Number 99 - Kamikaze by Eminem

  Number 99: Kamikaze by Eminem 

 Slim Shady meets Marshall Mathers

 

Release: August 31st, 2018
Genre: Hip-Hop
Favorite Tracks: Lucky You, The Ringer, Not Alike

 

Where I heard it: 

I unintentionally listened to this album an hour after it released. There was no pomp nor circumstance in its announcement, just the album cover posted to Eminem's Facebook page with the brief caption: "Kamikaze. Out now." I hadn't seen any press coverage on Kamikaze leading up to its unveiling, and a quick Google search yielded me a lone article: "Eminem drops surprise album Kamikaze." Surprise? Like, you can just put out new content with zero warning like that? Well, if you're as big of a name as Eminem, I think the conventional rules of the record industry don't necessarily apply. The brand markets itself, and my intrigue towards a bombshell Eminem album was simply too strong to turn away from in that moment.

 

Are you really just gonna reply to everybody
who you don't like what they have to say about you
or the stuff you're working on? 
I mean, I don't know if that's really a great idea
~ Paul (skit)

What to expect:

Kamikaze isn't your traditional Eminem album, which can be a turn off to many long-time fans, but its deviation comes with good reason. Eminem had just released his previous album Revival to a lukewarm reception less than a year prior. Of course, this attracted up-and-coming rappers and musical pundits in droves to disparage Eminem as a washed up has-been who was well past his prime and didn't stand a chance amongst the titans of rap in the modern age. Eminem quite uncharacteristically remained silent towards the criticism as it continued to pour in before unleashing an absolute Iron Mike haymaker towards the haters. Kamikaze offers a laser-focused approach towards its subject matter: set the naysayers ablaze for the unprovoked shots they took. Rather than relying on overt explicits and blatant shock value, each track emulates current popular styles of rap with finer execution and a signature Shady flair. Kamikaze boldly proclaims Eminem's stance towards evolving into the new rap meta: "I won't assimilate, but if I did, I'd run circles around you." For me, the proof is in the pudding of this record.

 

You can never say to me I'm not a fucking record breaker
I sound like a broken record every time I break a record
Nobody could ever take the legacy I made
~ Lucky You  

Why it's my favorite:

While I enjoy Eminem's back catalog for its colorful content, my tolerance for the macabre and appalling material Slim Shady was cherished for has faded as my musical tastes continue to mature. Certain selections are palatable, but entire albums worth of X-rated songs wear me down by the end of it. Kamikaze was the first Eminem album that made me appreciate the artist for his work of art. From the thoughtful yet malicious bars to the brilliant production beat after beat, each track resonates with familiar tendencies found in modern rap mixed with a breath of fresh air from one of the game's most successful wordsmiths. Although it's one elaborate diss album, the call-outs never feel long winded or out of left field. Much like its name implies, Kamikaze pulls no punches because Eminem has nothing left to lose in this stage of his career. I wouldn't go as far to call it revolutionary, but in a genre that often receives criticism for its similarities, it's refreshing to hear a prevalent artist's perspective through all the noise.