This is the surprise 11th full-length album from Detroit icon Eminem. His first 3 major label albums The Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP & The Eminem Show are considered by many to be the holy trinity in discography. The last few years have been rough for Marshall though, as Revival is widely considered to be one of the worst albums of the 2010s. The follow-up Kamikaze was actually a solid return to form & he’s continuing that with Music to Be Murdered By.
The opener “Premonition” sees Em taking a jab at his critics over a surprisingly haunting trap beat from his mentor Dr. Dre while the next song “Unaccommodating” with Young M.A. of all people sees the 2 discussing their titular attitude referencing WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg over a generic trap beat & a very cringey hook. A lot of people are complaining about the Ariana Grande line too, but let’s not forget when Em referenced Columbine on The Marshall Mathers LP. The track “You Gon’ Learn” is a Bad Meets Ǝvil reunion where Em & his partner in rhyme Royce da 5’9″ discuss some of their internal conflicts over a boom bap beat with a mesmerizing soul sample. After the “Alfred” interlude, the song “Those Kinda Nights” reflects on his golden years over a bouncy d.a. got that dope/Fred again.. beat & a needless Ed Sheeran hook while the track “In Too Deep” is packed with relationship melodrama & the beat is pretty uneventful too.
The song “Godzilla” talks about how much of a monster Em is referencing the late WWE Hall of Famer Bobby Heenan over a vibrant trap beat & while I’m surprised to hear the late Juice WRLD on the hook, it’s not bad. The track “Darkness” talks about depression over a bleak instrumental while the song “Leaving Heaven” talks about who he is now over a guitar & some drums going off like gunshots. Also, Skylar Grey’s performance on here is tasteless as she usually is. The track “Yah Yah” sees Bad Meets Ǝvil getting with Black Thought to remind us of their places in the culture as elite MCs over a cluttered beat from dEnAuN.
After the “Stepdad” intro, we get into the actual song “Stepdad”. Where Marshall disses a man who was abusive to him & his mother Debbie when he was younger over a grimy beat from The Alchemist. I get where he’s coming from, but the hook on here is patience testing. The track “Marsh” talks about being out of this world over a trap beat with some plinky keys while the song “Never Love Again” is a sappy breakup song backed-up by a mediocre Dre beat.
The track “Little Engine” talks about losing control over an eerier Dre & Blu2th instrumental while the song “Lock It Up” with Anderson .Paak sees the 2 talking about almost losing it & it sounds like there’s a Chinese sample in the beat. The track “Farewell” talks about his ex-wife Kim over a punchy beat while the song “No Regrets” talks about his come-up over an abrasive beat. Before the “Alfred” outro, the final song “I Will” finds Marshall reuniting Slaughterhouse sans Joe Budden to talk about homicide over a boom bap beat with a haunting organ.
Personally, this is a step-up from Kamikaze. The hooks & the mixing could’ve been better at points, but it’s like a modern day update of the criminally underrated Relapse just 11 years back from Dr. Dre returning behind the boards to the Aflred Hitchcock homages throughout. Hope Marshall continues to go down this path towards redemption.
Score: 3.5/5
This is the 4th EP from Chicago, Illinois emcee Mick Jenkins. Who rose to fame in 2014 with the release of his 3rd mixtape The Water[s]. He then released his debut album The Healing Component & now just a little over a year after his sophomore album Pieces of a Man, he’s taking listeners on a trip to The Circus.
Big Ghost Ltd. is an anonymous online personality who blew up in 2011 as a blogger. He eventually started making beats in 2015, going on to produce projects for Hall ‘N Nash, Vic Spencer, Hus Kingpin, Crimeapple & even Ghostface Killah just to name a few. The man has started 2020 strong by releasing 3 singles in the past week & continuing the grind with his full-length debut.
Ty Farris is a veteran MC from Detroit, Michigan that originally started under the name T-Flame. Despite being featured a lot throughout the mid-2000’s, it wouldn’t be until 2009 that he would start putting out solo stuff at a prolific rate. This includes Tyrant, The Barcode, Room 39, Ramen Noodle Nights & No Cosign, Just Cocaine (to which this new project serves the latest installment of).
Stu Bangas is a producer from Boston, Massachusetts who’s been making a name for himself in the underground for decades now from his collaborative work from Philly beat-maker Vanderslice to producing projects for Esoteric & Ill Bill. However to kick off 2020, he’s surprising fans with his 2nd EP.
Boldy James is a 36 year old MC from Detroit, Michigan who blew up on the scene with his Alchemist produced 2013 debut M.1.C.S. (My 1st Chemistry Set). He then landed a contract with Nas’ independent label Mass Appeal Records, but sadly went to prison for a while. Boldy eventually made his comeback a couple years ago with his House of Blues mixtape & now it seems like he’s trying to rekindle the flame with Uncle Al on his 3rd EP.
Price of Fame is a hardcore hip hop duo from New York consisting of Lil’ Fame on production & the late Sean Price on the mic. Both of whom have solidified themselves as icons in the underground for their output as members of M.O.P. & the Boot Camp Clik respectively. But with Christmas coming next week, Fame has put together an album for the fans of unreleased Price songs that he produced.
