Customer Reviews

The Slim Shady LP (Limited Edition)

5 star:		(709)
4 star:		(156)
3 star:		(43)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(135)

 

 

'The Slim Shady' LP is one of those albums that you have to let grow on you. It took quite a few listens before this sunk in with me. This album isn't as catchy, or bouncy or as fun as his other stuff. Some of the tracks on this CD just get downright depressing. And that's the beauty of it. This album was written and produced before anyone knew who Eminem was (hard to believe there was such a time) and touches on some pretty heavy stuff and explores Em's very disturbed imagination. Listening to this, it is easy to see why most people hate Eminem. In the span of the album, not only does he take responsibility for the O.J. Simpson murders, but on '97 Bonnie & Clyde,' he also murders his wife with the help of his infant daughter. So yes, it's pretty sick. But that's what makes Eminem so great. He's skilled in theatrics and at times creates what can only be described as audio-horror (Note the loop used for "Just Don't Give A F..." which sounds like something straight out of the 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'). Of course, not everything on here is meant to be shocking. Eminem comes across as extremely genuine on the self-describing 'Rock Bottom' and gives a little humor to a bad situation on 'If I Had.' Oddly enough, Dr. Dre only produced the three main singles off this album and they really stick out like a sore thumb. As much as I love Dr. Dre's music, you can't help but feel that this album would almost be better off without those three tracks. As it stands, this is definetly one of the best rap albums I own. It proves that rap doesn't have to be about strippers and money. Too bad most people view this as a pop album and see Eminem as some kind of comedian. Anyone who gets past the third track on this CD will see a whole new side of Eminem they never saw before.

The Slim Shady LP is an excellent album, but it's definitely NOT for everyone. One needs to see through the often shocking and possibly horrific lyrics to get the humor.

1)Public Service Announcement -- very funny intro to the entire album.

2)My Name Is -- I think everyone has heard this one before...

3)Guilty Conscience -- both Eminem and Dr. Dre do an awesome job on this track.

4)Brain Damage -- Excellent track, Eminem talks about his difficult childhood and takes the listeners into his life.

5)Paul -- Prelude to the Paul skit on Marshall Mathers LP

6)If I Had -- honest and heartfelt

7)97' Bonnie and Clyde -- one of the best tracks on the album IMO, but also one of the most disturbing. Not for people who don't like to hear about family murders. The track Kim from the Marshall Mathers LP is actually a prequal to this track, which is interesting.

8)B**** -- a funny skit about a girl's reaction after listening to this album.

9)Role Model -- a parody about people imitating whatever they see and whomever they idolize.

10)Lounge -- a very funny intro to the next track. Shows some of Eminem's vocal skills other than rapping...

11)My Fault -- another candidate for best track. The content is hilarious at times, although the entire song ends on a sad note.

12)Ken Kaniff -- this Kenneth Kaniff from Connecticut is pretty nasty...

13)Cum on Everybody -- resembles Drug Ballad on Marshall Mathers LP. An okay track, with a nice beat.

14)Rock Bottom -- Great track, takes the listeners into Eminem's mind when his life was extremely difficult. Shows his vulnerability and honesty.

15)Just Don't Give a -- nice beat and rhymes throughout the song.

16)Soap -- okay skit, not one of the best.

17)As the World Turns -- this is one of the weirder tracks IMO, but worth a listen.

18)I'm Shady -- dark humor in this song.

19)Bad Meets Evil -- I like the style of the song being embedded in the context of someone telling a story. Quite original.

20)Still Don't Give a -- better than its prelude, nice ending note to the whole album.

That's the Slim Shady LP for you... Enjoy the album!

