Eminem Announces New Album: The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)
Written by Jacob Payling, Edited by Millie Cain
On April 26th, Eminem (Marshall Mathers), released a trailer on social media teasing his new EP ‘The Death of Slim Shady’. In the crime documentary-style clip, a reporter discusses the mysterious death of Eminem’s bleach blonde alter ego, Slim Shady. The reporter points to Shady’s ‘rude lyrics and controversial antics’ as the potential cause of his demise. He later adds: ‘the murder has become one of the most infamous cold cases in American history’.
The trailer also features a cameo from one of Shady’s most famous associates, New
York rapper 50 Cent who describes the ‘blonde anti-hero’ as ‘not a friend’ and a
‘psychopath’. At the end of the viral clip, Eminem is revealed as a murder witness as he leans out
of a pixelated part of the screen. Not only this, he has ran an obituary in the paper edition of The Detroit News, describing how “His complex and tortured existence has come to a close”.
The album’s French subtitle, Coup de Grâce, which translates as ‘a final blow or
shot’, has incited hysteria amongst fans. His closest followers fear this could be the
final release of an illustrious 36 year career. Eminem’s ‘Slim Shady’ persona first debuted on his 1997 release Slim Shady EP. The record sparked the interest of West-coast rapper and producer Dr. Dre but failed to achieve any real commercial success.
Two years later, Mather’s released the track ‘My Name Is‘ as a single from his album
The Slim Shady LP. Despite its controversial lyrical content, the record won Best
Rap Solo Performance at the 2000 Grammy Awards and propelled him towards
stardom.
Eminem went on to dominate the noughties, producing hits such as ‘Without Me’
(2002), ‘Mockingbird’ (2004), and ‘Not Afraid’ (2010). His brash attitude and
willingness to speak his mind captured the attention of teens across the world. His
intricate wordplay even inspired the likes of J Cole and Logic to pick up the mic and
spit.
Despite releasing some of the most recognisable rap verses of all time, recent years
have not been so kind to the Detroit native. A decade-long feud with rapper Machine
Gun Kelly involving several diss tracks has tainted his legendary status. Equally, his
surprise album ‘Music to Be Murdered By‘ (2020) received overwhelmingly negative
reviews.
Many internet trolls have decided he has ‘fallen off’, with some even calling for the
51-year-old ‘Rap God’ to put down the pen and retire.
The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) will be released later this summer.
Let’s hope we’ll be able to lose ourselves in the music.
