Eminem’s ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ Hits 25-Year Milestone After Record-Breaking Launch

Back in May 2000, Eminem dropped The Marshall Mathers LP and it was an instant hit. The album shattered records and sold an astonishing 1.78 million copies in just seven days.

Now certified as a Diamond status, its sales have surpassed 11 million units. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) tracks these numbers. At the 43rd Grammy Awards, it won the award for Best Rap Album and earned a nomination for Album of the Year.

The raw content of the album sparked fierce opposition. Gay rights advocates staged protests. During a 2000 Senate hearing, the wife of the former US President, Lynne Cheney, singled out "Kill You," criticizing its messages about promoting violence against women.

According to Herald Online, "Anthony Bozza, a Rolling Stone Journalist and author of the book Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem, recalls that as offensive as some of The Marshall Mathers LP's lyrics were, Eminem represented something much deeper than just blind rage."

"Political correctness has been a concept in the media and academia since the 1930s, but it became a huge talking point in the '90s and early-'00s," said Anthony Bozza, explaining that Eminem was part of a bigger "push back against it in music and entertainment" at that time.

Two months after the Columbine shooting, when music faced intense scrutiny over its effects on youth, the Detroit artist's work drew extra attention. Critics and parents voiced strong concerns.

One track, "Stan," became a cultural reference point. This tale of an obsessed fan turned into common speech. Years later, in 2013, the artist revisited the theme with a new song.

Music critic Craig Jenkins for Vulture Magazine noted his unique position: "It was always obvious that whiteness put Eminem on radars that not every other rapper was landing on," he explained.

Will Hermes of Entertainment Weekly put it bluntly, describing the album as: "Indefensible and critic-proof, hypocritical and heart-breaking, unlistenable and undeniable."

Despite strong pushback from LGBTQIA+ groups, the album's impact led to a groundbreaking 2001 Grammy show. There, Eminem shared the stage with Elton John in a watershed moment.