The opener proper (after the intro). It’s not terrible, but it meanders. Em sounds tired here, complaining about the IRS and his label. The flow is sluggish compared to his earlier work.
But then… there’s the other side.
Yet, to write off Encore entirely is to miss its haunting heart. Sandwiched between the buffoonery are two of the most devastating songs Eminem has ever written. "Mockingbird" is a masterpiece of paternal guilt—a lullaby to his daughter Hailie that trades his usual pyrotechnics for raw, trembling sincerity. And then there’s "Like Toy Soldiers." In a career built on feuds, this elegy to Proof and the culture of hip-hop violence is shockingly noble. It is a man begging for peace, knowing he won't get it. In isolation, these tracks are five-star Eminem; in context, they feel like a man waving a white flag from inside a burning building. eminem - encore
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