Eminem hit back at his critics again heading into the weekend, and he didn’t even have to say a word to do it.
This time around the witty rap god took aim at the press, specifically, by taking out a full-page ad that pulled quotes from some the harshest reviews written about his Kamikaze album.
Kamikaze has continued to do relatively well considering it was a surprise release that follows up on a Revival album that many believe to be the weakest in Em’s discography. The 13-track offering landed atop the charts in 103 countries, giving him the ninth No. 1 debut of his career – and it continued to ride supreme until Beatles legend Paul McCartney dropped. But, despite what numbers the project has been flexing, the response from music writers haven’t reflected success.
Pitchfork gave Kamikaze a score of 5/10, Rolling Stone marked two and a half out of five stars, and scores of other popular publications shared in the consensus. While many found that Em did seem to reclaim some of the conviction he had when he was an undisputed force overseeing the rest of the rap game, a good many have expressed feeling like they’ve heard it all before.
In his typical sarcastic fashion, Em returned ammo by mocking the overwhelming consensus. Readers who open up Friday’s [September 21] issue of The Hollywood Reporter will get a kick out of how his team makes light of the reviews, with likes like, “…blaming everyone except himself… – Billboard“ and “…a stale misfire… – Noisey.“