Eminem unleashes horror and heartbreak in “The Death of Slim Shady”
Eminem presents new album and explains “The Death of Slim Shady”
Eminem’s return to music is confirmed with a brand new album titled “The Death of Slim Shady” coming out this summer.
Bang Showbiz
Eminem has a few things to get off his chest. Namely the presenter Slim Shady, his alter ego, who was born in 1999 on “The Slim Shady LP” and the cartoonish first single “My Name Is”.
This role shaped a significant part of the Detroit rapper’s career, particularly his bouncy 2000 hit single “The Real Slim Shady.”
But with his 12th In his studio album “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)”, released on Friday, Eminem delivers the proverbial death blow with his typical combination of skillful rhyming, decidedly apolitically correct allusions and crude humor on 19 tracks – including three sketches and a scene-filling opening.
He’s a lyrical boxer throughout—except when he’s rapping tearfully about his daughter Hailie Jade—and peppers his insults with sarcasm.
“Kendrick’s album was cool, but there were no bangers/Wayne’s album or Ye’s, I couldn’t say which was lamer/Joyner’s album was cheesy, Shady’s new shit is way worse,” he unfolds on “Renaissance,” the opening track that recalls the pumping backdrop of “Lose Yourself.”
But these aren’t disses, just Eminem’s attempt to distance himself from Slim Shady, a shadow who has voiced his displeasure about pronoun use, transgender people, and people with disabilities. Sometimes, though, it’s unclear who’s spewing the anger – Eminem or Slim Shady?
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Eminem asks who is responsible for his “crazy brain”
Before the album’s release, Eminem noted that “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)” was designed to be listened to from beginning to end or it wouldn’t make sense.
To best experience Slim Shady’s slow demise and better understand why he ponders over the lurking beat of “Evil,” follow his advice: “Who’s to blame for my broken brain?”
Eminem mentions Megan Thee Stallion (who also appears on the album’s first single, “Houdini”) and Nicki Minaj with a childish sexual innuendo on the rollicking “Antichrist,” and directs his ire at overweight people on the tempestuous “Road Rage” (“Raise your hands if you’re stuffing food in your mouth right now”), which also features a conversation between Em and Slim Shady in a sort of whiplash fashion.
Those who have been anticipating Guilty Conscience 2, his follow-up to his 1999 collaboration with Dr. Dre, will appreciate the numerous throwbacks to that era, in which he veers between thoughtful (“Why does it always feel like I’m being tortured?”) and insulting, like “old habits come back.”
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Eminem’s strongest songs are about his children
But the two strongest songs on an album that requires repeated listens to fully understand are about his daughter Hailie Jade.
At the beginning of “Temporary,” audio recordings of Eminem and his then-young daughter are used to immediately transport listeners, who have been part of his circle from the beginning, back to songs that reference them (including “Hailie’s Song,” “My Dad’s Gone Crazy,” and “Kim”).
As the beautiful piano song unfolds, Slim Shady implores his daughter – who in real life recently got married – to “be strong,” while also assuring her that he is still her “rock” even though he’s gone (“Saying goodbye is just never easy”).
Singer Skylar Grey, whose history with Eminem dates back to 2010 when she co-wrote his “Love the Way You Lie,” brings beauty and tenderness with her angelic vocals. “Temporary” is the most memorable song on “The Death of Slim Shady” because it allows Eminem to drop the slapstick and explore his vulnerability – something not often seen on the album.
Except for the final track, “Somebody Save Me.” Featuring the chorus of Jelly Roll’s heartbreaking 2020 hit “Save Me,” Eminem once again bare his throat as he apologizes to all of his children (“I don’t even deserve the title of father”) and laments his years wasted on drugs. (You can already imagine Eminem and Jelly Roll singing the song at the Grammys.)
As promised, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) reveals the horrors and suffering of Slim Shady one by one, and while it’s not exactly a walk in the park, it’s one you should experience many times to fully understand.
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Jennifer Lopez rocks her summer outfit while cycling in the Hamptons
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