Infinite (Eminem album)

Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: November 12, 1996 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Slim Shady EP1997studioInfiniteFile:Infinite by Eminem US cassette album.pngA starred background with 'EMINEM' on the top and 'INFINITE' on the bottomArtwork of the original 1996 cassette releaseEminemNovember 12, 1996December 1995 – August 1996Bass Brothers basementHip hopTemplate:DurationWEB EntertainmentTemplate:Hlistx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}}

Infinite is the debut album by the American rapper Eminem. It was released through WEB Entertainment on November 12, 1996. Recording sessions took place at the Bass Brothers' studio, with production on the album handled by Denaun Porter and Eminem himself.<ref name=":0" /> The album features guest vocals from fellow Detroit-native rappers Proof, Porter, Eye-Kyu, Moe Men-E, Three and Thyme, as well as the New York–based singer Angela Workman.

Physical copies of Infinite were released on cassette and vinyl, and Eminem sold them from the trunk of his car in Detroit. The album is not available at any online music stores and only the title track, "Infinite", was made available on Spotify 20 years later.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On November 17, 2016, five days after the 20th anniversary of the album, the official Eminem YouTube channel posted a remix of the title track,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> made by the Bass Brothers, releasing it digitally for the first time. Retrospectively, the album has received mixed reviews from music critics. It was a commercial failure, selling around 70 out of around 1,000 copies made as claimed by Mathers in his book The Way I Am. Since the album was made before Eminem garnered mainstream attention and signed to Interscope Records and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, physical copies have appreciated in value.

Background and recording

Template:Quote box In 1992, Eminem signed a deal with FBT Productions, a record label run by Jeff and Mark Bass, who are known as the Bass Brothers. Eminem also held a minimum-wage jobs that involved cooking and washing dishes at Gilbert's Lodge restaurant in St. Clair Shores for some time.<ref name="Book" /> Inspired by Tupac Shakur's Me Against the World and Nas's Illmatic, Eminem began writing Infinite. After the birth of his daughter, Hailie, Eminem headed to the Bass Brothers basement to record the album. The album was completed by the summer of 1996 and was released in the autumn of that same year on Web Entertainment.<ref name="Book" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="mtv" />

Eminem was encouraged by others for the album, noted to sound like Nas and AZ.<ref name="Statement" /> Mr. Porter produced the majority of the album, while Proof programmed the drums.<ref name="hiphopdx" />

Composition and lyrics

Eminem purposely made InfiniteTemplate:'s songs "radio-friendly" in hopes of getting played on Detroit radio stations;<ref name="hiphopdx" /> only around a thousand copies of the album were made.<ref name="RapReviews" /> Subjects covered on Infinite included Eminem, him and his grandma's struggle with raising Hailie Jade Mathers, Eminem's newborn daughter, while on limited funds and his strong desire to become rich.<ref name="Book" /> After the release of Infinite, Eminem's personal struggles and his abuse of drugs and alcohol resulted in a suicide attempt.<ref name="allmusicbio" /> Eminem recalled: "Obviously, I was young and influenced by other artists, and I got a lot of feedback saying that I sounded like AZ. Infinite was me trying to figure out how I wanted my rap style to be, how I wanted to sound on the mic and present myself. It was a growing stage. I felt like Infinite was like the demo that just got pressed up."<ref name="Statement" />

Release and reception

On November 12, 1996, Infinite was released by Web Entertainment.<ref name="rs" /> It is not known exactly how many copies Infinite sold. Eminem stated in his autobiography The Way I Am (2008) that it sold "maybe 70 copies".<ref name="guardian" /> However, other sources stated that the album sold a few hundred copies<ref name="rs" /> or even a thousand copies.<ref name="statisticbrain" /> Eminem's overall disappointment with InfiniteTemplate:'s lack of success inspired him to develop his famous Slim Shady alter ego, which became present in his later works.<ref name=":0" />

On May 14, 2009, thisis50.com re-released the album for free download on their website to build anticipation for Eminem's sixth studio album, Relapse (2009); this was his comeback album.<ref name="mtv" /><ref name="guardian" /><ref name="nme" /> On November 17, 2016, a remix of the album's title track "Infinite" was released in commemoration of the album's 20th anniversary five days after the event. The remix was followed by a documentary about the making of Infinite, also released the same day.<ref name=":0" />

Template:Album ratings Retrospective reviews of Infinite from music critics were mixed. AllMusic gave it an "Editor Score" of 2.5 out of 5 stars, without a review.<ref name="AllMusic" /> Rob Kenner of Complex gave the album a mixed review, saying Eminem "has yet to develop his own distinctive style", and that it was a "competent but unremarkable effort".<ref name="Complex" /> Mosi Reeves from Rolling Stone stated, that "Probably the most surprising thing on Infinite is hearing [Eminem] rap, 'In the midst of this insanity, I found my Christianity through God' on 'It's O.K.Template:'", noting that spiritual elements had not played a large role in his later works' lyrics.<ref name="rs" /> According to Christian hip-hop media outlet Rapzilla, Eminem would pray before shows in the early 2000s. On a 2022 remix of Kanye West's "Use This Gospel", Eminem raps faith-based lines such as "I put all of my trust and faith in You, Father," and "my Savior I call on to rescue me ... He is my shepherd. I'm armed with Jesus, my weapon is prayer."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In a more positive review, Tedd Maider of Consequence of Sound describes Infinite as "a more genuine glimpse of the rapper that is Eminem", and commented that it is "quick-witted and unique rhyming", "lyrical chops, raw style beats, and mentality" could only be matched by his third studio album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000).<ref name="cos" />

Track listing

Track listing and credits taken from album booklet.<ref name="notes" /> All songs produced by Denaun Porter, except where noted. Template:Track list

Notes

• ^{^[a]{{#if:| }}} signifies a co-producer

Sample credits

• "Tonite" contains a sample of "Let This River Flow" as performed by Googie Cappola and Tom Cappola.
• "313" contains a sample of "A Secret Place" as performed by Grover Washington Jr.
• "Maxine" contains a sample of "Dolphin Dance" as performed by Grover Washington, Jr.
• "Open Mic" contains a sample of "Give Me Your Love (Love Song)" as performed by Curtis Mayfield, and "World Go Round" as performed by Naughty by Nature.
• "Never 2 Far" contains a sample of "Right on Time" as performed by Maze.
• "Searchin'" contains a sample of "The Dude" as performed by Quincy Jones.
• "Backstabber" contains samples of "Fuckin' Backstabber" as performed by Soul Intent, "Jealous" as performed by LL Cool J, and "Get Down" as performed by Craig Mack.
• "Jealousy Woes II" contains samples of "Say What" as performed by Idris Muhammad, "Jealous" as performed by LL Cool J, and "The World Is Yours" as performed by Nas.

Personnel

Credits adapted from album booklet.<ref name="notes" />

• Eminem – vocals, production
• Kevin Wilder – mixing, recording
• Robert "Flipside" Handy – mixing, recording
• Mr. Porter – production
• Jeff Bass – executive production
• Mark Bass – executive production
• DJ Butter Fingers – scratches