The Monster (Explicit) – Eminem ft. Rihanna

Eminem’s collaboration with Rihanna on the track “The Monster,” released in 2013, is one of the most iconic collaborations in modern music. Featured on Eminem’s eighth studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, the song delves into themes of fame, personal demons, and mental health struggles. Its introspective lyrics, combined with a haunting chorus sung by Rihanna, made “The Monster” a commercial success and an emotional anthem for many listeners.

The Collaboration: Eminem and Rihanna’s Creative Synergy
Before “The Monster,” Eminem and Rihanna had already proven to be a powerful musical duo. Their previous collaboration, “Love the Way You Lie”, was a massive hit in 2010, exploring themes of toxic relationships and emotional conflict. Given their history of success, it was no surprise that their next collaboration was eagerly anticipated.

Rihanna’s chorus in “The Monster” provides a smooth and haunting contrast to Eminem’s rapid-fire verses. Her vocals deliver a sense of vulnerability and longing, singing about battling inner demons, while Eminem’s verses reveal a deeper, raw perspective on his struggles with fame, mental health, and self-perception. Together, their contrasting styles blend to form a track that resonates on multiple emotional levels, speaking to both personal and universal struggles.

Themes: Fame, Monsters, and Mental Health
At its core, “The Monster” is about confronting personal demons and the impact of fame. The “monster” referred to in the song can be seen as a metaphor for various internal and external battles: mental health issues, addiction, and the pressures that come with fame.

In the chorus, Rihanna sings, “I’m friends with the monster that’s under my bed / Get along with the voices inside of my head.” This reflects the acceptance of one’s mental health challenges—acknowledging them rather than attempting to escape. The monster symbolizes the darker parts of the mind, while the “voices” represent intrusive thoughts or internal struggles. Instead of fighting against these inner demons, the song suggests learning to live alongside them.

Eminem’s verses dive deeper into the pressures of fame and how it distorts self-identity. His opening verse includes lines like, “I wanted the fame, but not the cover of Newsweek / Oh well, guess beggars can’t be choosy.” Here, Eminem reflects on how his pursuit of fame led to unintended consequences—constant media scrutiny, loss of privacy, and mental health struggles. He talks about feeling trapped by the very thing he once aspired to achieve and the toll it takes on his psyche.

The second verse further explores Eminem’s complex relationship with his career. He expresses the need for control over his life and image while battling the public’s expectations. The line “I think I’m getting so huge I need a shrink” highlights his feelings of being overwhelmed by his larger-than-life persona. Fame has made him feel disconnected from himself, and the pressure to maintain a particular image weighs heavily on him.

By the third verse, Eminem shifts to self-awareness, acknowledging the monster inside him and his attempt to come to terms with it. The final line, “I’m just fulfilling my wish of killing these demons,” indicates his desire to overcome these internal struggles, even though they have become an integral part of who he is.

Music and Production
Produced by Frequency and co-produced by Eminem, “The Monster” blends elements of hip-hop and pop, creating a sound that is both radio-friendly and emotionally charged. The beat is characterized by a driving, mid-tempo rhythm, paired with a melodic piano riff and heavy synths, giving the song a haunting yet anthemic feel. The production complements the lyrics, balancing the weight of the song’s subject matter with a catchy, accessible sound.

The song’s structure follows a familiar pop-rap format: Rihanna delivers the chorus, while Eminem’s verses explore the deeper narrative. This structure allows the listener to be drawn in by Rihanna’s emotive hook before being confronted by Eminem’s raw, confessional lyricism.

The Music Video: A Visual Representation of Inner Conflict
The official music video for “The Monster,” directed by Rich Lee, is a visually arresting representation of the song’s themes. It opens with Eminem sitting in a therapist’s office, watching a montage of clips from his career, including iconic moments from earlier music videos such as “Lose Yourself,” “My Name Is,” and “The Way I Am.”

Throughout the video, we see Eminem revisiting key moments of his career, watching his younger self grapple with the pressures of fame. This self-reflective element adds another layer of depth to the song, as Eminem literally confronts his past and the “monsters” that have haunted him throughout his career.

The video also features Rihanna as a therapist figure, subtly guiding Eminem through this process of self-exploration and confrontation. Her calm and composed demeanor contrasts with the chaos of Eminem’s memories, emphasizing the struggle between internal conflict and external presentation.

One of the standout moments in the video is when Eminem is locked inside a glass box, with the “monster” lurking outside. This imagery symbolizes his feelings of being trapped by his fame and the monsters of his mind. The box also suggests isolation, representing how mental health struggles can make someone feel alone and disconnected from the world around them.

