Infinite | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 12, 1996 | |||
Recorded | December 1995 – June 1996 | |||
Studio | Bass Brothers basement | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 37:54 | |||
Label | WEB Entertainment | |||
Producer |
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Eminem chronology | ||||
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Infinite is the debut studio album by the American rapper Eminem. It was released on November 12, 1996, through Web Entertainment. Recording sessions took place at the Bass Brothers' studio, with production handled by Denaun Porter and Eminem himself. [1] The album features guest vocals from fellow Detroit rappers Proof, Denaun Porter, Eye-Kyu, Moe Men-E, Three and Thyme, as well as singer Angela Workman.
Physical copies of Infinite were released on cassette and vinyl, and Eminem sold the copies from the trunk of his car in Detroit. It is not officially available on any online music stores and only the title track, "Infinite", has been made available on Spotify. [2] On November 17, 2016, five days after the 20th anniversary of the album, the official Eminem YouTube channel posted a remix of its title track, [3] made by the Bass Brothers, releasing it digitally for the first time. Retrospectively, the album has received mixed reviews from music critics. It was a commercial failure, selling around 1,000 copies. Since the album was made before Eminem garnered mainstream attention and signed to Interscope Records, physical copies have appreciated in value.
I was driving in my car back in '95 or '96 and heard him on the radio. It was like, "Whoa, who is this?" He was doing an open mic with [WJLB-FM programmer Lisa Orlando] in Detroit. And I was like, "Wow, who is this kid? I've gotta get him over to the studio." That's when I called out to the radio station and asked, "Put me on the phone with the guy."
In 1992, Eminem signed with FBT Productions, which had been run by Jeff and Mark Bass; they are known as the Bass Brothers. Eminem also held a minimum-wage job that involved cooking and washing dishes at Gilbert's Lodge restaurant in St. Clair Shores for some time. [5] Inspired by Tupac Shakur's Me Against the World and Nas's Illmatic , Eminem began writing Infinite. After the birth of his daughter Hailie, 23-year-old Eminem headed to the Bass Brothers basement to record the album. The album was completed by the summer of 1996 and was released on Web Entertainment in the autumn. [5] [6] [7]
Eminem was encouraged by others for the album, noted to sound like Nas and AZ. [8] Mr. Porter produced the majority of the album, while Proof programmed the drums. [9]
Eminem purposely made Infinite's songs "radio-friendly" in hopes of getting played on Detroit radio stations; [9] only around a thousand copies of the album were made. [10] Subjects covered on Infinite included Eminem, him and his grandma's struggle with raising Hailie Jade Mathers, Eminem's newborn daughter, while on limited funds and his strong desire to become rich. [5] After the release of Infinite, Eminem's personal struggles and his abuse of drugs and alcohol resulted in a suicide attempt. [11] Eminem recalled: "Obviously, I was young and influenced by other artists, and I got a lot of feedback saying that I sounded like AZ. Infinite was me trying to figure out how I wanted my rap style to be, how I wanted to sound on the mic and present myself. It was a growing stage. I felt like Infinite was like the demo that just got pressed up." [8]
On November 12, 1996, Infinite was released by Web Entertainment. [4] It is not known exactly how many copies Infinite sold. Eminem stated in his autobiography The Way I Am (2008) that it sold "maybe 70 copies". [12] However, other sources stated that the album sold a few hundred copies [4] or even a thousand copies. [13] Eminem's overall disappointment with Infinite's lack of success inspired him to develop his famous Slim Shady alter ego, which became present in his later works. [1]
On May 14, 2009, thisis50.com re-released it for free download on their website to build anticipation for Eminem's sixth studio album Relapse (2009); this was his comeback album. [7] [12] [14] On November 17, 2016, a remix of the album's title track "Infinite" was released in commemoration of the album's 20th anniversary five days after the event. The remix was followed by a documentary about the making of Infinite, also released the same day. [1]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [15] |
