Eminem “Curtain Call 2” Album Review

Curtain Call 2

Eminem

• • Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
  • Date: 05 Aug, 2022
  • Content: explicit
  • Region: USA
  • Track(s): 35

• A Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records Release; ℗ 2022 Marshall B. Mathers III

Curtain Call 2, a compilation album featuring some of his biggest hits. The project is a follow up to his 2005 greatest hits release Curtain Call. Where that project focused on his earlier hits from his first eight years in the game alongside four new tracks, Curtain Call 2 picks up where it left off, featuring his more “recent” hits alongside unreleased songs “Is This Love (’09)” featuring 50 Cent and the “Rap God – Mr. Cii Remix”.

The hits lining Curtain Call 2, meanwhile, feel more like that same rapper running up the score just because he could. Eminem turns 50 in October, and as he enters the next stage of his career, he’s more than earned the right to be himself in his music. If at this point his listening public has only the haziest sense of who he actually is, that could prove to be an asset.

As a project, however, ‘Curtain Call 2’ is weighed down by its flaws. There’s no ignoring the wayward path Eminem has taken over the past two decades, and the tracklisting reflects this.

Album Cover Art

On a background that shares several similarities with a videogame-esque wallpaper that can be found only in secret, underground parts of town, Eminem’s face is pictured emerging from behind the curtains that look like they are slowly falling.

On his face, slightly raised above his forehead and blocking out one eye, is his hand, with fingers made into animal horns. This helps to paint a more vivid picture of the crazy shade of Slim Shady displayed on the album.

Tracks and Features

Opening with the Juice WRLD aided ‘Godzilla’, Eminem’s explosive flow is in full effect. If you’ve tuned out from Em’s trickery, then the impact is immediate – he remains the Usain Bolt of the mic, the fastest man in the booth. The novelty, though, can’t be sustained, particularly when evidence of his sometimes wayward quality control seeps through. ‘Walk On Water’ with Beyonce or ‘Love The Way You Lie’ with Rihanna remain faultless, but Bruno Mars team up ‘Lighters’ is fluff, inessential pop-rap.

Kehlani team up ‘Nowhere Fast’ still feels slightly jarring, her incredible vocal never truly aligning with Eminem’s bars. 50 Cent appears on old school bumper ‘Is This Love’ while the Dr. Dre production on ‘Crack A Bottle’ returns Eminem to his cartoonish best.

Partnering Snoop Dogg on ‘From The D 2 The LBC’ results in gold, a low-slung West Coast breezer with some added Michigan grit. Ed Sheeran partnership ‘River’ is methodical in its by-rote studio work, while Southern-flavoured CeeLo Green team up ‘The King And I’ never quite reaches lift off.

Ending with – what else? – a remix, ‘Curtain Call 2’ is bold in its intention, an attempt to broaden the scope of Eminem’s career, and shuffle away from the fixation on his tabloid-baiting peak. Placed side by side, however, and there’s simply no comparison.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	ARTIST	TIME
1	Godzilla (feat. Juice WRLD)	Eminem	3:34
2	Lucky You (feat. Joyner Lucas)	Eminem	4:06
3	Lighters (feat. Bruno Mars)	Bad Meets Evil	5:03
4	Gnat	Eminem	3:50
5	Cinderella Man	Eminem	4:39
6	Walk On Water (feat. Beyoncé)	Eminem	4:57
7	Rap God	Eminem	6:03
8	Love The Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna)	Eminem	4:23
9	Won’t Back Down (feat. P!nk)	Eminem	4:25
10	Higher	Eminem	3:43
11	Berzerk	Eminem	3:57
12	Not Afraid	Eminem	4:09
13	From The D 2 The LBC	Eminem & Snoop Dogg	3:33
14	Nowhere Fast (feat. Kehlani)	Eminem	4:24
15	Fall	Eminem	4:22
16	Phenomenal	Eminem	4:41
17	Fast Lane	Bad Meets Evil	4:09
18	You’re Never Over	Eminem	5:05
19	3 a.m.	Eminem	5:19
20	Space Bound	Eminem	4:38
21	Beautiful	Eminem	6:32
22	The Monster (feat. Rihanna)	Eminem	4:10
23	Venom	Eminem	4:24
24	Crack A Bottle (feat. Dr. Dre & 50 Cent)	Eminem	4:57
25	Is This Love (’09)	Eminem & 50 Cent	3:32
26	River (feat. Ed Sheeran)	Eminem	3:43
27	Survival	Eminem	4:31
28	Best Friend (feat. Eminem)	Yelawolf	5:10
29	Darkness	Eminem	5:38
30	Kings Never Die (feat. Gwen Stefani)	Eminem	4:57
31	No Love (feat. Lil Wayne)	Eminem	4:59
32	Headlights (feat. Nate Ruess)	Eminem	5:43
33	The King and I (feat. CeeLo Green)	Eminem	3:12
34	Farewell	Eminem	4:12
35	Rap God	Eminem	6:15

Album Theme

Curtain Call 2 contents itself with being a damningly accurate reflection of what Eminem’s been up to lately. The compilation also demonstrates his ability to keep his ear in tune with the next generation through his collaborations with JuiceWRLD and Joyner Lucas. Really, the project is a testament to his growth and maturity.

Production Credits

Producers involved on this project include the following: Aalias, Alex da Kid, Battle Roy, BJ Burton, Boi-1da, d.a. got that dope, DJ Khalil, Dr. Dre, DVLP, Emile Haynie, Eminem, Frequency, Hit-Boy, IllaDaProducer, Jahaan Sweet, Jeff Bhasker, Jim Jonsin, Jordan Evans, Just Blaze, Luis Resto, Mark Batson, Matthew Burnett, Mike WiLL Made-It, Mr. Cii, Rick Rubin, Ricky Racks, Rock Mafia, Royce da 5’9″, Script Shepherd, The Smeezingtons, Supa Dups, Trevor Lawrence Jr. & WLPWR.

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