ARTIST - EMINEM

CD – RELAPSE

GENERA – Rap

LABEL – INTERSCOPE RECORDS

RELEASE DATE – May, 19 2009.

SOUNDS LIKE – Dr. Dre, Ludikris, 2-Pac

DEFINING MOMENTS – Crack a Bottle, We Made You, Medicine Ball,

STRENGTH – High production value, masterful rap flows, rap characterization diversity

WEAKNESS – Lacks substance, shock and awe rap  

KATAVI RATING - 4 out of 7 masks

If you look up the word Relapse in the dictionary it means to get worse, backslide, or fail to maintain a higher state. It’s kind of like taking 10 steps backwards. It’s been nearly 15 years since some kid named Marshall burst onto the scene. Who could forget back in 1999 Marshall Mathers LP went on to be one of the most popular albums of 1999. But alot can change in 10 years. Eminem is now 37. Would he somehow reinvent himself like fellow rapper Ice Cube and make family movies? Or would he have some sort of musical relapse?

The CD logs on at just over 76 minutes and kicks off with an apocalyptic skit intro “Dr. West” a conversation between a Doctor and Eminem about maintaining his sobriety. Track 2 slithers things off with “3.a.m.” an apocalyptic groove that delivers catchy rhymes against a pulsating baseline and hooky piano. Right from the start you get an idea of where were headed. Track 3 “My Mom” serves up catchy horns, and sassy profanity about being victimized by his mom spiking his food with valium. It’s kind of comical the way Eminen says the “F” word 17 times on this track. It’s almost like he’s trying to desensitize you for what lies ahead. Track 4 “Insane” takes you even deeper into Relapse with more shock rap served up with catchy rhymes, hooky keyboard accents and driving bass. This CD definitely has the signature Eminen aftertaste. It’s kind of a quirky in its flow, sometimes childish and obnoxious in its demeanor, but always dark. There are plenty of dark themes, violence, and gaudy topics throughout the CD. Just to give you a taste “Same Song and Dance” lyrics go - “Couple rape charges people think you’re a monster”  Track 10 “Medicine Ball” – “Drop kick the bitch before her second trimester”, yeah you get the idea. 60 minutes into it and you feel like your watching a Jerry Springer marathon. But despite the negativity there some glimmers of hope. “Beautiful” is by far the most honest and most revealing song on the CD. “We made you” features an over the top rap groove with catchy piano, big bass, and a Broadway style chorus from female vocalist Charmange Tripp. But my favorite song is “Crack a Bottle” a big top rap masterpiece, with an amazing chorus. The real magic of this piece is its triple threat rap delivery featuring Emnem, Dr. Dre and even Fifty Cent. The CD ends with “Underground” the finale piece with sinister apocalyptic choir, and lyrics that pretty much sum up the entire CD perfectly - “Tell the critics I’m back and I’m comin.” Now that’s a rap wrap.

I’m also not an advocate for censorship, putting muzzles on artists or anything like that. But when the smoke clears from Relapse I keep asking myself, at the age of 37 what does Eminen stand for? What’s his message? Where’s the musical legacy in Relapse? You can release a hard core rap CD and still have substance. Unfortunately Relapse is nothing more than “shock and awe” rap straight in your mouth, now swallow.

What it lacks in substance, Relapse makes up for in production value. The music is well produced, the mixes are legendary, the rap flows are masterful. Even though many of the songs are disturbing and extremely gaudy in nature, each one possesses a unique personality. The songs are short and sweet, and at over 75 minutes of music, it’s fully loaded. Eminem’s also delivers amazing rap diversity. On some songs he uses an Irish accent like Everlast, while on other songs he sounds almost Egyptian, or Jamaican. It’s a touch of artistic brilliance from Eminem to deliver such a widely spaced later ego. Relapse may not be Eminems strongest record, but it’s without a doubt his most darkest. If you can handle all the gaudiness, the shock value, the excessive profanity, and all it’s meaningless, then you should take 10 steps backwards with Relapse. 

My overall rating - 4 out of 7 masks.
 

Cyrus Rhodes - 6/12/09

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