The Marshall Mathers LP 2 is the eighth studio
album by American rapper Eminem, released
on November 5, 2013, by Aftermath Entertainment,
Shady Records, and Interscope Records.
A continuation of Eminem's most acclaimed
studio effort, 2000's The Marshall Mathers
LP, production for the album took place from
2012 to 2013 and was handled by Eminem and
other record producers, including Rick Rubin,
Luis Resto, Emile Haynie, and Alex da Kid.
The album features guest appearances from
singers Skylar Grey, Rihanna, and Fun frontman
Nate Ruess, with the only other rapper appearing
on the album being Eminem's Aftermath label-mate
Kendrick Lamar.
The album title was revealed during the 2013
MTV Video Music Awards on August 25 with a
preview of the lead single "Berzerk" The song
was released two days later, and peaked at
number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
It was followed by two singles: "Survival",
released on October 8, and "Rap God", released
on October 15, 2013.
The former debuted at number 17 on the Hot
100, and the latter at number seven.
"The Monster", featuring Rihanna, was released
as the album's fourth single on October 29,
2013.
The album's fifth single, "Headlights" featuring
Nate Ruess, was released on February 5, 2014.
The album received generally positive reviews
from music critics, with praise going to Eminem's
technical rapping skill and production choices.
It marked an improvement in reception over
some of his more recent albums, and was named
on multiple "Albums of the Year" year-end
lists.
The album debuted at number one on the US
Billboard 200 and had the second highest album
sales of 2013.
As of July 13, 2014, the album has sold 2,155,247
copies in United States according to Nielsen
Soundscan.
Background
On May 24, 2012, Eminem revealed that he had
begun working on his next album in an interview
on Hot 97's morning show with Peter Rosenberg.
On June 30, 2012, Eminem talked about the
album with DJ Whoo Kid, on his own radio station,
Shade 45.
He stated that the material was taking shape,
and that Dr. Dre will be involved in some
way.
Eminem explained: "I usually get going and
kind of start going a certain direction and
just record what I'm feeling.
Then I'll go see Dre and fill in some of those
pieces."
On August 1, 2012, Nick Craig interviewed
Eminem on Channel 95.5, where he explained
that he was working on the album, but was
focused on finishing Slaughterhouse's Shady
Records debut Welcome to: Our House, On August
10 however, Eminem appeared on Shade 45 and
told Sway Calloway: "We actually just finished
the [Slaughterhouse] album last week ...
Now I've got time to be able to start doing
things for my own project."
Royce da 5'9" appeared on MTV's RapFix, hosted
by Calloway, with his group Slaughterhouse,
on August 30, 2012, and talked about Eminem's
album.
Royce confessed: "Marshall is the studio right
now, laying the most awesome lyrics in the
world.
I'm not so sure how the world is going to
respond from some of the things that I've
heard from him."
On February 8, 2013, Shady Records president
and Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg told Billboard
that Eminem's eighth studio album would be
released after Memorial Day, 2013.
"We fully expect to be releasing a new Eminem
album in 2013.
He's been working on it for some time," said
Rosenberg.
"It's safe to say that it will be post-Memorial
Day at some point, but we're not exactly sure
when.
We've got some dates locked in for him to
perform live in Europe in August, so we're
trying to see what else lines up."
On March 22, 2013, during an interview with
Power 106, Dr. Dre said that he was working
with Eminem, and that Eminem was "finishing
up his project."
On June 17, 2013, Shady Records producer The
Alchemist appeared on RapFix Live, and spoke
to Calloway about Eminem's upcoming album:
"That's my boss.
I DJ for him and I'm not at liberty to speak
on much, but you know his caliber and what
he does.
Clearly going to further territories.
I think what you would expect, especially
after the last go-round.
He was just getting his feet back on Relapse
and then Recovery just came with the smash
hits and everything and I think now — he's
Eminem."
Prior to the announcement of the album's name,
it was named to multiple "Most Anticipated
Albums of 2013" lists; including MTV, Complex
where it was listed in sixth position; and
XXL, where it was listed in fifth.
