Next album should be centered around the "Retirement" theme

[Devil'sAdvocate]

hell no,he just needs to sit there and think of concepts then hes great.

[EminemBase]

I think that would be an incredibly boring album topic.

He's only "run out of stuff" if you perceive him as only able to rap about his own life, as it's happening. He's painted himself into a fucking corner since he started doing that.

When you do that, you really do "run out of stuff" when you depend on it. As, there isn't always huge, significant, life-changing things going on in your life all the time. So when there's not - as an artist, you're pretty fucked if that's all you base your material on.

And, he's proven many times he doesn't need to rely on it to write or create music. Even with Relapse. Regardless of whether you like the subject-matter or think the serial-killing was 'lame' or 'pointless' or whatever, it doesn't matter. The fact is...

He wrote incredibly detailed, nuanced lyrics 'in-character' about something other than his direct life situation. And that's the first time he did that for a long long time. But as soon as people didn't like it, he ran back to savesville and compromised his desire to stop doing that.

He even said flat-out when he came back, he wanted to stop seeming self-loathing, and relying on his own life and talking about himself all the time. Which is all the proof you need to know he knew exactly what he was doing with Relapse from the get-go and it was a conscious choice to do it. He wasn't 'slap happy', 'coming out' of the drug-phase my ass lmao. He'd been sober since 2008 and he fully explained his reasoning for Relapse.

And he fully explained his reasoning for not making an album like Recovery. But then lots of fans wanted an album like Recovery, so then they got it.

People forget how creative he can be. Think of some of the sporadic, innovative spark in his late 90s rhymes that rarely had anything to do with his life. Yes he often used 'himself' as in, he referred to himself or, his character (Shady), and he played off a persona a lot. But it wasn't true to life or always having to relate back to reality or his current life situation.

Not only do you paint yourself into a corner by doing that, but you make your next moves predictable. If everybody can see what you're going to do before you do it, it becomes obvious. He's managed to keep it exciting with styles. The fact he changes his styles so drastically each time makes us wonder what he's going to sound like next. But, we all pretty much know what he's going to say next now.

There are glimmers of hope though, things like "25 to Life" and "Almost Famous". If he could focus on concepts again, genuinely artistic ideas and fully commit to them, maybe he could start to evolve into something more worthwhile again. He's still a very good rapper, but as an artist, he's running in circles.

He should be looking to somebody like Kanye for inspiration. Since Kanye has really blossomed into a true artist. He expands dreams and tiny visual ideas into massive musical realities. That's what a real artist does, they take an idea and expand it, indulge in it... make something out of nothing, make you care about things you didn't know you did. Make things over the top, extreme, new, exciting...

Em is so wrapped up in his own life, his own self that he rarely ever thinks of anyone or anything but. I know a lot of rappers, and artists focus on themselves but... others manage to make the inclusion of their own ego or ideas less obvious and disguise it all in different strokes. Where as Em is literally like "ME ME ME, I'VE BEEN THROUGH X, NOW I'M Y, FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK, ME ME ME" etc. etc.

It's such a waste of his talents to just be writing about his own life as it happens. It's self-defeating and, if that's his only aim he may as well be make a reality TV series or documentary.

[Trimss]

His next album should be a double album..

" Eminem Against Shady "

A whole conceptual album, first cd would be Eminem fighting his struggle to ignore shady and not use him, but the last track would be a twist and Shady's back on the second cd, killing everyone.


(Lol)

[momentsgolden]

Em is so wrapped up in his own life, his own self that he rarely ever thinks of anyone or anything but. I know a lot of rappers, and artists focus on themselves but... others manage to make the inclusion of their own ego or ideas less obvious and disguise it all in different strokes. Where as Em is literally like "ME ME ME, I'VE BEEN THROUGH X, NOW I'M Y, FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK, ME ME ME" etc. etc.

So, Eminem makes Bad meets Evil and people still say he's trapped in a ME mentality? Yes, The Re-union is the only "concept" so to speak that is concrete but for most of the album it is all about seeing the world through Eminem eyes not the world's eyes on Eminem like on Recovery (which was btw necessary)

[xxTrigger1989xx]

No, not really. His next album should be like Recovery, but with better beats obviously, but I'm talking about the mix between funny songs and introspective songs and I guess similar types of songs...

I think his last album should be a full concept album, about himself and Slim Shady basically fighting for control. Not an album full of demon voices no lol...more thinking about Em jumping in and out of personas and shit like that.

I want him to keep making albums until he gives us another classic, though, and I want him to end with that perfect/classic album he's been talking about.

