Evil - Intellectual

PROPOSED SUGGESTION: Here’s the reference to N.W.A. “N.W.A.” stands for “Niggaz Wit Attitudes”. And in a third line Em mentioned Dre which “N.W.A. member” Also N.W.A. got a track “Appetite For Distraction” and Dre said same line.

A nod to rappers Redman and Method Man, the pair performed together as a hip-hop duo since 1994.

Em has collaborated just once with either. Seen on a 2000 track, titled “Off the Wall” with Redman, and “What the Beat” in 2001 with Method Man.

Eminem is referencing Canibus' guest spot on a 1997 track, “Uni-4-Orm ‘1997’”, from the mixtape Rhyme and Reason. (The lyric is here

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Like Eminem, Canibus is known for multi-syllabic rhyming. Canibus also raps about himself in the third person and is known for using long scientific words.

At some point Eminem had done a freestyle, where he raps in a way he’s mocking Canibus. This can be found here.

In it, he uses Canibus' line about the abdomen and javelin.

Later in the album, on Guilty Conscience 2, Eminem says “and to Canibus, if you’re listening, this is the end” implying the beef is somewhat squashed.

On 2020’s “Bang” by Conway the Machine, Eminem acknowledges there was a time he liked Canibus.

One of the most common side-effects for prescription medication is stomach pain. Eminem is referring to the tablets he consumed are, and I quote ‘travelin’ like a javelin'.

A javelin is a sharp spear used in the track-and-field ‘Javelin Throw’, where the contestant attempts to throw the spear as far as possible.

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Em uses the Javelin as an analogy to the pain he feels in his stomach after consuming prescription or over-the-counter medications.

The “Debbie” here is Debbie Mathers, Eminem’s mother, with whom he has had a famously strained relationship. Tracks like “Cleanin' Out My Closet” in 2002 delve into the damaged relationship between the two.

Andre Romell Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, and actor. Image description

He is Eminem’s mentor, long-time collaborator and good friend. Dr. Dre discovered Eminem in the late 1990s after hearing his demo tape and signed him to his record label, Aftermath Entertainment. He produced much of Eminem’s early work and has been a significant influence and supporter throughout his career. While they are not related by blood, their professional relationship has been pivotal in both of their careers.

(not everyone knows who dre is or relation to em)

PROPOSED SUGGESTION: He says he might start a feud with Dre, and on the track “Houdini” he says: “Fuck Dre”.

Homophonic pun at play here:

Bookworms don’t stop until everything gets read (done reading).
Eminem doesn’t stop until everything gets red (with blood).

Eminem is saying that he’s great at lyrical wordplay that create humor —uncomfortable humour at times—but that’s just one half of the equation.

Eminem’s success is testament to the fact that people enjoy his lyrics. Therefore, it’s unfair of society to consume his art at such a grand scale and then turn around and call him problematic.

Eminem calls back this line from 1999’s “The Slim Shady LP”. Back then, he was

One Excedrin tablet short of a full medicine cabinet.

Em claims it would be “gay” to tell him what he can or can’t say, then clarifies that he intends this in the negative or derogatory sense of the term rather than it’s positive or “good” sense (i.e., as referencing men who enjoy homosexual sex).

This line continues the trend perceptible throughout The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) whereby Em (often sarcastically or ironically) “clarifies” his views on topics that his previous songs have brought him under criticism for, such as his past comments about homosexuals, transgenders, and the like. Here, he tongue-in-cheekily affirms the goodness of homosexual relations, which stands in contrast to some of his past remarks that have led some to label him as “homophobic.”

Later on the album, Em hints at Slim Shady’s proclivity for calling things “gay,” but sarcastically adds that he means it in the “happy” way:

Sometimes I wonder what the old me’d say
(If what?)
If he could see the way shit is today
(Look at this shit, man)
He’d probably say that everything is gay
(Like happy!)

Eminem has also played on the term “beaver” (a slang term for the female genitalia) elsewhere in his lyrics.

This lyric could be interpreted as Eminem referencing past struggles with drug addiction. The mention of “having my share of lows” and then becoming “the exact opposite” suggests overcoming those lows, potentially alluding to his journey from addiction to recovery.

To “hit rock bottom” is to be at your very lowest. In American pimp culture, the bottom bitch refers to a prostitute who sits atop the hierarchy of prostitutes working for a particular pimp.

A bottom bitch is usually the prostitute who has been with the pimp the longest and consistently makes the most money.

