Eminem’s latest album, “Kamikaze,” was a bomb-drop out of nowhere. No one knew whether Eminem would ever drop another album, or even a song for that matter. Everyone thought Eminem was done, but he wanted to address all his haters and new rappers once again. He sparked an original generation of rap and a more appreciation for genuine and lyrical rap. With “Kamikaze,” the old Slim Shady is revived, and he’s packing heat.
His previous 2017 album “Revival” focussed on his family and hinted at being the last album of his career. He made “Revival” incredibly personal and because of this, his audience started to bash on him, criticising the changes he had made to his life and music.
Unraveling the many meanings behind his words takes a serious amount of time because of his pure lyrical genius. However, you do not need to understand the lyrics to appreciate his hardcore beats and flaming bars. Eminem is not acclaimed for his rapping speed and skills for nothing. In one of his big hits, “Rap God,” Eminem raps a whopping 4.28 words per second, accumulating a total of 1,560 words in a six-minute song.
For avid hip-hop listeners, the production and the instrumentals are a vital part to any song. However, for Eminem, his in-depth lyrics are what drove the album. For most of the songs, Eminem spits fire, bragging about himself and his journey towards fame, but he also addresses the new rap generation. “Lucky You” is a perfect example of his attack on the new “rap game,” filled with mumble rappers and drug addicts. First, in the bridge, he addresses his remorse about working so hard to get Grammy awards, he “sold his soul to get ‘em.” Then the verse follows suit, addressing how new rappers are lazy and hire “a couple of ghostwriters” to avoid working. In fact, Eminem goes deeper to address the whole issue of how ghostwriting, recycled flow and mumble rapping, which were taboos in the past hip-hop industry, have now become norms in the new hip-hop generation.
While Eminem’s new album is overall marvelously created, the songs that stood out the most, the creams of the crop, are “Lucky You” and “Greatest.“ These were vicious songs that created dancing mongrels out of people. They have some sort of enchanting charm that coerces the audience to bop their heads to the rhythm. Eminem was not conforming to usual hip-hop beats and flow. His style is completely unique and innovative. Once you hear his voice and flow, an avid hip-hop listener will be enticed and immediately know that it is the legend himself. There is so much to love about these songs and even this album. However, every other song is more relaxed than these two gems. Eminem is just giving his audience a break from the heat.
Every song in the album executes its purpose well, ranging from roasts on new hip-hop artists to anecdotes of Eminem’s life. Anyone that is up to date with hip-hop should check out “Kamikaze,” get your snazzy dance pants on and some ice cold water because you will burn up with Eminem’s new album.
The Pathfinder gives “Kamikaze” a 10/10.