8 Mile

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Total Tracks: 16   Total Length: 68:17

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Jayson Greene

International Editor

Jayson Greene writes about music for Pitchfork, the Village Voice and other publications. From 2004-07, he was associate editor for SYMPHONY Magazine, where he ...more »

11.16.10
Three Eminem tracks and a grab bag of guest appearances
2002 | Label: Shady Records

There are three full songs by Eminem on 8 Mile, the soundtrack to the blockbuster piece of Rocky-style rap mythology he made with director Curtis Hanson. There is the title track, which is built on a loping sample of train wheels; there is the booming "Rabbit Run," in which Eminem raps in one long, panicked, escalating verse. And, oh yeah — there's a little song called "Lose Yourself." Maybe you've heard that one.

The rest of the album is a grab bag of guest appearances both notable (Jay-Z, with Freeway in tow; a pre-Get Rich Or Die Tryin' 50 Cent; Rakim, in the middle of his brief, uneasy courtship with Aftermath; Nas, in the full flush of his late-period imperial haughtiness), non-notable (the rest of D12; a joylessly grunting Xzibit); and just plain obscure (The Outsidaz's Young Zee; R&B duo Boomkat). In rough outline, 8 Mile resembles Jay-Z's The Dynasty record, the moment where the marquee star steps back from center stage a little, allowing the size and conviction of his crew speak for him. Trouble is, Eminem's flunkies aren't half as compelling as Jay-Z's, and the production, overwhelmingly by Mathers, doesn't hold… read more »

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They Say All Music Guide

This may be the soundtrack for Eminem’s movie debut, but don’t think of 8 Mile of as an Eminem album, because it’s not. It’s a soundtrack and plays like a soundtrack, with many cuts from current stars and new artists (several associated with Eminem’s fledgling Shady imprint), plus a couple of previously released tracks, most of it very high quality, whether it’s a hard-hitting Jay-Z, a sultry Macy Gray, or Taryn Manning’s Boomkat’s sexy slow burn “Wasting My Time.” Sure, there’s a couple of tracks that fall flat — Young Zee and Obie Trice feel strained — but it all flows well, and it’s all strong. But it’s also all overshadowed by four blindingly great new songs from Eminem (four and a half, if you count his show-stealing appearance on D-12′s “Rap Game”), all illustrating a step forward from The Eminem Show, even if they work a familiar pseudo-biographical ground. What impresses is not just the wordplay and delivery, but the music itself — fuller, richer than anything on his previous records, appropriately cinematic in scope and pushing Eminem toward new heights. The opening track and first single “Lose Yourself” is easily equaled by the title song with its layered pianos, while “Rabbit Run” is nearly as good. Hearing these, it’s hard not to greedily hunger for a full album of this, but the soundtrack is excellent as is and these new Eminem cuts make it a necessary purchase. – Stephen Thomas Erlewine

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