The Slim Shady EP
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Slim Shady EP | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||
| EP by Eminem | |||||
| Released | December 10, 1997 | ||||
| Recorded | 1997 | ||||
| Genre | Hip hop | ||||
| Length | 41:14 | ||||
| Label | Web Entertainment | ||||
| Producer | Eminem, Bass Brothers, Mr. Porter | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Eminem chronology | |||||
|
|||||
Slim Shady EP is a 1997 EP release by rapper Eminem on the Detroit-based record label Web Entertainment. Slim Shady EP got released on cassette and most probably 150 CDs were pressed as follow-up. The demo is very highly sought after and an original cassette will reach over US$500 on eBay - however, it was pirated extensively since Eminem became famous, and legitimate copies are extremely rare and difficult to authenticate. Modified versions of the tracks "Just Don't Give A Fuck", "Mommy"/"Just the Two of Us" (as "97 Bonnie & Clyde"), and "If I Had" appeared on 1999's The Slim Shady LP.
Eminem first introduced his "Slim Shady" persona on this EP, and his lyrics are a marked departure from those found on Infinite, featuring constant references to drug use, sexual acts, mental instability, and over-the-top violence. Another departure was his exploration of more serious themes of dealing with poverty, his direct and self-deprecating response to criticism, and of marital and family difficulties. His flow is also noticeably different than on Infinite; whereas critics claimed he sounded too much like Nas and AZ on that album, Eminem's flow now sounds closer to Jay-Z's early delivery[citation needed] . Eminem also began utilizing a more complex rhyme structure and clever story telling in this EP. The production value of the music on the tracks — from previous collaborators DJ Head, The Bass Brothers, and Mr. Porter — was also noticeably higher than on prior album efforts.
Unlike Infinite, Slim Shady EP gained Eminem significant underground attention and eventually garnered the interest of famous West Coast hip-hop producer Dr. Dre, who subsequently signed Eminem to his fledgling Aftermath label and executive-produced his breakthrough major-label debut The Slim Shady LP.
The album cover depicts the opening skit as well as the first track, in which Slim Shady (a character which Eminem apparently "killed" in the past) awakens Eminem and orders him to look in the mirror to see that he is "nothing without him". Eminem resists and screams in the background while Slim Shady yells back and laughs at Eminem's horror. By the second track, Eminem and Slim Shady become the same person.
Upon the release of this album, white underground New York rapper Cage accused Eminem of copying his style, claiming the "Slim Shady" persona had adapted the over-the-top violence and perversion that Cage had become known for in the underground hip-hop circuit with the recent release of his single "Agent Orange." Certain hip-hop fans have also interpreted similarities between Cage and Eminem's nasal tone as well as Eminem's new flow on this album and Cage's flow. The two exchanged minor disses early in Eminem's career.
[edit] Unsigned Hype
Eminem was featured in the March 1998 edition of The Source magazine's, "Unsigned Hype" column. The author of the column highlighted two tracks from Eminem's, "Slim Shady EP;" "Just The Two Of Us," and "Murder, Murder." The column was written about a month or two prior to Eminem's record deal with Aftermath Entertainment but wasn't published until March 1998. Being featured as an "unsigned hype" in The Source gave Eminem's career a great boost.[citation needed]
[edit] Track listing
| # | Title | Time | Producer(s) | Performer (s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intro (Slim Shady) | 1:05 | Eminem | Eminem |
| 2 | Low Down, Dirty | 4:47 | Da-Brigade, Denaun Porter | Eminem |
| 3 | If I Had... | 4:07 | DJ Rec | Eminem, Kristie Abete |
| 4 | Just Don't Give A Fuck | 4:02 | Denaun Porter | Eminem, Frogg |
| 5 | Mommy | 0:36 | F.B.T. Productions, Eminem | Eminem |
| 6 | Just The Two Of Us | 4:19 | DJ Head | Eminem |
| 7 | No One's Iller | 4:58 | DJ Head | Eminem, Swift, Bizarre Kid, Fuzz Scoota |
| 8 | Murder, Murder | 4:40 | DJ Rec | Eminem |
| 9 | If I Had... (Radio Edit) | 4:03 | DJ Rec | Eminem, Kristie Abete |
| 10 | Just Don't Give A #?@! (Radio Edit) | 4:04 | Denaun Porter | Eminem, Frogg |
[edit] Samples/Interpolations
Low Down, Dirty
- "Soopaman Luva 3" by Redman
- "One More Chance (Remix)" by Notorious B.I.G.
Just The Two Of Us
- "Just The Two of Us" by Grover Washington, Jr.
No One's Iller
- "Wildflower" by Hank Crawford
Murder, Murder
- "50 Ways To Leave Your Love" by Paul Simon
- "Outlaw" by 2Pac
- "No One's Iller" by Eminem
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
