Eminem

Eminem songs are as subtle as a fist to the face, but that's exactly why he's been one of rap's most vital MCs since his Dr. Dre-approved breakthrough, The Slim Shady LP (1999). That instant classic, and its blockbuster follow-up, The Marshall Mathers LP, are infectious enough to justify platinum-plus status: once the creeping keys of "The Real Slim Shady" get stuck in your head, it's impossible to shake them, and beyond that, the album's as fearless as 8 Mile, the film that doubles as Em's unflinching autobiography. Soundtrack standout "Lose Yourself" showcases the rapper's narrative powers at their finest, while "Without Me" unleashes his comedic alter ego. Try to pin down Eminem at your peril, in Next Steps.

Just when we think we've got Eminem's number, he has a habit of surprising us with a creative sucker punch or two (remember his live hook-up with Elton John at the 2001 GRAMMY® Awards?) . . . and that's the thing about the ever-elusive artist: as towering and controversial as his Type-A personality is, the guy's impossible to pin down. On one level, he can be hip-hop's campiest clown prince (check out his dissections of club etiquette on "Just Lose It" and "Shake That"). And on the other, he's a man — flawed and messed up — who excels by channelling his many demons into gripping street poetry: witness the way he traces the roots of his adult addictions to childhood on "My Mom." Eminem steps back from the spotlight and collaborates, in Deep Cuts.

Eminem's cultural significance is such that even the slightest off-stage antic comes under heavy media scrutiny . . . but musically he pursues a world of splinter projects and sideline activities. Highlights from the rapper's capacious, cleaned-out closet include his Funkmaster Flex/Big Kap/Dr. Dre collaboration, "If I Get Locked Up," and the glowering Xzibit get-together from 2002, "Say My Name." Eminem's also a respected producer in his own right, whether we're talking about half of the Eminem Presents the Re-Up compilation (the stark and sinister title track, with its flashes of subversive humour) or bits of boom-bap breaks ("6 in the Morning").

The sweat-stained opening lines of "Lose Yourself" don't just document the early days of Eminem's rise from Detroit's roughest streets to the top of the charts; they set the tone for all of his songs, a rap-first-and-never-ask-questions-later back catalogue that's controversial because Eminem insists on, well, losing himself every time he steps into a studio. Whether we're witnessing the vein-popping angst of Marshall Mathers or the button pushing free verse of "The Real Slim Shady," Eminem bends words at his will and pairs them with beats that do more than fill club floors or decimate car stereos. They stick, burrowing into your brain despite being the soundtrack of revenge fantasies, restless therapy sessions and R-rated comedy routines.