What can I say about this CD. The term "White Rap" is a bit of an oxymoron. The sight of a white guy trying to be a rapper is usually enough to chill the blood. But look beyond the white rapper and you'll see a star in the making. Only future CDs will tell if this guy can make it into the realms of the Rapper's hall of fame. But I think he will make it. The only notable other white rap act being the Beastie Boys. Their debut album being still a favourite of mine. And much like the Beastie Boys, Eninem has taken a different approach to Rapping, that being witty, light hearted and begging to offend the easily offended. Thankfully Enimen has not tried to go down the Gangster Rapper route, as I think this should be left to such acts as Ice T, T-Pac and such, as they do it so well, and shouldn't be emulated by white rappers.

Enimem's flow in his lyric is pretty slick, with no real "cheesy" rhyming evident. And there is some real body to the words too, and they are generally funny in parts. And it must be said that he does go out to offend; though I think there is quite a bit of "tongue in cheek" going on in here. So if you don't like swearing and subject matter that is a bit sick (97' Bonnie & Clyde being one such song), maybe this isn't the CD for you. But if you find this CD offensive, I think you'll find most Rap offence, and maybe "Will Smith" is more appropriate. Though there is nothing wrong with Will's stuff, its just nice light music, you can play with the whole family around, and doesn't get the same reaction like the heavy side of rap does.

Like I've said, Enimem courts controversy. And such songs as "Role Model" is a direct challenge on that well-worn argument that "music, brain washes kids into doing things they shouldn't". But against all the potential controversial material, and swearing, this is a really funny and entertaining CD. It's one that you could play continuously, and could still find it enjoyable.

So to sum up. This is a great CD. And shows that maybe white guys can produce substantial rap music, which is humorous as well as original.

I am for the most part a very conservative person, and those who know me would probably never imagine that I am a devoted Eminem fan. When The Slim Shady LP came out in 1999, I heard a lot about it, but I had almost no exposure to the music itself. The only song I really heard at the time was the radio version of My Name Is, and that little ditty seemed to have "gimmick" written all over it. I expected Eminem to disappear from the music scene after a few months. I, like many people, was uninformed and wrongly dismissed this artist out of hand. Then, I actually listened to the man's music, and I soon realized that Eminem was in fact a musical genius. This first album is a little more bare-bones and gritty than The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show, but it is nonetheless nothing short of amazing. I am not exactly a big fan of rap or hip-hop, although I have wandered down those lanes a few times in my past, but Eminem actually transcends rap, creating a musical genre all his own that reaches out to even the most unlikeliest of places to win fans like me. Sure, the lyrics are explicit, but what I have come to realize is this: Eminem does not use the explicit lyrics to attract notoriety and sell albums; he uses explicit lyrics because he is expressing himself in a shockingly honest way, and what he gives us is his own version of truth and reality. He really does have something to say, and he says it in a way that speaks not only to the culture of the streets but also to boring conservative individuals like me.

I can't find a bad song on this album, although I'm not that fond of the Ken Kaniff sketch. Eminem does things with beats and rhymes that I have never heard anyone else do, using the very rhythm of his music as a further means of communicating his ideas and feelings. 97 Bonnie and Clyde is rightfully well-known, a song which addresses real issues that many people deal with every day; it's much more than a song about someone killing his wife. Guilty Conscience is a notable track, with Eminem and Dr. Dre playing devil and angel to folks encountering real, albeit, extreme situations. One of the greatest things about Emimen is his denial of himself as some kind of role model or superman; you can't pin him down to anything, as he shifts back and forth between a "don't do like I do" message (such as can be found in Role Model) and a celebration of the parents' nightmares he is creating. His life hasn't been easy, as he relates in Rock Bottom and further expounds upon in Brain Damage. As the World Turns is a great song with pop appeal, but my favorite has to be My Fault. Lounge, the preamble of My Fault, is just amazing because its Beach Boys-esque sound is quite unexpected and a perfect lead-in to what has to be the funniest song on the album. There's all kinds of variety here, including the designated "dance track" [Come] on Everybody. "Still Don't Give a" is the perfect ending to this emotionally complex diatribe of an album, summing up in the introductory words the very essence of Eminem.

