3 a.m. (Eminem song)
Encyclopedia
"3 a.m." is the second official single by American rapper Eminem
from his album Relapse. The single was produced by Dr. Dre
. The song was released onto the iTunes
Store April 28, 2009. The music video was released on May 2 at 10:00 p.m. via Cinemax
.
, questioning his own sanity and recalling a string of murders. The song, according to Eminem, is said to be closer to the overall sound of the album, as opposed to the poppy, fun-poking "We Made You
". It's meant to be an ode to his fascination of horror movies and the main antagonists within them (such as Freddy Kruger and Hannibal Lecter
), dipping into the minds of such high profile characters and how their minds worked. It features Eminem presumably rapping from the perspective of his alter ego Slim Shady (like many of his early songs), using both internal and multi-syllabic rhyme schemes in his three verses.
The song contains a line from The Silence of the Lambs. This is the third time Eminem uses a reference to The Silence of the Lambs, to which Eminem also referred in the D12
song "American Psycho" from Devil's Night
and the music video for "You Don't Know" from The Re-Up. He later referenced the movie again in the track Buffalo Bill from Relapse: Refill.
The beginning of the song uses a sample of "Ghost of Love" by Timeless Legend.
The song has a much darker concept than most of Relapse's songs which are more humorous or up going. The censored version removes references of killing or murder, but the music video keeps the words in. The only profanity the song contains are "ass" and "shit".
gave the song a positive review, as while he said "This is, more or less, the Eminem I've been waiting for. (...) Nobody finds poetry in violence and perviness like Marshall". While noting that "he's still rapping in a silly accent for some reason," Vozick-Levinson concluded that "He's a majorly offensive verbal acrobat, the world's most eloquent sociopath
." Joseph Barracato of The New York Post also commented on the song, as well as the other singles from Relapse, giving positive reviews regarding the song and the rapper's comeback. Allmusic chose it as a track pick also.
, Eminem announced that shooting for the video had been entirely complete and was shot in Detroit, Michigan
at 3 am with director Syndrome (who also worked on the video for "Crack a Bottle
"). It premiered on Cinemax
, May 2 right before the movie The Strangers
. It follows Eminem playing a serial killer who is escaping from a rehabilitation clinic and killing everyone who might try to stop him.
The video takes place at Popsomp Hills Rehabilitation Center (read: Pop Some Pills) in Detroit; the name of a fake rehabilitation
clinic, which serves as a viral campaign
for the release of Relapse.
The music video shows murder victims laying bloody, beaten and helpless after what seems to be a killing spree performed by Eminem's alter ego, Slim Shady. The song and video suggests that it has a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde theme, being Eminem as the good side and Slim Shady as the evil side. Slim Shady roams the halls of Popsomp Hills at 3:00 am and violently slaughters members of the staff on duty and warns the audience: "It's 3 a.m. and here I come so you should probably run." Eminem is also shown watching the music video to "Crack a Bottle
" on a television, which is also directed by Syndrome.
New York Magazine described the video as a revival of the "torture porn" sub-genre of horror films.
It was voted the fourth best video of 2009 by Fuse TV
.
The video was played on MuchMusic Latin America only after 7:00 PM after having being "Video Estrella"
drummer Travis Barker
remixed the track on May 29, 2009 and it was released via his YouTube
account, as well as on Eminem's official website. According to an interview with RapRadar, Travis Barker explained how the song came about, saying that "Paul [Rosenberg] had hit me up and said that Em kind of heard in his head some sort of rock remix for it. They let me have a stab at it and then the rest is history." He also stated that "it’s going to be available on Eminem.com for like some special release." It was released onto iTunes
on August 11, 2009. The Travis Barker remix has received extensive play on Los Angeles
rock
and alternative
radio station KROQ-FM
.
, selling 66,000 downloads
in its first week.
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
from his album Relapse. The single was produced by Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
. The song was released onto the iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
Store April 28, 2009. The music video was released on May 2 at 10:00 p.m. via Cinemax
Cinemax
Cinemax, sometimes abbreviated as simply "Max", is a collection of premium television networks that broadcasts primarily feature films, along with softcore erotica, original action series, documentaries and special behind-the-scenes features. Cinemax is operated by Home Box Office, Inc., a...
.
Concept
Eminem raps about being a serial killerSerial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
, questioning his own sanity and recalling a string of murders. The song, according to Eminem, is said to be closer to the overall sound of the album, as opposed to the poppy, fun-poking "We Made You
We Made You
"We Made You" is a song by American hip hop musician Eminem. It was released as the first single from his sixth studio album Relapse on April 7, 2009. Produced by Dr. Dre and co-produced by Doc Ish and Eminem himself, the song samples "Hot Summer Nights" by Walter Egan. Eminem performed this song...
". It's meant to be an ode to his fascination of horror movies and the main antagonists within them (such as Freddy Kruger and Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal Lecter
Hannibal Lecter M.D. is a fictional character in a series of horror novels by Thomas Harris and in the films adapted from them.Lecter was introduced in the 1981 thriller novel Red Dragon as a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer...
), dipping into the minds of such high profile characters and how their minds worked. It features Eminem presumably rapping from the perspective of his alter ego Slim Shady (like many of his early songs), using both internal and multi-syllabic rhyme schemes in his three verses.
