Under the Gun Review

Required Listening: Eminem Featuring Rihanna – “The Monster”

October 28th, 2013 James Shotwell
eminem-monster-rihanna-download

Those anxiously awaiting a sonic sequel to “Love The Way You Lie” are about to be sorely disappointed…

After a few promotional singles, Eminem has delivered the first radio single off The Marshall Mathers LP 2 exclusively through Shade45 radio. Titled “The Monster,” the track pairs Slim Shady with Rihanna for an upbeat song whose production feels created specifically for club play. Eminem talks about how he wanted fame, but not the wave of bullshit that followed, and as the verses play on he details coming to terms with the metaphorical monster he’s created. Rihanna compliments this sentiment with a catchy chorus that boils down to being friends with monsters under your bed. You can stream “The Monster” at the end of this post.

So far, I have to be honest and say Marshall Mathers LP 2 has me worried. “The Monster” certainly has a huge hook, but there is no sense of cohesion to be found in any of the music offered from the album so far. This song will win at radio, but does it fit the rest of the record? Eminem rose to fame with crossover appeal (“Hi My Name Is” had a ridiculously kid-friendly beat), but I am not sure this song will have the same impact. Comment below and let us know your first impressions of the track.

The Marshall Mathers LP 2 arrives in November. Are you planning to support Em’s latest offering?

James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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  • NoName

    Survival was good outside of its terribly dull chorus, Berzerk is a fun and energetic track, and Rap God needs no defense, but this is awful. Love the Way Lie at least pretended to hide its pop intentions, but this song’s beat is just fucking awful–it sounds like something you’d hear a 16 year old pop-singer singing about love and friendship over. Eminem’s lyrics are fine, the hook’s lyrics are fine, but rather than giving either one any gravity both artists speed by in an upbeat tempo. It’s fucking terrible. This really killed the hype that Berzerk and Rap God gave me.

    Still cautiously optimistic for the album, but this is a defintie skip.

  • Johnny Johnald Johnson

    Oh come on. That hardcore fans have got their hit. They’re giving the pop fans something to chew on, and it’ll work.

  • NoName

    It will definitely work, but why not have a track that actually has some merit to it? As I said, the lyrics are well done, but the way they’re presented makes them blend into the same monotone meolody you hear from the myriad other tracks constantly looped on the radio. I wasn’t a fan of LTWYL, but it at least stood out from the pack. Monster doesn’t, and it sounds as though Eminem and team sat down, crunched out some numbers, looked at the market, and specifically designed this for radio numbers. And that’s sad. Especially when that was supposedly Berzerk’s role.

  • Lee

    Rihanna ruins it

  • tyler

    I’ve liked every song so far but Rap God is the best so far

  • joe schmoe

    I liked this song and you really didn’t like the chorus in survival. Admittedly eminem raps faster and with more precision than in a lot of his songs but the chorus is really good. (this is the survival of the fittest. this is do or die.)

    this was an incredibly smooth song and the beat matched the lyrics well and although I’m not absolutely clear on the meaning. I think it’s about wrestling with your inner self. It’s a well done track.

    However, I think all the songs I’ve ever heard definitely have a theme. The theme is that Eminem raps because he’s the best rapper there is and he’s going to keep giving it his all while he’s still doing it.

  • Dessie Deratta

    Great song; but Rap God is so extraordinary….

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  • Connor Morency

    I dont think that was necessarily berzerks role… the role of that song was to introduce the unique subject matter of the album. It was supposed to get people thinking he was going in a different direction than recovery and relapse, and i think it accomplished that…. i do agree monster is one of the worst tracks on the album, but that doesnt mean its a terrible track.

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