Since we always do the defining, let’s reverse the roles here. How do you feel about Em’s latest effort “Not Afraid,” the leadoff single to Slim’s Recovery? Entertained & engaged, maybe even thrilled at the prospect of a focused version of the emcee? Or is it flying under the radar, still only a shadow of his former self?
Honestly, I can accept more material like this because it gets back to the heart of who he is, wearing his heart on his sleeve. During the Encore/Relapse experiments, he seemed to be grasping to remember who he was, a struggle that never turns out pretty when it’s being recorded for posterity. Here on “Not Afraid,” he admits the missteps and rededicates himself to being the emcee that fans want him to be. Let’s hope he can maintain his seat on the wagon long enough to produce an album of material like this…minus the singing maybe.
Eminem – “Not Afraid” | Download
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dope pure dope old em
This is really good. Its a shame that he blew the rap game outta the stratosphere when he was younger because any material he puts out now will always be compared to that.
But if this is any indication that Shady is back, Recovery is going to be a problem!
this was good. beats his last first single off relapse.
Honestly, I can accept more material like this because it gets back to the heart of who he is, wearing his heart on his sleeve.
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That’s the aspect of Eminem’s persona that has always been the most compelling.
Very different kind of 1st single for Marshall but I can dig it.
see i can listen to him here,when hes not yelling like a 5 year old like on that despicable freestyle….I like this,but I still feel he should be doing something bigger….shit hes rappin abbout is the same shit hes always rapped about,i like the uplifting message…..that “holla” part of the hook is kinda corny….I dont think this is Pre-Shady like some people are saying…
^^^ agreed Amp…
this is the first single I’ve heard in a long time that doesnt have that sound super poppy radio friendly wacky cartoonish type sound to it…
LMAO.
@yah is “Angry Man” off “Martin.”
lol…im just too damn picky..my curse…
ive done shows from Philly to Rome,i have a pretty well founded base for hip hop knowledge….Em aint impressing me like he used to,bottomline….nothing spectacular about this joint.
well what do you listen to yah?
Anybody who knows me knows I’m not a huge fan of Em. I respect his work and career but he’s never been my bowl of cherries. But the lyrical content of the 2nd and 3rd verse here are good.
rapper Necro iz expected to be on the remix
Eminem Ft Necro – “Not Afrait to DIE!”
Psycho+logical = Recovery ! ;)
by the way, “Not Afraid” is actually really dopely dope
real struggle anthem status as well as strong will continue
not typical pure anthem like Africa Must Wake, Sing For The Moment
Eminem’s Def Back In Bizness
Just Blaze, Jim Jonsin, Boi1da, …
Fresh Brand New Blood For Marshall M.
‘Recovery’ is gonna be a problem forilla !
by the way, “Not Afraid” is actually really dopely dope
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What he said.
Yah listens to the sound of himself hating on other people’s shit. He’s consistent that way…
I’m mostly with Yah (again)… this doesn’t compare to “Soldier” Em, and his alienated antihero shtick is pretty tired, but this is much better of a track than that Despicable freestyle. Could do without that hokey hook though– if he was gonna use that he should have just gotten Akon or some rocker to sing it. Just my two cents– Emimen stans please don’t hate me!
this has nothing to do with people “stan”-ing for Em. in my opinion, em is trying to make great music, instead of phoning it in like he has for the past 3 albums. i’m digging this direction, make music to make you happy.
I’m not suggesting that anyone who digs this stuff is a stan. The stans are the people here who clown/attack anyone who dares admit that they’re not blown away by Em’s offerings.
@Deen, hilarious.
is Yah the old hater Chris?
sangin i could do without..
no denying the verses tho.
im as bat shit as Ozzy is, its obvious, u can tell right off the bat
no pun intended, but come any closer & ill bite off ya head
cotdaaaaaaaamn
ive done shows from Philly to Rome
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Riiiiiiiight.
Relapse, Recovery, Recreativity
@ Amp
doh not act lik ure not fam ill iar wit iit !!!