[EminemBase]

Em is so wrapped up in his own life, his own self that he rarely ever thinks of anyone or anything but. I know a lot of rappers, and artists focus on themselves but... others manage to make the inclusion of their own ego or ideas less obvious and disguise it all in different strokes. Where as Em is literally like "ME ME ME, I'VE BEEN THROUGH X, NOW I'M Y, FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK, ME ME ME" etc. etc.

So, Eminem makes Bad meets Evil and people still say he's trapped in a ME mentality? Yes, The Re-union is the only "concept" so to speak that is concrete but for most of the album it is all about seeing the world through Eminem eyes not the world's eyes on Eminem like on Recovery (which was btw necessary)

We're speaking about his solo output.

Also, do you not realize the irony in what you just said? you objected to my comment of him being in a self-asborbed mentality then in defence said, "for most of the album it is about seeing the world through Eminem eyes" lmao.

You pretty much tried to make one thing two things. It's still all about him. You're meddling in semantics and trying to emphasize a major perspective flip when that's simply not the case. On Recovery, he was rapping about his trials and tribulations. Same deal.

On the Bad Meets Evil EP he's slightly more in character on spots but he's still totally self-absorbed, nothing but himself. But I don't even want to discuss the EP as it's him in a duo, and it's a much different context. He's rapping just to rap where as on his solo albums he usually tries to create a cohesive world or set of themes in some way.

[xxTrigger1989xx]

Em is so wrapped up in his own life, his own self that he rarely ever thinks of anyone or anything but. I know a lot of rappers, and artists focus on themselves but... others manage to make the inclusion of their own ego or ideas less obvious and disguise it all in different strokes. Where as Em is literally like "ME ME ME, I'VE BEEN THROUGH X, NOW I'M Y, FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK, ME ME ME" etc. etc.

So, Eminem makes Bad meets Evil and people still say he's trapped in a ME mentality? Yes, The Re-union is the only "concept" so to speak that is concrete but for most of the album it is all about seeing the world through Eminem eyes not the world's eyes on Eminem like on Recovery (which was btw necessary)

We're speaking about his solo output.

Also, do you not realize the irony in what you just said? you objected to my comment of him being in a self-asborbed mentality then in defence said, "for most of the album it is about seeing the world through Eminem eyes" lmao.

You pretty much tried to make one thing two things. It's still all about him. You're meddling in semantics and trying to emphasize a major perspective flip when that's simply not the case. On Recovery, he was rapping about his trials and tribulations. Same deal.

On the Bad Meets Evil EP he's slightly more in character on spots but he's still totally self-absorbed, nothing but himself. But I don't even want to discuss the EP as it's him in a duo, and it's a much different context. He's rapping just to rap where as on his solo albums he usually tries to create a cohesive world or set of themes in some way.

That's why I like 25 To Life better than Going Through Changes...GTC is VERY specific, about himself and his problems, and sadly I don't want him to rap about his problems anymore. On 25 To Life, a track like that has a wider appeal simply because the lyrics aren't as restricting. Yes, it is about hip hop, but a song like 25TL can basically be applied for any bad relationship. Same with Space Bound, not necessarily specific, and it's a song that's bigger than himself. It's not just all about "oh poor me", you listen to the lyrics and can say "wow, that's exactly how I feel!"

[randomgirl]

A song about retirement would be interesting. But a whole album about it might get boring. Besides, Em loves music so much, I can't see him literally choosing a moment to say "this is the end." I think the end will just kinda "happen." We all remember what happened when Jay-Z "retired." Two years later he "undid" his retirement and came back to the game. So what was the point of all that? I would hate to see Em end up doing something like that because it would make him look so silly.

I love EminemBase's post. Lots of valid points in there. Em's last album should be something conceptual and entertaining at the same time. It should remind us why we love him in the first place, not make us depressed that he's leaving.

[flyingmonkey10]

[EminemBase]

That's why I like 25 To Life better than Going Through Changes...GTC is VERY specific, about himself and his problems, and sadly I don't want him to rap about his problems anymore. On 25 To Life, a track like that has a wider appeal simply because the lyrics aren't as restricting. Yes, it is about hip hop, but a song like 25TL can basically be applied for any bad relationship. Same with Space Bound, not necessarily specific, and it's a song that's bigger than himself. It's not just all about "oh poor me", you listen to the lyrics and can say "wow, that's exactly how I feel!"

Yes those songs are definitely improvements content wise.

Which is why I say I think Recovery does show signs of real evolution in some respects. A song like "Space Bound" could be more timeless in the sense - he allows you to lose yourself more in the song, and lyrics, by the fact he's not speaking about his actual life and specific people who you know about etc.

When he does that, it makes it very intimate and sometimes very powerful but, that can wear off or, wear thin overtime.

