzare lyrics and it would be much better.
But if it's true, that's a great concept.
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