My Gut Reaction: Eminem - Kamikaze (August 31, 2018)

To capitalize on the holiday season, Marshall “Eminem” Mathers released his ninth solo album, Revival, in mid-December of 2017. An effort seemingly calculated to maximize record sales from consumers who didn’t pay any attention to hip hop, it featured guest turns from Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Alicia Keys, P!nk, X-Ambassadors, Skylar Grey, and Kehlani (along with one lone rapper, Phresher, who conveniently hasn’t been heard from since Revival dropped, which is kind of weird, right?). One look at that guest list and you can probably discern exactly what Revival sounded like. So, unsurprisingly, critics were especially savage, tearing down Marshall’s work as though there was gold embedded in the Berlin Wall.

What was surprising is how Marshall was so distraught by the critical response that he felt the need to write an album about it, Kamikaze, released a mere eight months later.

Although, to be clear, Kamikaze isn’t only about Revival’s poor reception, that topic of discussion does occupy a lot of space on what is Eminem’s tenth album, which came out of nowhere in late August of 2018. The tactic of “surprise albums” had been utilized by many artists before, most notably Beyoncé, but nobody ever truly expected Marshall Mathers to cater to that particular whim, as he’s fully a part of the studio system, a rapper who follows the blueprint of releasing a single or two to generate buzz before dropping an album, diligently filming promotional music videos along the way. Kamikaze is made up of eleven songs over thirteen tracks (there are skits included, designed to remind listeners who have somehow been on board since The Slim Shady LP that Marshall never truly abandoned that side of him), featuring actual for-real guest rappers and zero attempts at locking down slots on pop radio playlists.

Everything about Kamikaze seems designed to evoke memories of old-school hip hop and how Marshall had been heavily influenced by acts such as LL Cool J, Masta Ace, and the Beastie Boys, who served as the inspiration for the album cover, as Em simply ripped off the artwork from their Def Jam debut Licensed To Ill. (Had this been released in the early part of the millennium, Marshall probably would have also swiped the Beasties' original title for that album, which the label considered homophobic (um, no fucking shit) and the Beasties have regretted ever considering since.) Thankfully, that inspiration doesn’t transfer to the beats, as Rick Rubin is nowhere to be found on Kamikaze (thank fucking God): instead, Eminem cedes production duties to the likes of Boi-1da, Mike Will Made It, and, most prolifically, someone called Illadaproducer. (Even though Kamikaze was released by Aftermath/Interscope, Dr. Dre still doesn’t contribute any beats, nor does Marshall turn to his tour deejay The Alchemist for an assist. The hell, man?)

Kamikaze is a bit more than an album-length version of his “Chloraseptic” remix, on which Em first confronted critics who just didn’t understand what he was trying to do and standing behind his product. It’s mostly that, but he also uses the project to discuss how he’s incapable of participating in successful romantic relationships, and there’s also a song about D-12 that doesn’t feature any members of D-12. Em also barely mentions the current administration, even though he still very much would like all #MAGA trolls to fuck right off, please. But just be aware of what you’re jumping in to: Kamikaze is at all-out assault on both music critics and the popular rap music of the day that he just doesn’t get, and to his… credit? (no, that’s not right, he doesn’t deserve credit for this), Eminem names names. And not just Moby’s and Fred Durst’s.

Hooray?

