Seven years ago today, Eminem changed the game with “Kamikaze”, his 10th studio album that arrived without warning.
Dropped just eight months after “Revival”, the record was a brutal response to critics and a reminder of why Shady remains one of hip hop’s most unpredictable forces.
The gamble paid off immediately. “Kamikaze” debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 with 434,000 units, marking Em’s ninth consecutive chart-topping album in the US. It also produced two top 10 hits, “Lucky You” and “The Ringer”, with every track landing on the Hot 100. By October, it was already certified platinum and crowned the year’s best-selling rap album in the States.
Across the pond, “Kamikaze” smashed into the UK Albums Chart at No.1 and held the top spot for four weeks. In doing so, Eminem surpassed legends like Led Zeppelin and ABBA for the most consecutive UK No.1 albums – nine in a row.
What started as a surprise drop turned into one of the biggest moments of 2018 and quickly became a global phenomenon because Slim Shady knows how to take control of the conversation. Seven years later, “Kamikaze” still stands as one of Eminem’s boldest statements.
Listen to the album below:
