Eminem - Encore 💫

1. "Evil Deeds" The opener proper (after the intro). It’s not terrible, but it meanders. Em sounds tired here, complaining about the IRS and his label. The flow is sluggish compared to his earlier work.

2. "Rain Man" & "Big Weenie" These tracks are the reason critics destroyed the album. Recorded as filler after the leaks, these songs are intentionally stupid. Em raps in a slurred, drugged voice about nothing. "Rain Man" has a funny premise (pretending to be mentally disabled to avoid going to war), but it goes on for four minutes without a punchline landing.

3. "Just Lose It" The lead single. While "Without Me" was clever, "Just Lose It" felt desperate. The Michael Jackson parody (where Em gets sued for the video) was dated the moment it released. It’s fun at a club, but on an album trying to be an "Encore," it felt juvenile. eminem - encore

4. "My 1st Single" Widely considered the worst beat Eminem has ever produced. The hiccuping sound effect is genuinely headache-inducing. Lyrically, it’s a repetitive rant about nothing. This is the song that usually gets skipped.

5. "Puke" A song about hating his ex-wife Kim that literally starts with the sound of vomiting. It’s visceral, but not in an artistic way. It feels like a tantrum recorded through a haze of pills. If these three bonus tracks (including the Dre-produced

When you buy the deluxe edition of Eminem - Encore, the narrative changes. The bonus disc contains "We As Americans" and "Love You More"—two tracks that were originally on the album before the leak.

If these three bonus tracks (including the Dre-produced "Crazy in Love") had replaced "Big Weenie," "Rain Man," and "My 1st Single," Eminem - Encore would likely be viewed as a 4/5 classic instead of a 3/5 disappointment. " "Rain Man

Despite the controversy, Encore spawned some of the most visually iconic moments of Eminem’s career.

You cannot discuss this album without discussing Eminem’s voice. On The Eminem Show, his voice was sharp, shouting, and kinetic. On Encore, he sounds like he is underwater. The syllables are drawn out. The enunciation is lazy.

This wasn't a stylistic choice; it was pharmacology. Eminem has since admitted he was "popping pills like candy" during the Encore sessions. He only sleeps for a few hours a night. You can hear his jaw unhinging on tracks like "Crazy in Love." This slurred delivery is the sonic signature of the album, and for many fans, it’s a hard listen because you know what was happening behind the scenes.