I was more impressed when 3AM came out, but i think this is the em most people want, and its more people friendly (a.k.a you can actually play it around your friends or on the radio lol) so i dig it, i think this album will turn out well for him commercially and from the fans
Em bolted to the top with “Despicable” and “Not Afraid.”
I was more impressed when 3AM came out
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3AM is a horror flick on wax. I still say Relapse was a good album just based on wordplay & creativity.
shady just went timberlake.
shit’s still hot though.
relapse was good yeah. accent was ehh
Pilot talk will be >>____
Seriously… no one has anything to say about the beat?
Its terrible.
The Beat isn’t terrible loll It’s not Dr. Dre or Just Blaze…Its a skeleton so Em can paint a picture, no distractions. Just good enough of a beat that it doesn’t take away from Em. Like..C’mon..shit is what Em needed. Somethin to vent on, Somethin to say sorry for relapse on loll
There’s some gems in there.
..Like getting ‘fuck it’ for christmas, my gift is a curse..
..Fuck ya fillings (feelings), instead of getting crowned, you’re getting capped..
..Time to exercise these demons, them bitches doing jumping jacks now..
This dude was gettin it in. I respect the word play more after running through it twice
Em is spitting some real shit on this. As a fellow “recoverer” that second verse really fucking hits home.
Brilliant!
El Rosado,eat a dick homey,this is Yah btw,i aint lyin’ little nigga….i dont need to lie to a bunch of wanna be critic bloggers…
thanks for asking Gotty….Im picky as fuck,and being an artist,even more so…..new good hip hop is far and few…my all time GOAT is Jay-Z,unquestionably…I grew up on Big Pun,Biggie,Pac,Big L era know what I mean?..MEAN lyricists…if you aint on some ill shit,youre on some average shit,and average shit dont do it for me…..as far as new cats,I like Rockwell,I like Wiz a LITTLE BIT,still gotta check more of his music….Vado’s tight,but Id rather see him do it solo without Cam…cramps his style…Kid Cudi is making better music than most rappers are right now…and thats sad cuz the boy barely spits…I always check for Jadakiss,T.I.,Jeezy,Weezy…who doesnt….but new rap has been really unimpressive to me over the past year or 2…thats why im bumpin miike snow…my boy just put me on to Adam Tensta,from Sweden,his album aint all that,but bangin on the system is TOUGH.
Like I read in that complex article on the track (where Gotty gave his 2 cents in)
http://www.complex.com/blogs/2010/04/29/whats-the-consensus-the-internets-top-tastemakers-react-to-eminems-not-afraid/
This is “Lose Yourself” 2010. He does sound focused and Recovery does sound like it’s gonna be one of his best projects. The singing is pretty bad but can’t deny that he shit on those verses though. This will get people to look at him as the guy they dropped “Toy Soldiers” and “Sing for the Moment” instead of Just Lose It and We Made You. But (like the ‘Brews from ItstheReal said) it’s too slow for the gym, I can’t run to this. But the ones paying will love it. That’s white people fyi.
Yo the raps are hype but the beat and chorus are kinda weak. The snares sound like they are being played on a tiny ass drum kit and the strings are kinda boring. I know the singing shit is what the mainstream radio crowd needs to hear but it’s just mad weak. If he would do a Raekwon and get some real producers on his new shit I would be wayy more happy.
^ You’re all talk kid, go play in a corner. The loudest one is always the weakest and you’re always coming around here talking shit about virtually every single artist that gets posted without offering any sort of constructive criticism or productive comment beyond “it’s wack, I can do better” sounding like the very critic you purport to not care for. If you don’t give a fuck what I have to say than why respond? Exactly. Thin skinned ass kid. Go play in traffic. If your music is so hot and you’re rocking shows worldwide, share a link so we can hear it, since you claim your music is better than 98% of what’s in our iPods (your words not mine). Show a link, show proof, otherwise you’re just a fronting ass woofing Internet rapper with a bootleg copy of FruityLoops and CoolEdit Pro.
BTW my comment was directed @ yah/We/random Internet “artist” with no proof of said artistry to share…just got knocked down by the extra comments.
