I'm not afraid to admit it. I think "8 Mile" is the best movie based on and starring a musician since Purple Rain. And like Prince's Purple Rain soundtrack, some may think that the soundtrack to Eminem's big-screen debut would be an album comprised entirely of songs by him alone. Surprisingly, the 8 Mile Soundtrack showcases a wide variety of talent in not only the world of rap, but R&B as well. There are only three Eminem songs here, but they are definitely some of his best both lyrically and musically. Of course, the amazingly-written "Lose Yourself," is among the three, which is a song that I never tire of hearing and never leaves your head no matter how overplayed it gets. His other two songs here are the truthful "8 Mile" and the crunching "Rabbit Run" - both songs are easy to relate to lyrically and prove that Eminem is a creative wordsmith with some real clout to his rhymes.

Other highlights include Obie Trice's grinding synth-bass filled "Adrenaline Rush" and 50 Cent's two bumping favorites, "Places To Go" and "Wanksta." Jay-Z goes back to his earlier sound with the darker "8 Miles and Runnin," and Nas' piano-tinged "U Wanna Be Me" is reminiscent of his classic "If I Ruled the World." Another highlight is Xzibit's awesome heavy rapping on the powerful "Spit Shine," which will make anyone wonder why he ever resorted to doing those Right Guard commercials. Rakim's trippy-beated "R.A.K.I.M." will make you jump up and dance, and "Battle," from hip-hop pioneers Gang Starr, helps bring back the old-school rap flava that many of us miss in today's hip-hop. Macy Gray's "Time of My Life" and Boomkat and Taryn Manning's "Wasting My Time" give further proof that mellow R&B jams have their place in the world of rap. Em also has guest shots on Obie Trice and 50 Cent's flowing "Love Me," and his group D12 throws in the dark "Rap Game," which proves that even though Eminem looks as white as they come, he can still rap with the toughest of them out there. In fact, the entire 8 Mile Soundtrack shows that not only can Eminem fit in with today's most street-smart hip-hop artists, but he's also capable of becoming one of the most respected emcees of his time and generation.