Joyner Lucas revisits his earliest dreams of rapping for Eminem on “ADHD 2”, an album filled with lyrical nods, emotional flashbacks, and a carefully placed sample from Sway’s interview.
On this highly anticipated sequel to Joyner’s 2020 breakout album the references to Eminem are not subtle or accidental, they are baked into the project’s DNA. Throughout the album, Lucas wears his influences on his sleeve, with Slim Shady front and centre.
In “Listen To My Demo”, Joyner reflects on being a kid in 2001, dreaming of the moment Dre or Em might hear his tape:
I heard Dre and Snoop Dogg was in town
Up In Smoke tour, Eminem comin’ out
You should have seen the way my eyes popped out
You done thought the heavens opened up and God popped out,
I wish that I could vibe with him
If I gave him my demo, maybe I could ride with him
Maybe Em would listen if I got some time with him
Maybe Dre is lookin’ for a kid that can sign with him
It is a vivid throwback to a time when Lucas was just a teenager, catching inspiration from “The Marshall Mathers LP” and hoping for a shot. That sentiment carries into “The Way That I Am”, which opens with a sample from Eminem’s 2018 Sway interview, offering a sonic and thematic tribute to Em and a nod to his childhood dream. In this interview segment, Eminem spoke about Joyner, noting that Lucas reminded him of himself, praised his lyrical abilities, and commended his uncompromising storytelling. It appears that Em has listened.
Later, Joyner spells it out plainly:
Some niggas tell me I remind ’em of Em
The MMLP album had me on ten
The shit I was goin’ through made me a Stan
Even guest Big Sean, another artist whose respect for Eminem is unquestionable, nods to Marshall on the track “Active”, rapping:
Came after Em and I’m stackin’ these M’s
Eminem does not appear on “ADHD 2”, but his presence is palpable. For Joyner, the album is both a continuation of his own journey and a love letter to the artists who sparked it. And when it comes to influence, there is no question who sits at the top of that list.
