Eminem - Encore (2004)

You might rightfully be surprised to read a review of a hip hop record here. I have to admit that I'm usually not a fan of nervously twitching youngsters uttering vocal masturbation about tired old stereotypes supported by artificially flavoured electronic beats and exchangeable melodies. However, there are a few select positive exceptions when rappers delivers records on the pulse of time with inspiring lyrics. This is the case of Eminem's Encore, even though it's widely regarded as this artist's worst effort and was even criticized in hindsight by the artist himself. Encore is quite underrated and portrays the struggles of the United States of America in the early years of the millennium as well as the artist's personal issues back then very authentically.

I was introduced to this record by my best childhood friend when I was fifteen years old. We had grown up with a passion for punk rock music but while my friend slowly transitioned towards an interest for hip hop, I discovered my passion for heavier sounds back then. I was skeptical giving these twenty songs with a long-winded running time of seventy-seven minutes a spin but I decided to try out something out of my comfort zone. I didn't regret at all and many more spins followed.

The first track that truly impresses here is desperate, gritty and melancholic ''Like Toy Soldiers'' featuring samples of a dance-pop song by Martika. The lyrics are particularly thought-provoking as the rapper deals with the growing number of feuds in the rap game and attempts to calm his colleagues down before things go too far. This topic was closely inspired by his friend Bugz's death. It also deals with the fact that Eminem's mother, ex-wife and daughter were insulted in a song by Ja Rule. Since the rap game has always been related to feuds, the song has become timeless and its pacifist message is a rare moment of lucidity in the genre.

''Mosh'' is a very political song with sinister mood. Eminem raises awareness about the struggles of the Iraq War, the rise of supremacist hate groups and the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. He associates those sinister developments to George W. Bush's presidency. Eminem's goal was to inspire American citicizens to vote the Republican President out of office but we now know that it didn't work out.

The melancholic, melodic and thoughtful ''Mockingbird'' rather presents Eminem's personal issues, dealing with his relationships with his daughter Hailie Jade, his adopted daughter Alaina and his estranged wife Kim. The song convinces with profound empathy, genuine emotions and courageous authenticity. It brings the listener closer to the artist than ever before.

In order to balance those serious topics, Encore also includes a few humorous songs to lift the atmosphere up. Vibrant lead single ''Just Lose It'' for instance is a shameless parody of pop icon Michael Jackson's troubles and Eminem further mocks the situation in the slapstick music video. That led to a series of controversies as Michael Jackson complained about the music video which was banned from certain television shows while it became one of the most requested music videos on other channels.

The quirky ''Ass Like That'' with its oriental soundscapes is a tongue-in-cheek answer to Triumph the Insult Comic Dog that criticized Eminem while also mocking several celebrities of the time such as the Olsen sisters, JoJo and Hilary Duff. It's easily the most danceable, melodic and surprising track on the album.

Eminem quite literally ends the record with a bang, murdering his audience and committing suicide in the closing ''Encore (Curtains)'' featuring Dr. Dre and 50 Cent. This might sound shocking to someone who isn't familiar with Eminem but such provocative actions were fairly common for the rapper back in those days.

Let's also point out a true hidden gem on the album that is often overlooked by critics and fans alike. ''Spend Some Time'' offers four stories associated to complicated romantic relationships with one verse each performed by Obie Trice, Stat Quo, 50 Cent and Eminem. Some of the lyrics are rather vulgar and superficial while others are touching and insightful. This mixture works quite well and summarizes the difficult relationships between men and women in five entertaining minutes.

In the end, Eminem's Encore is the rapper's most underappreciated record and in general one of the most underrated hip hop albums of the millennium. Its mixture of thought-provoking lyrics on the pulse of time and more tongue-in-cheek commentary is perfectly balanced. Musically, the album offers stunning diversity from Indian folklore over dance-pop to simplistic beats. Even if you might not usually like hip hop, there is something to find for every taste on Eminem's Encore.