There are many individuals who would never agree with me, but I truly think there is a little Eminem in all of us. As an introvert who tries to avoid conflict, I can't help but idolize Eminem for his fearlessness, boldness, and complete dedication to individualism. His reputation guarantees a legion of men and women who will never even consider listening to his music or consider him anything more than a moral cancer on the younger generations, but I think Eminem has already proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that he is a talented musician capable of influencing the music of today and tomorrow in ways that many people will probably never even realize. While I enjoy his next two albums a little bit more than this one, The Slim Shady LP serves as an absolutely crucial piece to the fascinating puzzle that is Eminem.

The first time I heard his 1st single "My Name Is" I wasn't too familar with Eminem but after buying the CD and listening to it throughly I couldn't get enough of it. With the help of D-12 (Dirty Dozen) and Dr. Dre this album is one of the best I have ever heard. The Public Service Annoucement gives you a fair warning of the lyrical excapades to come explaining that the events and suggestions that appear on this album are totally f**ked.

The infamious My Name Is is a bouncy almost pop track that will bring a smile to your face.

Dr Dre's voice has a role in this song were Em battles with his concious on weather to rob a liquor store, rape a 15 year old girl and kill his wife when she is caught cheating. Not reccomended for the shallow brained.

Along with several other interludes ans skits including the horrific 97 Bonnie and Clyde, Role Model and Just Don't give a f**k. This is a classic and deserves a spot at the front of your CD case!

I had bought the Marshall Mathers LP before this, mainly because a friend bought it during summer 2000, and I was very impressed. Remebering that he has a FIRST album, I picked this one right up. Boy, if you think the MM LP is messed up, wait till you hear this. There are some crazy themes in here, some more digusting than on MM. However, this album I feel had more put into it, because it was his debut. Lets look at the crazy world Slim made on this album:

PSA- Funnier than PSA 2000

My Name Is- A great track that started it all for him and shows some of the best work he has done

Guilty Conscience- Em and Dre both shine on this track and some of it is funny too (different than the single)

Brain Damage- One of the best tracks with a cool chorus. There is great rhyming here with tales of his young childhood

Paul- "Bunyan" Rosenburg shows us why MM's Paul skit is really very funny

If I Had- A slow and not all hardcore song about if he had a million dollers. Neat background vocals and overall pretty good.

97' Bonnie & Clyde- The tale of him killing his wife is told ominously and frighteningly. Some of this track is very funny but I usually don't need to hear about family murder.

B****- Funny skit about a teen girl hearing this album

Role Model- Another great track with witty, hardcore rhymes and an interesting beat. Funny chorus.

Lounge- Very funny skit which is a prelude to...

My Fault- A tale of Slim giving a girl (Susan) mushrooms and her dying because of it. It is treated as a comical song, but the end is emotional. Good beat, chorus, and hilarious rhymes. Candidate for best track.

Ken Kaniff- Introduces us to Kenneth Kaniff from Connecticut. Pretty funny and nasty stuff.

Cum on Everybody- An average song but is up-tempo and is fun to energize with.

Rock Bottom- Serious song that has a great beat, chorus, and truth in the rhymes.

Just Don't Give a F***- One of the best with a good intro and chorus. The beat is great and the rhymes are very witty.

Soap- Kinda funny.

As The World Turns- Crazy stuff in here but a true meaning. Worth a listen.

I'm Shady- A comical song with a drugged chorus. Funny and skillful.

Bad Meets Evil- Funny intro and very good rhyming throughout.

Still Don't Give a F***- Maybe be better than the prelude to it. It is more serious and like it in that there is an awesome chorus, beat, and rhyming skillz. Another great track that ends the album well.

There you have it, the insane world of Slim Shady. I enjoy listening to this stuff because it gives me a break from my normal day of reason and proper behavior. If it affends you, it may not be good but who really cares about all yous anyway. Enjoy!!!