I don’t know about you but I’m a bit tired of these rappers leaving, coming back, leaving, mixtape, leaving, freestyle, leaving again etc…I understand it but at the same time, they are never the same. Now its like you have to try so hard to like them again. Em is cool and all but artists that complain about the game being where it is now probably have to blame themselves for not being consistent enough with their music. If all the artists we love would just stay here and produce great music on a consistent basis half of these lame ass rappers would stay inside. There are a few exceptions to the rule but Em I think isn’t one of them.
Lol @ We sounding like an old ass rap fan that can’t let go of the past. I grew up in that same era listening to the same greats he just named, but guess what, those dudes are all dead or not as dope as they used to be (Hov). Lol. Move on kid. You’re clinging to a by-gone era of dope music and not opening your ears up to the new cats that are killing it. There’s plenty of dope lyricists out there with a MEAN spit game. But if all you’re on is some “I love the 90′s” shit, well I guess that’s on you.
And Cudi isn’t a rapper. He does make great music, but comparing him to other rappers is kinda asinine.
wooooo i like your feistiness KID,but listen,i come here and YES I TALK SHIT….because if the shit is weak,the shit is weak,and i have every right to share my 2 cents….i dont feel the need to tell you who I am,and i dont mean to come off as a superstar either,cuz im not,nor do i care if ever become an MTV icon…the mixtape will be out next month,I know Im nice,and Im confident in what I do and have BEEN doing….i said i rocked shows worldwide,i never said ALL THE TIME….i hope to be at that level soon. Youre obviously hanging onto the words I post here all the time,imagine the music ha. And if you dont like my shit,I wouldnt care…I got fans in Spain,Holland,UK..all over,they know my name,theyre waiting to support the music,and thats all that matters to me,kicko.
Wow! @We for that Cudi comment way up top. Cudi? Seriously? Who takes him serious? He isn’t a rapper. He just…ummm I dont really know what you call that. Sing-Hop&B? I’ll pass
Im not stuck on the 90s,I just feel like my standards have been set way too high because of them….I know Cudi aint a rapper,but just saying,hes making better MUSIC than most rappers,and he does rap from time to time….other new dudes i like,Termanology,Donny Goines is aight,just havent heard enough….I hate Drake,i dont like currency(bores me to death),i like Pill,still need to hear more though….the new generation just doesnt make me wanna check their shit as much…they dont make me wanna hear more.
Ain’t nobody hanging on any of your words, just calling out your BS.
You’re nobody. Keep yapping. It’s funny.
Gotta love the Internet where any anonymous nobody can claim to be a rapper with an international following, lmao.
You’re a lying clown and until we see some musical proof there’s no reason to think otherwise. Keep spinning lies if it makes you feel better about life.
listen bruh,i aint lying,and i dont care to impress you with my impressive rhymes,once the tape is out,if it catches on,ill let it speak for itself nahmean?….but aint no lying going down,LETS MAKE THAT CRYSTAL.
I definitely prefer 3AM to this, but I just happen to be indifferent to inspirational type songs…
Blah blah keep spitting your BS “oh I’m a dope MC you just don’t know because I can’t share my music and reveal who I am but trust me I’m dope and got fans worldwide” suuuuuuurr buddy. Sounds like lies, damn lies. Hey, but Whatever helps you sleep at night. I’m done with you, waste of time, another Internet rapper claiming to be hot shit without any project to share. Lol. Clown. Young Bozo.
Cudi is the most creative RAPPER out there. The few folks that are saying otherwise probably haven’t even listened to his other albums. Probably saw Day N Nite on MTV and made up their minds about him but oh well. That’s just my two cents. I don’t listen to a ton of hip hop and would never claim to know a lot about it but I know what I like and I like stuff that doesn’t sound like everything else. That’s what draws me to it. I grew up listening to Beastie Boys and Outkast. Everything else just kinda blends together for me…
Cudi the most creative rapper?
