Eminem - Recovery

Contributed by: Mmapaseka Modibane

Seven albums into his career, Eminem has delivered one of his best works yet. 'Recovery' finds the troublesome and talented rapper focused, relaxed, and back at the top of his game.

After breaking five years of writers block with last year's average 'Relapse', the king of disses, comebacks, and crossover hits is on a road to, yes, recovery.

The man born Marshall Mathers has changed - but not much. He still raps about his daughter, his ex wife, and problems with drug addiction, but 'Recovery' shows the familiar subjects in a new light. His most emotional record yet, it finally reveals what this talented man went through without judgment.

"I almost made a song dissin' Lil Wayne/ It's like I was jealous of him 'cause of the attention he was gettin'/ I felt horrible about myself," he even confides in 'Talkin' 2 Myself'.

"I just wanna thank everybody for bein' so patient/ Bearin' with me over these last couple of years while I figure this sh*t out."

Almost as refreshing as this admission of self doubt is his choice to collaborate with people outside his inner circle. Of course Dr Dre is still around, but Eminem has recruited other producers like Alex da Kid, Just Blaze, Boi-1da, Jim Jonsin, and DJ Khalil - as well as bonafide pop stars.

Pink shows up on the heavily rhythmic 'Won't Back Down' but it's Rihanna who really surprises on 'Love The Way You Lie', one of the best collaborations of Eminem's career. "[The song] I did with Rihanna is one of those tracks that I felt like only she could pull it off, only she could do it," he explained and, judging from the results, he's right.

Not quite as good is his collaboration with Lil Wayne - 'No Love' - which samples the beats of Haddaway's 'What Is Love', but the hard-hitting 'Cinderella Man' (about second chances and abuse), 'On Fire', 'Seduction', and 'W.T.P. (White Trash Party)' help explain why the album has sold over a million copies within three weeks in the USA alone.

'Recovery' truly lives up to its name.