In my opinion Eminem is the best rapper to date and he is WHITE. His experiences growing up are not like those of other rappers, he never was a drug-dealer and he tried labor jobs. He talks about alot of experiences growing up, not having a dad, bully's at school, problems with his girl friend, being depressed for not getting a deal yet.
He has many styles that would fit anybody's likings but his lyrics can get offensive to people. HEY IT IS ONLY MUSIC FOR GOD'S SAKE. He says what is on his mind and isnt afraid to let his opinion out. Probably his wackiest and funniest album, pry cause he was not on probation and he was doing all the drugs that he talks about on the record.
After you buy this album, your fingers will hurt from always pressing the rewind button.
Great album from a talented white rapper.
On my top 5 of all time.

I usually do not listen to rap music, however, this is among my favorite CDs. I borrowed this CD from a co-worker to listen to while I was working and found myself paying more attention to the lyrics than to the work I was supposed to be doing. Although one may find the subject matter of many of his songs extremely offensive, this CD clearly displays his extraordinary talent not only as a rapper, but as a lyricist as well. Obviously this is not a CD for young listeners, but it is one well worth the money spent for those mature listeners who can appreciate talent in the midst of potentially offensive lyrics.

When this album broke the charts and entered the ears of America's Teenagers it did more than shake things up, it completely shattered the delicate balance of 1990s Clinton era Neo-Liberalism. Eminem, a cute blond white boy with a sadistic but sharp sense of humor and unmatched writing skills became the object of many peoples fantasies and worst nightmares

This being his first studio album, nobody outside of the Hip hop music world really knew who the F*** he was! Needless to say, from Gay Rights Activists to Christian Family Values Advocates, his first impression managed to incite anger on every side of the fence! It's hard not to see somebody as a threat if it is also clear that they are incredibly intelligent, articulate and could likely outsmart you. Eminem, could also Rap his ass off and carved his own path both in his writing style and musical style. A white Rapper being very much white in every way and not trying to be "Thug" or pretending to be "Old School" in any way was completely foreign to people. He instead, drew inspiration from his own life, emotions and attitude toward society. Beyond his "Skillz" as a Rap Artist, (there are a ton of great Rap Artistst out there), what made the Hip Hop Music World take notice was his authenticity. Authenticity is what Hip Hop is all about and Eminem had it in spades!

This album, more than shaking up stuffy white people, shook up Hip Hop music. That said Dr. Dre had allot to do with the sound of this Rap Masterpiece. West Coast Gangsta Rap was finally Frickin dead! East Coast Rap had turned into either overly preachy and political or completely nostalgic...Rap had clearly become an overly reproduced format by the end of the 1990s. It took these two mavericks to save it from the grave.

That said, it is a bloody concept album! It's progressive and innovative, it's psychopathic, it's funny and it is so well done that you can't help but like it. For many of the suspected Eminem Haters of the time, including Hipsters and Smart Assed Music Aficionados, The Slim Shady LP was a guilty pleasure. I know this because I saw it everywhere I went. From NYC's Electro scene, to Indirockers, to House loving Chelsea Boys, to Punks, to Pop Fiends, to Hip Hop snobs, hell, I even talked to a Classical Violinist and a Jazz Singer about this album.
For many people, this little disk of HATE had something to love!

Lets not forget to mention that this album for it's time, was the voice of America's Youth. In that way, it is similar Nirvana's Nevermind or even The Beatles. It was the right soundtrack for the mood of our youth. Angry, Irreverent, Politically Incorrect, Violent and Sadistically funny.

It is unfortunate however that Eminem has since become too calculated for his own good. But hey, he aint a kid anymore and has found his place as an adult, still doing what he does best...making great music!

When I listened to this CD first, I thought, "whoa, this guy is messed up", I listened to it the second time and thought, "whoa, this is actually kinda funny when you think about it, and about the 1,000 time i listened to it, I thought "WOW! why hadn't I stolen this CD from my sister sooner!