MANILA, Philippines?So much has happened to white rapper, Eminem, since the release of his last album, (2004?s chart-topping ?Encore?): His second marriage to his ex-wife ended after only 11 weeks. Then, things went further downhill: He suffered from exhaustion, lost his best friend, rapper Proof (who was shot dead after a nightclub altercation), got addicted to prescription drugs?etc.!

Irreverent

This week, the unapologetically irreverent rap/hip-hop superstar returns to the limelight via ?Relapse,? which opens at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart amidst a very interesting?and curiously diverse?musical landscape, that includes Greenday?s ?21st Century Breakdown,? Miley Cyrus? ?Hannah Montana: The Movie,? Lady Gaga?s ?The Fame,? Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood?s ?Live From Madison Square,? Bob Dylan?s ?Together Through Life,? and the debuts of Ruben Studdard?s ?Love Is? (No. 36), Adam Lambert?s ?Season 8 Favorite Performances? (No. 33) and Kris Allen?s ?Season 8 Favorite Performances? (No. 50).

In his sixth studio album, the Real Slim Shady proves he hasn?t lost his energetic lyricism, radio-friendly musicality and flair for acerbic wordplay as he dishes up his caustic rants about Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan (?Same Song & Dance?), Christopher Reeve (?Medicine Ball?), Mariah Carey (?Bagpipes From Baghdad?) and other celebrities (?We Made You?), as well as his ludicrous fantasies (?3 a.m.,? ?Insane?) and painfully honest revelations about his sleeping pill addiction (?Déjà Vu,? ?My Mom? and ?Dr. West?).

Eminem?s collaborations with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent (?Old Time?s Sake,? ?Crack A Bottle?) are potent, catchy and appealing, but his rendition of ?Beautiful? is particularly memorable. Discontent and anger continue to fuel his songs, but his outlook has become more insightful and mature.

Elsewhere, Billboard?s Hot 100 chart welcomes the release of three of Kris Allen?s singles??No Boundaries,? ?Heartless? and ?Ain?t No Sunshine??debut at No. 11, 16 and 37, respectively?while runnerup, Adam Lambert?s ?Mad World? bow at No. 19. Interestingly, David Cook?s current single, ?Permanent,? debuts at No. 24.

Making a dent

Notably, Filipino performers are likewise making a dent on the singles chart: Apl.de.ap and his funk/hip-hop ensemble, the Black Eyed Peas, are on top with the party thumper, ?Boom Boom Pow,? which is now on its eighth consecutive week at the top?so far the longest-running No. 1 single of 2009!

And, teenage belter, Charice, parlays her growing international popularity into pop-music gold as she debuts on Billboard's Hot 100 chart?at No. 44?with her cover of Jojo's 2006 hit tune, ?Note to God.?