And, it's funny that he did that for so long (rap about specific people and his actual life) that anytime he raps about 'a person' or situation now, a lot of his fans automatically think it's Kim or try and figure out some underlying metaphor about how it's about X person or X memory etc.

When, with "Space Bound" for example, it's very clear that it's an attempt at a broader, 'out of personality' love song where he's rapping as an arbitrary narrator. And he's Eminem the artist, not Eminem the rapper, rapping about his life.

When he becomes too focused on his own life he loses sight of creating art, it lowers his aspirations as all he does is rap realistically about real things that have happened in his actual life. And as an artist he should do more than that, he should maybe take an experience and turn it into something bigger, with or without you knowing it's related to that experience, emotion or thought.

Which is exactly what he did with say "97 Bonnie & Clyde". He took his feelings towards Kim and created an ingenious storytelling track where his baby talk to his daughter, is the lyrics and they explain to the listener what's happening. And it's ingenious due to the fact you learn what's happening, with details that become comedic due to 'baby talk' execution. It's such a brilliant idea and so brilliantly executed. Such a conflict, and so dark and comical. At once.

He lost that line of 'big' thinking, arguably after The Eminem Show. Even The Eminem Show, it felt more 'real' and less artistic, like I said, he just got way too self-obsessed and lost sight of creativity. He focused more on settling scores, bitching, arguing and self-pitying. Which he's fully aware of anyway, but, I'm not sure how much actual creativity he really has now.

Which is a shame as, there's always flashes of it. And sometimes, genuinely intruiging flashes whereby if he just concentrated the same energy or thought-process I hear in the odd line or idea, into an entire song or album... he'd be mind-blowing again.

But, as a rapper, I still find him very entertaining and enjoyable to listen to. I'm just waiting for the real creativity to kick in again. If it ever does.

Either way, I just want no more 'own life' material now. It's tedious.

[momentsgolden]

We're speaking about his solo output.

Sorry, my bad. Thought we were talking of Eminem in general... which is usually the case.

Also, do you not realize the irony in what you just said? you objected to my comment of him being in a self-asborbed mentality then in defence said, "for most of the album it is about seeing the world through Eminem eyes" lmao.

You pretty much tried to make one thing two things. It's still all about him. You're meddling in semantics and trying to emphasize a major perspective flip when that's simply not the case. On Recovery, he was rapping about his trials and tribulations. Same deal.

No, those two are different. If they are not then the MMLP and TES are the same! Because, on the former, it was really about how fame was a burden, he was fighting censorship, he was out of poverty etc. Fair and good. TES however, tries to go beyond that and really try to expand that to how HE has affected the world. White America with congressional opposition, Sing for the Moment how fans respond to his music and When the Music stops about Music being entertainment in general. The FEEL of the output is different yet might still be of the same content bracket.

Edit- fuck, you post 2 before i even reply

[christalgurl]

I don't think it's his time to retire yet, and I do think that he can rap about things outside of himself. He could rap about anything going on in the world that he feels passionate about or that pisses him off or anything. There are limitless things to write about, and I'm sure he'll find something that's not just mundane white trash/bitches,hoes, etc. Give him a chance. Don't just write him off that he's all out of ideas so he should just retire.

[xxTrigger1989xx]

That's why I like 25 To Life better than Going Through Changes...GTC is VERY specific, about himself and his problems, and sadly I don't want him to rap about his problems anymore. On 25 To Life, a track like that has a wider appeal simply because the lyrics aren't as restricting. Yes, it is about hip hop, but a song like 25TL can basically be applied for any bad relationship. Same with Space Bound, not necessarily specific, and it's a song that's bigger than himself. It's not just all about "oh poor me", you listen to the lyrics and can say "wow, that's exactly how I feel!"

Yes those songs are definitely improvements content wise.

Which is why I say I think Recovery does show signs of real evolution in some respects. A song like "Space Bound" could be more timeless in the sense - he allows you to lose yourself more in the song, and lyrics, by the fact he's not speaking about his actual life and specific people who you know about etc.

When he does that, it makes it very intimate and sometimes very powerful but, that can wear off or, wear thin overtime.

And, it's funny that he did that for so long (rap about specific people and his actual life) that anytime he raps about 'a person' or situation now, a lot of his fans automatically think it's Kim or try and figure out some underlying metaphor about how it's about X person or X memory etc.

When, with "Space Bound" for example, it's very clear that it's an attempt at a broader, 'out of personality' love song where he's rapping as an arbitrary narrator. And he's Eminem the artist, not Eminem the rapper, rapping about his life.

