Eminem open to performing overseas, compares his record “So Far” to LL Cool J’s “Cheesy Rat Blues.”
On past studio albums and even on his latest project, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Detroit rapper Eminem offers varying commentary on his hometown of Detroit. But during this week’s interview with BBC Radio 1, the Motor City rapper revealed that he has no plans on ever moving away from Detroit.
The topic of Detroit arose as Eminem and BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe discussed The Marshall Mathers LP 2 record, “So Far…” On the record Em pays ode to his city as he raps, “Maybe that’s why I can’t leave Detroit/It’s the motivation that keeps me going.”
After Eminem revealed that he does not see himself ever leaving the city of Detroit, both he and Lowe compared The Marshall Mathers LP 2 record “So Far…” to LL Cool J’s Mama Said Knock You Out track, “Cheesy Rat Blues.”
“Absolutely not, no,” said Eminem when asked if he would ever leave Detroit. “Because, you know, for one, the most obvious answer is [it’s] all I know. All I know. I love it there. Despite the little complaints on the record and shit like that, which is—the whole concept of the record was just basically—you’re right, it’s like a ‘Cheesy Rat Blues’ thing. I’m complaining about shit that people might think it’s ridiculous and complain about and as I’m complaining about it I’m realizing that this shit is ridiculous that I’m complaining about. I’m complaining about shit that I have no business really complaining about…It’s kind of the Detroit mentality to—we’re kind of the underdog. I feel like we’ve always been the underdog and that’s kind of how I’ve always taken that, kept that with me. That fighting spirit that Detroit has.”
Em also offered his thoughts on touring outside of the country, an option he says he’s up for, but would have to gradually ease into. The rapper is currently scheduled to perform four separate shows as part of the “Rapture” stadium tour, which is set to take place in New Zealand and Australia.
“I’m always open to doing shows and performing,” said the rapper. “I think that I—it’s definitely a better experience for me now than it was back a few years ago…I don’t think on the Relapse record, that album, that whole album run, I don’t think that it was something that I jumped right back into. It was like smaller shows here and there. You know what I’m saying? ‘Let me get my feet wet again and get my footing back.’ And you know it took a minute, but I think that just the more you do it it just starts to become second nature.”
In the first installment of Eminem’s interview with BBC Radio 1, the rapper revealed that he had reservations about working with producer Rick Rubin on The Marshall Mathers LP 2 and also commented on revisiting the themes and topics he addressed on his debut album, The Marshall Mathers LP.
“For the most part I just felt like it might be fun to just revisit that [The Marshall Mathers LP],” he said. “Just the overall vibe of that album. Just because it kinda started to go there early on a little bit in the recording process…The tones of the records kinda were heading towards that way. And once I got—figured out where—what direction it should go in, kinda started gearing everything that way.”
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