Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP 2 - All 15 Tracks Analysed

1. Bad Guy

The album opens with one of its undoubted highlights; an outstanding seven-minute sequel to The Marshall Mathers LP's most iconic track, 'Stan'. The track features Eminem rapping in several distinct voices, including that of Stan's little brother, Matthew, who is referenced briefly in the original track. ("If you didn't want to talk to me outside your concert you didn't have to / But you could have signed an autograph for Matthew / That's my little brother, man, he's only six years old / We waited in the blistering cold for you for four hours and you just said 'No'.") In 'Bad Guy', Matthew is now all grown up and out for revenge, as he comes to kill his former hero. "Eminem killed by M&M - Matthew Mitchell / Bitch, I even have your initials," he raps. Several other references to the original MMLP are made, including Matthew talking about his favourite lyrics, which are taken from the original MMLP's closing track, 'Criminal'. In addition, there is a well-judged quip about how the name of this album was seen by many as a cheap tactic to increase sales. It is an intense, sometimes introspective opener, which introduces several of the album's key themes and does a great job of convincing the sceptical listener that maybe, just maybe, the album can live up to the standards set by its prequel.

2. Rhyme or Reason

After a brief skit entitled 'Parking Lot', the album's second track takes on topics including the current well-being of the hip hop genre in 2013, with Eminem declaring "hip hop ain't dying on my watch." The Rick Rubin-produced 'Rhyme or Reason' makes use of a slightly unusual sample - The Zombies' track 'Time of the Season' - taken from their 1968 album, 'Odessey and Oracle'. It doesn't exactly seem like the sort of song destined to feature on a hip hop album, but it somehow works very effectively here. In fact, it is probably the best use of sampling on the entire record. Another unusual, but successful, aspect of the song comes in the form of a Yoda impression, which also somehow ends up being a high-point on the album. However, a slight drawback manifests in the first case of repetitive lyrics on the album - the track makes yet another reference to 'Criminal' from the original MMLP album.

3. So Much Better

Based around a catchy, but slightly annoying hook, in which Eminem proclaims that he would feel a sense of relief if his love interest dropped dead, 'So Much Better' is not likely to be a favourite amongst feminists, or indeed anyone turned off by misogynistic lyrics. Yet the track harks back to previous works, such as 'Kill You, and will likely go down well with fans of Eminem's more controversial past efforts. One highlight on the track sees Em utilise clever wordplay to rework the meaning of Jay-Z's popular track, '99 Problems', rapping: "I've got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one / She's all 99 of them, I need a machine gun." At the end, Eminem assures us all that he is just joking. Phew.