Today, Eminem is considered one of the best rappers of all time. The lyricist’s use of rhyme, especially of the internal variety, is unmatched. But did you know the Detroit-born artist is also a producer? Yes, he has created the music not just the lyrics for many songs.
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Often in rap, producers make the beats and rappers like Eminem will come in and write the words. But some greats can do both. And Em is one of those. But we shouldn’t be surprised, he learned it all from Dr. Dre! Here are five such songs from Marshall Mathers that he created from scratch.
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1. “The Adventures of Moon Man & Slim Shady,” Kid Cudi and Eminem (2020)
Produced by Dot da Genius, J Gramm, Eminem
Released in the summer of 2020, this song features two of the biggest names in hip-hop, Kid Cudi and Eminem. The two nimble emcees dip and dive on the beat created by a trio of frequent Cudi collaborators Dot da Genius, J Gramm and Eminem. While other songs on this list have a more Eminem production sound, this song was a huge success, garnering hundreds of millions of streams.
2. “Smack That,” Akon (2006)
Produced by Eminem
Em has the sole production credit on this track and fans of the artist can hear his signature bouncy style. As a producer, Eminem came to be known for his slapping percussion, descending synth strings and effervescent feel. On this 2006 track, Eminem joins singer Akon with a verse for the ages. It remains a summer party smash.
3. “My Band,” D12 (2004)
Produced by Eminem, Luis Resto
One of the goofier songs put out by Eminem, this track was released officially by D12, Em’s Detroit-born rap collective. Released in 2004, this song was the debut single from the group’s sophomore album, D12 World. The track hit No. 2 in the U.K. and No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. On it, Eminem raps with his Dirty Dozen pals, telling the world about his band and joking about how he’s the “lead singer.” The production is about as silly as the verses, making it supremely catchy.
4. “Runnin’ (Dying to Live),” 2Pac featuring the Notorious B.I.G (2003)
Produced by Eminem
Eminem had the big honor of producing this posthumous single from 2Pac for the soundtrack for the excellent documentary about the rapper’s life, Tupac: Resurrection. Em’s big name helped the song bring in another big-name rapper and a famous foe of 2Pac’s, The Notorious B.I.G. But in the wake of the East Coast-West Coast rap battles, burying the hatchet seemed prudent with this track. The vocals for the track, which are from the deceased artists, come from the Biggie verse on the 2Pac song, “Runnin’ from tha Police,” from the mid-90s, and from an unreleased 2Pac song.
5. “Lose Yourself,” Eminem (2002)
Produced by Eminem, Jeff Bass, Luis Resto
Perhaps Eminem’s most famous song, this track comes from the soundtrack for the movie starring Eminem, 8 Mile. The song was and is a massive success, marking Em’s first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 and staying there for a dozen weeks. It also garnered Mathers an Oscar for Best Original Song. Known for the “mom’s spaghetti” lyric, this track’s production is top-notch with electric guitars, strings and swelling emotive melodies.
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