On May 15, 2009, Eminem dropped “Relapse” – his first album in five years and a raw, unfiltered reentry into the spotlight.
Marshall broke a five-year silence with this dark and provocative concept album that signalled his comeback after a near-fatal struggle with addiction. Built around themes of drug recovery, horror, and the chaotic return of his Slim Shady alter ego, the album quickly became one of the most talked-about releases of the year.
It was also a landmark moment for Eminem’s partnership with Dr. Dre. With the exception of “Beautiful” (self-produced by Em), Dre handled every beat on the album, making “Relapse” their most tightly knit project to date.
Despite some mixed reviews at the time for its heavy accents and gruesome imagery, “Relapse” made a powerful impact: it debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 with 608,000 copies sold in its first week, topped charts in a dozen countries, and went on to be certified triple platinum by the RIAA.
The album spawned five singles, including the chart-topping “Crack a Bottle” and fan favourites like “3 a.m.” and “Beautiful”. Fifteen years later, “Relapse” remains a polarising but essential chapter in Eminem’s story — an unflinching look at recovery, relapse, and the fight to regain control.
You can read more in the EJ Magazine special edition released for the Relapse 10th anniversary.
