Whether tackling the Diddy scandal, obsessing over controversy or addressing the state of hip-hop, Eminem’s pen feels right at home.
“Renaissance”: F**k The Critics
Bar(s): Everything is either too tame or there’s too much anger / I didn’t like the beat, so I hated ‘Might Delete Later’ / You nerdy pricks would find something wrong with ’36 Chambers’
The Death Of Slim Shady kicks off, unsurprisingly, with a middle finger to what Eminem sees as fake rap fans bringing the genre’s icons down. The first line points to the culture’s hyper-obsession with both narratives of staleness or the “doing too much” argument, emphasizing that fans are more concerned with what they want to hear than with artists pursuing their vision. Em brings up J. Cole’s Might Delete Later mixtape as a recent example, possibly alluding to the hated-on Kendrick diss “7 Minute Drill” and how many didn’t like the first beat on that track. Finally, by alluding to the Wu-Tang Clan classic, he makes the case that legendary albums will live on far longer than the hate surrounding them. Maybe all it takes is time for the culture to understand these artistic drives and not jumping down MCs’ throats so eagerly and maliciously.
“Habits”: His Love Of South Park
Bar(s): Would this rhyme be okay if ‘South Park’ had did it? / Would it make you less angry if Cartman spit it?
Onto one of the more cheeky bars on The Death Of Slim Shady, which reiterates Eminem’s love of (and close parallels with) the classic animated TV show South Park. With this bar, he calls out the hypocrisy of people tolerating offensive content when it comes from an expected place, but condemning it when it appears in other, more “serious” areas. Perhaps, Marshall Mathers feels like people view him more critically because of his skill. Since he does have very sobering moments, maybe, they fail to realize that this skill is what gives his music his titanic quality and not the content within. While he’s definitely made this point in a lot of his past material, it sounds a bit fresher this time around as society opens and closes more and more spaces for irreverence, a practice that he’s all too comfortable with disrupting.
“Lucifer”: Eminem’s… Struggles?
Bar(s): Yeah, they listen to me like when Manson spoke / They say I don’t know struggle no more, that’s a joke / B***h, the f***ing elevator in my mansion’s broke / I have to walk like half a block to get a can of Coke
However, this is hands-down one of the funniest bars on the whole album, as Eminem is well-aware of his privilege, wealth, and most importantly, his attitude. Having to walk across a massive luxury property just to get a soda from the fridge is exactly the sort of rich, arrogant, ignorant, First World problem that someone like him would be so angry and frustrated over. But it’s still a flex, of course, or else there would be no “joke” to talk about. Also, this bar is among the only hilarious moments on The Death Of Slim Shady that doesn’t have to clown a celebrity, belittle a marginalized group, or rant about PC culture to do so. As such, it stands out as a vivid image on the project and, even though this catalog’s full of flaunting, rarely do we get glimpses into little annoyances that become big tantrums for superstars.
Eminem praises Kendrick Lamar on his new album, comparing how dangerous they both are to beef with 👀🔥
“As far as smoke with me, I don’t think it’d be smart […] might as well go lookin for smoke with [Kendrick] Lamar” pic.twitter.com/x5piakkl23
— Hip Hop All Day (@HipHopAllDayy) July 12, 2024
Bar(s): As far as smoke with me, I don’t think it’d be smart, so / Might as well go looking for smoke with Lamar, bro
It’s 2024; of course Eminem was going to throw in a reference or two to the biggest rap battle since Nas and Jay-Z. However, what makes this bar a bit more than just a shoutout is actually how it lyrically calls back to Kendrick Lamar’s “Euphoria,” which itself topically called back to Pusha T’s previous beef with Drake. “Yeah, f**k all that pushing P, let me see you push a T / You better off spinning again on him if you think about pushing me,” K.Dot raps there. So not only is Slim Shady also praising a fellow lyrical killer, but he’s also invoking their shared lineage in the Dr. Dre family tree. Also, we know that Em might’ve shaded Hov on “Tobey,” so to see more combative lines against the rap game on The Death Of Slim Shady was a given.
“Fuel”: Diddy’s Alleged Deeds
Bar(s): I’m like a R-A-P-E-R / Got so many essays, S-As / Wait, he didn’t just spell the word ‘rapper’ and leave out a ‘P,’ did he? / R.I.P., rest in peace, Biggie / And ‘Pac, both of y’all should be living / But I ain’t tryna beef with him / ‘Cause he might put a hit on me like Keefe D did him
Along with Caitlyn Jenner and little people, Diddy was one of Eminem’s most consistent and eviscerated targets on The Death Of Slim Shady. While there are many bars on this topic to talk about, this line from “Fuel” (which has a stunning JID feature) is a very comprehensive one as far as the angles it tackles. The first part has some clever wordplay (“‘P,’ did he?” = P. Diddy, rapper = essays & r**er = SAs [sexual assaults]) about Sean Combs’ various lawsuits and accusations concerning sexual assault, abuse, and sex trafficking, all of which he’s denied. The second questions Puffy’s alleged involvement in Big and ‘Pac’s murders and Keefe D’s current court case for the death of the latter. You’ve also probably heard the “Antichrist” bar that mutes Cassie’s name, which stung more on impact. But this one adds the extreme lyrical reaches that fans love.
“Head Honcho”: Slim Shady Sons The Rap Game
Bar(s): These rappers, I’m above them, but punching down ain’t beneath me / Cold as the wind chill factor, but the fact is I don’t know when to chill / But every time I come out, they expect me to f***ing reinvent the wheel / Rappers get praised for spitting bars with less than the tenth of skill
Out of the many bars against lesser rappers on The Death Of Slim Shady, this one is perhaps Eminem’s most layered commentary on the matter. We all know he loves punching down, and we all know that he’s exactly the type of person to flip “wind chill” and “when to chill” in borderline corny fashion. But as fans and as artists, folks continually expect Marshall to bring something completely new to the table when he’s made his intentions and artistic drives clear and largely unchanged throughout his career. In addition, this alludes to the contrast between artistry and novelty, perhaps suggesting that just because things are new, we give them a pass on actually being good. Em toes this line very dangerously thanks to his aesthetic clashes whenever he does try something new, but his skill as a lyricist has never been in question.
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