Only now, three or four singles into his Encore album, Eminem caught my attention. The newest single is "Ass Like That," and it was specifically the short form music video that stopped me. This is about the most impressive music video I've seen in a year or two - though admittedly I don't watch a lot of music video. They tend to be in short supply for the 50+ year old bluegrass, jazz and gospel I'm most often listening to. You might also guess from this description that I have limited patience with hip hop. You'd be correct.
Nonetheless, Eminem has come up with something that works on a bunch of levels. For starters, there's at least a half decent approximation of an actual SONG under this whole structure, one with a lot of personality at that. It would work great for sexy dance music. Then there's the especially cleverly thought-out video, which is a real hoot that only gets funnier with repeated viewings. I'd recommend downloading the video with Bit Torrent.
First of all, there's the whole relationship of Eminem and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Only Eminem would have a complicated emotional relationship with a rubber dog. Infamously, Eminem had a hostile public confrontation when Triumph approached him a couple years back during a live MTV awards show broadcast. Monsieur Mathers didn't appreciate being the subject of Triumph's regular schtick, and at one point put his big serious-looking scary black bodyguard between him and a dude with a frickin' rubber puppet on his hand. Eminem has been accused - and not entirely without good reason - of being a misogynistic, homophobic sociopath. Cool! But this was the one main obvious time in his career where he was just flat a laughingstock.
Now he has gone the other way, embracing Triumph to the extent of writing and performing this song largely in his voice. In the opening half-minute, Eminem is walking some red carpet, talking to reporters when he is assaulted by Triumph. "As a dog I must know: What does Dr Dre's ass smell like?" A couple more of these remarks, and Eminem and his crew are piled up in a fight with the dog, who is protesting, "But I am not your wife" before Eminem's arm comes thrusting out of the pile with the puppet on, cueing the song.
As a song, there are three main threads of action. First is the basic chorus, traditional singing, "The way you shake it, I ain't never seen an ...ass...like...that. You make my pee-pee go 'da, doing-doing-doing.'" Then there are setups of Eminem rapping about his pee-pee getting him repeatedly in trouble with the cops.
Finally, there are his bits as Triumph, in whose voice he's trying to joke his way out of trouble. "I can say that and you laugh cause there's a puppet on my hand." Triumph's vocal style, and Borscht belt comedian rhythms are built right into the song. Triumph has done songs before, notably the "Underage Bichon," but not coming from such distinguished musicians and producers.
These parts actually add up to at least a half decent unique and catchy melody, and they get much more mileage out of the record with the Dr Dre production. The whole thing works as a sexy midtempo dance track, with an especially noteworthy bass line that all the melody is written to. They were particularly skillful, if you will, in how the whole vocal tune hangs nicely off the bass line. All in all, the tune's not going to make you forget, say, classic Motown or Prince, but it's well above average compositionally for hip hop.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Aaman
MTV's "Making Of..." added another layer of insanity on this video, with Em's Crank Yankers' version, jiving it up with Em, and Triumph, and loads more folks for a half-hour.
Great review, Al
2 - Sister Ray
Sounds groovy.
3 - Al Barger
Yes Sister Ray, it is indeed most groovy. Indeed, as a video this probably rates my favorite of anything I've seen from Eminem- though I'm sure I've missed a lot of them.
And thank you for your kind words, Aaman.
4 - alex
hey does anyone know who the girls in eminems new video are (ass like that)??
if you do could you please mail me.
5 - Bob A. Booey
Yeah, this wasn't bad.
I had to go back and read it to make sure it was written by Senator Al Barger.
I think if he really, really tried, he could almost be a real human boy.
That is all.
6 - Karla
Hahaha, yeah the video is awesome.
Eminem is a funny as funk rapper, and his serious songs are tigh as hell too.
Nice review!
7 - barry o shea
hi guys ....more about the black girl dressed all in black on eminems new video ass like that .....please who is this girl she`s so hot ....does anyone know?......
8 - holly
its so funny! i luv it! is accent is really funny. usually hes so serious this is a good change for him. his look is really good to hes hot!
9 - pain_the_name
i wanna know the names of those girls they have nice asses.
10 - pain_the_name
i wanna know more about the black girl in black. her ass is bigger than beyonce's. please... who is this girl if anyone know's please tell me.
11 - Adela
Hi I love emeinem and I am one of his fans i love you eminem
12 - MAXI¹²³
I wanna know the name of that girls too...
13 - mnm
No, no no, this is not in support of Triumph, this is Eminem, still the petulant, over sensitive little boy, so obsessed over being called out by a puppet he had to write a DISS song about it. Please, get over it Marshall.
14 - Jewels
You had me at 8-Mile. Loved that movie and a Fan of his, don't care about his politics or his acting out, this guy is a REAL creative talent. Good article. Thanks.
15 - jodie catlow
i think that was the best rap emanem has ever done it is realy catchy "the way you muve it" "i cant belive it i have never seen an ass like that its so damn god good hi hi hi hi hi hi hi i love you emanem
16 - jason
The girl in the red dress in "ass like that" has the most perfect round sexy ass. Anyone know the girl name or where else they have been seen??
17 - John
Eminem Ass like that is the best song in the world
18 - trista
ass like that is a funny song but nod as good as his song evil deeds
19 - trista
2 pacs new song is better than ass like that
20 - EmFan
ye its a good video, i especially love the black girls he put in it, specially the ones in the blue & yello, dammmmmn if u find there names out post it. but yes eminem gone through so much, i hope he makes it with his daughter & hope he doesnt stop rapping anytime soon. =)
21 - hayley
Eminem u rox and u soooo, sxc
luv hayley
xxxx
xx
22 - jade
eminem you rock and your sooo fit
love
jade xxxxxxxxxxxxx
23 - rogue
i like his rhym the disses are on track and to me very hilarious. the accent totally kills me it is just tight.i expect more of this originality from him he's great
24 - james
hey can i get the name of the babe in a pink lingerei in eminem's ass like that video? sure she's one hot mama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
25 - Canadian Gypsy
I hear Eminem wouldn't share Mariah Carey with 50 Cent. Anybody else hear about it? According to 50 Cent, Eminem was supposed to hook him up with her after he was [finished] with her. Don't know, and don't care if it's true or not, but here in Australia the "rag mags" will likely pick up on it soon. Should be an interesting read if nothing else.