When he becomes too focused on his own life he loses sight of creating art, it lowers his aspirations as all he does is rap realistically about real things that have happened in his actual life. And as an artist he should do more than that, he should maybe take an experience and turn it into something bigger, with or without you knowing it's related to that experience, emotion or thought.

Which is exactly what he did with say "97 Bonnie & Clyde". He took his feelings towards Kim and created an ingenious storytelling track where his baby talk to his daughter, is the lyrics and they explain to the listener what's happening. And it's ingenious due to the fact you learn what's happening, with details that become comedic due to 'baby talk' execution. It's such a brilliant idea and so brilliantly executed. Such a conflict, and so dark and comical. At once.

He lost that line of 'big' thinking, arguably after The Eminem Show. Even The Eminem Show, it felt more 'real' and less artistic, like I said, he just got way too self-obsessed and lost sight of creativity. He focused more on settling scores, bitching, arguing and self-pitying. Which he's fully aware of anyway, but, I'm not sure how much actual creativity he really has now.

Which is a shame as, there's always flashes of it. And sometimes, genuinely intruiging flashes whereby if he just concentrated the same energy or thought-process I hear in the odd line or idea, into an entire song or album... he'd be mind-blowing again.

But, as a rapper, I still find him very entertaining and enjoyable to listen to. I'm just waiting for the real creativity to kick in again. If it ever does.

Either way, I just want no more 'own life' material now. It's tedious.

Completely agree.

For some reason, after BME, I have thought of Recovery less though and I'm not sure why...I used to be in love with Recovery, but ever since BME now I think he's taking a step in the right direction. I think it's because I like the content on BME better than on Recovery, because I think I'm like you...some introspection is nice, but I don't like being overloaded with it. It seemed like Recovery, he was tending to his fans (which he was, there's no denying it) and on BME, he went back to that old "I don't give a fuck" shit. And tbh, I really like the content on the EP, like for the longest time I thought the emotional Eminem was what I wanted, but now it's not. I like listening to him on BME more than I like listening to him on Recovery.

I won't necessarily say that Hell: The Sequel is a better album than Recovery, because it's not. Recovery was a very well put together album, looking back, and H:TS is just as well put together as Recovery, but Recovery has a better collection of tracks, I guess you could say. Whereas the content and production, I would give to H:TS.

[Evil-Genius]

lol,he`s so far from retirement its not even funny.

[EminemBase]

No, those two are different. If they are not then the MMLP and TES are the same! Because, on the former, it was really about how fame was a burden, he was fighting censorship, he was out of poverty etc. Fair and good. TES however, tries to go beyond that and really try to expand that to how HE has affected the world. White America with congressional opposition, Sing for the Moment how fans respond to his music and When the Music stops about Music being entertainment in general. The FEEL of the output is different yet might still be of the same content bracket.

Edit- fuck, you post 2 before i even reply

You're still not listening to my point.

It's still all about him. How he sees things, how others see him, his life, his fame, his affect, him him him him him. It's self-obsession no matter which way you slice it.

An example where he didn't do this, would be "Mosh". But to try and say The Marshall Mathers LP or The Eminem Show are not self-obsessed is hilarious. I mean, just look at the album titles. And his lead-off singles, and the album content. YES they are different perspectives... that's just execution though, and some of the content is vastly different.

But that's nothing to do with my point. Was my point about his versatility or if he can put different spins on things? or how he can flip perspectives? no. It was that his material is centered on his own life and character. Constantly.

The Silm Shady LP is different in that, it's pretty indulged in character. There's a lot of very committed fantasy, madness lyricism in there which... he doesn't 'break out of' or 'wink at camera' so, it's much more of an artistic album than say The Eminem Show.

The Marshall Mathers LP is also like a concept album, and all of his albums have indulgence in character(s) in varying degrees. He always toys with that. But he's always his biggest subject-matter, he's his own main focus and you're always listening in on a psychiatry session.

And up until... Encore, that was fine. But he should of put it to bed with Encore. As Encore was really supposed to be an ENCORE to THE EMINEM SHOW. That's why he had writers' block, because he painted himself into a corner at that point, and had nothing left to say. Because he made it all about him and he had banged that drum for six years straight.

And that is why he came back with Relapse like that. And this isn't me guessing, this is out of his own mouth (I'm paraphrasing and extending of course though) - he said he didn't want to do that anymore. So even Eminem himself is aware of his self-obsession and you're still denying it lmao. Relapse was an attempt to move on from it...

But like I say, some didn't like it, and he couldn't handle the criticism and continue with his vision regardless. Instead, he listened to people. And I'm still glad I have Recovery but, I'm equally as angry I don't have Relapse 2 and I hope he can create something other than docu-music now.