After the release of the fairly mediocre Infinite (which, contrary to my expectations, I actually enjoyed less on my re-listen for the review), Eminem decided that he was going to need something a bit more interesting to work with for his next project. A white guy rapping about positivity with a flow stolen from AZ and Nas over some generic poppy beats from Denaun Porter wasn't cutting it for the general public, and with artists such as Busta Rhymes and Redman on the scene making wildly zany music to capture the attention of hip-hop heads, Em was going to need to find a way to stand out.
Enter: Slim Shady.
Slim Shady was a ridiculous character that Eminem created to try and come across as an edgy maniac, and therefore appeal much more to his target listeners, who wanted something a bit different from the basic flows and lyrics that Infinite had (although I will admit that the rhyme schemes on that album were bloody impressive). Of course, anger at the shitty world he had been born into also played a part in the making of this character, we can't forget that. So, what to do with this alter ego? Well, Em got straight to work writing from the perspective of Slim, and what came out of it was an eight track EP released in 1997 into the Detroit underground. Slim Shady EP. The album that got Em recognised by Dr. Dre.
As a huge Eminem fan for many years, I saw Slim Shady EP as an incredibly important release, but also one that I didn't listen to a whole lot because the idea of actually buying a physical copy of this album was similar to throwing all of my money into a waterfall in return for six songs and two skits that weren't even that phenomenal in the first place. I mean, have you seen how much this thing goes for? Not having a CD of this project meant I didn't listen to it a huge amount even in my Eminem phase, and outside of my Eminem phase it's been pretty much forgotten to me. Since I'm doing these discographies in order, though, I've gotta re-listen to this project, and I'm actually looking forward to going back into this thing. The cover is great, and from what I remember this is a pretty quick and easy listen, albeit an incredibly entertaining one at the same time.
So, sit back and relax, as I dissect the very first ever outing of the character we would come to know and love as Slim Shady.
1. Slim Shady (Intro) (prod. Eminem)
Incredibly intriguing intro which also serves to explain what the fuck is going on in the album cover. This is probably the best opening skit in the entire Eminem catalogue, which is pretty crazy considering on this album he had no budget or actors or anything. The only one that even comes close is "Dr. West".
2. Low Down, Dirty (prod. Da Brigade, co-prod. Denine Porter)
Holy fuck the transition into this track from the last is good. This track is known for being the introduction of Slim Shady, but I mostly remember it for having a chorus that's pretty much a huge homage to Redman (one of my favourite MC's of all time, and one of the most underrated) with a little Notorious B.I.G. sample thrown in there too. I mean, not only do they sample a line from Red's "Soopaman Luva 3" on here, but Eminem also repeats a couplet from Red's "Rated "R"" for the other half of the chorus. Pretty interesting stuff. Anyway, the song itself is pretty great despite this, even if this doesn't seem to be quite as shocking as I know a lot of the other songs on here are. Eminem's lyrical ability seems even better here than it was on Infinite, and his personality shines through more too, even if his vocals sound like they were recorded in a sports hall they're so echoey. The beat from Da Brigade and Mr. Porter is also really stellar, and kind of reminds me of that on the title track from the last album, which is a good thing. This is a great way to open the album, and I very much appreciate any kind of love shown for Redman. I mean, that guy is a legend.
3. If I Had... (prod. DJ Rec)
Big fans of Eminem will know that half of the actual songs here went on to appear on Eminem's next album, his major label debut The Slim Shady LP. What's interesting is that two of them would have completely different instrumentals, meaning "If I Had..." is the only song that made it onto The Slim Shady LP completely unchanged from its form on here. For some reason I always used to dislike this song, but listening now I'm not sure why - the beat's not very interesting, sure, but Em's rhymes certainly are, and that chorus is absolutely iconic. I'll probably leave more thoughts on this one when I go on to do my review of The Slim Shady LP though, so stay tuned for that.
4. Just Don't Give A Fuck (prod. Denine Porter)
The original version of this song, before it was re-produced to be released as a single in 1998, and then that version was added to The Slim Shady LP in 1999. This beat definitely isn't as good as the one that replaced it in my opinion, as it doesn't feel as dirty or gritty, and instead feels like creepy abandoned theme park music, but it's still alright and sets a decent mood for this creepy song. The rapping itself is aggressive and brutal, and is probably one of Em's best performances ever besides one or two slightly over-the-top lyrics - his flows are also on point, and unlike on most of Infinite he seems to be focusing on actual lyrical content here rather than just dope rhyme schemes. Again, I'll go more in-depth on this one when I review Em's proper debut, but man I've got to note how good this shit is.
