Anything less than his shocking, violent, sexist, vulgar, outrageous, hilarious debut album would be seen as going soft - and that would be death to this white trash-talking rapper.

Fans should therefore be pleased with The Marshall Mathers LP, a shocking, violent, sexist, vulgar, outrageous, hilarious sequel similar in almost every respect to Eminem's The Slim Shady EP. It's practically the same record, the musical equivalent of Quentin Tarantino's worst nightmare rendered by a convincing actor/rapper whose mood ranges from manic anger to homicidal insanity. Seriously, Eminem ought to make slasher movies - and put his twisted imagination to more "acceptable" use.

There is one new element: He's famous. So what you have here is a talented rapper and clever writer obsessed with himself and his celebrity, including the fact he was sued by his own mom. "Hi, mom," he says at one point, just one reference in a string of matricidal abuse far too vulgar to print. Bye, mom.

If Mr. Mathers ever thinks any horrible thing he doesn't rap about, it's not evident here. Producer and mentor Dr. Dre has crafted grooves that flow smoothly under Eminem's non-stop spew of self-absorbed invective. Along with school shootings, domestic disputes and Christina Aguilera, the theme of "I'm a poor, misunderstood rap superstar" surfaces repeatedly.

Samples: "You want me to fix up lyrics while the president (has sex)? ... I am whatever you say I am. If I wasn't, why would I say I am? ... Every time I write a rhyme, these people think it's a crime" and so on and on and on.

Before it runs out of steam and sinks into gratuitous guns 'n' thugs cliches, this album has a few bright spots. This guy may have an ego the size of Puff Daddy's legal bills, but he sure is entertaining at times.

This being said, M&M better delve into more interesting subject matter if he's going to grow as an artist. Otherwise, as he says, "Once you're hung from the drapes, it's curtains."

Track Listing 1.Public Service Announcement 2000
  02.Kill You
  03.Stan
  04Paul (Skit)
  05.Who Knew
  06.Steve Berman
  07.The Way I Am
  08.The Real Slim Shady
  09.Remember Me?
  10.I'm Back
  11.Marshall Mathers
  12.Ken Kaniff (Skit)
  13.Drug Ballad
  14.Amityville
  15.B***** Please II
  16.Kim
  17.Under The Influence
  18.Criminal