Hell: The Sequel
Hell: The Sequel is the debut extended play by Bad Meets Evil. It was released on June 13, 2011, in some countries, by Shady Records and Interscope Records and it was released on June 14, 2011, in the United States.[1][2] The EP incorporates various styles such as hardcore hip hop and horrorcore. In May 2011, the album's title and artwork was revealed. The EP features the executive producers Eminem and Mr. Porter, with production handled by Bangladesh, Sid Roams, Havoc, DJ Khalil, The Smeezingtons and Supa Dups, among others.
Hell: The Sequel
June 14, 2011
2010–2011
37:18
- Eminem
- Mr. Porter
- Paul Rosenberg
- Bangladesh
- Battle Roy
- DJ Khalil
- Havoc
- Jason "JG" Gilbert
- Magnedo7
- Sid Roams
- The Smeezingtons
- Sonti "branNu" Brown
- Supa Dups
- Tony "56" Jackson
Hell: The Sequel contains songs such as "Welcome 2 Hell", "Above the Law" and "Loud Noises" featuring Slaughterhouse; these tracks include violent lyrical content, while trying to maintain a humorous tone. "Fast Lane", "A Kiss" and "The Reunion" feature sexual themes. "I'm on Everything" featuring Mike Epps, is a humorous song about drugs, while "Lighters" featuring Bruno Mars, and "Take from Me" focus on more serious themes such as success and music piracy and its impact on musicians.
Following the reunion of Bad Meets Evil, recording began in late 2010, when two tracks, "Living Proof" and "Echo" having leaked onto the Internet. The lead single, "Fast Lane" (which was released on May 3, 2011) was considered a highlight from the EP, while the second single, "Lighters" (featuring Bruno Mars), was met with mixed reviews. The EP debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of 171,000 copies. Hell: The Sequel was met with positive reviews, with critics praising the chemistry between Eminem and Royce da 5'9", as well as their technical rapping abilities.
Singles[edit]
"Fast Lane" was released on May 3, 2011, as the lead single from the EP through digital distribution. It was also featured on the soundtrack to 2K Sports NBA 2K12 video game.[13] On May 5, Vevo released an audio-only version of the track on YouTube a month and 3 days before the video's premiere. The music video, directed by James Larese, premiered June 8, 2011, on Bad Meets Evil's website and Vevo.[14] Along with "Lighters", the song made its live performance debut at the 2011 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. It was considered by many as the highlight of the festival.[15]
"Lighters" impacted Top 40/Mainstream radio on July 5, 2011.[16] The song features American recording artist Bruno Mars. Lighters has peaked at number four on Billboard Hot 100 list. Along with "Fast Lane", the song was performed at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The music video was directed by Rich Lee, who previously shot Eminem's video "Not Afraid". The video premiered on Vevo on August 22, 2011.
Commercial performance[edit]
Hell: The Sequel debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with sales of 171,000.[31][32][33] In its second week, the EP sold 63,000 copies, bringing its total to 234,000 copies.[34][35] On August 18, 2011, the EP was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipping over 500,000 copies.[36] As of June 2021, the EP has sold 1 million album-equivalent units in the US, making it eligible for Platinum certification by the RIAA.
The EP also debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 21,000 copies in its first week.[37] This makes Eminem the first artist in five years to have two number one albums in a 12-month period: Hell: The Sequel and Recovery.[38]
Notes
Sample credits