But he never pokes his chest out and proclaims himself the best-or even just plain good. He grumbles about being overlooked and being jealous of others with more success. Nowhere on this album does Eminem do what rappers have done since day one: Boast.

Dre, helped boost him to the exact heights he doubted on this album that heвЂ™d ever reach.

And of course, that level of honesty, coupled with his rhyme skills and his production blessings from Dr. HeвЂ™s white, heвЂ™s poor, heвЂ™s from the Midwest-his every insecurity is itemized and detailed, as if heвЂ™s explaining exactly why he should never make it big. He leans heavily on defending his Otherness. The Slim Shady LP was recorded almost entirely for shock value and it could have very easily been a grand-opening/grand-closing situation. Bailey complains that his rep is trash/So heвЂ™s seeking compensation in the form of cash/Bailey thinks heвЂ™s entitled to some monetary gain/Because Eminem used his name in vain/the lyrics are stories no-one would take as fact/TheyвЂ™re an exaggeration of a childish act/It is therefore this courtвЂ™s ultimate position/That Eminem is entitled to summary disposition.вЂќ Synopsis: The fact that Eminem was able to have a long and storied career after an album as raw as this one is a testament to his talent. And the judge, Honorable Deborah Servitto, decided to issue her verdict in rhyme: вЂњMr. Bet You (Also) DidnвЂ™t Know: EminemвЂ™s childhood bully, DeAngelo Bailey, sued Eminem for rapping about the abuse on the song вЂњBrain Damage.вЂќ The suit was dismissed. Her father is Henry Winkler, an actor best known for his role as вЂThe FonzвЂ™ on Happy Days. And they paid her $300 to put it on the album. The voicemail made its way to EminemвЂ™s team. Lines Best For Status Updates вЂ“ вЂњLife is like a big obstacle put in front of your optical to slow you down/And every time you think youвЂ™ve gotten past it/itвЂ™s gonna come back aroundвЂќ (вЂњIf I HadвЂќ) вЂ“ вЂњThese are the results/of a thousand electric bolts/a kid who refused to respect adultsвЂќ (вЂњBrain DamageвЂќ) -вЂњAll my life/I was very deprived/I ainвЂ™t had a woman in years/My palms too hairy to hideвЂќ (вЂњMy Name IsвЂќ) -вЂњTired of not driving a BM/Tired of not working at GM/Tired of wanting to be him/Tired of not sleeping without a Tylenol PMвЂќ (вЂњIf I HadвЂќ) -вЂњNow follow me and do exactly what you see/DonвЂ™t you want to grow up to be just like me?вЂќ (вЂњRole ModelвЂќ) -вЂњIвЂ™m about as normal as Norman Bates/With deformative traits/a premature birth that was four minutes lateвЂќ (вЂњRole ModelвЂќ) -вЂњMinimum wage got my adrenaline caged/Full of venom and rage/especially when IвЂ™m engaged/And my daughterвЂ™s down to her last diaper/itвЂ™s got my ass hyper/I pray that God answers/maybe IвЂ™ll ask nicerвЂќ (вЂњRock BottomвЂќ) -вЂњWatching ballers while theyвЂ™re flossing in their Pathfinders/These overnight stars becoming autograph-signers/We all long to blow up and leave the past behind usвЂќ (вЂњRock BottomвЂќ) Bet You DidnвЂ™t Know: On the album, thereвЂ™s a skit called вЂњBitch.вЂќ A chick with a Valley Girl accent is leaving a voicemail for a friend after listening to EminemвЂ™s then-unreleased album: вЂњItвЂ™s the most disgusting thing IвЂ™ve ever heard in my entire life,вЂќ she says. But his concrete description of hopelessness and depression is striking. Dre and doesnвЂ™t have his signature sound, вЂњRock BottomвЂќ didnвЂ™t get the same attention as the other cuts on this classic LP. Because this track wasnвЂ™t produced by Dr. ItвЂ™s a subtle track with poignant lyrics about loss and his delivery is reminiscent of mid 90s Jersey-based hip-hop acts like The Fugees. вЂњRock BottomвЂќ is a head-nod to his Jersey-influences. (Their headquarters, The Outhouse, still has his graffiti scrawls and tags from his days spent free-styling and recording with the crew). VIBE spotlights some of musicвЂ™s most essential timepieces for Gen Y to get hip toД®MINEM The Slim Shady LP (1999) Most Slept On: -вЂњRock BottomвЂќ Long before Eminem became a superstar, he was down with The Outsidaz, a loose coalition of underground backpack rappers based in Newark, New Jersey.

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