Guess who’s back? Eminem, the rap legend from Detroit, is about to drop his first album since 2020, and fans are buzzing. “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)” hits streaming platforms on Friday, July 12, and it’s got people wondering: Is this really the end of Slim Shady?
Let’s break it down. Em’s been teasing us for a while now. He recently dropped two singles, “Houdini” and “Tobey,” giving us a taste of what’s to come. But the real kicker? He put out an obituary for Slim Shady in the Detroit Free Press last month. Talk about a marketing stunt!
The obit was pretty deep, too. It traced Slim Shady’s rise from the gritty Detroit rap scene in the late ’90s to becoming a household name with “My Name Is” in ’99. It didn’t shy away from the darker stuff either. Here’s a bit from it:
“Ultimately, the very things that seemed to be the tools he used became calling cards that defined an existence that could only come to a sudden and horrific end. His complex and tortured existence has come to a close, and the legacy he leaves behind is no closer to resolution than the manner in which this character departed this world.”
Heavy stuff, right?
For those who need a refresher, Slim Shady’s been Em’s alter ego since way back in ’97 when he dropped the “Slim Shady EP.” Then came “The Slim Shady LP” in ’99, and boom – Eminem was everywhere.
Now, I’m not saying this new album is definitely killing off Slim Shady for good. But with a title like “The Death of Slim Shady,” you gotta wonder what Em’s got up his sleeve.
It’s been a minute since we got a full album from Eminem. His last one, “Music to Be Murdered By,” came out in 2020 and went straight to number one. It was packed with collabs – Young M.A, Ed Sheeran, Anderson .Paak, you name it. Then he hit us with a deluxe version later that year with even more tracks.
Em’s been keeping busy, though. He popped up at the Oscars to perform “Lose Yourself” (talk about a throwback), rocked the Super Bowl halftime show in 2022, and even did some stuff at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions.
So, what can we expect from this new album? Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. But if Em’s track record is anything to go by, it’s probably gonna be a wild ride. Will it be a new direction without Slim Shady? A final hurrah for the alter ego? We’ll find out soon enough.
One thing’s for sure – July 12 can’t come soon enough for Eminem fans. Whether you’ve been riding with him since the “Slim Shady LP” days or jumped on board later, this album drop is gonna be one to watch.
