First Release from MMLP2: Berzerk by Eminem

What up SoundChex Nation!

It’s been a while; I’ve been hanging out with Butterflies and writing for some mainstream music sites. Yeah, I know. Don’t label me a trader yet! I got nothing but love for my Indie fam, and that will never change!

Mainstream is not all bad. The giant Commercialization Borg has not added everyone to the collective just yet. One of those who has managed to stave off being assimilated into the collective is the reason why I’m writing this post.

Yesterday the MTV Music Awards yielded a show that most people will never forget-unfortunately. I was going to blog the show, but there is a point in which you just have to say, nah….everybody has their limits and I reached mine about 60 min in.

Honesty, even if you missed viewing  the awards show (MTV will be playing it over and over and over for at least the next week or so there is still time to catch it) Twitter, Facebook and gossip blogs around the country gave everybody blow by blow coverage on the event; the good, the bad and the ugly. Lot of ugly….

In case you went to live on Mars or a Bedouin tribe in a remote desert and happened to have escaped the coverage, here is the gist of what happened: A ex-Disney starlet went…..another route, Momma Monster and condoms, NSync reunited and were, well… in sync, a questionable podium beef or two, the awesome facial expressions of shocked audience members, and the well noted absence of music royalty.

I know…sounds more like madness than a show, but now a days madness and TV shows are synonymous.

Yet in the midst of all the madness something truly amazing was revealed, the release of Marshall Mathers 2 or MMLP2.  While some people are still in giant mouse and plastic-nude-bikini-twerk shock, music lovers around the world were more interested and excited by the announcement of MMLP2; the sequel album to the critically acclaimed MMLP by hip hop heavy weight Eminem. Just like the first MM album, the artist teamed back up with beat master Dr. Dre. Together the two hope to recreate the same level of greatness that the first MMLP created.

We will find out how the whole album compares on Nov 5th, in the mean time the group just dropped what could be the first track from the album entitled, Berzerk. The track was produced by Dr. Dre and Rick Rubin. I say “could be” a first track because recently artists have gotten into the habit of releasing sort of a demo to see audience reaction. If it’s a good reaction, they leave the song alone. If the reaction is “meh” they release another version. I think this version of Berzerk may be a demo version.

What I love most about Eminem is the fact that he can be funny, serious, and outrageous all at the same time. He doesn’t just rhyme to rhyme, he wraps his lyrics-no matter the subject matter-into a well executed story that just holds you captive and forces you to see exactly what he is saying.

On the Slim Shady LP, he raps about how he was compared to the Beastie Boys when he first came out, and now he is using a track that is very reminiscent of the group as the lead to the sequel. While the beginning of the track may sound like the Beastie Boys, Dre’s beats come in and change the whole direction of the song less than 60 secs in. And the hardcore lyrics are completely out of bounds and straight up, unmistakably Eminem. On the real, I like it. Not what I expected, but I like it and I’m looking forward to the full project.

While some may question the track, I think it is was a smart choice. True Eminem fans will appreciate the connection especially after hearing the lyrics. If the point is to “start from scratch”, then it only makes sense that he would use a track that connects him back to the beginning of his career.

The song was just released and you can listen to it SoundCloud: Berzerk (follow the link).

Check it out and let me know what you think! 

Steen

Here are the lyrics..…..

“Now this crib’s about to kick off, this party looks wack
Let’s take it back to straight hip-hop and start it from scratch

I’m ’bout to bloody this track up, everybody get back
That’s why my pen needs a pad cause my rhymes on the ra-hag
Just like I did with addiction I’m ’bout to kick it
Like I’m a magician I turn critics to crickets
Got ‘em still on the fence ready to pick it
But quick get impaled when I tell ‘em stick it
So sick I’m looking pale, wait that’s my pigment
I’m going ham ya bish, shout out to Kendrick
Let’s bring it back to that thing that’s slim, bitch!
The art of the MCing mixed with da Vinci and MC Ren
And I don’t mean Stimpy’s friend, bitch
Been Public Enemy since you thought PE was gym, bitch

[Bridge]
Take your shoes off, let your hair down and (go berserk), all night long
Grow your beard out, just weird out and (go berserk), all night long

[Hook]
We’re gonna rock this house until we knock it down
So turn the volume loud, cause it’s mayhem ’til the a.m.
So crank the bass up like crazy and let yourself go, let yourself go
Say fuck it before we kick the bucket
Life’s too short to not go for broke
So everybody, everybody go berserk

[Verse 2: Eminem]
Guess it’s just the way that I’m dressed, ain’t it?
Khakis pressed, Nike shoes just being fresh laced
So I guess it ain’t
Dead after shave of cologne that made him just faint
Plus I just showed up with a coat fresher than wet paint
Sweet love is a chess game, check mate
But girl your body’s banging, jump me in, bang bang
Yes sir, we ball, I was thinking the same thing
So come get on this kid drop, bop with the bop, gang gang
P-p-p-pow pow chicka wow wow
Catch a cab, I wanna go down, br-bow-bow
Slow it down, throw in the towel, t-t-towel towel
Low it down, I don’t know how, how, how, how
At least I know that I don’t know
Question is are you bozos smart enough to feel stupid
Hope so, now ho

[Hook]

[Verse 3: Eminem]
They say that love is powerful as cough syrup and Styrofoam
All I know is I fell asleep and woke up in that Monte Carlo
With the ugly Kardashian
Lamar, oh sorry we done both set the bar low