Eminem is saying that even through the addictions and lows of his life, the only time he “hit bottom” was when he slapped his “bottom bitch”.

This is a callback to the third bar of the track. It seems like a feud between Em and Dre was inevitable.

Might start a feud with Dre (Yeah)

Moreover, Marshall used a similar line in the track “Fall” from Kamikaze:

I know this time Paul and Dre
They won’t tell me what not to say (Nope!)

Eminem uses a clever play on words here, with “stakes” referring to both the metaphorical concept of high-risk situations and the literal “steaks” as in beef steaks. “Angus” refers to a breed of cattle known for it’s high-quality beef, which tends to be expensive. So, “stakes are high as the price of an angus” equates to situations being highly challenging or pressure-filled.

Here, “Filet” is used with triple meaning in this wordplay. “Filet” is a homophone for “fillet,” a term used in cooking to describe the act of cutting meat into boneless pieces. Eminem is using this as a metaphor to suggest that he can skillfully handle and navigate through high-pressure situations, just as a chef skillfully prepares an expensive cut of beef, implying his precision and expertise especially when the stakes are high.

“Filet” also refers to “Filet Mignon” which is a cut that produces only a small portion of meat per animal. As a result, there is a limited supply of filet mignon available compared to other cuts, which increases its overall value. He refers to himself as more rare and valuable than other rappers.

Following the themes of Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers fighting each other, Eminem brings back his flow from Relapse (2009), specifically the song “Stay Wide Awake.”

This is ironic because Marshall has admitted on “Not Afraid”:

In fact, let’s be honest, that last Relapse CD was “ehh”
Perhaps I ran them accents into the ground

However, the two themes of this album are Marshall Mathers trying to stop his evil alter ego, Slim Shady, from getting both of them cancelled, and Slim Shady’s death. Since Relapse is about Eminem’s encounters with drugs, and Slim Shady amplifies these negatives, essentially Em is going back to what he used to be and simply not caring. Again, this is another piece of irony, because this string is Shady’s epitome.

The line “Up inside of a microwave” is a reference to Em’s encounter with his dead guinea pig as a kid shown in lines from “As the World Turns” in The Slim Shady LP (1999).

The evil nature of Em’s blonde-haired Slim Shady persona has been a core tenant of his music, dating back to his 1999 debut The Slim Shady LP where the titular character was described as having a crude, sleazy lifestyle and committing heinous crimes.

Eminem as Slim Shady.

Moreover, that album coined the Bad Meets Evil moniker that Em and rapper Royce Da 5'9" release under in its titular 19th track where Royce literally calls Slim evil in the chorus:

He’s Evil, and I’m Bad like Steve Seagal

Em notably characterized Slim as his “Evil Twin” whom he blames his heinous raps for on the final track of his 2013 project The Marshall Mathers LP 2 where he rapped:

It controls my pen, but that ain’t me, it’s my evil twin
[…]
Still Shady inside, hair every bit as dyed
As it used to be when I first introduced y'all to my skittish side
And blamed it on him when they tried to criticize

This is a very clever homophone referencing the next line (semi-automatics)

It could also be interpreted as a triple-homophone:

“Send me all them addicts” (to consume all the dope)

“Send me all the medics” (in case he suffers an overdose)

“Semi-automatics”

This lyric references Caitlyn Jenner, using “Cait' Jenner” as a play on her name. The phrase “get off her dick” addresses her transgender identity, while also referencing that this is the third song in a row where he talks about her.

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“Deadass” is a slang that is used when showing seriousness and certainty to emphasize the truth of one’s words.

Necrophilia being sexually attracted to dead bodies, or sexual activity with dead bodies.

Em is once again dabbling with the literal and idiomatic implications of phrases. “I’m fuckin' deadass” may refer to something serious and/or truthful. It also implies “I’m fuckin' dead ass,” which fits into the necrophilia motif.

Rapping is also called spitting and when you spit you “spray” saliva
His other layer is using the previous line and the word “shoot” to be a gun metaphor where shooting a gun rapidly is called “spraying”

In November, 2021, Oxford High school in Michigan suffered a shooting in which four students passed away.

Eminem has taken the role of a shooter in multiple songs to add shock-value and bring attention to it in hopes of preventing more fatalities, such as in his 2000 track, “I’m Back.”

I take seven {kids} from {Columbine}, stand ‘em all in line
Add an AK-47, a revolver, a .9
A MAC-11 and it oughta solve the problem of mine
And that’s a whole school of bullies shot up all at one time (Ahh-! Ahh-ahh-!)