Recording and production
On June 17, 2013, producer S1 told Hip Hop
Weekly: "I've been working on Eminem's new
album and I'm very excited about that."
The tracklist reveal showed "Bad Guy" as the
opening track, and S1 confirmed that he and
vocalist Sarah Jaffe, one half of S1's duo
The Dividends, are featured on the song.
He also credited Aussie M-Phazes and StreetRunner
as co-producers.
M-Phazes himself confirmed this in an October
2013 interview.
Tim Riley, vice president of music affairs
at Activision Blizzard, explained to Billboard
in August 2013 that he was contacted by Eminem's
manager Rosenberg in March to partner Eminem
with Call of Duty: Ghosts.
In June, Riley and members of his team flew
to Detroit to meet Eminem and Rosenberg.
The team was showcased a "handful" of songs,
while Eminem was shown early concept art and
gameplay footage of Ghosts.
"Survival" was picked as the best-fitting
song, but the final version differed vastly
from the earliest version of the track.
Over the next couple of months, Eminem turned
in five successive versions of the song, each
one "bigger and more anthemic sounding than
the last."
- The final version was turned in only a day
before its reveal on August 14.
In a behind the scenes video for "Berzerk",
released in October 2013, Rubin explained
that he met Rosenberg a few years back and
that they had discussed the possibility of
him and Eminem working together.
He stated that the idea of "throwback" song
to earlier hip hop recordings was an idea
conceived later in the creative process of
the album.
He noted that initial sample the song was
built around ended up not being used, and
that the final product differs greatly from
the original.
In an October 2013 interview with MTV, DVLP
said that the instrumental for "Rap God" had
been in the making two years prior to the
track's release.
While the instrumental had been offered to
rappers such as T.I. and Fabolous, the producer
didn't feel the record fit their music.
He estimated that Shady Records got hold of
the instrumental around Fall 2012, and DVLP
himself did not hear "Rap God" until Eminem
phoned him after its release.
The idea of a sequel to The Marshall Mathers
LP came about after Eminem recorded a handful
of songs in the early stages of the creation
of the album that reminded him and his friends,
namely Rosenberg, of Eminem's earlier recordings;
" The more I listened to it, the more it made
sense to call it that," said Eminem.
Eminem also wanted to experiment with "retro,
vintage" sounds such as beatbreaks and scratches,
and he felt that Rubin could help him "take
that to another level."
Singer Rihanna, with whom Eminem previously
collaborated, most notably on the hit single
"Love the Way You Lie" from Eminem's previous
studio effort, Recovery, was featured on the
song "The Monster".
On September 11, 2013, she hinted at the collaboration
on Twitter: "Just left the studio ... Recorded
a #monster hook for one of my favorite artists!
And that's all I can give you ... #NavyShit".
Upon the tracklist announcement, Staten Island
singer Bebe Rexha revealed on Twitter that
she had co-wrote the Rihanna collaboration
featured on the album.
Rexha recorded "The Monster" in November 2012
in Harlem's Stadium Red studio while working
on her debut album.
The producer of the track, Frequency, auditioned
records for Shady Records VP of A&R Riggs
Morales, who "freaked out" upon hearing "The
Monster", instantly requesting for the verses
to be stripped and Pro Tools sessions sent
to Eminem.
Eminem added his own verses and tweaked the
instrumental, while keeping Rexha's backing
vocals.
while leaving and the song was revealed to
be a part of the album with the reveal of
the tracklisting.
In an October 2013 interview, Rexha claimed
that she said "This is an Eminem record, y'all"
while standing in the booth after she recorded
the chorus, and that she "know[s] when [Eminem]
heard it, it spoke to him."
Rapper and fellow Aftermath Entertainment
artist Kendrick Lamar, who toured with Eminem
in 2013, was featured on "Love Game", while
the frontman of the indie pop band Fun. was
featured on "Headlights".
Skylar Grey, a frequent Eminem collaborator
since Recovery was featured on the song "Asshole".
In an October 2013 interview with American
Songwriter, "Love the Way You Lie" producer
Alex da Kid revealed that he has submitted
further beats for Eminem, but said "you never
know what they're going to use or not going
to use."
