Asshole Review

 Asshole Review

Album: The Marshall Mathers LP 2

Artist: Eminem ft. Skylar Grey

Year: 2013

 

Sound: 3/5

Lyrics: 4/5

Instrumental: 2/5

Idea: 3/5

Flow/Energy: 3/5

Music Video: (none)

Other: 3/5

 

I remember looking at the Marshall Mathers LP 2’s tracklist with my brother, and I remember pointing out Asshole, and saying, "oh that one’s going to be good.” I didn’t know why, but if he was brining another singer into it, that meant he was nervous doing the hook himself, which Eminem usually does on bigger song. (this album has enough examples to prove my point) And although more tracks caught me off guard and I liked more, this one I really like. First I’ll talk about the hook. Skylar Grey and Em I’m guessing are friends, because they’re having a lot of collaborations. And its another female voice. You could argue its pop friendly, and a lot of people will use that as an excuse to not like the song. But the Marshall Mathers LP 1 had pop singers on the hooks, and people love that. It’s all about context for me, and I liked this one a lot more than the one on Legacy, the sample (I believe it’s a sample, I still haven’t done my research) hook on Bad Guy, but not the one from the single Survival. But the hook Skylar gives is very synthetic, and singing in a way that probably won’t upset those male dominant music listeners that think you’re gay for listening to a female. (Kind of ironic that you’re gay for not having you iPod a sausage fest) Anyway, the hook changes the song, does its job, and is good. If I have beef with anything it’s the boring marching beat. Nothing says asshole like the beat in this song, right? But in its defense, somehow with the synthetic hook, strange instrumental, and Em’s fast lyrics, it all came in a weird nice package. Speaking of the lyrics, they’re really good. I will say what I heard in the review of the album, I think he could have been more of an asshole. I mean, he gave some asshole callouts. But discussing the minor Asher Roth beef, teasing ICP again, and calling Gwen Stefani a sellout. Those are all pretty damn safe. Back on the song the Real Slim Shady for example, there was two things. One, a sense of he didn’t give a shit, chaos, and dope rapping. This really only had one of those things, because I do think he cares, and its far from chaotic. But the song isn’t titled chaotic, its titled Asshole, and you feel that its right up Eminem’s ally, and he pulls it off pretty damn well.

Asshole gets a 3/5