The song peaked at number 6
on the USBillboardHot 100and reached number one in Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK as well as the top 10 in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway.
Twoskitsregarding the Michael Jackson controversy were included onEncore,"Paul (Skit)" and "Em Calls Paul (Skit)". The lyrics to "Just Lose It" refer to Jackson's legal troubles, however he does state in his song "... and that's not a stab at Michael, That's just a metaphor, I'm just psycho...." At the beginning of the song there is a lyrical excerpt from Eminem's 2002 single "Without Me"about how" Shady's back ". The line" Snap back to reality. Look! It's B. Rabbit "and" You signed me up to battle "refers to"Lose Yourself"and Eminem's character in themovie8 Mile.In the second verse of the song, the line "So fellas, fellas..." is a reference toSir Mix-a-Lot's song "Baby Got Back".The line" Girl you know you're my world, "from the chorus, is a reference to the chorus of his song"Superman"from his albumThe Eminem Show.
The song received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom found it too similar to Eminem's previous work.AllMusichighlighted the song in a review of the album.[1]Pitchfork was also positive: "'Just Lose It' is still most notable for dancing with paedo and homoerotic imagery: It's the one track here that seems as potentially multilayered as the best ofThe Marshall Mathers LP,yet it's still more curio than anything else. "[2]NMEwrote: "Em (is) reduced to making funny noises to keep things interesting."[3]David Browne ofEntertainment Weekly,however, felt mixed: "First [on the album] came the sarcastically bouncy" Just Lose It ", a lazy retread of earlier hits that, with its easy-target references to Michael Jackson, made Eminem appear to be the one who'd actually lost it."[4]HipHopDXpanned the song and called it "by far the worst song Eminem or Dr. Dre has ever made. It really seems like their object here was to make the worst song possible. The interlude leading into it is damn hilarious though."[5]Los Angeles Timescalled it "the album's hilarious slap at celebrity voyeurism, with Eminem himself a prominent target."[6]
RapReviews argued it was not "dropping any jaws or widening any eyes."[7]Rolling Stonedescribed this song as "dance-music dis."[8]In a review praisingEncore's "edginess," Steve Jones of USA Today cited the song's mocking of the Michael Jackson child-molestation scandal.[9]Alexis Petridis ofThe Guardian,however, wrote: "[Eminem's] plan appears to involve belching and making fart noises, which, with the best will in the world, won't suffice."[10]Kelefa Sanneh ofThe New York Timeswrote that song "unfolds as a series of puzzlingly unfunny jokes."[11]Stylus Magazinewas negative as well, calling it "Em’s brand new tendency to bite himself."[12]The Austin Chroniclewas a bit negative as well: "Where 2002 smash 'Without Me' was bitingly clever,Encore's carbon copy 'Just Lose It' is puerile and embarrassing, even though he quotesBeavis and Butt-headand does a wicked Pee-wee Herman. "[13]Slant Magazinesaid that the song "was so derivative that it had to be a joke—even the song’s title seemed to mock the Academy Award-winning8 Miletheme song that elevated the Great White Rapper to a whole new level of acceptance (as if he hadn’t already transcended nearly every other boundary in pop culture). Not only is 'Just Lose It' the worst song onEncore,it’s easily one of the most annoying songs of the year (credit Em’s incessant Pee Wee Herman impersonations and tired attacks on Michael Jackson). "[14]
The video contains a parody of a rap battle scene from8 Milein which it is Eminem, as B-Rabbit, versus Eminem, as Slim Shady. It also contains several scenes where Eminem walks down the streets naked. As he does this,Dr. Dredrives next to him, looking disgusted. For the music video, the lyrics were edited slightly, notably the phrase "shake that ass", becoming the less provocative "shake that thing". Other changes include the muting of some parts of the second verse, and the phrase "butt naked" becoming "buck naked". Such examples of parodies that are included in this video areMichael Jackson,MC Hammerand his hit single "U Can't Touch This",Pee-wee Herman,Madonna,blink-182and the music video forWhat's My Age Again,and the movieBad Santa,by displaying Eminem as a "mall santa", and even going so far to includeTony Cox,the actor who played the elf from the actual movie, as Eminem's helper. Some of the celebrities who appeared in this music video wereParis Hilton,Erik Estrada,Alyson Stoner,BooBoo Stewart,Omar Benson Miller,De'Angelo Wilson,8 Mileco-starMekhi PhiferandDr. Dre.The video was later nominated at theMTV Video Music AwardsforBest Rap Video,but lost toLudacris' "Number One Spot".Much Music's 50 Most Controversial Videos ranked it #1 for its jokes on famous people.
A week after the release of "Just Lose It", Jackson called intoSteve Harvey'sradio showto report his displeasure with the video. "I am very angry at Eminem's depiction of me in his video," Jackson said in the interview. "I feel that it is outrageous and disrespectful. It is one thing to spoof, but it is another to be demeaning and insensitive." Jackson continued: "I've admired Eminem as an artist, and was shocked by this. The video was inappropriate and disrespectful to me, my children, my family and the community at large."[16]Many of Jackson's supporters and friends spoke out about the video, includingStevie Wonder,who called it "kicking a man while he's down" and "bullshit",[17]and Harvey, who declared, "Eminem has lost his ghetto pass. We want the pass back."[17]The video was banned on theBETchannel, after complaints fromBenzinoand others (but was later reinstated, as critics of the ban argued thatNelly's "Tip Drill"video which has been alleged to bemisogynisticwas aired; both were seen onBET: Uncut). HoweverMTVdid not drop it, and the video became one of the most requested on the channel.
The song was remixed by Shady Records DJ and producerDJ Green Lantern.The remix's only official releases were on the British, German and digital download of "Like Toy Soldiers"and the second British edition of"Mockingbird".
