This is where fans get off the bus. Sleeping pills and Valium heavily influenced the recording sessions. "Puke," "Rain Man," "Big Weenie," and "Ass Like That" are intentionally stupid. Eminem later admitted he was "running on fumes" here. These tracks represent the sound of a genius bored with his own fame.
In November 2004, Eminem was on top of the world—but the cracks were beginning to show. Following the massive success of The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show , the rapper released Encore , the final chapter of his "trilogy" of major studio albums before a hiatus that lasted nearly five years. eminem encore song list
The album starts strong. "Yellow Brick Road" is a masterclass in damage control. "Like Toy Soldiers" (sampling Martika's 80s hit) is heartbreakingly prescient—it was a plea to stop rap beef that ultimately failed (Proof was killed in 2006). "Mosh" remains one of the most ferocious political rap songs of the 2000s. This is where fans get off the bus
6.5/10. Half a classic, half a hangover. Do you agree with this assessment of the Encore tracklist? Which song do you think is the worst—"Big Weenie" or "My 1st Single"? Eminem later admitted he was "running on fumes" here
Just when you think the album is a washout, the final five tracks salvage it. "Mockingbird" is one of his most beautiful songs. "Spend Some Time" shows melodic maturity. "One Shot 2 Shot" is a fun D12 reunion. The title track "Encore" ends the show with a bang. Critical Reception & Legacy Upon release, Encore received mixed reviews (Pitchfork gave it a 4.5/10, while Rolling Stone gave it 4/5 stars). Commercially, it was a smash (double platinum in five weeks), but fans felt the drop in quality from The Eminem Show was staggering.