RapReviews | 5.5/10 [16] |
Retrospective reviews of Infinite from music critics were mixed. AllMusic gave it an "Editor Score" of 2.5 out of 5 stars, without a review. [15] Rob Kenner of Complex gave the album a mixed review, saying Eminem "has yet to develop his own distinctive style", and that it was a "competent but unremarkable effort". [17] Mosi Reeves from Rolling Stone stated, that "Probably the most surprising thing on Infinite is hearing [Eminem] rap, 'In the midst of this insanity, I found my Christianity through God' on 'It's O.K.'", noting that spiritual elements had not played a large role in his later works' lyrics. [4] According to Christian hip-hop media outlet Rapzilla, Eminem would pray before shows in the early 2000s. On a 2022 remix of Kanye West's "Use This Gospel", Eminem raps faith-based lines such as "I put all of my trust and faith in You, Father," and "my Savior I call on to rescue me ... He is my shepherd. I'm armed with Jesus, my weapon is prayer." [18]
In a more positive review, Tedd Maider of Consequence of Sound describes Infinite as "a more genuine glimpse of the rapper that is Eminem", and commented that it is "quick-witted and unique rhyming", "lyrical chops, raw style beats, and mentality" could only be matched by his third studio album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000). [19]
Track listing and credits taken from album booklet. [20] All songs produced by Denaun Porter, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Infinite" | 4:11 | ||
2. | "W.E.G.O." (Interlude) | 0:26 | ||
3. | "It's O.K." (featuring Eye-Kyu) |
| 3:29 | |
4. | "Tonite" |
| 3:45 | |
5. | "313" (featuring Eye-Kyu) |
| 4:11 | |
6. | "Maxine" (featuring Denaun Porter and Three) |
|
| 3:55 |
7. | "Open Mic" (featuring Thyme) |
| 4:02 | |
8. | "Never 2 Far" | Mathers | 3:38 | |
9. | "Searchin'" (featuring Eye-Kyu) |
| 3:45 | |
10. | "Backstabber" |
| 3:24 | |
11. | "Jealousy Woes II" |
|
| 3:19 |
Total length: | 37:54 |
Notes
Sample credits
Credits adapted from album booklet. [20]
The Marshall Mathers LP is the third studio album by American rapper Eminem. It was released on May 23, 2000, by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Production on the album was handled by Dr. Dre, Mel-Man, F.B.T., Eminem, and The 45 King. The album spawned three hit singles: "The Real Slim Shady", "The Way I Am" and "Stan", and features guest appearances from Dido, RBX, Sticky Fingaz, Bizarre, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Nate Dogg, Paul Rosenberg and D12.
The Slim Shady LP is the second studio album by American rapper Eminem. It was released through Aftermath Entertainment, WEB Entertainment, and Interscope Records on February 23, 1999. Recorded in Ferndale, Michigan following Eminem's recruitment by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, the album features production from Eminem himself, alongside Dr. Dre and the Bass Brothers. Featuring West Coast hip-hop, G-funk, and horrorcore musical styles, the majority of The Slim Shady LP's lyrical content was written from the perspective of Eminem's alter ego, named Slim Shady. The alter ego was introduced on his 1997 extended play Slim Shady EP, and concluded on his 2024 studio album The Death of Slim Shady . The album contains cartoonish depictions of violence and heavy use of profanity, which Eminem described as horror film-esque, in that it is solely for entertainment value. Although many of the lyrics on the album are considered to be satirical, Eminem also discusses his frustrations of living in poverty.
Slim Shady EP is the only extended play by American rapper Eminem, released on December 10, 1997, through Web Entertainment. Unlike his debut album Infinite (1996), Slim Shady EP helped Eminem gain the interest of CEO Jimmy Iovine and West Coast hip-hop rapper and producer Dr. Dre, who subsequently signed Eminem to his Aftermath Entertainment record label, and served as executive producer on his major-label debut album The Slim Shady LP (1999).
D12 was an American hip hop collective from Detroit, Michigan. Formed in 1996, the group achieved mainstream success with its lineup of de facto leader Eminem, Proof, Bizarre, Mr. Porter, Kuniva and Swifty McVay.