5. Mommy
A skit consisting of the sound of Eminem dragging someone's body into his boot (or as you Americans call it, "trunk"). This leads directly into the next song.
6. Just the Two Of Us (prod. DJ Head)
The original version of a song that would go on to be titled "'97 Bonnie & Clyde", and similar to "Just Don't Give a Fuck", this version of the song with a different beat doesn't work as well as the later rendition of the track. I just really dislike the beat here, and I think it's pretty obvious that the version which appeared on The Slim Shady LP had an instrumental that far better fit the tone of the track. That said, this song is still a masterpiece, and one of the darkest and most creative songs in the entire Eminem catalogue. Don't believe me? Just listen to it! Not this version, though - the 1999 one's a lot better.
7. No One's Iller (feat. Swift, Bizarre Kid & Fuzz) (prod. DJ Head)
For those that had heard The Slim Shady LP before checking this EP out (read: literally everyone), this would be the second completely new track after the first song, and it's worth the wait, as this early D12 posse cut is grimy, brutal, and emphasizes the implied nature of the group far more than both of their solo albums could ever hope to (even if neither of those were actually bad in my opinion). Swifty McVay starts this one off with a stellar verse that pretty much consists of dissing rival rappers in various ways, while Bizarre is surprisingly still completely ridiculous and vulgar, even this early in his career. That said, his verse here is actually pretty dope outside some of the more horrific imagery, and it honestly makes me want to check out his 1997 EP. That said, I still think Eminem has the best performance on the track, with a great verse that incorporates lines such as "new Lugz, that give the crew hugs, guzzle two mugs / before I do drugs that make me throw up like flu bugs". Oh, and Fuzz kinda ruins the end of the song by spending most of his verse talking about gay anal sex, but oh well - it doesn't take away from the fact that this is a fucking great track overall.
8. Murder, Murder (prod. DJ Rec)
The final song on this EP features a poignant instrumental suitable for closing things out on - the drums on here actually remind me of those on Em's later hit "Like Toy Soldiers". However, since Em has gone full Slim Shady on this project, there's no somber reflections to be found on this track, but instead two tales of murder that both end badly for him - in the first, he's shot and killed by police, and in the second he's surrounded by the pigs. Admittedly, most rappers wouldn't admit to being caught in their crimes, but then again most rappers aren't late '90s Eminem. I wouldn't say this beat is one of my absolute favourites here, but I think Eminem's storytelling makes it worthwhile, and the scratching on the chorus is also a great touch. This is a dope song.
While Slim Shady EP is a very short listen, it still serves as pretty much the perfect introduction to Eminem's alter ago, bringing the mania, great ear for beats, and more mania that the character was known for. This project, first of all, is a huge, huge step above Infinite - there isn't a single bad song to be found here, and furthermore, the highs of this project are better than the highs on Em's previous work - "Low Down, Dirty", "Just Don't Give a Fuck", "Just the Two Of Us" and "No One's Iller" are four absolute bangers that also have some of Em's most creative lines and concepts. And two of these were so good that he had to include them on his major label debut, albeit with slightly different beats since the ones on here sounded like carousel music. To be honest, though, the other two songs have some of the best beats I've heard Eminem rap over full stop - I love the underground, bass-filled sound, and I think Em and his fellow rappers compliment these styles very well. And bringing it to Eminem himself, his rapping on here is more charismatic and creative than ever before, and I think here is where he decided that he could sacrifice some of the crazy rhyme schemes on Infinite in exchange for having more interesting lyrical content, and it pays off well. In my opinion, this is Eminem's first truly great project, and what makes it better is that he would soon even further improve on this with some of his major label work. It's no wonder that this is the tape that made Dr. Dre sign a random white boy from the Midwest - it's fucking great.
Best Tracks: Low Down Dirty, Just Don't Give a Fuck, Just the Two Of Us, No One's Iller
Worst Tracks: honestly, none. Even the skits are great!
Catch up on Eminem here, and be sure that there's a lot more to come about him too!
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