The album was revealed during the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards in August, alongside a preview of its lead single "Berzerk".

[2] It was met with positive reviews by critics, with praise directed at Eminem's technical rapping abilities and production choices.

"[7] On August 1, 2012, Nick Craig interviewed Eminem on Channel 95.5, where he explained that he was working on the album, but was focused on finishing Slaughterhouse's Shady Records debut Welcome to: Our House,[8] On August 10 however, Eminem appeared on Shade 45 and told Sway Calloway: "We actually just finished the [Slaughterhouse] album last week ... Now I've got time to be able to start doing things for my own project.

"[9] Royce da 5'9" appeared on MTV's RapFix, hosted by Calloway, with his group Slaughterhouse, on August 30, 2012, and talked about Eminem's album.

"[13] On June 17, 2013, Shady Records producer The Alchemist appeared on RapFix Live, and tweeted to shadygodz (One of the Stan fans aka Sanket Kale Mathers) about Eminem's upcoming album: "That's my boss.

[21] In a behind the scenes video for "Berzerk", released in October 2013, Rubin explained that he met Rosenberg a few years back and that they had discussed the possibility of him and Eminem working together.

He estimated that Shady Records got hold of the instrumental around Fall 2012, and DVLP himself did not hear "Rap God" until Eminem phoned him after its release.

[25] Upon the track list announcement, Staten Island singer Bebe Rexha revealed on Twitter that she had co-written the Rihanna collaboration featured on the album.

"[27] Rapper and fellow Aftermath/Interscope artist Kendrick Lamar, who toured with Eminem in 2013, was featured on "Love Game", while indie pop band Fun.

In an October 2013 interview with American Songwriter, "Love the Way You Lie" producer Alex da Kid revealed that he has submitted further beats for Eminem, but said "you never know what they're going to use or not going to use.

[32] "Legacy" was written approximately two years ago during a session between Russian singer-songwriter Polina and songwriter David Brook in New York.

[34] The album's opening track "Bad Guy", produced by S1, M-Phazes, and Streetrunner, with a chorus sung by Sarah Jaffe,[35][36] has been described as a sequel to Eminem's "Stan" from The Marshall Mathers LP.

He pays tribute to many influential hip hop acts, but also proclaims himself an all-time best, with the closing line stating: "Why be a king when you can be a god?

[48] On August 25, 2013, two Beats by Dre commercials aired during the MTV Video Music Awards revealed that Eminem's eighth studio album would be titled The Marshall Mathers LP 2 and would be released on November 5, 2013, with previews of the lead single "Berzerk" and its music video, where Eminem was shown with his hair dyed blond again.

17 Michigan on September 7;[50] Eminem was interviewed by Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit during the halftime, and the clip, described as "awkward" and "bizarre", became a viral online video.

[51] Activision announced on September 9, 2013, that players who preordered Call of Duty: Ghosts would receive a bonus track in addition to "Survival".

The group of shows featured supporting acts Slaughterhouse, Kendrick Lamar, EarlWolf (Tyler, The Creator & Earl Sweatshirt), Yelawolf, and Chance the Rapper.

The video featured cameo appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Kid Rock, Slaughterhouse, Mr. Porter, Yelawolf, Rick Rubin and Paul Rosenberg.

[62] On August 14, 2013, a song titled "Survival" featuring Liz Rodrigues, with production by DJ Khalil was premiered in the multiplayer trailer for the video game Call of Duty: Ghosts.

[89] Edna Gundersen of USA Today said that Eminem "recaptures the original release's wild, clever, emotional brilliance in a flurry of caustic, brazenly honest, rapid-fire rhymes and aggressive beats".

[87] Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe gave the album a positive review saying, "If anything, the sequel is more intense than the original, as the Detroit rapper explodes like an M-80..... many memorable ones to be heard here, as Eminem doubles down on his manic flow, bursting with analogies, jokes, illusions, and ingenious wordplay with dizzying speed and skill".

[90] Dan Rys of XXL gave the album a rating of XL saying, "the thing that carries Em through is the diversity of his flows, and his ability to rap over anything ..... you're getting one with more perspective, a version which has seen 13 more years and has a different outlook on some of the same topics that he first visited in 2000".

Club gave the album a B rating, saying "after years of stagnancy and tedious anger, he shows real growth on The Marshall Mathers LP.

Eminem has always rapped with forceful determination out of compulsive drives to prove himself to doubters, cut down his enemies, and retain his commercial foothold.

"[80] Jon Carmanica of The New York Times gave the album a positive review saying, "His lyrics are best viewed under a microscope..... to see how he gets from one rhyme to the next in unexpected ways..... he'll dominate almost any sound..... but he still has some old habits, still heavy-handed with homophobic slurs..... Eminem is still rapping from deep inside his cave, as if he's had no new experiences to draw from.

"[92] David Jeffries of AllMusic spoke of the album saying, it is a "vicious, infectious, hilarious triumph..... a super villain so familiar with hate and depression, he's powered by all shades of anger ..... most of the best moments on MMLP2 are just as angry and just as irresponsible..... Eminem at his very best.

[94] In a mixed review, Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune gave the album two out of four stars saying, "it reaffirms his prodigious agility with rhymes.

Eminem still crunches together syllables, silliness, and storytelling flights of ridiculousness with acrobatic skill" and "The sense that we've all been here before, twice, is exacerbated by tired samples and interpolations.

[95] Craig Jenkins of Pitchfork gave the album a mixed review saying, "Eminem is a titan with wordplay, but MMLP2 once again finds him at a loss for how to apply his talents.

The Rap God also displays his lyrical prowess on songs like 'Love Game' with Kendrick Lamar, the tribute to his mother in 'Headlights', and the old school rap-rock ode 'Berzerk'.