Eminem has opened up about his constant desire for success, revealing that he still hopes to top 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP.
Over the weekend, Eminem celebrated the 20th anniversary of his second album, and major label debut, The Slim Shady LP. While the record was a surprise success to many, it wasn’t until the release of his third record, The Marshall Mathers LP, in 2000 that the rapper’s name was really put on the map.
Featuring singles like ‘The Real Slim Shady’, the record was his most commercially-successful up to that point, despite the extremely violent and confronting lyrics that featured therein.
Regardless, the album also featured Eminem hitting back at almost everyone he could, ranging from politicians, parents, hip-hop colleagues, and most notably, his ex-wife.
While the record was uncomfortable to listen to at times, it’s considered one of the finest hip-hop albums of all time, and features Eminem at his ferocious best.
However, a new interview with the Rap God has revealed that he still looks to The Marshall Mathers LP as the high point of his artist output, explaining that he still hopes to top it.
Check out Eminem’s Marshall From Detroit:
Speaking to Sway Calloway in the new VR interview Marshall From Detroit, Eminem opened up about the notion of trying to achieve “that perfect verse”.
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“Ima be 100% honest: I feel like, and I’ve felt this way for a long time – I’ve always been chasing The Marshall Mathers LP,” Eminem began.
“Because I know that captured a moment, you know what I’m saying? It’s kind of like a time capsule, when I look back at it. The times that it was back then and the turmoil that my life felt like was happening.”
“Shit was happening so fast, I spiralling out of control and I had a lot of rage,” he continued. “When people say they miss the old Eminem, I feel like it’s probably that. You miss the rage.”
“I don’t have the rage anymore that I used to have but I still have the exact same passion. Sometimes it doesn’t always come out the right way, and sometimes it’s like: ‘What the fuck is that? Take a pause, man.’”
“I don’t know who I’m competing with, but I just wanna be… there’s a lot of great rappers, there’s a lot of great artists coming up in this generation now. I’m watching it, and I’m loving it, and the competitive spirit in me wants to keep up with the best of the best.”
In related news, Eminem wraps up his Australian tour tomorrow tonight with a performance in Perth. His Melbourne show over the weekend managed to smash attendance records at the MCG, with over 80,000 fans turning up to see him perform. Read all the highlights of the show here.
Check out Eminem’s ‘The Way I Am’:
