Eminem: 'Beautiful'

Now that we've got the obligatory pop culture reference single out the way, we can get on with the serious business of Eminem's comeback. Relapse, as we've consistently been told, is a dark record, one inspired by the many setbacks suffered by Marshall Mathers III since he last gave up the rap game. What's disappointing, then, is how little he seems to have changed during his years away.

It kicks off with an intriguing Queen + Paul Rodgers sample, but from then on 'Beautiful' is essentially a retread. From childhood woes ("Dreamed of being that cool kid"), to the hassles of fame ("I dont need no f**king man servant"), to how empty life would be without him ("I'll be one tough act to follow"), we've heard it all before, though granted not with a chorus so mawkish it outdoes Christina Aguilera's hit of the same name. Halfway through the track, Em tells us he could have "stayed at home, sat on my a** and p*ssed and moaned" instead. To be honest, that might have been preferable to going into the studio to do exactly the same thing.


> Click here to read our review of Relapse