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Rating: Although the title of Eminem's latest effort seems to hint at some sort of return to the scene, we are not, however, facing the new album of the white rapper we've come to love/hate. The collection of singles released last year by Marshall Bruce Mathers III (Curtain Calls: The Hits) seemed to many like the end of an era, which began way back in 1999 with The Slim Shady LP.
The rumors stating our artist intended to hang up the microphone and dedicate himself to producing new talents, perhaps before ending up killed in some rapper feud, had become almost deafening by the time of the last official album Encore. Once again, reality is quite different: The Re-Up is actually the extended and refined version of an unofficial tape ("street mixtape," this is the technical term), originally recorded to promote new artists of Shady Records. Despite the worthy newcomers he surrounds himself with and the presence of luxurious sidekicks such as protégé 50 Cent and some elements of the D12 crew, Eminem's name remains the only true reason of interest for a listener not exclusively dedicated to hip-hop.
In this "collective" album, unlike in the past, Eminem entrusts his mentor and godfather Dr. Dre with the production of only one track; the impression is that The Re-Up is more of a "warm-up," namely a trial run. A trial for what exactly is unclear; however, since it's Eminem, we are sure it won't be long before the tireless Detroit rapper reveals his new cards.
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