- Encore Updated | Eminem

In the pantheon of hip-hop, few discographies are as scrutinized as Marshall Mathers’. From the gritty, horrorcore origins of Infinite to the supernova explosion of The Slim Shady LP and the mathematical precision of The Marshall Mathers LP , Eminem established a standard of excellence that seemed impenetrable. Then came 2004.

In 2004, Encore received mixed reviews. Rolling Stone gave it 4 stars, but Pitchfork gave it a scathing 4.0/10. Fans were divided. However, time has been kind to Encore . eminem - encore

The album is split between deeply personal storytelling, political commentary, and bizarre "Slim Shady" humor. In the pantheon of hip-hop, few discographies are

is another relationship hell track, but it’s overshadowed by what comes next. In 2004, Encore received mixed reviews

For many fans, this was the "accident" of the album. It felt like Eminem was trolling his audience, testing how much mediocrity they would accept simply because his name was on the cover.