Today is the day we've been all waiting for: Eminem finally released his long-awaited eighth studio album, "The Marshall Mathers LP 2," after recently previewing several of his successful hit singles.

Ever since the Detroit rapper announced that he would be releasing a follow-up to his diamond-certified "The Marshall Mathers LP," Slim Shady's fans were anxious to find out if his new project would meet the high expectation that the original record has already set.

The original "MMLP" is undoubtedly considered as Eminem's best album - a classic. According to the rapper, "MMLP2" is actually a revisitation of what he has done best so far, rather than a sequel to the original album, and he certainly returns to a more confident and familiar himself. Eminem's latest album features the rapper's best traits and strength, such as his dark humor, clever wordplay and keen decisions on catchy hooks.

According to Chicago Tribune, the rapper's new effort rekindles his "ink-black humor and bruising swagger" and "reaffirms his prodigious ability with rhymes" as he "crunches together with syllables, silliness and storytelling flights of ridiculousness with acrobatic skill."

"He's also rightly considered a rap great for his technical prowess, wicked humor, and tenaciousness... As a rapper, he's virtually untouchable," Entertainment Weekly comments on Eminem's talent.

In fact, Em unveils his personal stories, and skillfully shares what he has learned from the past through his music, which makes "MMLP2" more meaningful to him. On "Bad Guy," he revisits "Stan," his song about fan obsession from the original "MMLP." In the track, Stan's brother, Matthew, plays out a revenge plot and kidnaps Eminem for revenge and he "recognizes that he's no better than the bullies who damaged him."

"I'm the nightmare you fell asleep in and woke up still in / I'm your karma closing in with each stroke of a pen / Perfect time to have some remorse to show for your sin / No, it's hopeless, I'm the denial that you're hopelessly in," Eminem raps in the track.

On the other hand, Eminem shows his different, quite emotional side in "Headlights" featuring Nate Ruess. The rapper sincerely apologizes to his mother, Debbie, the target of so much anger and numerous disses over his recording career. "Ma, I forgive you / so does Nathan yo," he opens up in a verse. "All you did, all you said, you did your best to raise us both."

And we've already heard Eminem reuniting with Rihanna on "The Monster," as well as the most-anticipated track "Love Game," the collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, which the two raps over a sample from Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders' "Game of Love."

Eminem's first hit single "Berzerk" unexpectedly yet cleverly uses chunky classic rock samples, which Chicago Tribune calls "MMLP2" the "hip-hop version of a classic-rock album." The co-executive producer Rick Rubin merges Billy Squier's "The Stroke" with The Beastie Boys in the song.

"Nostalgia is everywhere, Em surrounds himself in allusions to classic hip-hop, like the Beastie Boys samples producer Rick Rubin laces together on 'Berzerk,'" Rolling Stone comments on the track.

In addition, in "Rhyme or Reason," Eminem delightfully employs The Zombies' "Time of the Season," where he reminds the listeners where he stands in the rap world. "So as long as I'm on the clock punchin' this timecard, hip-hop aint' dying on my watch," he raps.

Although there were divided opinions regarding "The Marshall Mathers LP2," including criticisms and negative viewpoints of the album. However, one thing for sure is that Eminem really put everything, his honesty and true self, in each track, which makes "MMLP2" a great album of the year. 

"Eminem meets expectations raised by naming his new album after the landmark he released in 2000... He recaptures the original release's wild, clever, emotional brilliance in a flurry of caustic, brazenly honest, rapid-fire rhymes and aggressive beats," USA Today comments on the rapper's latest masterpiece.