yeah, cuz its not like Andre 3000 was doin the same type shit years ago…
Yea, because it’s crazy to think that an artist could be influenced by someone that did something 10 to 15 years ago? Outkast’s actual music was influenced by traditional jazz, blues, african, and rock and roll styles just to name a few. Cudi is doing the same thing by incorporating/fusing hip hop with electronic/D&B styles. So you don’t really make an argument by comparing Andre 3000 to Cudi because all artists are influenced by someone else. You think people just start playing music without ever having listened to anything ever before? That’s ridiculous. I’m sure Cudi listened to Outkast growing up and was influenced by them, maybe that’s where I can make the connection between the two, but to say Cudi is ripping off Andre 3000 is ignorant and you should reconsider what you’re trying to say to me.
Here is my issue with Em. He started getting this annoying yell/whine after being with 50. So rather than using his voice it is coming off as he is yell/whine and mad. Now TRUST me I get this has always been his theme but listen to the slim shady ep and infinite and you will hear the difference from the whine/yell he is doing. This song at least uses some singing and other parts of his voice but it beats that nasal sound that has been on his last two albums.
Oh and Cudi kissed a dude and he liked it.
and my name links to my music so I can criticize I suppose.
thanks Marshall…..
for some of us….in college…around this time….with finals, stress, all-nighters and such..and so much shit to deal with the last 2 weeks of classes…or just anyone feeling down and out….
we got our motivation booster right here!
B.o.B. and J.Cole are the best in the game right now not Cudi.
Shit just got hella personal in here haha.
B.O.B. has an emo chick from a shitty band called Paramore on 2 tracks and Rivers Cuomo from Weezer on another. That dude will be gone in 6 months. And clearly you’re just bashing Cudi and repeating something you probably read on the internet. If not, how creepy is it of you to watch Kid Cudi make out with another dude in person? Don’t be so homophobic, it’s to be expected from most of the rap community. You’re being exactly what I hate about other hip hop artists…predictable.
AtomRaps = Jealous in-the-closet Rapper
Shit is dope as hell and more so the Em we been waiting to hear for a while but even as dope as it’s this is not even the track of the year so far!
This is the type of Em song that to me has absolutely no replay value whatsoever – With that horrible sung chorus it sounds too much like he’s trying to make a ‘lighters in the air’ stadium rock anthem.
I’d be happy to hear him just kicking battle raps all day, but no artist – especially at the level he’s at – can afford to be that limited. So all in all, I’ve got my fingers crossed for the album, the ‘despicable’ freestyle shows he can still do it when he needs to, and Just Blaze’s involvement is a huge plus….but we’ll see.
I admit avoiding this, b/c I’m tired of hearing that freakish cartoon shit I used to hear from Em as a kid. I could sing to it back then w/ my mother in the car. Now that’s wrong.
As for this . . . . people . . WILL . . bow to it.
u sound like an idiot. u call Cudi the most creative rapper out there, i say he is recycling andre’s style, and u try to change the subject by saying he was prolly inspired by andre? u come off as very uneducated & closed minded.
i clicked on the free beer cause thats an awesome choice. This song is dope.
Can’t we all just get along?
all this controversy and emotion… seems like an Em post… oh and tracks dope.. different direction on the first single.. but im def interested in the album while im not completely sold yet (oh and i am considered a stan by most i do have the vicodin pill from slim shady lp tatted on my arm… just sayin)
Kid Cudi making better music? Dudes like Donny Goines are definitely making as good/if not better music that Cudder. Also concerning the comment about B.o.B working with some “Emo Chick”:
C’mon son, how are you gonna praise Cudi and bash B.o.B in the same sentence? B.o.B’s crossover appeal > Cudi’s any day.