1. THE RINGER

Marshall’s mission statement, in which he attempts to justify the existence of Kamikaze: everyone hated Revival, and he wants you to know why you’re wrong to dislike it. Let me get the good shit out of the way quickly: Em sounds more focused on this album opener than he does on his last solo projects, and does so without reverting to rap god-lyrical miracle mode, as “The Ringer” is relatively simple to understand. He even gets in one solidly funny line (“I don’t doze off, I don’t even nod to the beats”). But the entire fucking song is the ranting of an elder statesman in the rap game, talking shit about the younger generation that is overtaking him in popularity. He goes out of his way to not attack Lil Yachty, but other “mumble rappers” aren’t given as much leeway. Marshall uses Illadaproducer and Ronny J’s not-awful instrumentals to tell us all about how Revival simply went over all of our heads, how author and radio show host Charlemagne (who is named) and podcaster-slash-former rapper Joe Budden (who isn’t) are dicks for not giving it a fair shot, and how Trump sent the Secret Service to his house after his infamous BET freestyle where he essentially told a not-insignificant chunk of his audience to stop listening to his music. And that vicious attack is still much more memorable than whatever the hell Eminem is complaining about on “The Ringer”. Look, dude, your album sucked and a lot of people didn’t like it. That doesn’t mean the media is to blame, bro. Stop Trumping Revival, man. Fuck, there’s twelve more tracks of this shit?

2. GREATEST

Somehow hearing Eminem criticize the rap game for having “honkies sounding like me” sounds much more offensive than every non-homophobic insult he’s ever written: the hatred in his voice when he says it (multiple times, as it’s a part of the chorus) is worrisome. Our host is still hurt that Revival didn’t set the world on fire (maybe you should have just written better songs, Marshall), but that doesn’t prevent him from jumping right back into his multi-syllabic speedy lyrical-miracle flow, which, sigh. Marshall’s casual mention of Mr. Porter and Royce da 5’9” advising him to take the high road after Revival was battered by the critics reminded me that Royce already has an EP called The Revival in his catalog. Mike Will Made It’s beat is okay, but our host’s verbal abuse does it no favors. Marshall also devotes more time to South African rap group-slash-art installation Die Antwoord, hastily explaining that he was trying to give them a shout-out when he mispronounced the group’s name, not attack them, before attacking one of the members for dating DJ Muggs (who produced for the group in the past under the alias The Black Goat). Naturally, this then leads to a shout-out to Cypress Hill, Muggs’ best-known group. Eminem is really just all over the place with this one, and that is not a fucking compliment. (The album credits for “Greatest” were also accidentally omitted from the liner notes of the physical release, which, what? Aftermath/Interscope isn’t some mom-and-pop record label. The fuck is going on down there?)

3. LUCKY YOU (FEAT. JOYNER LUCAS)

“Lucky You” keeps popping up on satellite radio (and possibly FM, as well? I have no idea), and every time I see its title I quickly change the channel, as I wanted to save it for this gut reaction. And now I’m here, and I kind of want to bang my head against a wall embedded with spikes, just so I can feel something other than “bored”. Worcester's own Joyner Lucas opens the track, a rare concession from our host, but his flow was clearly influenced by Marshall, as the only difference between the two performances is the fact that Lucas drops the “n-word” multiple times throughout. Em raps about being successful but unappreciated, whereas Joyner wishes he were that lucky. That’s really all there is to this song: The Boi-1da beat, which eventually gives way to an Illadaproducer instrumental, certainly could never withstand the weight of anything substantial. And our host is still talking about how Revival failed, but at least on here he’s trying to push forward, so that’s worth noting. Unlike the track as a whole, which sucks.

4. PAUL (SKIT)

Included solely to indicate that Marshall Mathers is self-aware. Well, that, and to hook whatever fans remain from Em’s early Aftermath career, back when Paul Rosenberg routinely appeared on skits for Eminem albums.

5. NORMAL

Marshall’s latest misogynistic lamentations of failed (and abusive) relationship actually contains the line, “Always gotta be so extra / Like a fucking terrestrial,” which is really all you need to know about this shit. Next!

6. EM CALLS PAUL

A follow-up to the earlier skit, in which our host drives to a critic’s home address just to confront him. This isn’t healthy, Marshall. Revival sucked. Let it goooooooo.

