Infinite (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Infinite
Type = Album
Artist = Eminem


Released = November 1996
Recorded = 1995-1996
Genre = Underground hip hop
Length = 37:56
Label = Web
Producer = Jeff & Mark Bass
Denaun Porter
Slim
DJ Head
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|2.5|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kjfqxq90ldhe link]
Last album =
This album = "Infinite"
(1996)
Next album = "The Slim Shady EP"
(1997)

"Infinite" is the independent debut album by Detroit-based rapper Eminem. Recorded and produced with help from The Bass Brothers and fellow D12 members Denaun Porter aka Kon Artis, Proof and Eye-Kyu, along with fellow Rappers Thyme of 5 Elementz and Three, in 1995.

History

"Infinite" is Eminem's first full-length and professionally packaged album. After years of cutting demo tracks with his mentors, the Bass Brothers, at their Ferndale, MI. studio (dubbed "The Bassment"), Eminem was ready to release his debut album. The album was written and recorded in 1995. At the time the album was first conceived, Eminem had been using the stage name M&M. However, he changed his stage name after the release of his first official single, in early 1995. Infinite marks the debut of the name "Eminem." The album was only released on cassette and vinyl. Only 1,000 cassettes and 100 vinyls were made. Eminem himself, and old friends from around the time Infinite was recorded, have claimed the laid-back and humble nature of the album is due to Eminem purposely making "radio-friendly" songs in hopes of getting on the air of Detroit's leading Hip Hop radio station, WJLB-98. Bootlegged compact-disc copies are commonly found on sites such as eBay. The song "Backstabber" is a re-cut version of a song called "Fuckin' Backstabber", which is featured on a demo tape by Soul Intent.

The album received mixed critical reviews and was met with derision from within the local hip-hop community, earning Eminem unfavorable accusations of copying other rappers' styles, particularly Nas and AZ. Eminem recalls:

While it contains some swearing, "Infinite" is relatively inoffensive compared to the subsequent albums that would make Eminem famous.

In a 1997 press interview, a then-unknown Eminem admitted that he had smashed a copy of the album's original vinyl release into tiny pieces, and pushed each individual shard one by one into his rectum, so that he could feel, in his words, "more intimately acquainted with my shit, y'know, in a meaningful sense". He also claimed that the subsequent surgical removal of the album only required four stitches. [ [www.echo.ucla.edu/Volume4-Issue2/keathley/keathley.pdf] Eminem's vinyl insertion]

In 2003 this album was released, although it seemed legitimate it was most likely pirated, containing many clicks, pops, and other defects in the sound quality. The "European Re-Issue" contains a bonus disc with freestyles and unreleased tracks, no names for these tracks are given on the case.

Production

On a DVD about Eminem's life, a former friend and collaborator of Eminem's, named DJ Rec, stated that "Infinite" was produced by a variety of producers who were never credited. The album artwork says the album was produced by Denaun Porter and "Slim" for F.B.T. Productions. However, it may be possible that DJ Rec, and others, contributed to the production of "Infinite." It is known that former D12 DJ, DJ Head, produced the "W.E.G.O." skit on the album. Proof of D12 may have also co-produced the track as well. As his vocals are featured on the skit. Not only that, but on the original cassette artwork, Proof is credited for doing "Additional Drum Programming" on several tracks. Former Bassmint Productions and Soul Intent DJ and co-producer, DJ Butterfingers, also contributed several cuts and scratches to the album. Since he was so involved in that aspect, he may have also done some un-credited production as well. Butterfingers' cuts and scratches appear on "Infinite" and "Tonite."

ingles

According to a picture on the internet of a supposed "Infinite" promo poster [ [http://www.shadygallery.com/displayimage.php?album=11&pos=31 "ShadyGallery.com" - "Infinite" promo poster] ] , the album was supposed to have three singles. In the middle of the poster, it reads: "Featuring The Singles: "It's O.K.," "Tonite," and "Never 2 Far." Also, in the beginning of D12's video for "How Come," footage of Eminem from the mid-90's is shown where he is introducing the song he's gonna perform, and he states that, "The name of this song is Jealousy Woes Pt. 2, it's one of the first singles off the album that's comin'. The album's called, Infinite." So perhaps "Jealousy Woes II" was meant to be released as a single. However, most-likely due to lack of funds and the fact that "Infinite" flopped, no singles were ever pressed or released. DJ Butterfingers is mentioned on the track "Tonight" though.

amples

313
*"Jazz Thing" by Gang Starr

Open Mic
*"Give Me Your Love" by Curtis Mayfield

Backstabber
*"Fuckin' Backstabber" by Soul Intent
*"Jealous" by LL Cool J

Jealousy Woes II
*"Jealous" by LL Cool J
*"The World Is Yours" by Nas

Track listing

All tracks produced by Denaun Porter and Slim.

References