微晕 (1999)

The Slim Shady LP is the second studio album by American rapper Eminem. It was released through Aftermath Entertainment, WEB Entertainment, and Interscope Records on February 23, 1999. Recorded in Ferndale, Michigan, following Eminem's recruitment by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, the album features production from Eminem himself, alongside Dr. Dre and the Bass Brothers. Featuring hip-hop and horrorcore musical styles, the majority of The Slim Shady LP's lyrical content was written from the perspective of Eminem's alter ego, named Slim Shady.

Slim Shady was introduced on his Slim Shady EP (1997) and concluded on his studio album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) (2024). The album contains cartoonish depictions of violence and heavy use of profanity, which Eminem described as horror film–esque, solely for entertainment value. Although many of the lyrics on the album are considered to be satirical, Eminem also discusses his frustrations of living in poverty. "My Name Is" was released as the album's second single and became Eminem's first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Commercially, The Slim Shady LP charted within the top 10 in Belgium, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States as well as the top 20 in Austria and the Netherlands. The album was largely acclaimed by critics, with praise directed at Eminem for his unique and fresh lyrical style, dark humor lyrics, and unusual personality. The album garnered Eminem his first awards of his career, including Best Rap Album and Best Rap Solo Performance (for "My Name Is") at the 2000 Grammy Awards. Eminem was also nominated for the Brit Award for International Male Solo Artist.

The Slim Shady LP has received multi-platinum certifications within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. While its success turned Eminem from an underground rapper into a high-profile celebrity, he became a highly controversial figure due to his lyrical content, which some perceived to be misogynistic and a negative influence on American youth. Despite this, the album is often mentioned in lists of the greatest albums of all time.

Background

Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, began rapping at age 14. In 1996, he released his debut studio album, Infinite, which was recorded at the Bassmint, a recording studio owned by the Bass Brothers. The album was released under their independent record label, WEB Entertainment. Infinite was a commercial failure and was largely ignored by Detroit radio stations. This experience greatly influenced Eminem's lyrical style:

After that record, every rhyme I wrote got angrier and angrier. A lot of it was because of the feedback I got. Motherfuckers was like, "You're a white boy, what the fuck are you rapping for? Why don't you go into rock & roll?" All that type of shit started pissing me off.