He would later be confirmed as the producer
of "Asshole" and two of the deluxe edition
bonus tracks.
"Asshole" was initially created during a studio
session with Alex and Eminem in Detroit in
2012.
Grey was writing songs for her Eminem-executive-produced
album Don't Look Down in Detroit, and visited
Eminem to exchange song ideas and hooks.
She wrote the hook for "Asshole" during the
trip, while in her hotel room.
"Legacy" was written approximately two years
ago during a session between singer-songwriter
Polina and songwriter David Brook in New York.
A few months later, Polina visited Interscope
executive Neil Jacobson, who, upon hearing
the song, commanded her: "Don't play this
for anyone.
It's an Eminem record."
The following week, Polina and Brook joined
Emile in the studio where he produced the
song and then sent it to Eminem.
Eminem added his own verses to the song, but
left Polina's vocals untouched.
In July 2012, Eminem's close friend and label-mate
50 Cent stated that he was involved in the
recording for Eminem's upcoming album and
would probably appear on the lead or second
single, but ended up not being featured on
the album at all.
Music and songs
The opening track "Bad Guy" is produced by
S1, M-Phazes and StreetRunner, with a chorus
sung by Sarah Jaffe, the song has been described
as a sequel to Eminem's "Stan" from The Marshall
Mathers LP.
"Survival" features a chorus sung by Liz Rodrigues
and production by DJ Khalil.
On the anthemic track, Eminem celebrates his
return over "breakneck, arena-rock" electric
guitars and "trashy" drums.
"Berzerk" is produced by Rubin and pays homage
to old-school hip hop.
With samples from the Beastie Boys' "The New
Style" and "Fight for Your Right", and Billy
Squier's "The Stroke", the track is "a punchy,
guitar-and-beats driven song which channels
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts' "I Love Rock
'n' Roll" and Licensed to Ill-era Beastie
Boys."
Produced by DVLP, "Rap God" sees Eminem rapping
over an EDM-inspired instrumental with varied
flows.
He pays tribute to many influential hip hop
acts, but also proclaims himself an all-time
best, with the closing line stating: "Why
be a king when you can be a god?"
"The Monster" is a "dark", "demon-battling"
song, produced by Frequency.
The track features backing vocals from Bebe
Rexha and a chorus by Rihanna.
Packaging
The artwork was revealed on September 20,
2013 on Eminem's Twitter account.
The cover features a picture of the house
Eminem lived in during his teenage years,
although now the house is in a dilapidated
state.
It is very similar in design to the cover
of the artwork from The Marshall Mathers LP;
which also features a picture of the house,
but with Eminem sitting on the porch, the
windows uncovered and the door replaced by
a screen door.
On October 25, 2013, the artwork for the deluxe
edition was revealed.
The deluxe artwork is a variation of the standard
artwork, in which the house is being looked
at through a car window.
In November 2013, the house went up in flames
for unknown reasons, damaging the upper portion
of the home.
The deluxe edition comes with two discs, one
being the standard album, and the other containing
bonus tracks.
The discs' artwork is designed after the Detroit
city seal and flag, respectively.
The album's artwork direction was handled
by Mike Saputo, with photography by Kevin
Mazur.
In December 2013, the album cover was named
the tenth best of 2013 by Complex.
Release and promotion
On October 29, 2012, the "Eminem Baseball
Tribute Champ Hat" was made available on the
official Eminem online store, with a side
panel "dedicated to the landmark Eminem solo
albums," and the final date being 2013, hinting
at the release year for Eminem's eight studio
album.
On August 25, 2013, two Beats by Dre commercials
aired during the MTV Video Music Awards revealed
that Eminem's eighth studio album would be
titled The Marshall Mathers LP 2 and would
be released on November 5, 2013, with previews
of the lead single "Berzerk" and its music
video, where Eminem was shown with his hair
dyed blond again.
On September 5, 2013, it was announced that
"Berzerk" would be used as the featured song
for the 2013 season of ESPN Saturday Night
Football on ABC from September 14 to December
7, and that a sneak peek for the song's music
video would premiere during halftime of No.
