Various

Fans must be pretty hungry for new material from Eminem. After all, Eminem Presents the Re-Up — an infinitely uninspired, unofficial-turned-official mix-tape/jump-off for Em’s new Shady signees — rated internet rumours, false track lists and a Wikipedia entry before moving three-quarters of a million copies in a little over a month. Hardcore fans might be satiated by Eminem Presents the Re-Up but casual fans won’t find much worthwhile here. First, Em maintains his strained, constipated, angry flow for most of his scattered appearances, which is trying even when he’s at his most rousing (needless to say, he doesn’t approach that level here). Second, it’s a coming-out party for Stat Quo, Ca$his and Bobby Creekwater, none of whom are more interesting or charismatic than Em’s usual D12 flotsam. The beats — surprise, surprise — are the typical super-bleakness: brooding bass and alternately stabbing/plodding keys/guitars. Eminem Presents the Re-Up is bad, even by crew record/official mix-tape standards.