This song is definitely uplifting, and while I’m not feeling the snare and the hook, Em does show that he is a changed man and rapping all the shit he talked about before (Bashing Kim, his mother, etc.) won’t fly anymore. He’s grown and been through to much shit.
all I heard on twitter today was how good this song was i come home and this is what everyone was talking about. Get the FUCK outta here. I couldnt even listen to this shit cuz the prod is HORRIBLE. #GoBackAndTryAgain
I JUST THINK WE DONT GROW AS LISTENERS ,SUM OF US WERE 20 WHEN EM CAME OUT AND HE WAS IN HIS 20′s TO BUT NOW HE ‘s IN HIS 30′s ,GROWN AS A ARTIST BUT U DIDNT GROW OR MATURE AS A PERSON OR A LISTENER. U HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF EM STILL RAP THE SAME EVERYTIME U PEOPLE WILL SAY THE SAMETHING SO MAYBE THE PROBLEM IS JUST U, EM IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE GREATEST,ITS JUST LIK MJ WHEN HE PLYED FOR THE WIZARDS HE WAS 40 YRS OLD SO HE COULDNT JUMP FROM THE FREE THROW ANYMORE BUT WE AS ADULTS SURPPOSE TO UNDERTHAT,
The “And clearly you’re just bashing Cudi and repeating something you probably read on the internet. If not, how creepy is it of you to watch Kid Cudi make out with another dude in person? Don’t be so homophobic, it’s to be expected from most of the rap community. You’re being exactly what I hate about other hip hop artists…predictable.”
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@ELI
You must not read The Smoking Section cause that was where the article and video of a dude kissing Cudi was.
http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2010/02/male-fan-kisses-kid-cudi-on-stage
Also you have proven you have no idea what quality music is by bashing B.o.B. which this site is also a fan of.
Teenbop and N’Sync seem to be a better fit for you. And check yourself son. Judging on how defensive you are that must have been you that jumped on stage with Cudi.
Get read up and quit talking on something you have no skills or ability to talk about. That’s is called ignorance and you have shown it. Go home and have momma tuck you in.
^ I honestly didn’t think anyone who posted a comment in all caps would have anything worthwhile to say, but I have to cosign that.
sooooo glad you are back baby! the singing I could do without but he is ripping it either way.
don’t let him rapping all angry and fast hide the fact that it just ain’t there anymore, the lyrics are weak, i couldn’t even get all the way through it, listening to him nowadays is like watching a boxer who used to be a legend but is old now and gets his ass kicked every time in the ring, its just disheartening..
not me,but a friend who the words right out my mouth!!
@yah: Eminem = Shane Mosley?
If I say that this is dope (which it is), can I still get the free beer?
that is what we have all been missing from em. shit is fire!
http://www.yinmagazine.com/2010/05/eminem-recovery-official-album-cover/
I agree 110% with CLean HOUSE. Not Afraid is a great song but people will always say “Is his new stuff going to compare to (insert album/song here).” It’s a shame because when an MC comes in the game and shits all over everyone in it like Em did, they aren’t really going to be able to keep making music as good as there first few albums. Not saying Em isn’t shitting on everyone still but it’s going to be difficult for people to take a liking to his new music more than his old music.
solid Joint!
Perhaps both his songs are cool and they have the good rhythm, but not everyone likes them… I personally am a fan! :)
Awesome song !! This is it !! Eminem is back !! Love the aggression in this one… After the cold response for Relapse, I am speculating Recovery to be a big HIT !! Yo Em, you’re the best !!
btw, here’s the download link for those who want to download it: http://isoundgood.com/download?key=download&key2=401b0_Eminem_-_Not_Afraid.mp3&key3=uploads
And He also got rid of that annoying accent from relapse :D
niggas just dont get it do ya research on 3am really listen 2 respect my conglomerate with jadakiss’s part think about kanye jay-z every1 that makes billions then refer back 2 2pac or….(MAKAVELI) what was his last album KILLUMINATI
now emeinems album cover the second 1 with him in a box isnt anything 2 do with no damn recovery WHY IS THERE A RANDOM BIG-ASS BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND lml thats the ruler of the puppets the game what ever they emeinem is trapped and the illuminati HAS THERE ALL SEEING EYE LOCKED IN ON him watch 3am nd listen 2 it smh alotta stuff is different now a days and yall just go with it and they r gettin all yall but i got an ALL SEEING EYE just like them an it sees THROUGH THE BULL SHIT
This is a good article, that’s what I’m looking for, thank you for sharing, expect you to constantly update!