In arguably his most personal album to date, “Encore”, Marshall “Eminem” Mathers, takes listeners on an introspective ride through the mental ramblings of a white hip hop artist.
With three albums already under his belt; one introducing him as an artist, the next rebelling against his celebrity and the third solidifying his place as rapper to be reckoned with, “Encore” must be the introduction of a more introspective Eminem.
In it he apologizes for the “nigger” comments The Source magazine publicized. In “Like Toy Soldiers”, he thoroughly relays his disgust with the seemingly ongoing battle between him and rapper Benzino’s magazine.
In tracks such as “Mockingbird”, his open letter to his daughter Hallie, he apologizes for all of the things she’s had to endure as a result of his lifestyle, past and present.
The politically charged track “Mosh”, is also a standout on the album.
The downside of the album is that he still chooses to talk about his troubled relationship with his ex-wife Kim. Although songs like “Puke” are entertaining to say the least, the format has gotten old and he needs to rid himself of the infamous Kim once and for all.
While “Encore” has some great tracks that will undoubtedly earn a second listen, they do not round off the 20 tracks on Eminem’s fourth album.
Now that we’ve seen Eminem address almost every aspect of his personal life at least twice, it’s time for him to grow as an artist if he wants to take a seat with Tupac, Jay-Z and Nas.