7. STEPPING STONE

Don’t get me wrong, “Stepping Stone” isn’t a well-constructed song: it’s an Eminem production with him singing some vocals during the hook whole the rock-influenced beat just kind of lies there. So, typical Marshall Mathers. Lyrically, though, this is very well-written, as our host comes to terms with how he didn’t do enough to support his former group, D-12, and admits he may have destroyed some of his friendships with the other members along the way. This is the most mature I’ve heard Eminem sound on quite a few years now, and it’s refreshing that he is capable of looking in the mirror and accepting the blame, even when he isn’t sure that he’s the lone culprit. Now do that for Revival.

8. NOT ALIKE (FEAT. ROYCE DA 5’9”)

I thought we were friends, but I guess I was wrong. The Interweb was alight with the news of Joyner Lucas’ cameo on “Lucky You”, but not a single one of you two thought to inform me that Royce da 5’9: has a feature on Kamikaze? How dare you. “Not Alike” is now known mostly as “the song where Marshall attacks Machine Gun Kelly”, but its original intentions are visible in his opener: over a Tay Keith instrumental that sounds exactly like his work on BlocBoy JB’s “Look Alive” (a track I enjoy), Eminem makes fun of mumble rappers and trap stars as only an old man annoyed with the kids playing on his lawn ever could. (A second beat, provided by Ronny J, eventually comes in as well. Not sure what is with this current obsession within our chosen genre to use up every single beat you have on your laptop on every track.) His hook is purposefully ridiculous and inflammatory, so much so that Migos would most certainly have contacted their lawyers had the MGK stuff not dominated the news cycle. For his part, Ryan sounds good and diplomatically vague with his notions that none of these rappers are similar to him. I didn’t necessarily need to know that Royce sounded good over trap beats, but it’s good information to file away, I suppose? But Marshall’s vendetta with Kelly overpowers the track, his concise barbs attacking the man so thoroughly that he couldn’t help but respond (more on that later). As a song detached from the controversy, it’s merely okay: Ryan’s goodwill in my eyes is severely tested. But as a dis track, it’s fine.

9. KAMIKAZE

Just no.

10. FALL

The song where Marshall takes aim at Charlemagne (again), Joe Budden (by name this time, and the comment he makes about the man who was once signed to Em's label with the group Slaughterhouse does have a ring of truth to it), and Odd Future’s Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt. His attack of Earl is by far the least effective of the entire project, so let’s talk about Tyler, to whom our host directs a homophobic message that he was embarrassed enough about to censor before Kamikaze surprised everyone by hitting the Interweb. There’s just no juice or creativity in these barbs: Eminem sounds bored and wants to start a fight, and the only guy to take the bait was MGK. Mike Will Made It’s instrumental was weak, and for some reason an uncredited Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) is crooning the hook as though that was something we were all jonesing to hear in 2018. The only aspect of “Fall” I found myself agreeing with was Em’s takedown of Brand Nubian’s Lord Jamar, who had been problematic in our chosen genre for fucking years. That aside, though, our host claims to be the progenitor of a slew of younger rap cats, but can’t be bothered to show any spark of life behind the microphone. Marshall Mathers, you used to be the man, homey. The fuck happened to you?

11. NICE GUY (FEAT. JESSIE REYEZ)

Maybe Eminem (and, by extension, guest Jessie Reyez) don’t deserve to be in relationships when they feel this kind of way about their partner. The misogyny runs rampant here, you two, and it got fucking old a long time ago.

12. GOOD GUY (FEAT. JESSIE REYEZ)

Marshall Mathers makes music for incels. At least that’s what the woman-hating trifecta of “Normal”, “Nice Guy”, and “Good Guy” has proven to me today. Prove me wrong, motherfuckers. I’ll wait.