Continuing the school shooter theme, Em uses detailed imagery to convey the extent of the shooter’s preparation and the devastating impact of the attack.

The mention of multiple firearms highlights the shooter’s meticulous planning and intent to inflict maximum damage. The “2Pac shirt” serves as a symbol of the shooter’s mindset, possibly reflecting a feeling of being misunderstood or a desire to emulate the rebellious, defiant spirit associated with 2Pac. It might also hint at a sense of martyrdom. The interpretation of “boxers dropped” as in the shooter lowering their underwear adds a layer of defiance and rebellion, showcasing the shooter’s rejection of societal norms and embracing an edgy, provocative persona.

On his track “I’m Back” off 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP, Eminem references the Columbine High School massacre, which occurred only a year prior to the track’s release, and suggests the shooters' actions were influenced by his music, among other factors. This track sparked significant controversy and discussion about the impact of music on youth violence.

I take each individual degenerate’s head and reach into it
Just to see if he’s influenced by me, if he listens to music
And if he feeds into this shit, he’s an innocent victim
And becomes a puppet on the string of my tennis shoe
…
I take seven {kids} from {Columbine}, stand ‘em all in line
Add an AK-47, a revolver, a .9
A MAC-11 and it oughta solve the problem of mine
And that’s a whole school of bullies shot up all at one time (Ahh-! Ahh-ahh-!)

Through these references, Em explores how cultural symbols and media can influence perceptions and actions.

Eminem would address criticisms of these references on The Death of Slim Shady, on the track “Fuel”:

I don’t condone gun violence at schools (Nah)
But I can’t get these voices out my head (Hey, let’s go, one, two)
They’re putting words in my mouth like alphabet soup

This whole album he baits relapsing on pills but this proves he’s a drunk.

Him saying “meet my twin” also references the track Evil Twin, where he also talks about his relationship with Slim Shady.

Rapper Special Ed put out his hit song “I Got It Made” in 1989 at just 17 years-old.

Growing up in the same era, Eminem has given praise to Special Ed for his unorthodox yet calculated rhymes.

The term ‘sink-or-swim’ means failing or succeeding entirely by one’s own actions. Eminem is trying to debate, though, that it’s not him who is winning or failing, it’s someone else inside of him (most likely Slim Shady, one of Eminem’s alter egos).

Mossberg refers to a Mossberg shotgun, the most popular shotgun of all time.

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A to the K is a reference to an AK-47 assault rifle. It’s used many times in the hiphop scene by rap artist. Its origin is from the 1987 Ice-T’s “Squeeze the Trigger”:

Most MCs today ain’t got nothin' to say, A to the motherfuckin' K

The origin of the A to the K before using it in rap lyrics was by the 1982 movie Wild Style.

Em himself uses the line in his 2003 verse on the track “Patiently Waiting”, by 50 Cent:

A to the K, get in the way, I’ll bring Dre and them wit me

Referring to Hailie Jade, Eminem’s daughter. He has been referencing her in his music since “The Slim Shady LP”.

This line has a triple meaning:
1.This refers to firing a (semi-automatic) gun.
2.“Shoot ‘em up” means injecting drugs into a vein.
3. Shady saying 'I got all the dope’ connects to the previous ‘I’m your habit’ line, both alluding to him being a dope-ass emcee who gets people addicted to his bars. Hence, with ‘addicts’ he is also referring to the ‘fanatics’ from the previous line, meaning that here he’s shooting off more dope bars to all those addicts.

The most important sentence in this entire song is “STAY” Slim has taken over Marshall Mathers in the previous song (Lucifer/All you got skit)

*correction the point is not that Eminem is once again taking drugs. Rather it’s his deviance and addiction to “Truth telling and swearing” in fact the entire album in reverse should be viewed as “Eminem getting his spirit back” rather than how many people see the album front to back “Eminem finally overlain his personal problems"

Hepatitis A is an “inflammation of the liver that can cause mild to severe illness.” This can be transmitted faeco-orally, so Eminem may be hinting that Skylar Grey gave him a rim job.

To clarify this line further, Grey is a singer-songwriter who has frequently collaborated with Eminem in songs like “I Need a Doctor” and “Black Magic.” Skylar also makes an appearance in this album off the track “Temporary.”

The reference to Skylar adds a personal dimension to the lyric, playing off their known professional relationship.

