Eminem Goes on the Attack
Five unreleased tracks by Eminem have leaked out in the last two months, and they show Slim Shady in fighting form.
In mid-November, The Source magazine released a tape of a fifteen-year-old Eminem freestyle in which he insulted black women. (The rapper later explained it was directed at an ex-girlfriend.) A few weeks later, some unfinished demos hit the Web that found Marshall Mathers taking on old foes Benzino and Canibus, as well as tangentially swiping at the president — this offense earned him the momentary attention of the Secret Service (the agency later dismissed the investigation).
Eminem’s latest lyrical barbs:
“We As Americans”: An on-probation Eminem advocates for his constitutional right to bear arms and spits the line that initially attracted the attention of the Secret Service: “Fuck money/I don’t rap for dead presidents/I’d rather see the president dead.” Em’s spokesman claims this was an unfinished track.
“Bully”: A vicious skewering of Benzino that surprisingly never saw light during the height of Eminem’s battle with him last year. After a few verses aimed at the Source co-owner — “He has no fortune and wealth/So he extorts someone else to get his dough” — Em takes stabs at Irv Gotti and Ja Rule for good measure.
“Can-I-Bitch”: Set to the tune of Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story,” this whimsical jab at Canibus posits the one-time lyrical foe of LL Cool J as a “Stan”-like obsessed rapper with a short fuse and shorter talent.
“I Love You More”: Presumably from the battles-with-Kim files, this track finds Em alternately tender and scarily violent toward an unnamed female partner: “Do you hate me?/Good, ’cause you’re so fucking beautiful when you’re angry.”
“Monkey See, Monkey Do”: Despite barbs such as “We playing chess/You playing checkers,” no specific target is named in the vicious, grim-sounding song.