The “My Name Is” MC has released his ninth studio album on Dec. 15 after a four-year hiatus. Eminem’s album came after the release of his singles “Walk on Water” featuring Beyoncé and “River” featuring Ed Sheeran. It has been anticipated ever since last year and recieved more hype after his freestyle at the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards, which criticized President Donald Trump. The album consists of 19 tracks and is star-studded with Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Pink, Alicia Keys and Skylar Grey.
He holds nothing back from America’s racial tensions, to his displeasure of President Donald Trump, his self-doubts and apologizing to his daughter. “Walk on Water” explores his self-doubt in his music saying, “Why, are expectations so high?/Is it the bar I set?/My arms, I stretch, but I can’t reach.” He understands his placement in hip-hop royalty, but feels uncertain on whether he can maintain his dominance in music with every song he makes.
His “Untouchable” track tackles racial injustice in America and does it in the perspective of a racist white police officer and black people. Eminem gives a narrative of a police officer who is racially profiling a black man saying to him, “Probably comin’ from the dope house/We could let you slide but your tail light is blew, out/We know you’re hidin’ that Heidi Klum.” Then for his final verse, Eminem narrates the daily thoughts of black people when interacting with police as he states, “The block is our backyards, officers, not the crack spot/Call the attack dogs off of us, man.”
The final two tracks, “Castle” and “Arose,” resemble his past hit song “Stan” as sounds of paper being written and ripped up are heard. These songs are letters to his daughter where he apologizes for all the mistakes he has made like overdosing on methadone. In “Arose,” he is overcoming his addiction and at the end of the song, the sound of a flushing toilet is heard to show he is literally flushing not only drugs, but his problems away.
This album displays Eminem’s social awareness and brings a side of him that listeners have not seen before. There are mixed reviews on whether having a conscious Eminem is taking away his creativity and punchlines that have made him one of the greatest rappers of all time. Eminem has switched up his entire perspective from cynical and personal to all knowing and a dad-like lecture narrative. I had mixed emotions and still can’t see why he went the way he did for his album. I appreciate his social awareness, but came away disappointed on the album’s makeup. A conscious Eminem isn’t what we need from him. A strong delivery, lyricism and evidence of the title of the greatest rapper alive is what listeners want. I don’t want lazy bars filling up a song, but creative ones which make you do a double take, like this one, “My competition can’t see me — ’cause I don’t own a mirror.”