13. VENOM (MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE)

Kamikaze ends with a song Eminem contributed to the movie Venom, a fact made abundantly clear by the song’s title. With the sheer number of references to the source and the fact that the word “symbiote” is used during the third verse, I wonder exactly how much Sony paid him to do this in the first place. Our host’s instrumental isn’t bad, but Marshall’s lyrics are primarily of the “cashing a check” varietal, even though he does touch on his come-up in the rap game during his first verse. Still, this doesn’t really fit Kamikaze in any way, not that it ever should have, so its inclusion is more for completist’s sake than because of any artistic compulsion. At least it wasn’t yet another song about what a great guy he is and how women are all evil, right?

Shortly after the release of Kamikaze, Machine Gun Kelly caught wind of the verbal attacks Marshall had directed toward him, which caused him to respond with his own dis track, “Rap Devil”. Em, unsurprisingly, took the bait and released a response to the response.

KILLSHOT

“Killshot”, which I’m sure our host imagined as his own “The Story of Adidon”, falls flat. Marshall’s tactic of treating his position in this battle as a combination of “I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed” and “I’m the father of your style” makes all of his disses seem even more inconsequential than most rap beefs tend to be. Illadaproducer’s instrumental is so not made for this type of record, and Em’s own flow is so ridiculous that it’s difficult to take him seriously as a threat, either lyrically or otherwise. There are no winners in this particular battle, but at least Kelly managed some funny lines. That said, Marshall pulled the absolute pettiest move I’ve ever seen within our chosen genre this year the day “Killshot” dropped: he forced his radio station, Shade 45, to play it every hour, and even had the on-air personalities praise the track to high heaven, even though, and I cannot stress this enough, even though MGK was previously banned from the station (for making a crass remark about Em’s daughter, which is what ignited this flame to begin with). Without ever hearing Kelly defend himself on the station, Marshall comes across as what he likely fears becoming the most: a hater. A bully. “Killshot” doesn’t deserve any praise because of that maneuver alone. It also doesn’t help matters that it just isn’t a very good song, bro.

THE LAST WORD: I feel that every critic that claims Kamikaze is better than Revival is simply grasping for straws, clutching the one positive takeaway from this project. So fuck it, I’ll lump myself in with them: Kamikaze is better than Revival. But it’s still not very good, folks. Marshall’s best years as a writer may still be to come: if “Stepping Stone” is any indication, I wouldn’t mind reading an Eminem autobiography, especially if he’s as honest with himself as he was on the song. But as a rapper? Long since past, you two. Eminem has actual undisputed classic songs under his belt, and his legacy within our chosen genre is secured. So his segue into pop-rap was a disappointing, if not unexpected, development in his career, and every time he attempts to shift back into beast mode it’s increasingly corny. Using your album as a vehicle to attack critics who just don’t understand you is melodramatic to a fault, akin to a high school newspaper editor using their weekly column to take down any teacher who feels that homecoming is an outdated tradition. Kamikaze’s production lands squarely in the “merely okay” classification, as nothing on here especially bangs, and Marshall’s verses, at least when he isn’t talking about D-12, Revival, or Machine Gun Kelly, lack focus and direction, as he still thinks spitting rappity-rap-rap horseshit is enough to get him by. His guests all seem excited to have been invited to the party, but none of that translates into a great performance. (Except Royce, who, come on.) So no, I don’t like Kamikaze, and I don’t see any reason for it to remain on anyone’s phones through the duration of this write-up. But unlike Revival, I now don’t necessarily feel that Marshall needs to hang it up and focus on promoting the other artists that remain on Shady Records (note that this is the second Em project in a row where he doesn’t even try to give Westside Gunn and Conway a proper showcase, which makes me question if they’ve already left the label, which I predicted a while ago).  Kamikaze proves that Eminem may have another decent album in him: he just needs someone to wrangle away creative control, as it’s obvious at this point that Dr. Dre will let him do whatever he wants, as he still has Eminem checks that he hasn’t cashed yet. I wouldn’t expect to hear that album anytime soon, though, if “Killshot” is proof of concept. In conclusion, Libya is a land of contrasts. Thank you.

-Max

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