NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
Eminem might be one of the most recognizable faces in not just hip-hop but the music industry in general. He kicked the door in as a superstar of rap, often going toe to toe with some of the best and proving he could hold his own or even outshine some of the greats. Everyone knows his biggest hits, but are there songs from his discography that may not get enough love? Here are some of his more underrated songs:
Headlights ft. Nate Ruess – The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2015)
And although one has only met their grandma onceYou pulled up in our drive one nightAs we were leavin’ to get some hamburgersMe, her and Nate, we introduced you, hugged youAnd as you left I had this overwhelming sadnessCome over me as we pulled off to go our separate paths andI saw your headlights as I looked backAnd I’m mad I didn’t get the chance toThank you for being my mom and my dad
A follow-up for Cleaning Out My Closet of sorts, this one feels like a soul cleanse for Eminem, but it also stands as a great song as an apology for that very same song. How does it translate to the average fan? For any of us who were hardheaded teenagers and caused more of a headache to our mom than we were worth, this one will hit close to home.
Stepping Stones – Kamikaze (2018)
It was never the same, and it’s bothered me sinceAnd the farther we drift apart, the more awkward it getsThe more time goes by, the more life happensAnd we gotta be men, we got responsibilitiesPlus we don’t say how we feelAnd I feel like this is what got us in the debacle we’re inBeen with you guys thick and thinBut it’s almost as if sometimes we’re not even friends
Another song to air out his demons Stepping Stones is the track that looks back on his career in hip hop and how success separated him from the people he was closest with. Out of all the songs he’s put out, this is one of the realest tracks you’ll hear. Every single person out there knows someone they absolutely were the closest with and life just happens. No matter how much you wish you could go back to those better days, they’re long gone.
Fall – Kamikaze (2018)
Don’t tell me ’bout the cultureI inspire the Hopsins, the Logics, the Coles, theSeans, the K-Dots, the 5’9″s, and ohBrought the world 50 Cent, you did squatPiss and moan, but I’m not gonna fall,,
Fall could be considered a diss track but it’s also a shoutout to a career of naysayers. The track dives back into classic Slim Shady with more recent beefs. It serves as Eminem’s way of saying these old rappers and new rappers need to understand he can turn it back on at any minute, so don’t play.
The King And I ft. CeeLo Green – Elvis: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2022)
These little attention seekers, I’m finna treat ’em like diabetics (what?)Got ’em all on pins and needles (yeah), just like Ozempic, meaningGive these little pricks the finger, and when I stick this thing up (yeah)It’s higher than Wiz Khalifa (woo!), soon as he lit the weed up
Okay, this one is just fun. It might not be the classic Eminem track you’re used to, but still. His whole career people have referred to Eminem as rap’s Elvis and in a biopic about the man himself, Em lays a track over Jailhouse Rock. It’s a middle finger to anyone who hates that he has a career in hip-hop or doesn’t deserve it. It’s a crazy mashup of two styles that are pulled together by Ceelo Green.
Whether you’re just discovering the songs, or they are on heavy rotation on your playlist, these are some of his better songs that may have flown under the radar. It’s crazy to me how many people say Eminem doesn’t rap about anything, or that no one can relate to his music. Yes, he’s had a career full of antics and great diss tracks, but at the end of the day, he’s put his heart into great storytelling as well. While most people know him from the antics and diss tracks, there’s so much more than what you hear on the radio. He’s rapped about being poor, bullied, love for his family, and everything in between.
More to come on Eminem’s hits list soon …