The video culminates with Eminem facing his younger self in the glass box, symbolizing the ultimate confrontation with his past and his demons. By the end, there is a sense of closure, as Eminem appears to come to terms with his struggles, although the lingering presence of the monster suggests that these battles are ongoing.

Impact and Reception
Upon its release, “The Monster” became an instant hit, topping charts worldwide, including the Billboard Hot 100. Critics praised the song for its introspective lyrics and the chemistry between Eminem and Rihanna. The track was seen as a continuation of their successful formula from “Love the Way You Lie,” but with a deeper exploration of personal and mental health themes.

The song’s success was not limited to commercial appeal—it also sparked conversations about mental health, fame, and the pressures faced by celebrities. Many listeners found solace in the song’s message of accepting one’s inner demons, with its relatable lyrics resonating with people who had experienced their own struggles.

Conclusion
“The Monster” is more than just a collaboration between two of the biggest names in music; it is an exploration of fame, mental health, and personal battles. Eminem and Rihanna’s unique chemistry elevates the song, with Rihanna’s haunting chorus providing the perfect backdrop for Eminem’s candid reflections on his life and career.

The song’s success lies in its ability to blend catchy, radio-friendly elements with deep, introspective themes, making it both a chart-topping hit and a poignant anthem for those grappling with their own “monsters.”

I wanted the fame but not the cover of Newsweek
Oh well, guess beggars can’t be choosey
Wanted to receive attention for my music
Wanted to be left alone in public, excuse me
For wantin’ my cake, and eat it too, and wantin’ it both ways
Fame made me a balloon ’cause my ego inflated
When I blew, see, but it was confusing
‘Cause all I wanted to do’s be the Bruce Lee of loose leaf
Abused ink, used it as a tool when I blew steam
Woo! Hit the lottery, ooh-wee
But with what I gave up to get it was bittersweet
It was like winnin’ a used mink
Ironic ’cause I think I’m gettin’ so huge I need a shrink
I’m beginnin’ to lose sleep: one sheep, two sheep
Goin’ coo-coo and kooky as Kool Keith
But I’m actually weirder than you think, ’cause I’m—

New-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo (Oh)
Well, that’s nothin’
New-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo

Now, I ain’t much of a poet
But I know somebody once told me to seize the moment and don’t squander it
‘Cause you never know when it all could be over tomorrow
So I keep conjurin’
Sometimes I wonder where these thoughts spawn from
Yeah, ponderin’ll do you wonders
No wonder you’re losin’ your mind, the way it wanders
(New-hoo, ooh-hoo) Yodel-odel-ay-hee-hoo!
I think it went wanderin’ off down yonder
And stumbled onto Jeff VanVonderen
‘Cause I need an interventionist
To intervene between me and this monster
And save me from myself and all this conflict
‘Cause the very thing that I love’s killin’ me and I can’t conquer it
My OCD’s conkin’ me in the head, keep knockin’
Nobody’s home, I’m sleepwalkin’
I’m just relayin’ what the voice in my head’s sayin’
Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just friends with the—

New-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo (Oh)
Well, that’s nothin’
New-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo

Call me crazy, but I have this vision, one day that
I’ll walk amongst you a regular civilian
But until then, drums get killed and I’m comin’ straight at
MCs, blood gets spilled and I’ll
Take you back to the days that I’d get on a Dre track
Give every kid who got played that
Pumped-up feelin’ and shit to say back
To the kids who played him
I ain’t here to save the fuckin’ children
But if one kid out of a hundred million
Who are goin’ through a struggle, feels it and relates, that’s great
It’s payback, Russell Wilson fallin’ way back in the draft
Turn nothin’ into somethin’, still can make that
Straw into gold, chump, I will spin—Rumpelstiltskin in a haystack
Maybe I need a straightjacket
Face facts: I am nuts for real, but I’m okay with that
It’s nothin’, I’m still friends with the—

I’m friends with the monster that’s under my bed
Get along with the voices inside of my head
You’re tryin’ to save me, stop holdin’ your breath
And you think I’m crazy, yeah, you think I’m crazy
I’m friends with the monster that’s under my bed
(Get along with) Get along with the voices inside of my head
(You’re tryin’ to) You’re tryin’ to save me, stop holdin’ your breath
(And you think) And you think I’m crazy, yeah, you think I’m crazy
Well, that’s nothin’

New-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo (Oh)
Well, that’s nothin’
New-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo, new-hoo, ooh-hoo

Eminem Rihanna