Ten of the Best: Eminem

Matthew Carolan

Eminem's back on the map and we have for you ten of the best he's brought you in the past...

10. White America (The Eminem Show)

A brooding, slow paced number with aggression right from the off. This is the opening to The Eminem Show and it sets the tone for Marshall’s fourth studio album.

9. Sing For The Moment (The Eminem Show)

Sampled from Aerosmith and better than Aerosmith, too. One of the more famous samples used by Eminem throughout his decorated career.

8. Mosh (Encore)

In 2004, this protest single was released to coincide with the presidential election. It was an attempt to get George. W Bush out of office. Controversially, the video showed then vice-president Dick Cheney suffering a heart attack.

7. My Name Is (The Slim Shady LP)

The song that put Marshall on the map. Years of struggle and prejudice towards his place in the hip-hop community was scrapped with the release of The Slim Shady LP. A stepping stone on the way to greatness in the industry.

6. Toy Soldiers (Encore)

In the same vein as "Mosh". Using a classic sampled chorus and toy soldiers as a metaphor for the war and feuds in rap industry.

5. The Way I Am (Marhsall Mathers LP) 

In stark contrast to ‘The Real Slim Shady’ off The Marshall Mathers LP, this single evokes the tabloid hype surrounding Eminem and the way he is deemed by society. Admirably, he considers himself a bit of a c***.

4. Till I Collapse (The Eminem Show)

A frustrated Marshall tackles the mic with Nate Dogg by his side, honoring his peers “Reggie, Jay-Z, Tupaaaaac and Biggie”. Now considered one of the best gym pump songs of a generation.

3. Stan (Marshall Mathers LP) 

A song about an obsessive fan writing to Eminem, desperate to seek friendship from the Detroit hood-rat. Probably more popular for the Dido sample than anything else, but still an unforgettable beat.

2. Guilty Conscience (Slim Shady LP)

Introducing Marshall Mathers to the rest of the world was producer Dr.Dre. The song tells a tale of the devil and angel taking sides on various stories. The first piece between Eminem and Dre on the mic together showed us the beginning of a dynasty. Between the personality conveyed in "The Way I Am" and this, the world was soon to learn all about the wit of Marshall Mathers.

1. Lose Yourself (8 Mile) 

The honkie's first venture into film was that of 8 Mile and the song to go with it was even more popular than the movie is not. The song flows seamlessly from assonance fueled verses to aggressive preaching in the chorus.

Obviously, with a catalogue spanning almost 20 years of music, it was difficult to pick just ten songs of Eminem’s, but I think this list conveys the rapper’s diversity, as his more recent tracks of become quite formulaic.

Happy Christmas from everyone here at Collegetimes.ie. For more music stories, follow Matt on Twitter.