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Marshall Mathers LP

Criminal is the 18th and final track on The Marshall Mathers LP

Production and Recording[]

"Criminal" was based on a piano riff that Marshall overheard producer Jeff Bass playing in the next room of the studio, he also gave Mathers the inspiration for "Marshall Mathers" after hearing him strumming a guitar.

Controversy[]

Some the lyrics on the record have been call Homophobic like with the song Criminal with the line "My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge/That'll stab you in the head whether you're a fag or les...Hate fags?/The answer's yes." which promoted GLADD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) to protest the album to get it pulled off the shelves. Eminem responded to GLADD saying "I think its hard for some people to understand that for me the word 'faggot' has nothing to do with sexual preference. I meant something more like assholes or dickheads." and later said in an interview with The New York Times about same-sex marriages being legalized in Michigan "I think if two people love each other, then what the hell? I think that everyone should have the chance to be equally miserable, if they want". He said that his "overall look on things is a lot more mature than it used to be."

Lyrics[]

[Eminem] A lot of people ask me.. stupid fucking questions A lot of people think that.. what I say on records or what I talk about on a record, that I actually do in real life or that I believe in it Or if I say that, I wanna kill somebody, that.. I'm actually gonna do it or that I believe in it Well, shit.. if you believe that then I'll kill you You know why? Cause I'm a

CRIMINAL CRIMINAL You god damn right I'm a CRIMINAL Yeah, I'm a CRIMINAL

[Eminem] My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge That'll stab you in the head whether you're a fag or lez Or the homosex, hermaph or a trans-a-vest Pants or dress - hate fags? The answer's "yes" Homophobic? Nah, you're just heterophobic Staring at my jeans, watching my genitals bulging (Ooh!) That's my motherfucking balls, you'd better let go of em They belong in my scrotum, you'll never get hold of em Hey, it's me, Versace Whoops, somebody shot me! And I was just checking the mail Get it? Checking the 'male'? How many records you expecting to sell after your second LP sends you directly to jail? C'mon!-- Relax guy, I like gay men Right, Ken? Give me an amen (AAA-men!) Please Lord, this boy needs Jesus Heal this child, help us destroy these demons Oh, and please send me a brand new car And a prostitute while my wife's sick in the hospital Preacher preacher, fifth grade teacher You can't reach me, my mom can't neither You can't teach me a goddamn thing cause I watch TV, and Comcast cable and you ain't able to stop these thoughts You can't stop me from topping these charts And you can't stop me from dropping each March with a brand new CD for these fucking retards Duhhh, and to think, it's just little ol' me Mr. "Don't Give A Fuck," still won't leave

[Chorus: Eminem (repeat 2X)]

I'm a CRIMINAL Cause every time I write a rhyme, these people think it's a crime to tell em what's on my mind - I guess I'm a CRIMINAL but I don't gotta say a word, I just flip em the bird and keep going, I don't take shit from no one

[Eminem] My mother did drugs - hard-liquor, cigarettes, and speed The baby came out - disfigured, ligaments indeed It was a seed who would grow up just as crazy as she Don't dare make fun of that baby cause that baby was me I'm a CRIMINAL - an animal caged who turned crazed But how the fuck you supposed to grow up when you weren't raised? So as I got older and I got a lot taller My dick shrunk smaller, but my balls got larger I drink more liquor to fuck you up quicker than you'd wanna fuck me up for saying the word ... My morals went thhbbpp when the president got oral Sex in his Oval Office on top of his desk Off of his own employee Now don't ignore me, you won't avoid me You can't miss me, I'm white, blonde-haired and my nose is pointy I'm the bad guy who makes fun of people that die in plane crashes and laughs As long as it ain't happened to him Slim Shady, I'm as crazy as Em -inem and Kim combined - [*kch*] the maniac's in Replacing the doctor cause Dre couldn't make it today He's a little under the weather, so I'm taking his place (Mm-mm-mmm!) Oh, that's Dre with an AK to his face Don't make me kill him too and spray his brains all over the place I told you Dre, you should've kept that thang put away I guess that'll teach you not to let me play with it, eh? I'm a CRIMINAL

[Interlude Skit] Aight look (uh huh) just go up in that motherfucker get the motherfucking money and get the fuck up outta there [Em] Aight I'll be right here waiting on you [Em] Aight Yo Em [Em] What?! Don't kill nobody this time [Em] Awwright... god damn, fuck... (whistling) how you doin'? [Teller] HI, how can I help you? [Eminem] Yeah I need to make a withdrawl [Teller] Okay [Eminem] Put the fucking money in the bag bitch and I won't kill you! [Teller] What? Oh my god, don't kill me [Eminem] I'm not gonna kill you bitch, quit looking around... [Teller] Don't kill me, please don't kill me... [Eminem] I said I'm not gonna fucking kill you Hurry the fuck up! [*BOOM*] Thank you!

[Eminem] Windows tinted on my ride when I drive in it So when I rob a bank, run out and just dive in it So I'll be disguised in it And if anybody identifies the guy in it I'll hide for five minutes Come back, shoot the eyewitness Fire at the private eye hired to pry in my business Die, bitches, bastards, brats, pets This puppy's lucky I didn't blast his ass yet [*dog whines*] If I ever gave a fuck, I'd shave my nuts tuck my dick in between my legs and cluck You motherfucking chickens ain't brave enough to say the stuff I say, so just tape it shut [*tape unrolls*] Shit, half the shit I say, I just make it up To make you mad so kiss my white naked ass And if it's not a rapper that I make it as I'ma be a fucking rapist in a Jason mask

[Chorus 2X] I'm a CRIMINAL Cause every time I write a rhyme, these people think it's a crime to tell em what's on my mind - I guess I'm a CRIMINAL but I don't gotta say a word, I just flip em the bird and keep going, I don't take shit from no one I'm a CRIMINAL Cause every time I write a rhyme, these people think it's a crime to tell em what's on my mind - I guess I'm a CRIMINAL but I don't gotta say a word, I just flip em the bird and keep going, I don't take shit from no one I'm a CRIMINAL Cause every time I write a rhyme, these people think it's a crime to tell em what's on my mind - I guess I'm a CRIMINAL but I don't gotta say a word, I just flip em the bird and keep going, I don't take shit from no one I'm a CRIMINAL Cause every time I write a rhyme, these people think it's a crime to tell em what's on my mind - I guess I'm a CRIMINAL but I don't gotta say a word, I just flip em the bird and keep going, I don't take shit from no one I Am Criminal The Noise Of AK-47 Automatic Rifle 1: Single Shot

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