Before the world knew Marshall Mathers, before the blond hair, and way before Dr. Dre heard a demo tape in Jimmy Iovine’s garage, there was a desperate kid from Detroit with one last shot. That shot was the Slim Shady EP. Recorded in 1997, it’s the bridge between the lyrical but soft-sounding Infinite and the global explosion of the Slim Shady LP. Most people confuse the two, but the slim shady ep tracklist is a completely different beast—rawer, darker, and surprisingly more local.
If you’re looking for "My Name Is," you’re in the wrong place. That came later. The EP was a ten-track hail mary produced by the Bass Brothers, Mr. Porter, and Eminem himself. It’s the sound of a man who had nothing left to lose and a lot of people to offend.
The Original 1997 Slim Shady EP Tracklist
Honestly, finding an original copy of this is like finding a unicorn. Only about 500 cassettes and a handful of CDs were originally pressed. If you manage to get your hands on one, here is exactly what you’ll hear in the original order:
- Intro (Slim Shady): This isn’t the "Public Service Announcement" you know. It’s a creepy, atmospheric intro where Slim Shady is "born" and begins taunting Marshall.
- Low Down, Dirty: Produced by Da Brigade (Mr. Porter and Kuniva), this track is pure horrorcore. It sets the tone for the entire project.
- If I Had...: A depressing, relatable anthem about being broke. This version is slightly different from the one that ended up on the major label debut.
- Just Don't Give a Fuck: The first real single. It’s faster and grittier here than the polished version Dr. Dre eventually touched.
- Mommy (Skit): A short, disturbing lead-in to the next track.
- Just the Two of Us: Fans know this better as "'97 Bonnie & Clyde." It’s the infamous song where he takes his daughter to help dispose of his wife's body.
- No One's Iller (ft. Swifty McVay, Bizarre, and Fuzz Scoota): A heavy D12-adjacent posse cut. This is one of the "lost" tracks that didn't make the jump to the big album.
- Murder, Murder: Sampling 2Pac and Paul Simon, this is arguably the best song on the EP. It’s a cinematic story about a robbery gone wrong.
- If I Had... (Radio Edit): A censored version of the earlier track.
- Just Don't Give a Fuck (Radio Edit): Another clean version meant for local Detroit radio play.
Why "No One's Iller" and "Murder, Murder" Vanished
You’ve probably noticed that a couple of these tracks didn't make it to the 1999 Aftermath release. "No One's Iller" and "Murder, Murder" are the biggest casualties. The issue was almost certainly sample clearances. "Murder, Murder" samples "Outlaw" by 2Pac and "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" by Paul Simon. Clearing those for a major label release would have been a nightmare (and expensive).
Instead, those tracks stayed underground favorites. They represent a version of Eminem that was still heavily influenced by the Detroit scene and the Outsidaz crew.
Differences Between the EP and the LP
It’s easy to think the LP was just a bigger version of the EP, but that’s a mistake. When Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre got a hold of the slim shady ep tracklist, they saw a blueprint, not a finished product.
They kept "If I Had," "Just Don't Give a Fuck," and "Just the Two of Us." Everything else was essentially scrapped or reworked. The beats on the EP are much more "boom-bap" and traditional 90s underground hip-hop. By the time Dre got involved, the sound became more melodic and pop-friendly, even if the lyrics stayed just as twisted.
The EP version of "Just Don't Give a Fuck" actually has a different intro. Instead of the "I'm slim shady" chant, it starts with a series of shoutouts to Detroit neighborhoods and local rappers. It feels like a time capsule of 1997 Michigan.
The Production Team
While Dr. Dre gets the credit for Eminem's sound, the EP was built by the Bass Brothers (Jeff and Mark Bass) and Denaun Porter. They were the ones who realized that Em’s high-pitched, nasal delivery worked better when he was being "Slim Shady" rather than a traditional MC.
How the EP Changed Rap History
Before this tape, Eminem was a failed rapper who couldn't sell copies of his first album, Infinite. People told him he sounded like Nas or AZ and that he should "go back to rock and roll."
The EP changed that. He stopped trying to be respected and started trying to be feared. The slim shady ep tracklist proved that there was a massive audience for "horrorcore" rap that was actually lyrical. It was the demo that landed in the hands of Interscope's interns, who gave it to Jimmy Iovine, who showed it to Dre.
Without this specific tracklist, there is no "My Name Is." There is no 8 Mile. There is no Shady Records.
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What to do next
If you want to hear the slim shady ep tracklist for yourself, you don't have to spend $5,000 on a rare eBay cassette. Most of these tracks have been uploaded to YouTube or are available on the "Slim Shady LP Expanded Edition" that was released for the 20th anniversary.
- Listen to "Murder, Murder" first. It’s the most cinematic piece of storytelling from that era.
- Compare the two versions of "If I Had." The EP version has a raw, unpolished vocal take that feels a lot more sincere.
- Look for the "Unmastered Sequence" leaks. These are high-quality versions of the EP songs before they were compressed for cassette.
The EP remains the purest look at who Eminem was when the world wasn't watching. It’s loud, offensive, and brilliant.