14 Notre Dame at No. 17 Michigan on September
7; Eminem was interviewed by Brent Musburger
and Kirk Herbstreit during the halftime, and
the clip, described as "awkward" and "bizzare",
became a viral online video.
Activision announced on September 9, 2013,
that players who preordered Call of Duty:
Ghosts would receive a bonus track in addition
to "Survival".
The track listing was revealed on October
10, 2013.
On October 17, 2013, pre-order bundles featuring
a deluxe CD and various merchandise options
were made available on Eminem's website.
During August 2013, Eminem performed four
concerts in Europe.
The group of shows featured supporting acts
Slaughterhouse, Kendrick Lamar, EarlWolf,
Yelawolf, and Chance the Rapper.
In February 2014, Eminem toured Australia
and New Zealand on the Rapture Tour.
The four shows also featured Kendrick Lamar,
J. Cole, 360, David Dallas, and Action Bronson.
Eminem reportedly handpicked the artists to
join him on tour.
Singles
On August 25, 2013, he revealed that the first
single "Berzerk" would be released on August
27, 2013 in the US.
The song was premiered on Shade 45 the day
before its retail release.
The single debuted at number two on the Canadian
Hot 100, number three on the US Billboard
Hot 100, and among the top forty in many other
countries.
On September 9, 2013, the music video for
"Berzerk" premiered on Vevo.
The video featured cameo appearances from
Kendrick Lamar, Kid Rock, Slaughterhouse,
Mr. Porter, Yelawolf, Rick Rubin and Paul
Rosenberg.
On August 14, 2013, a song titled "Survival"
featuring Liz Rodrigues, with production by
DJ Khalil was premiered in the multiplayer
trailer for the video game Call of Duty: Ghosts.
A following press release revealed the first
single from his eighth studio album would
be released soon.
On October 8, 2013, "Survival" was released
on iTunes for digital download as the album's
second single along with its music video.
"Survival" has since peaked at number 16 on
the Billboard Hot 100.
On October 14, 2013, the audio to "Rap God"
premiered on Eminem's YouTube channel.
It was then released to iTunes the following
day, as the album's third single.
It debuted at number seven on the Billboard
Hot 100.
On November 27, 2013, the music video was
released for "Rap God".
On October 24, 2013, it was revealed that
the Rihanna collaboration "The Monster", would
be released as the album's fourth single.
The Frequency-produced song premiered on October
28, 2013.
The song was then released as the album's
fourth official single the following day.
The song became Eminem's fifth single to reach
number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
On December 16, 2013, the music video was
released for "The Monster" featuring Rihanna.
"Headlights", which features American singer
Nate Ruess, was released as the album's fifth
single in Australia on February 5, 2014.
"Headlights" has since peaked at number 45
on the Billboard Hot 100.
Critical reception
The Marshall Mathers LP 2 has received generally
positive reviews from music critics.
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream
critics, the album received an average score
of 72, based on 33 reviews, indicating "generally
favorable reviews."
Paul MacInnes of The Guardian gave the album
a perfect five star rating saying, "His flows
are exceptional, the wordplay is dazzling.
The jokes, in places offensive, are relentless.
There is no apology  no concession; just
a virtuoso application of talent."
Jon Dolan of the Rolling Stone said, "Nostalgia
is everywhere.
[..] He's playing his best character, the
demon spawn of Trailer Hell, America, hitting
middle age with his middle finger up his nose
while he cleans off the Kool-Aid his kids
spilled on the couch".
Darryl Sterdan of the Toronto Sun gave the
album a perfect four star rating saying, "one
of his most enjoyable albums in years ...
hilariously shocking and wicked, skewering
everyone in his path." and "It's the Eminem
you know and love."
Christopher Weingarten of Spin stated, "if
rapping were purely an athletic competition,
Eminem would be Michael Phelps and Lou Retton
combined: pure ability and flexibility, like
a bullet with only white-hot hate in his wake".
He would go on to add that "we get rhymes.....
more rhymes than some rappers manage in a
whole career".
Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times said,
"Eminem sounds more alive - angrier yet fully
present - than he has in years.....
