The Marshall Mathers LP
I'm Back
Eminem
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
38
End
249
Internal
65
Multi
259
Slant
25
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus]
That's why they call me Slim Shady✦ (I'm back)
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back (Slim Shady!)✦
That's why they call me Slim Shady✦ (I'm back)
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back (Slim Shady!)✦
That's why they call me Slim Shady✦ (I'm back)
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back (Slim Shady!)✦
That's why they call me Slim Shady✦ (Shady!)✦
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back (Slim Shady!)✦
[Verse 2]
I take each individual degenerate's head and reach into✦ it
Just to see if he's influenced by me if he listens to music
And if he feeds into✦ this shit, he's an innocent victim✦
And becomes a puppet✦ on the string of my tennis shoe
(*Scratches*)✦ My name is Slim Shady✦
I been crazy✦ way before✦ radio✦ didn't play me
The sensational (*scratch*), "Back is the incredible!"
With Ken Kaniff,✦ who just finds the men edible✦
It's Ken Kaniff✦ on the Internet
Tryin' to lure your kids with him into✦ bed (Uh)
It's a sick world we live in these days
"Slim, for Pete's✦ sakes,✦ put down Christopher Reeve's✦ legs!" ("Oh, oh, oh, oh!")
Geez, you guys are so sensitive
"Slim, it's a touchy✦ subject, try and just don't mention it"
Mind with no sense in it, fried schizophrenic whose eyes get so squinted
I'm blind from smoke in 'em with my windows tinted✦
With nine limos✦ rented,✦ doin' lines✦ of coke in 'em
With a bunch of guys hoppin'✦ out, all high and indo-scented
And that's where I get my name from, that's why they call me—
[Chorus]
They call me Slim Shady✦ (I'm back)
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back (Slim Shady!)✦
That's why they call me Slim Shady✦ (I'm back)
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back (Slim Shady!)✦
That's why they call me Slim Shady✦ (I'm back)
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back (Slim Shady!)✦
That's why they call me Slim Shady✦ (I'm back)
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back (Back) (Slim Shady!)✦
[Verse 3]
I take seven✦ {kids} from {Columbine}, stand 'em all in line
Add an AK-47, a revolver, a .9
A MAC-11 and it oughta solve the problem of mine
And that's a whole school of bullies shot up all at one time (Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!)
'Cause I'm Shady,✦ they call me as crazy✦
As the world was over✦ this whole Y2K thing
And by the way, NSYNC, why do they sing?
Am I the only✦ one who realizes they stink?
Should I dye my hair pink and care what y'all think
Lip-sync and buy a bigger✦ size of earrings?
It's why I tend to block out when I hear things
'Cause all these fans screamin' is makin'✦ my ears ring (Ahh!)
So I just throw up a middle finger✦ and let it linger✦
Longer✦ than the rumor that I was stickin' it to Christina
'Cause if I ever✦ stuck it to any✦ singer✦ in showbiz
It'd be Jennifer Lopez✦ and Puffy,✦ you know this
I'm sorry,✦ Puff, but I don't give a fuck
If this chick was my own mother,✦ I'd still fuck her with no rubber✦
And cum inside✦ her and have a son and a new brother
At the same time and just say that it ain't mine, what's my name?
[Chorus]
I'm Slim Shady✦ (*scratch*- Slim, I'm back)
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back
That's why they call me Slim Shady✦ (I'm back)
I'm back (*scratch*- I'm back), I'm back (I'm- *scratch*- I'm back) (Slim Shady!)✦
That's why they call me Slim Shady✦ (*scratches*✦ Slim, I'm back)
I'm back (I'm back), I'm back
They call me Slim Shady✦ (I'm back)
I'm back (*scratch* I'm back), I'm back
[Outro]
Guess who's b-back, back
Gue-gue-guess who's back (Hi, Mom!)
{*scratch*} Guess who's back
{*scratch*} Gue— {*scratch*} guess who's back
D-12 {*scratch*} guess who's back
Gue, gue-gue-gue, guess who's back
Dr. Dre {*scratch*} guess who's back
Back back {*scratch*} back {*scratch*}
Slim Shady,✦ 2001
I'm blew out from this blunt (*sighs*) fuck
Technical Breakdown
8.7
Multisyllabic Rhymes7.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres8.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm10.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity5.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control9.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.72
Production
— Dr. Dre, Mel-ManBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Eminem utilizes extreme technical multisyllabic rhyming combined with character-driven performance shifts to reinforce his 'Slim Shady' persona, effectively blurring the lines between artist critique and satirical characterization.
A
7.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
5
Vocabulary
8
Wordplay
9
Delivery
Multisyllabic internal rhymingCharacter persona switchingPhonetic mirroringSatirical commentary
Rhyme Architecture: Highly dense multisyllabic sequences, specifically the 'degenerate's head/reach into it/influenced/listens to music' chain, maintaining a high-velocity flow with constant internal rhymes.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"puppet on the string of my tennis shoe"
① The fan as a submissive follower controlled by Eminem's influence.② A literal 'puppet' tied to the shoe of a figure, emphasizing the lack of agency/intellectual distance the 'victim' has from the artist.
"finds the men edible"
① Refers to the character's cannibalistic or predatory desire for men.② A play on 'edible' sounding like 'incredible' (the rhyme setup), highlighting the bizarre and twisted nature of the Kaniff character.
Exceptional technical mastery of rhyme density
Effective use of vocal characterization to highlight satire
High level of rhythmic consistency within complex patterns
Reliance on shock-value subject matter that may overshadow technical nuance
Vocabulary scores lower relative to rhyme complexity