1. Rap God (2013)
Eminem shows off all of the cadences he’s learned over the years, channeling flows from influences like Tech N9ne and Big Pun like an exorcist summoning ghosts and moving through 1,560 syllables in only six minutes. Some have derided this as meaningless “rappity rap,” but the fact that a 41-year-old still cares about his craft merits our admiration.
2. Same song and dance (2009)
Despite Marshall Mathers’ frequent criticisms of 2009’s Relapse in interviews, the album, which is a nightmarish homage to horrorcore rap, has aged nicely – especially this chilling narrative of a stalker who lynches Lindsay Lohan. Critics panned the frightening accent, which sounded like a cross between Borat and the Simpsons’ Groundskeeper Willie, but Em got a much-needed dose of escapism by playing such a ridiculous parody of a serial murderer at a time when his personal life was starting to disintegrate.
3.’The Ringer’ (2018)
The Ringer is music from a veteran dissatisfied with the direction rap is taking, similar to Jay-Z’s similarly misguided DOA (Death of Autotune). Em is just an irate elderly man ranting at a (Sound)cloud, mocking the purported tropes of mumble rap. But, after years of mediocre albums dominated by turgid stadium pop, it was refreshing to hear Eminem seem so enthused once more — he makes a believable Victor Meldrew.
4. Don’t front (2013)
Eminem rips over the thunderous boom-bap of Black Moon’s famous street-corner thriller, I Got Cha Opin, on this neglected B-side. This is one of those rare museum exhibits that doesn’t bore you to tears, with Em providing a nostalgic serotonin boost to his followers following a pair of performances.
5. It’s ok (1996)
Infinite, Eminem’s forgotten 1996 debut, spends a lot of time trying to replicate Kool G Rap’s multi-syllabic flow over sounds that sound like cheap rip-offs from Nas’s Illmatic. But It’s OK, with its whimsical nighttime funk and passionate ad-libs from best pal Proof, yields the album’s most inspired rapping, as a contemplative Em unusually addresses seeking God.