Eminem burns with purpose on "MMLP2".
And if you don't like what he has to say,
there's a chance he doesn't either".
Edna Gundersen of USA Today said, Eminem "recaptures
the original releases wild, clever, emotional
brilliance in a flurry of caustic, brazenly
honest, rapid-fire rhymes and aggressive beats".
Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe gave the
album a positive review saying, "If anything,
the sequel is more intense than the original,
as the Detroit rapper explodes like an M-80.....
many memorable ones to be heard here, as Eminem
doubles down on his manic flow, bursting with
analogies, jokes, illusions, and ingenious
wordplay with dizzying speed and skill".
Dan Rys of XXL gave the album a rating of
XL saying, "the thing that carries Em through
is the diversity of his flows, and his ability
to rap over anything ..... you're getting
one with more perspective, a version which
has seen 13 more years and has a different
outlook on some of the same topics that he
first visited in 2000".
Evan Rytlewski of The A.V.
Club gave the album a B rating, saying "after
years of stagnancy and tedious anger, he shows
real growth on The Marshall Mathers LP.
Eminem has always rapped with forceful determination
out of compulsive drives to prove himself
to doubters, cut down his enemies, and retain
his commercial foothold.
For the first time in far too long, he sounds
like he's rapping because he enjoys it, too."
Jon Carmanica of The New York Times gave the
album a positive review saying, "His lyrics
are best viewed under a microscope..... to
see how he gets from one rhyme to the next
in unexpected ways..... he'll dominate almost
any sound..... but he still has some old habits,
still heavy-handed with homophobic slurs.....
Eminem is still rapping from deep inside his
cave, as if he's had no new experiences to
draw from."
David Jeffries of AllMusic spoke of the album
saying, it is a "vicious, infectious, hilarious
triumph..... a super villain so familiar with
hate and depression, he's powered by all shades
of anger ..... most of the best moments on
MMLP2 are just as angry and just as irresponsible.....
Eminem at his very best."
Luke Fox of Exclaim! gave the album an eight
out ten rating praising the albums "astounding
wordplay and creative beat choices".
In a mixed review, Greg Kot of the Chicago
Tribune gave the album two out of four stars
saying, "it reaffirms his prodigious agility
with rhymes.
Eminem still crunches together syllables,
silliness, and storytelling flights of ridiculousness
with acrobatic skill" and "The sense that
we've all been here before, twice, is exacerbated
by tired samples and interpolations.
Eminem tries to cover up his retreat by doing
cartwheels and back-flips with his rhymes".
Craig Jenkins of Pitchfork Media gave the
album a mixed review saying, "Eminem is a
titan with wordplay, but MMLP2 once again
finds him at a loss for how to apply his talents."
Nick Catucci of Entertainment Weekly gave
the album a C+ criticizing Eminem's use of
slurs on the album, saying "Eminem wouldn't
be Eminem..... if he didn't allot some of
his whizbang homophobic slurs and misogynistic
fantasies..... rightly considered a rap great
for his technical prowess, wicked humor, and
tenacity..... which make his flashes of hatred
for women and gay men all the more alarming."
Accolades
Closing out the year, The Marshall Mathers
LP 2 was ranked in multiple "Albums of the
Year" lists.
XXL named it the second best album of the
year.
They commented saying, "Three years after
his widely praised album Recovery, Em tapped
into his former self for Marshall Mathers
LP 2.
Slim Shady, along with the characters and
stories from the first installment, are peppered
throughout his latest effort.
The Rap God also displays his lyrical prowess
on songs like “Love Game” with Kendrick
Lamar, the tribute to his mother in “Headlights,"
and the old school rap-rock ode "Berzerk."
Em also supplies the world with another Rihanna
collaboration that ups the expectations for
fans every time their name is paired together.
Overall, Eminem proves once again that his
second wind is just as good as his glory days."
Complex ranked the album number six, on their
list of the 50 best albums of 2013, praising
it as Eminem's best album since The Eminem
Show.
Music critic Robert Christgau named it the
seventh best album of 2013 in his year-end
list for The Barnes & Noble Review.
