Eminem”s new album, “The Marshall Mathers LP 2,” comes out today. In addition to receiving primarily strong reviews, the album is expected to be one of the year”s top sellers, with opening week sales projections to be as high as 750,000, according to Billboard.
That will give “MMLP2” the second-highest sales week of the year, behind Justin Timberlake”s “The 20/20 Experience,” which sold 968,000 copies. Eminem”s first week numbers should easily eclipse the current second-place holder, Drake”s “Nothing Was the Same,” which sold 658,000 in its opening frame.
It”s been 14 years since Eminem”s major label debut, “The Slim Shady LP,” arrived (that will be his only studio album not to reach No. 1, by the way) and he”s captivated and repulsed listeners ever since, but he”s never bored us. Many superstar rappers such as Kayne West, Kendrick Lamar and Drake have come after him, but he’s still at the top of his game.
Here are the top 5 reasons why Eminem still matters:
1. His delivery: Just listen to any number of Eminem”s songs, including the tongue-in-cheek “Rap God” on the new album. It”s dizzying to hear how quickly, cleanly and smoothly he raps. He has a dexterity and flow that many other rappers don”t (though Kendrick Lamar gives him a good run for his money on “Love Game.”). Even if you don”t like what he”s saying, it”s often astonishing to hear how well he says it.
2. He”s not afraid to show his vulnerability: Many rappers are more concerned with showing their swagger and their invincibility, whereas Eminem really puts it out there just how severely screwed up he is…and people respond to that. Yes, his homophobic and misogynistic comments can get tiresome (even if you buy, as he insists, that he”s merely playing a persona), but the one thing that is very clear: he saves his greatest amount of vitriol and loathing for himself.
3. He is a great rap lyricist: While some folks would say Nas or Jay Z are rap”s best lyricists (and Tupac was its No. 1 poet), Eminem definitely comes out at the very top. Yes, plenty of what he says is puerile, but his mind works in a fascinating pattern. As he says in “Legacy,” it”s as if he”s linking crossword puzzles.
4. He can write both beats and melodies: This, of course, is not a trait that a number of other rappers don”t share, but Eminem just seems to have a better sense of melody than others. And while he”s not the strongest singer, he also is among the elite group of rappers who can sing as well as rap.
5. He lets his music do the talking: Part of Eminem”s appeal is that he doesn”t care about being a celebrity. If anything, he wants to be left alone. Some of that may have been because of his substance issues, but if we hear something about his personal life (yes, we’re talking to you, Kanye), it”s certainly not because he”s let it out. In this age of oversharing, it”s a relief.