Throughout his music, Em vacillates between pessimism (e.g., “Going Through Changes”, “Guilty Conscience 2”) and optimism (e.g., “Evil Twin”, “Wicked Ways”) regarding his ability to change for the better.

Lead is a metal that is prominent in bullets made for firearms.

Bullet | Ammunition, Velocity & Accuracy — Encyclopedia Britannica

Bullet, an elongated metal projectile that is fired by a pistol, rifle, or machine gun. Bullets are measured by their calibre, which indicates the interior diameter, or bore, of a gun barrel. (See bore.) Early bullets were round lead balls that were loaded down the muzzle of smoothbore weapons and

Because Eminem likens his use of words and figurative language as a weapon, he states that he has a lot of “ammunition” or words through rap deep inside of them.

Whenever he “sweats” or excretes from his body, generally due to exertion or energy by being nervous or stress, he tends to use his words to fight back.

To “screw the pooch” is to make a big or humiliating mistake. In this case, since Em shot the dogs, the “pooches are screwed”.

Eminem is playing with a double meaning here from the previous line:

“Nothing to lose”

It sounds like the common phrase about having no risk, but it also connects to “change” as in coins — loose change.

Similarly, “lose or gain” ties back to the idea of change in life. If he changed, he could either lose or gain something, but since he refuses to change, there’s neither gain nor loss.

It’s a layered pun where “change” works both in the literal (coins) and figurative (personal transformation) sense.

Famously, Eminem has said that “you only get one shot” in “Lose Yourself.” However, he has been so successful that he’s had more than one.

This line ties back to the previous that mentions different alcoholic drinks and plays on words that he is on his third shot of alcohol.

Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch whisky, so he’s having his third shot of it. However, there’s also a UFC fighter Johnny Walker who would also “take shots.”

This also sets up some lines in “Guilty Conscience 2”:

What shot is this? First, second, it’s your third
Vision is more blurred
Speech is more slurred
Can’t even form words
It’s like a dream up inside of a dream I’m trapped in
It’s worse than I could’ve imagined, it’s madness
Can’t wake up, try my damnedest, but old habits are coming back

In his 2002 track “Cleanin' Out My Closet”, Eminem accuses his mother of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental disorder where a caregiver deliberately induces illness or injury to a child in order to get attention and sympathy.

Goin' through public housing systems, victim of Münchausen’s Syndrome
My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn’t

It’s unclear if Em meant this literally or figuratively in the sense that his mom criticized him and made him feel like something was wrong with him. Regardless, this may be a callback to this line, as Em implicates not only his mother but her husband in intentionally making him sick.

In another track from The Death of Slim Shady, “Head Honcho”, Em raps about his mom feeding him pills:

Yeah, ‘cause as sure as Ma used to feed me
Sleeping pills to keep me (Yeah), sleepy still, it was creepy

In his 2020 track “Stepdad”, Em raps about hating his stepdad and beating him to death, albiet not with a cassette deck.

Slammed the door and hid behind it with an aluminum bat
He kicked it in
I swung it hard as I could at his head
His noodle went splat, he fell right at the foot of my bed
I’m a little bit scared but my anger’s overtooken the fear
I threw down the bat and just started whoopin' his ass
Beat him with my bare hands, the big bad wolf ain’t so bad
“Ding-dong,” the pussy is dead, the bully finally gets his
Stomped him until he pissed enough to fill a two-liter with
Then buried him next to my dog

Here, the word “eval'” is short for evaluation. A psychological evaluation often occurs when an individual feels it necessary to have a specialized medical professional to assess a patient’s mind and behaviors.

Psychological Evaluation — Psychology Today

A psychological evaluation is a professional assessment of an individual to determine if a diagnosis of a mental health disorder can be made and, or to further understand elements of an individual's personality or social emotional functioning.

Here, the word “eval;” is said in short which with the pronunciation bent to sound like “evil”. The rhyme scheme for “eval'” is set up for the fourth line connecting to the chorus whose first line ends with the word “evil”.

When under the influence, Slim Shady lets loose and says problematic things. Drugs and a not-so-PC tongue are two things that define the Slim Shady character.

Eminem draws reference to an earlier song in which he upholds his Slim Shady persona.

In his 2013 single “Rap God”, Eminem says on its second verse:

Everybody want the key and the secret to rap immortality like Ι have got
Well, to be truthful the blueprint’s
Simply rage and youthful exuberance