Eminem's hard work on The Marshall Mathers LP 2 paid off big time, Billboard.com reports.

Em's eighth studio album tops the Billboard 200, selling 792,000 copies in its first week to become the year's second-best selling debut behind Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience, at 968,000 copies in seven days.

Additionally, MMLP 2 marks Em's seventh consecutive No. 1 album and gives him the sixth-best debut sales figures since November 2008.  

The release features appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Skyler Grey and Nate Rose as well as production from the likes of Rick Rubin, StreetRunner and DJ Khalil. Describing the release in Em's Billboard magazine cover story, Khalil called MMLP 2 — the Detroit MC's first since 2010's Recovery — "everything that you would want to hear from him at this point in his career."

Similarly, Em described wanting to recapture the emotion of some of his old work and showcase his growth. "I would go back and listen to songs off The Marshall Mathers LP, The Eminem Show and some of Encore and ask, 'Why don't my music feel like this anymore?'" he explained to the mag, adding that he has no sales expectations. "Honestly, as long as people enjoy the music, that means the most to me," he said.

"I could sell 80 million records in the first week, and if my peers or fans of real hip hop didn't like it, it really wouldn't mean anything."

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(Photo: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)