I remember this being one of the last raw Eminem in his prime albums, that I downloaded in high school. The follow up to the Marshal Mathers LP was released two years after the diamond selling Marshal Mather LP shattered sales records for hip hop. Eminem uses his humor to assassinate the pop culture world in With Out Me the first single off the album with a mega video to help the industry remember the top selling artist of the genre.
The Eminem show was number one in 19 countries, including UK, Canada, Australia and was the best selling album in 2002 in the United States. Released May 26, 2002, The Eminem Show is the fourth studio album by Eminem, by Aftermath Entertainment, Shady Records, and Interscope Records selling 7,600,00 copies in the USA.
An Rabid Neurosis RNS An MP3 Warez release organisation shared the album and released it 25 days prior to its scheduled release on June 4 2002. Via peer to peer networks the album rapidly was downloaded and bootlegged copies appeared on the streets. As panic set in, Radio show Opie and Anthony broadcast the entire album on May 17, 2002. Interscope flustered by the album leaks, decided to release the album earlier than planned, on May 28 to prevent bootlegging and wider spread downloading. However, many retail stores in the US began selling earlier than the new release date on Sunday, May 26, and some retailers put the album out as early as Friday.
"America Couldn't Wait" read on Interscope promotional posters in stores. The Eminem Show was Eminem's first album to include lyrics to all its songs inside the CD booklet and had him producing most of the album himself. Additionally, the first 2,000,000 copies of The Eminem Show shipped in the United States included a bonus DVD with an exclusive live footage and interview.
Despite the confusion over the exact release date, The Eminem Show still managed to have a very successful debut on the charts with the strength of the hit Without ME appearing in cross radio broad casts for pop rock and alternative music stations even playing the hit. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling approximately 284,000 copies in its first week, marking the first time an album had topped the charts with such an abbreviated sales week.
Selling 1,322,000 copies the following week, where it registered a full week of sales, then sold 809,000 copies in its third week and 529,562 copies in its fourth week to bring its four-week sales total to just under 3,000,000 copies. The album sold 381,000 copies in its fifth week and topped the Billboard 200 for a fifth and final consecutive week. It has gone on to sell over 10,000,000 copies. On March 7, 2011, the album was certified 10x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America making it Eminem's second album to receive a Diamond certification in the United States.
The Eminem Show also spent five consecutive weeks at the top of the UK Albums Chart. As of November 2013, the album has sold over 1,500,000 copies in the UK.
The Eminem Show commercial hits were "Without Me", "Cleanin' Out My Closet", "Superman", and "Sing for the Moment".
Since the release back in 2002, The Eminem Show has sold 10,600,00 copies in the US and 27 million copies international. At the 2003 Grammy Awards, Eminem completed a 3 peat as he won the award for Best Rap Album for the third consecutive year. He also won the MTV Music awards for Best Male Video, Video of the Year, Best Direction, and Best Rap Video.
Eminem was filming 8 Mile while he started recording the 8 mile sound track as well the album The Eminem Show. The Eminem Show was the beginning to Em self producing most of the tracks with Jeff Bass co-producing most of the commercial hits. Dr Dre was the album's executive producer and produced "Business", "Say What You Say", and "My Dad's Gone Crazy". The Face magazine interviewed Eminem before the albums release in April 2002,"...treated the album like was a rock record, in terms of production; incorporating the use of guitars while still having elements of hip-hop, to capture the '70s rock vibe, which felt "had this incredible feel", for most of the record. EM said that he "tried to get the best of both worlds". AND THAT IT WAS HIS BEST ALBUM THUS FAR
Other raw songs on the album include, Till I Collapse, and DR DRE PRODUCED Say What You and Halley's Song.
Till I Collapse is an excellent work out or pump song that builds into the gritty Nate Dawg hook that timelessly refrains that I will work hard until I cannot work anymore and I'm going to do these raps until I can't go to war anymore by any means necessary.
50 Cent Remix mixed with EM and Nate Dawg
Say What You Say Produced by Dr Dre
Hallie's Song is the first song I think you ever hear Eminem attempt to sing. He does a great job as he expresses everything he has gone through to help his daughter because she is everything to him.