A perfect song people forget to talk about is slowly getting recognition.
“The Eminem Show” has an issue. There are so many good songs on it that some gems inevitably get less attention than they deserve. Put “Soldier” on any random hip hop album, and it would become a groundbreaking hit. The song has everything for this: a driving beat that raises your heart rate, a contrasting melody line, and an aggressive rap delivery, pushed forward by the urgency of the message. Not to forget the lyrics: the complex rhyme scheme that builds the pressure, then drops it with a perfect punchline, and the smooth flow. “Soldier” is a perfect example of Em’s storytelling at its best.
Testimony
Behind this story is Eminem’s real struggle with the hostile environment he had to live in and his run-ins with the law. In June 2000, just weeks after “The Marshall Mathers LP” dropped, Marshall got arrested twice in 24 hours – both times for pulling a gun during an argument. It was a messy story. You can learn more about it from this article. But suffice it to say, when Shady raps his lines, he’s talking from experience:
got the rep of a villain, for weapon concealin’
Took the image of a thug, kept shit appealin’
Willin’ to stick out my neck for respect
If it meant life or death, never live to regret what I said
“Soldier” is the central part of the album arc focused on the events of that day, from “The Kiss” (track 6) to “Say Goodbye Hollywood” (track 8). And if “Soldier” gives that braggadocious, defiant account of the events, then the following “Say Goodbye Hollywood” flips the script, depicting the messiness of the altercation. This emotional pain led to it, and it only got worse when Kim left him to deal with the aftermath.
Reception
Despite the song’s merits, it was overshadowed by other hits on “The Eminem Show”. The wider audience wouldn’t even be able to recognise the song. The track only reached 100 million streams in 2023, trailing way behind such streaming juggernauts as “Without Me” and “’ Till I Collapse”, which clocked over 2 billion streams each. Until recently, “Soldier” had only one certification, Gold from the RIAA obtained in the 2022 mass update.
Now, the British Phonographic Industry has awarded the song Silver status for 200,000 units officially sold in the country.
Clearly, all of them are coming from streaming since the song has never been released as a single. However, it means that more new listeners are coming to the track. And maybe, someday, it will get the appreciation it deserves.
