The Best of Marshall: Eminem’s First Five Albums Ranked
With the release of his new album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), we’re looking back and ranking Slim Shady’s first five studio LPs.
Eminem just dropped his 12th album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), and we decided this was a great time to look back with a discerning eye at his first albums. Em has come a long way, starting as an underground rapper cutting his teeth on the battle circuit in the ‘90s. His patience and commitment to his craft would pay off, as he became one of the most successful and skilled rappers ever, with a vast and far-reaching influence that is still relevant today. Looking at his first five albums, Okayplayer ranks them in order of greatness and analyzes Em’s output as we go along.
(5) 'Encore' (2004)
At this point, Eminem is already one of the greatest and most successful rappers of all time. Unfortunately, Encore sounded like Eminem was losing his sense of direction. The album starts well enough, with personal songs like “Evil Deeds” and “Yellow Brick Road,” and even the very poignant recap of his many beefs on “Like Toy Soldiers.” But it quickly derails, with songs like “Rain Man,” “Big Weenie” and “Ass Like That,” where he purposely strings together nonsensical rhymes and attempts at shock value that fall flat. The production is also very uninspired, like far less interesting retreads of beats Eminem rapped on in the past. What’s most frustrating about Encore is Eminem’s technical skills haven't diminished, but his balance between substance and frivolity is off, making the album seem like he didn’t care anymore. The album pretty much limps to the finish, and never really figures out what it wants to convey.
(4) 'The Eminem Show' (2002)
A reference to the 1998 Jim Carrey-led film The Truman Show, where the main character’s life is a widely-shared reality show that he isn’t aware of, The Eminem Show was Eminem turning the camera around. Now known for his controversies in and out of the studio, whether it’s rap beef or his ongoing issues with Kim Mathers and his mom, Em almost seems exhausted here. Opening with “White America,” where he shares that he feels he’s always focused on because he’s the controversial voice of the youth, Em stares within himself on this album. The pace of this album is slow, with Eminem handling most of the production duties as he takes stock of his career as both a celebrity and an MC. The very gimmicky “Without Me” is an attempt to call back to Slim Shady levels of commercial success, but it feels like something he uses to sweeten the taste of his more personal music on The Eminem Show. Two of the album's biggest hits, “Sing For The Moment” and “Cleaning Out My Closet” are deeply introspective, with the former featuring Em being honest about the impact of rap on fans, and the latter being an extended vent session of all his traumas and shortcomings. The album isn’t bad, it’s just a heavy listen.
(3) 'Infinite' (1996)
First albums are a place for artists to sort through their creative identity and find their sound. On Eminem’s debut album, Infinite, the heavy Nas influence is apparent, from his flows and cadences, lyrics, and subject matter. Infinite is mostly about Em’s strife and attempts to break out of poverty, with some fun in between. Even with Eminem so directly emulating an artist who was already becoming a legend, the fact that he could even emulate one of the most skilled MCs of all time shows promise. His sound is grimy, but the lyrical performances he puts on, especially in songs like the title track and “313,” show that Eminem always had a spark.
(2) 'The Slim Shady LP' (1999)
Eminem’s second album and first major label release, 1999’s The Slim Shady LP, is where his star turn began. Trading in the slower, lo-fi sounds of Infinite for a zanier, shock value-laden style (and his new alter-ego, Slim Shady), Eminem went from a talented underground rapper to a convincing rap superstar in just 3 years. The production is better here, thanks to Dr. Dre and being signed to Interscope Records, and the album has an upbeat, commercial polish. The mega-hit lead single “My Name Is” only really sums up half of the album’s style; Eminem shares a lot of his personal life, like “Brain Damage,” which is about his rough and abusive childhood, and the disturbing “97 Bonnie & Clyde,” a revenge fantasy where he takes his daughter with him and murders the mother of his child. Em is still clearly an incredible rapper at this time, but he waters it down, slowing down how quickly he raps and using less complicated rhyme schemes, leading to worldwide appeal.
(1) 'The Marshall Mathers LP' (2000)
The Marshall Mathers LP is the album that made Eminem a superstar. What jumps out of the speakers about this go-round is Eminem’s hooks and songwriting leaped; the songs are structured so much better than his previous work. The tone on MMLP is noticeably darker, including the album’s two huge hits, “Stan” and “The Way I Am,” with the former painting a picture of an obsessive fan that has become a major part of the entertainment lexicon. “The Way I Am” is Em pushing back at the negative attention he gets for his lifestyle and the things he says, and it only makes him more popular. There are fewer moments where Eminem just flexes how technical of a rapper he is, but when he does flip that switch, it’s incredible, as he did on “I’m Back” and “Who Knew.” Toss in how he shined on the west coast posse cut “Bitch Please II,” and this album was a great showing from rap’s next superstar. He did catch flack for the highly disturbing “Kim,” where he verbally abuses then kills his wife of the same name, then he ends the album with “Criminal,” where he reiterates that he’s just rapping and doesn’t do the things he portrays.
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