The Marshall Mathers LP

The Marshall Mathers LP is the third studio album by the American rapper Eminem, released on May 23, 2000, by Aftermath Entertainment, WEB and Interscope Records. Production on the album was handled by Dr. Dre, Mel-Man, F.B.T., Eminem, and the 45 King. The album features guest appearances from Dido, RBX, Sticky Fingaz, Dina Rae, Bizarre, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Nate Dogg, Paul Rosenberg and D12. Recorded over a 10-month period in several studios around Detroit, the album delivers introspective lyricism reflecting Eminem's thoughts on his rise to fame, criticism of his music, and estrangement from his family. As a transgressive work, it incorporates hardcore hip-hop, satirical hip-hop, and horrorcore.

The Marshall Mathers LP produced the singles "The Real Slim Shady", "The Way I Am", and "Stan", with "The Real Slim Shady" becoming Eminem's biggest hit up to that point. Like its predecessor, the album was surrounded by significant controversy upon release, while also propelling Eminem to the forefront of American pop culture. Criticism centered on lyrics that were considered violent, homophobic, and misogynistic, as well as references to the Columbine High School massacre in the songs "The Way I Am" and "I'm Back". Future second lady Lynne Cheney criticized the lyrics at a United States Senate hearing, as misogynistic and violent against women, while the Canadian government considered refusing Eminem's entry into the country.

Despite the controversies, The Marshall Mathers LP received positive reviews upon release; in the years since, it has received even greater critical acclaim. Rolling Stone, among other publications, named it the best album of 2000. Critics praised Eminem's lyrical ability and the album's emotional complexity. The album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, staying atop for eight consecutive weeks. A significant commercial success compared to the release of The Slim Shady LP just the previous year, the album sold 1.76 million copies in its first week, which was the second-most first week sales in the United States at the time.

Widely regarded as Eminem's best album, The Marshall Mathers LP was included in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time just three years after its release. It has sold 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, and is certified 12× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was nominated for Album of the Year and won Best Rap Album at the 2001 Grammy Awards, while "The Real Slim Shady" won Best Rap Solo Performance. The Marshall Mathers LP 2, the album's sequel, was released in 2013. The album's legacy is further marked by "Stan", which details around a crazed fan of the same name and gave rise to the Oxford English Dictionary term stan.