Kamikaze (Eminem album)

***Kamikaze*** (stylized as ***KAMIKAZƎ***) is the tenth studio album by American rapper, songwriter and record producer Eminem. It was released without any announcement on August 31st, 2018, by Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope Records and Shady Records.

## Kamikaze

### Label

Aftermath Entertainment •Interscope Records • Shady Records

### Producer

Dr. Dre • Eminem • Swish Allnet • Fred Ball • Boi-1da • Illa da Producer • Jeremy Miller • Tay Keith • LoneStarrMuzik • Mike WiLL Made-It • Luis Resto • Ronny J • S1 • Tim Suby •Jahaan Sweet

*Kamikaze* received a generally mixed reception from critics. Some praised it as a step-up over the rapper's previous album and a welcome return to the sound of his earlier, more aggressive material, while others criticized its lack of adaption to the current sound of hip hop, and as a result, found it outdated. The album also generated some controversy for its diss tracks about various artists, as well as spurring accusations of homophobia.

## Tracklist

**Sample credits**

* "The Ringer" contains an interpolation from "Ooouuu", written by Matthew Jacobson and Katorah Marrero, as performed by Young M.A.
* "Greatest" contains an interpolation from "Humble", written and performed by Kendrick Lamar and "Woke Up Like This", written and performed by Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti.
* "Normal" contains a sample from "Seconds", written and performed by Little Dragon.
* "Kamikaze" contains a sample from "I'm Bad", written by Bobby Ervin, Dwayne Simon, and James Smith, as performed by LL Cool J.
* "Good Guy" contains a sample from a cover of "Glassy Sky" from the anime series *Tokyo Ghoul*, sung by Donna Burke.

## Personnel

* Eminem – lead vocals, production, mixing

**Musicians**

Canadian pop singer Jessie Reyez guests on two tracks

* Scram Jones – scratching on "Kamikaze"
* Joyner Lucas – vocals on "Lucky You"
* Luis Resto – keyboards on "The Ringer", "Not Alike", and "Kamikaze"; production on "Stepping Stone" and "Venom"
* Mario Resto – vocals on "Stepping Stone"
* Jessie Reyez – vocals on "Nice Guy" and "Good Guy"
* Paul Rosenberg – discussion on "Paul"
* Royce da 5'9 – vocals on "Not Alike"
* Justin Vernon – vocals on "Fall"

**Technical personnel**

* Swish Allnet – production on "Normal"
* Fred Ball – production on "Nice Guy"
* Boi-1da – production on "Lucky You"
* Tony Campagna – recording on all songs
* Dr. Dre – executive production
* Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering
* Illa da Producer – production on "The Ringer", "Lucky You", "Normal", and "Good Guy"
* Jeremy Miller – production on "Greatest"
* Tay Keith – production on "Not Alike"
* Lonestarrmuzik – production on "Normal"
* Mike Will Made It – production on "Greatest" and "Fall"
* Ronny J – production on "The Ringer" and "Not Alike"
* S1 – production on "Normal" and "Nice Guy"
* Mike Saputo – art design, art direction, and illustration
* Joe Strange – recording on all songs
* Mike Strange – recording on all songs, mixing
* Tim Suby – production on "Kamikaze"
* Jahaan Sweet – production on "Lucky You"

## Good Qualities

1. It's a huge improvement from Revival.
2. Eminem takes some good shots at Joe Budden, Machine Gun Kelly, and Lord Jamar.
3. The Lucky You is a great collaboration between Joyner Lucas and Eminem.
4. He paid his tribute to Prodigy in Not Alike
5. Eminem's rhyme schemes are better than ever.
6. Some really good moments where he raps fast.
7. The front and back album covers parody The Beastie Boys's *Licensed to Ill* front and back album covers very well. In fact, the full art itself is also packaged with the album!
8. Lots of fantastic wordplay, metaphors, and punchlines.
9. The single cover is good.
10. Almost all the features did well on the songs.
11. The songs The Ringer, Lucky You, Stepping Stone, Not Alike, and Fall (despite the controversy over the slur f\*ggot in one line) are masterpieces.

## Bad Qualities

1. A lot of the songs have horrible production making it a little unlistenable as Tyler, The Creator mentioned.
2. Eminem comes off as immature dissing mumble rap and criticizing the Revival haters which shows that he can’t handle negative criticism.
3. Some weak diss shots like at Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt.
4. He also called Tyler, The Creator a **"f\*gg\*t"** just because Tyler called out Em's horrible production.
5. Good Guy sounds like any other poppy relationship song Em has made.
6. Anthony Fantano gave it a 4/10.
7. Some of the songs are bad such as Nice Guy, Venom, and the title track.
8. Normal is a bad song because it is a less violent ripoff of Kim.
9. In the title track, Em references Fack, which is his worst song.
10. As previously mentioned, Em says the slur f\*ggot in Fall though it is censored.
11. He disses Vince Staples for no reason in The Ringer