Digital Spy placed it at number 14 on their
list of the best albums of 2013.
It was placed at number 24 on Rolling Stone's
list of the 50 best albums of 2013.
Spin also ranked it at number 28 on their
list of the 50 best albums of 2013, saying
"His eighth solo album, The Marshall Mathers
LP 2, is an unwieldy beast; an imperfect yet
mostly thrilling verbal-gymnastics routine
that sticks the landing in the zone of Bad
Taste with arms proudly raised."
It was also listed at number 48 on the PopMatters
list of the best albums of 2013.
It was positioned at number 64 on MusicOMH's
list of the top 100 of the year.
Commercial performance
In the United States, the album debuted at
number one on the Billboard 200, selling more
than 792,000 copies in its first week, becoming
the second-biggest debut of 2013 and the second-largest
sales week of the year, only behind the debut
of Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience,
which bowed at number one with 968,000 in
March.
The Marshall Mathers LP 2 logs the sixth-biggest
sales week of the past five years.
The album also marks Eminem's seventh No.
1 album.
In its second week the album dropped to number
two, selling 210,000 more copies.
In its third week the album returned to number
one on the Billboard 200, selling 120,000
more copies.
In its fourth week the album dropped to number
two on the Billboard 200, selling 199,000
more copies.
The album sold 1,727,000 copies in the United
States in 2013, making it the second best-selling
album of the year.
As of July 13, 2014, the album has sold 2,155,247
copies in United States according to Nielsen
Soundscan.
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at
number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling
over 143,000 copies, becoming Eminem’s seventh
consecutive No. 1 album in the UK.
By achieving such a feat, Eminem became the
first American act to score seven consecutive
UK Number 1 albums and is now on par with
The Beatles in second place for the most chart-topping
U.K. albums in a row.
As of February, 2014, the album has sold over
477,000 copies in the U.K.
The album was the best-selling album of 2013
in Canada, with over 242,000 units sold.
In Australia, the album debuted at atop the
ARIA Albums Chart, with only three days of
chart sales, becoming his seventh No. 1 album
in the country.
It remained at number-one on the ARIA Albums
Chart in its second week.
The Marshall Mathers LP 2 finished 2013 with
more than 3.8 million copies sold worldwide.
Track listing
Notes
Track listing and credits from album booklet.
^a signifies a co-producer
^b signifies an additional producer
"Bad Guy" features vocals by Sarah Jaffe.
"Survival" features vocals by Liz Rodrigues.
"Legacy" features vocals by Polina.
"Love Game" features vocals by Keira Marie.
"The Monster" features background vocals by
Bebe.
Sample credits
"Bad Guy" contains samples of "Hocus Pokus",
as performed by Walter Murphy; "Soana", written
by Gian Piero Reverberi and Laura Giordano;
and "Ode to Billie Joe", as performed by Lou
Donaldson.
"Rhyme or Reason" contains samples of "Time
of the Season", written by Rod Argent and
performed by The Zombies.
"Berzerk" contains samples of "The Stroke",
written and performed by Billy Squier; "Fight
for Your Right", written by Adam Horovitz,
Adam Yauch, and Rick Rubin, as performed by
the Beastie Boys; and "Feel Me Flow", written
by Joseph Modeliste, Art Neville, Cyril Neville,
Vincent Brown, Anthony Criss and Keir Gist,
as performed by Naughty by Nature.
"Rap God" contains interpolations of "The
Show", written by Douglas Davis and Richard
Walters, and "Supersonic", written by Dania
Birks, Juana Burns, Jaunita Lee, Fatima Shaheed
and Kim Nazel.
"So Far..." contains samples of "Life's Been
Good", written and performed by Joe Walsh;
and "P.S.K.
What Does It Mean?", as performed by Schoolly
D.
"Love Game" contains samples of "Game of Love",
written by Clint Ballard, Jr., as performed
by Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders; and interpolations
of "The Object of My Affection", written by
Jimmie Grier, Coy Poe and Pinky Tomlin.
Personnel
Credits for The Marshall Mathers LP 2 adapted
from AllMusic.
Charts
Certifications
Release history
References
