Music to Be Murdered By - Side B

he paints vivid pictures of terror into a violently murderous setting. all the while, em intelligently balances the music’s energy by infusing entertaining hooks and pop culture references.

it’s clear that marshall carefully curated this proper album of “b sides”.

em’s rhyme scheme is out of control. he is so dope. eminem often plays with grammar and uses his wit to generate an insane amount of hooks.

marshall has a lot of shit to say; his speed and flow are important because they symbolize how far eminem has evolved. the current culture references and old school/new school differing philosophies are refreshing. eminem is still in touch with today’s music scene, as heard in the accompanying beats and the woke lyrics.

for those who don’t know: Alfred Hitchcock released one album in his lifetime... “Music to be Murdered By”. Eminem takes this influence and adds Hitchcock interludes, words, passages, and entrances into the music.

eminem has not forgotten the critical backlash of his recent works, and he uses this criticism to his advantage. marshall utilizes his resentment and channels rage in his music to chilling effect.

i believe that the production on 'music to be murdered by - side b' is more consistent than most of eminem's discography. this is important, as eminem has typically been known for some mediocre production (outside of dre).

rather than containing stereotypical kinds of outtakes, “music to be murdered by - side b” showcases em’s versatility with the narrative. the “music to be murdered by” themes remain ever-present, as the music continually reminds the listener of violence, mystery, noir, and Hitchcock vibes.

when “discombobulated” starts i get major flashbacks to ~2009 era Em. this dr. dre collab is a great ending track. the artistic combo, and return to form, reminds listeners how eminem is easily one of the best rappers in history.

favorites: “alfred’s theme”, “discombobulated”, “book of rhymes (feat. dj premier)”, “guns blazing”, “black magic (feat. skylar grey)”, and “gnat”.