Despite promises from the rapper himself that his Zane Lowe interview would top the presenter's chat with Kanye West, Eminem proved mature and in-depth during his BBC interview. See part 1 below.
Opening up the interview, Eminem mention's West's interview and says that the only way to surpass the craziness of Kanye would be to "pee on the floor and leave", however this is perhaps the zaniest part of the interview as things quickly move onto a serious in depth discussion of what it was like writing the follow up to the Marshall Mathers LP.
Watch the first part of Zane Lowe's Eminem interview below
The details are the interview are extremely interesting as we see Eminem discuss how he wanted the sequel-of-sorts to be associated with the nostalgia of the first, but not in the overbearing sense. Instead he says that he wanted it to be "subliminally nostalgic" through the use of samples and tracks produced around the same time.
Below: what the critics say about The Marshall Mathers LP 2
Rolling Stone, 5/5: "He's playing his best character: the demon spawn of trailer hell America, hitting middle age with his middle finger up his nose while he cleans off the Kool-Aid his kids spilled on the couch"
Consequence of Sound, 3.5/5: "This one's nostalgic in all the right ways, a worthy look back at the LP that made him the world's most popular cult figure"
The Noisey: "We're never going to get another Slim Shady LP, another 'My Name Is' or another 'Kim' and once we get over that, the Marshall Mathers LP 2 is the best thing Eminem could've put out. This is his legacy"
Spin, 8/10:"Can we just marvel for a second at what a weird unlikely album this is? Where the internal rhymes get so berserk that he's rapping about flying out of his ass in a flying saucer full of Italian sausage"
Digital Spy, 4/5: "The Marshall Mathers LP 2 is just as offensive, funny, bleak as its forebear, but - aside from the questionable guest stars and the derogatory comments - Eminem is brooding, in form and the rest should start taking notes again."
Stereogum:
"Em was once rap's giddiest, most inventive stylist, and now he's a sad echo of a long dead self. So listen to MMLP 2, in its 80 minute endlessness, as endurance-test noise music or better yet, don't listen to it at all."
Chicago Tribune, 2/4: "For any popstar, the past is a final refuge. On The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem tries to cover up his retreat by doing cartwheels and back-flips with his rhymes."
LA Times:
"Even in his rare clunky moments, Eminem burns with purpose on the Marshall Mathers LP2. And if you don't like what he (still) has to say, there's a chance he doesn't either."
Slant 3/4:
"He remains secure in his role as provocateur nonpareil. The residual misogyny and "faggot" bashing is off-putting and its self-awareness doesn't win any points, but mainly it indicates a worriesome lack of imagination."
