second half is extremely better (what i've heard of it, anyway), but i honestly don't care after hearing him self-own as hard as he did in the first half
there's actual strong moments on the back half of the album, even if it doesn't save it. certainly doesn't override the dreck that started everything. this is the most confounding thing: if the dude was really struggling with all the past shit he said and done, maybe he could've - let's say it together now - NOT SAID ALL THAT FUCKING HORSESHIT like, to say the least, he outjoynered joyner for god's sake. i'm actually frustrated. this is way worse than if he ONLY put a bad album out. he made a damn fool of himself on record probably more than ever
This album should have ended at Guilty Conscience 2 because it really is the culmination of the album's concept and it being the bookend to Habits makes too much sense. The entire album is "sorry, but I can't help myself" in music form. It toes the line between mea culpa and giving into his worst habits. Everything after GC2 is superfluous.
I will not listen to this except maybe the JID song for my dude. but I find it absolutely hilarious that he's touring this as a concept album that MUST be listened to in order when the second single is a leftover from Big Sean's album or whatever and apparently there's a song from 2004 on here too. like who is he fooling with this
The songs after GC2 should have been an EP or something. They really don't belong on this album. It's always a pet peeve of mine when artists miss the obvious ending to their work. Whether it's a tv show, movie, or album. The impact is often diluted by continuing past the logical end point.
Why would anyone expect a 50+ white Midwest rapper to have anything of relevance to say? Like who is the actual audience for this? He had shitty views 20yrs ago, why would anyone think he’d suddenly change? The trans stuff is sad but so fucking predictable.
It’s so funny when artists say offensive shit just so they can immediately say things like “I’m gonna get canceled for that!!!” or pretend to reckon with their outdated sense of humor instead of even attempting to be clever or interesting. It’s especially weird here considering this is his first album in several years; he could’ve gone an entirely different route but instead he’s rapping about “picking up midgets” by their legs like it’s 2002 just so he can then be like “JUST KIDDING HAHA OOPSIES I SHOULDN’T HAVE SAID THAT!”
Yeesh that was tough to get through. I get the "concept" he was going for, but the constant jabs about Caitlyn Jenner and Christopher Reeves are so uncomfortable. We get it dude, Slim is politically incorrect. Also agree that the album seems to end at Guilty Conscience 2, and the rest of the album feels like a whole different project. Very interesting that it looks like they're trying to push the closing track as the next single. If they wanted to go with a slow one, why not Temporary? The closer is such a dud to me. JID kills it on Fuel too.
Only gave this a passing listen but sounds like he remembered how to rap relatively smoothly again? Pity he has literally nothing to say and a teenager's sense of humor
This was my takeaway. Granted I haven't listened to him in forever, but I thought some of the production here was cool and his rapping was mostly fine, but it is not a good album and that is in large part because of the utterly inane concept.
There's moments in here that I like but it's still 2024 Eminem being corny as ever. Why were there so many Christopher Reeve references
He should have ended this on Guilty Conscience 2 and then did all the other songs as a deluxe. The lack of that weird angry yelling flow on any tracks is super noticeable and appreciated. Seems like he got some of his tinnitus issues fixed that was impacting his vocals.
I heard Houdini out in the wild the other day and what the fuck is 'my transgender cat's Black but acts Chinese' even doing, what the FUCK Marshall