Since the hip-hop community caught wind of them around 1999,
Bad Meets Evil
spent a decade in the more-a-legend-than-a-band category. Members
Eminem
and
Royce da 5'9"
spent those years not speaking thanks to beefs and feuds, but then the 2006 murder of their mutual friend,
D12
member
Proof
, brought them back together. Fast-forward to 2011 and this EP re-launches the project, although fans have already been notified that
Hell: The Sequel
is "a collection of tracks" so excuse the mess. It's not much of a mess, really, as the glossy "Lighters" feels more like a
Bruno Mars
track than Detroit diesel, while "stop stealing my music" tracks like "Take from Me" rarely become fan favorites. Everything else works just fine, with
Royce
displaying growth and superior skills that casual fans have slept on, while
Em
puts one foot in the past where gross humor ("Tell
Lady Gaga
she can quit her job at the post office/She's still a male lady") and scrappy rhymes reigned supreme. His other foot is in the
Relapse
/
Recovery
-era present with all the soul searching you'd expect, but as interesting as this career-spanning blend is, it is even more interesting when contrasted with
's more traditional brand of thugging. Throughout his career,
Mr. Mathers
has given props to his Detroit hip-hop clan and spoken of his interactions, but his discography has been somewhat light on examples. Past the
Mars
cut,
helps right that wrong, providing the welcome sound of
Shady
meets the streets. [A Deluxe Edition was also released.] ~ David Jeffries