Relapse Album

About Relapse

Relapse is the sixth studio album by American rapper Eminem. The album was released on May 15, 2009, under Aftermath Entertainment, Shady Records, and Interscope Records. It was his first album of original material since Encore (2004), following a four-year hiatus from recording due to his writer's block and an addiction to prescription sleeping medication. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2007 to 2009 at several recording studios, and Dr. Dre, Mark Batson, and Eminem handled production. Conceptually, Relapse concerns the ending of his drug rehabilitation, rapping after a non-fictional relapse, and the return of his Slim Shady alter ego. During the recording period, a handful of songs intended for Relapse were leaked on the Internet. Eminem purchased the Effigy Studio in Ferndale, Michigan, in 2007, and ended his working relationship with much of his former production team of the 54 Sound recording studio, including the Bass Brothers. In September 2007, Dr. Dre stated his intention to dedicate two months to the production of Relapse. Working with Dr. Dre allowed Eminem to concentrate on the processes of songwriting rather than the production, which was largely taken care of by Dre. It also allowed Eminem to pick the beats from Dr. Dre's catalog that challenged him rhythm-wise to experiment with different flows. One of the most anticipated albums of 2009, Relapse debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 608,000 copies in its first week, and in twelve other countries. It produced four singles: "Crack a Bottle", "We Made You", "3 a.m.", and "Beautiful", as well as the promotional single: "Old Time's Sake". "Crack a Bottle", featuring 50 Cent, was a Billboard Hot 100 number one hit. Relapse was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Relapse: Refill, which includes a bonus disc featuring seven new tracks including the single "Forever" (originally on More Than a Game soundtrack) and "Taking My Ball" (released with DJ Hero), was released in December 2009. more »