Cheers is the debut studio album by American rapper Obie Trice. It was released on September 23, 2003 by Shady Records and Interscope Records. Eminem served as the executive producer for this album. This album serves as his first release from Shady Records since being signed in 2000. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Devil's Night is the debut studio album by American hip-hop supergroup D12. It was released on June 19, 2001, by Shady Records and Interscope Records. It was also the first album to be released on Shady Records, although the label had been active since 1999. Production was primarily handled by Eminem and Dr. Dre, with contributions by Mr. Porter, DJ Head, and Jeff Bass. The album features guest appearances by Obie Trice, Truth Hurts, and Dina Rae.
Denaun Montez Porter, also known by the stage names Mr. Porter, Kon Artis, or Denaun, is an American rapper and record producer. He was a member of Detroit hip hop group D12.
Luis Edgardo Resto is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and keyboardist who has worked closely with rapper Eminem since his third major-label album The Eminem Show. He is of Puerto Rican descent and was raised in Garden City, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.
Marshall Bruce Mathers III, known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip-hop in Middle America and is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. His success is considered to have broken racial barriers to the acceptance of white rappers in popular music. While much of his transgressive work during the late 1990s and early 2000s made him a controversial figure, he came to be a representation of popular angst of the American underclass and has been cited as influencing many musical artists. His most successful songs on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 include "The Real Slim Shady", "Without Me", "Lose Yourself", "Not Afraid", "Love the Way You Lie", "The Monster", "Godzilla", and "Houdini".
"Just Don't Give a Fuck" is the debut single by American rapper Eminem. The original version was produced by Denaun Porter and appears as the only single on his only EP, the Slim Shady EP. A remix by the Bass Brothers appears on his major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP. According to the book Angry Blonde, this was Eminem's first song as his alter ego "Slim Shady".
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"Roman's Revenge" is a song by Trinidadian-born rapper Nicki Minaj featuring American rapper Eminem, performing as their respective alter egos Roman Zolanski and Slim Shady. Taken from her debut studio album Pink Friday (2010), written alongside producer Swizz Beatz. It was released exclusively on October 30, 2010 through the United States iTunes Store, as a promotional release preceding the album's release.
Hell: The Sequel is the debut extended play by Bad Meets Evil. It was released on June 13, 2011, in some countries, by Shady Records and Interscope Records and it was released on June 14, 2011, in the United States. The EP incorporates various styles such as hardcore hip hop and horrorcore. In May 2011, the album's title and artwork was revealed. The EP features the executive producers Eminem and Mr. Porter, with production handled by Bangladesh, Sid Roams, Havoc, DJ Khalil, The Smeezingtons and Supa Dups, among others.
Success Is Certain is the fifth studio album by rapper Royce da 5'9" released on August 9, 2011. The first single is "Writer's Block" featuring Eminem, which was released in March 2011. Production for the album came from DJ Premier, Mr. Porter, Eminem, Nottz, Streetrunner, The Futuristiks and The Alchemist among others. Guest appearances include Eminem, Joe Budden, Kid Vishis and Travis Barker.
At Your Inconvenience is the second studio album by British rapper Professor Green, released on 28 October 2011. "At Your Inconvenience" was released as a promotional single on 26 July. The first official single "Read All About It" was released on 21 September 2011. Some guests from his debut album appear on the album, including Ed Drewett, Fink and Emeli Sandé; new guests include Slaughterhouse and Bad Meets Evil member Royce da 5'9", Kobe, Luciana, Ruth Anne, Sierra Kusterbeck and Haydon. Upper Clapton Dance originally featured on Green's debut mixtape Lecture #1. As of 6 September 2014, the album has sold 280,000 copies in the UK.
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"Infinite" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his debut album of the same name (1996). It was released along with the rest of the album on November 12, 1996, via Web Entertainment. Recording sessions took place at Bassment Studios in Ferndale, Michigan, produced by Denaun Porter.
The Bass Brothers are an American record producer brother duo comprising Mark and Jeff Bass. They were responsible for helping Eminem with the creation of Infinite. Before that, they worked with George Clinton. Tracks from those sessions ended up on the P-Funk All Stars album Dope Dogs. Jeff Bass is considered one of the most influential people in Eminem's career. On their work with Eminem, Mark and Jeff Bass are credited as F.B.T. Productions.
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