Shady’s back, but for how long?
Eminem dropped the first single from his upcoming “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)” album at midnight Friday, the bouncy, grouchy “Houdini.”
The track, anchored by the melody of the Steve Miller Band’s 1982 hit “Abracadabra” with shades of his 2002 hit “Without Me,” finds our hapless antihero (watch the cameo-rich video) in fresh, ribald form as he blasts through a typically amusing, primed to offend diatribe about his life in the ‘90s compared to the present.
The self-proclaimed “lyrical technician” offers “sometimes I wonder what the old me would say if he could see how (expletive) is today” while eventually telling listeners they – as well as Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre and his own kids – can F-off.
The guy famous for cutting down peers in his songs over the years hasn’t lost his venomous touch, roping in a double entendre with “If I was to ask for Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with me, would I really have a shot at a feat?” – a mean, if clever, reference to her being shot in the feet by Tory Lanez in 2020.
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How did Eminem announce his new album?
Eminem, 51, has crafted an elaborate rollout for his 12th studio album. During the NFL draft in April, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame rapper took advantage of the location – his Detroit hometown – to announce his new album, which he teased in a video styled as an episode of “Unsolved Mysteries.”
“Who killed Slim Shady?” it asked, while the host pointed to “rude and controversial antics” as one of the reasons for his demise. Eminem’s pal 50 Cent also appears, though he claims, “He’s not a friend. He’s a psychopath.”
Did Eminem write his own obituary?
On May 13, a faux obituary for Slim Shady appeared in the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, along with a photo of Eminem in overalls and a hockey mask. References were made to his music spiraling from “playfully deranged” to exposing fans to his “nihilistic worldview.”
The obit closes with: “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 the world.”
“The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)” is expected to be released this summer.
