More than anything else, Eminem is inconsistent.
Perhaps the most telling evidence of this fact was demonstrated after a gratifying and progressive duet with Elton John at the 2001 Grammys.
Eminem showed up to appease homophobic critics - and promptly saluted those in attendance with two middle fingers.
Is he trying to piss everyone off? Is he trying to be himself? Those looking for answers in his latest release, Encore, won't find many.
Eminem burst onto the commercial scene in 1999 with the achingly catchy "My Name Is." At 27, he was young, fresh and the most notable white rapper in the world.
When someone actually bothered to listen to his albums beyond the insipid singles that ruled "TRL," he or she discovered some perceptive and sharply cutting lyrics.
However, even with five years of experience, the rapper cannot seem to outrun his tendency to fall back on controversy, abhorrent themes and toxically awful songs for the masses. It's amazing to find mindless drivel such as "Just Lose It" and "Puke" alongside more mature and poignant tracks.
"Just Lose It," the first single, is a prime example of the rapper overtaxing his listeners. A song that cleverly rips into Vanilla Ice, Michael Jackson and other victims of their own hype is a good idea, but with an exhausting and moronic hook, Eminem is in danger of turning himself into fodder for Al Yankovic.
But when he actually manages to put some thought into a song, more rewarding tracks, such as "Mockingbird" and "Like Toy Soldiers," can be the result.
The former cut, Eminem's ode to his daughter Hailie, is a tender portrait of a father working out his demons and shortcomings as a parent.
"Hailie, I know you miss your mom, and I know you miss your dad/When I'm gone, but I'm trying to give you the life that I never had/... No more crying, wipe them tears/Daddy's here, no more nightmares."
This album continues another mainstay of the rapper's releases - muddled production.
Typically, even his albums' best beats are unconventional. For those not familiar with the MC, don't expect the pulse of Kanye West, the natural sound of The Roots or even the effusively effective rhythm of The Neptunes.
Courtesy mostly of Dr. Dre and Eminem, the production oddly stresses unusual sounds and offbeat emphasis.
This does not prevent strong production on tracks such as "Mosh" and "Spend Some Time." However, the LP is plagued by the lack of an overall, coherent flow.
In the end, it's amazing to find idiotic efforts alongside more seasoned tracks that are ripe for release such as "Mockingbird" and "Mosh." I don't know if it's comforting or disappointing that now, at 32, Eminem is still releasing records that reflect a mixed bag of immaturity and contemplation.
Hopefully, in the future, he'll be able to rise above his consistent propensity for inconsistency, but not with this album.
Contact the A&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
