Album: The Eminem Show
Artist: Eminem
Year: 2002
Sound: 3/5
Lyrics: 4/5
Instrumental: 3/5
Idea: 4/5
Flow/Energy: 3/5
Music Video: 4/5
Other: 3/5
First White America, then Business, then Cleanin’ Out My Closet. That’s probably more quality than an entire album by a lot of artists. This song is simple, it’s a closure and yet not closure song about Eminem and his mom. He makes personal references I have no idea what they mean, and let’s just say it’s very detailed. There’s also some more personal family talk about Kim and others, but I’d prefer that be out. This has nothing to do with that subject, and I don’t need to know more about almost killing Kim in a totally different song. Luckily the part isn’t long, so I won’t complain to much over it. The rest of the song is mostly all about Eminem and his mom. The reason I don’t like this song as much as the last two is because of some reasons. It’s a very detailed and not at all vague song, and personally a subject I can’t relate to at all. I’ve seen this one as some of people’s favorites, but for me it doesn’t mean much. To me it’s just a story about Eminem and his mom, and the hook and other parts where I usually relate, I don’t. Is it a bad song? Hell no. I like the whole theme of moving on, and the term skeletons in the closet coming into play. I like that it means something, and is actually deep. But it almost at one point turns into a rant on Eminem’s personal life. I totally believe an artist should put themselves in their music, and making real life references and even talking about them are all good in my eyes. But this gets a little too much. If this was a one time thing where Eminem speaks about his own personal life, than that’s all good. But I can’t say I love a song that has nothing to relate to, and is just slow. Nothing wrong with slower tracks, but I don’t listen to them as much, as I think a lot of people don’t. But songs like White America or the Way I Am leave such an impact when I hear them they surpass most of the faster songs. Cleanin’ Out My Closet is slow, and meaningful, but in the end it’s a song I can’t listen to often, and even though the impact is way bigger than most other rap, it still just isn’t up to standard for me to the other songs. The lyrics are good, and have that usual Eminem style. The flow is nice, the music video had some images that just left itself in your brain, and was a pretty good music video all around. There are some other songs I feel deserved a video over Cleanin’ Out My Closet, (‘Till I Collapse!?) but we can’t all have what we want. And this song probably did hit a lot of people, and actually related to them. If they like it or love it, that’s fine, but I personally can’t find it as enjoyable. I guess my closet just isn’t as messy as Eminem’s.
Cleanin' Out My Closet gets a 3/5
