In every successful rapper’s career there comes a point when platinum plaques, millions in cash, and everything that comes along with it lose their luster. While a successful rapper’s albums are usually all successful, let’s face the facts. Those albums are there to make sure the artist can stay relevant and keep his spot in the upper echelon of hip-hop. But what happens when said rapper is worth more money than they ever dreamed they would have? It no longer becomes about survival. It becomes about proving yourself.

Nas secured his spot with Stillmatic and Jay sealed his legacy with the Blueprint. For Eminem, it was the Eminem Show, which etched his name into the hip-hop history books as one of the best lyricists to ever step into a booth. While the Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers LP’s were undoubtedly classic efforts, The Eminem Show showed Marshall in a whole new light.

He answered every question, addressed every topic, and let any rapper out there know that it they wanted it he was willing and able. From his humorous tale of sexually transmitted diseases, “Drips”, featuring Obie Trice to "Hailey’s Song" where Eminem actually proclaims his happiness in the ode to his da ughter and even sings, every song on this album pushed the creative envelope.

On “Sing For The Moment” Eminem relates to the kids who don’t quite fit in as well as shouting out the guy he caught kissing his wife. On “Superman” Em throws some jabs at the ladies including the famous Mariah line that caused the media uproar, I mean the rumors about those two still have legs to this day.  Eminem is probably right in saying that he will never get the props he ever deserves, as this was probably the last truly great hip-hop album to be released. I’ll leave you with the lyrics from “”Til I Collapse” where Eminem rips through this beat like no man before him and probably no one after.

Till I collapse I'm spillin' these raps long as you feel 'em
Till the day that I drop you'll never say that I'm not killin' 'em
Cause when I am not, then I'ma stop pennin 'em
And I am not hip-hop and I'm just not Eminem
Subliminal thoughts, when I'ma stop sendin 'em
Women are caught in webs; spit 'em and Hoch venom
Adrenalin shots of penicillin could not get the illin' to stop
Amoxicillin’s just not real enough
The criminal cop killin’ hip-hop villain
A minimal swap to cop millions of 'Pac listeners
You're comin' with me, feel it or not you're gonna fear it
Like I showed ya the spirit of God lives in us
You hear it a lot, lyrics to shock
Is it a miracle or am I just product of pop fizzin' up?
Fo' shizzle my wizzle, this is the plot, listen up
You bizzles forgot, Slizzel does not give a fuck

Music is like magic, there's a certain feelin' you get
When you real and you spit and people are feelin’ your shit
This is your moment, and every single minute you spend
Trying to hold on to it cause you may never get it again
So while you're in it, try to get as much shit as you can
And when your run is over just admit when it's at its end
Cause I'm at the end of my wits with half the shit gets in
I got a list here's the order of my list that it's in
It goes Reggie, Jay-Z, Tupac and Biggie
Andre from OutKast, Jada, Kurupt, Nas and then me
But in this industry I'm the cause of a lot of envy
So when I'm not put on this list, the shit does NOT offend me
That's why you see me walkin' around like nothing’s botherin' me
Even though half you people got a fuckin' problem with me
You hate it but you know respect you got to give me
The press's wet dream like Bobby and Whitney, Nate hit me

Soon as the verse starts, I eat at an MC's heart
What is he thinkin'? How not to go against me, smart!
And it's absurd, how people hang on every word
I'll probably never get the props I feel I ever deserve
But I'll never be served, my spot is forever reserved
If I ever leave Earth, that would be the death of me first
Cause in my heart of hearts I know nothin’ could ever be worse
That's why I'm clever when I put together every verse
My thoughts, are sporadic, I act, like I'm a addict
I rap, like I'm addicted to smack like I'm Kim Mathers
But I don't wanna go forth and back in constant battles
The fact is I would rather sit back and bomb some rappers
So this is like a full-blown attack I'm launchin' at 'em
The track is on some battlin' raps who want some static?
Cause I don't really think that the fact that I'm Slim matters
A plaque and platinum status is wack if I'm not the baddest