The song contains a line from The Silence of the Lambs. This is the third time Eminem uses a reference to The Silence of the Lambs, to which Eminem also referred in the D12
D12
D12, an acronym for The Dirty Dozen, is an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. D12 has had chart-topping albums in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia...
song "American Psycho" from Devil's Night
Devil's Night (album)
*"Revelation"'s ending covers "Another Brick In The Wall Pt II" where there are kids screaming and Eminem saying both "Wrong! Do it again!" and "If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding! You can't have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat!"...
and the music video for "You Don't Know" from The Re-Up. He later referenced the movie again in the track Buffalo Bill from Relapse: Refill.
The beginning of the song uses a sample of "Ghost of Love" by Timeless Legend.
The song has a much darker concept than most of Relapse's songs which are more humorous or up going. The censored version removes references of killing or murder, but the music video keeps the words in. The only profanity the song contains are "ass" and "shit".
Reception
The song has received mainly positive reviews by critics. Simon Vozick-Levinson of Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
gave the song a positive review, as while he said "This is, more or less, the Eminem I've been waiting for. (...) Nobody finds poetry in violence and perviness like Marshall". While noting that "he's still rapping in a silly accent for some reason," Vozick-Levinson concluded that "He's a majorly offensive verbal acrobat, the world's most eloquent sociopath
Antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is described by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fourth edition , as an Axis II personality disorder characterized by "...a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood...
." Joseph Barracato of The New York Post also commented on the song, as well as the other singles from Relapse, giving positive reviews regarding the song and the rapper's comeback. Allmusic chose it as a track pick also.
Music video
On Shade 45Shade 45
Shade 45 is Eminem's uncensored Hip-Hop/Rap-heavy urban contemporary channel. Eminem Brings On-Air show hosts. It debuted with a hip hop format in 2004, changing to its current incarnation when it was added to XM channel 66...
, Eminem announced that shooting for the video had been entirely complete and was shot in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
at 3 am with director Syndrome (who also worked on the video for "Crack a Bottle
Crack a Bottle
"Crack a Bottle" is a hip hop song by American rappers Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent from Eminem's sixth studio album Relapse. On February 12, 2009, the song broke the first week digital sales record with 418,000 downloads, topping the previous record held by "Live Your Life" by T.I. featuring...
"). It premiered on Cinemax
Cinemax
Cinemax, sometimes abbreviated as simply "Max", is a collection of premium television networks that broadcasts primarily feature films, along with softcore erotica, original action series, documentaries and special behind-the-scenes features. Cinemax is operated by Home Box Office, Inc., a...
, May 2 right before the movie The Strangers
The Strangers
The Strangers is a 2008 American horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino, and starring Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Glenn Howerton, Gemma Ward, Laura Margolis, and Kip Weeks...
. It follows Eminem playing a serial killer who is escaping from a rehabilitation clinic and killing everyone who might try to stop him.
The video takes place at Popsomp Hills Rehabilitation Center (read: Pop Some Pills) in Detroit; the name of a fake rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
clinic, which serves as a viral campaign
Viral marketing
Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...
for the release of Relapse.
The music video shows murder victims laying bloody, beaten and helpless after what seems to be a killing spree performed by Eminem's alter ego, Slim Shady. The song and video suggests that it has a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde theme, being Eminem as the good side and Slim Shady as the evil side. Slim Shady roams the halls of Popsomp Hills at 3:00 am and violently slaughters members of the staff on duty and warns the audience: "It's 3 a.m. and here I come so you should probably run." Eminem is also shown watching the music video to "Crack a Bottle
Crack a Bottle
"Crack a Bottle" is a hip hop song by American rappers Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent from Eminem's sixth studio album Relapse. On February 12, 2009, the song broke the first week digital sales record with 418,000 downloads, topping the previous record held by "Live Your Life" by T.I. featuring...
" on a television, which is also directed by Syndrome.
New York Magazine described the video as a revival of the "torture porn" sub-genre of horror films.
It was voted the fourth best video of 2009 by Fuse TV
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
.
The video was played on MuchMusic Latin America only after 7:00 PM after having being "Video Estrella"
Travis Barker remix
Blink-182Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
drummer Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
remixed the track on May 29, 2009 and it was released via his YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
account, as well as on Eminem's official website. According to an interview with RapRadar, Travis Barker explained how the song came about, saying that "Paul [Rosenberg] had hit me up and said that Em kind of heard in his head some sort of rock remix for it. They let me have a stab at it and then the rest is history." He also stated that "it’s going to be available on Eminem.com for like some special release." It was released onto iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on August 11, 2009. The Travis Barker remix has received extensive play on Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
radio station KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
.
Musical personnel
- Mike ElizondoMike ElizondoMichael "Mike" Elizondo is a well-known songwriter, bassist, keyboardist, and hip hop music producer.-Musical career:Mike Elizondo is especially known for his collaborations with internationally successful producer Dr. Dre and rapper Eminem. He has played the bass for many of Dr...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s - Mark BatsonMark BatsonMark Batson is an American record producer, arranger, and songwriter from Bushwick, Brooklyn, now based in Los Angeles.As a co-writer and producer with Dr. Dre, he is responsible for Jay-Z's 2006 single "Lost One", as well as tracks for Eminem, 50 Cent, Game and Snoop Dogg. As a co-writer and...
– keyboards - Dawaun ParkerDawaun ParkerDawaun Parker is a Grammy Award winning, multi-platinum musician, record producer and rap artist.Dawaun Parker is a staff songwriter and producer for Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment label...
– keyboards - Trevor Lawrence, Jr. – keyboards
Charts
"3 a.m." debuted at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, selling 66,000 downloads
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
in its first week.
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... ) |
38 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... ) |
24 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) | 56 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
32 |
| US Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
37 |