Eminem has never been one to jump on trending topics, but the viral ‘Hawk Tuah’ meme fit too perfectly into his new album rollout.
The latest promo for the Detroit MC’s forthcoming LP The Death of Slim Shady (Coupe De Grâce) is centered on killing his early-career alter ego. In a clip shared to his Instagram profile on Wednesday (July 10), an unidentified person walks by gravestone marked “Slim Shady” and spits on it.
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In the caption, he wrote: “It feels so empty without him” HAWK TUAH #TheDeathOfSlimShady 7/12.”
This a reference to a video that traces back to last month, when when Tim & Dee TV asked 21-year-old Hailey Welch to name “one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time,” to which she replied: “You gotta give him that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang.”
Fans were rather surprised to see Eminem jumping on the trend, with one person writing “Did bro just type ‘hawk tuah,'” while another person added: “Wtf is happening now Eminem joined the ‘Hawk tuah’ trend.”
A third social-media user said: “no way Em is saying Hawk Tuah now too.. we’re doomed.”
Earlier this week, the D12 rapper shared the cover image for the upcoming LP. Per its title, said visual features the rap veteran with bleach-blonde hair and a startled expression on his face as he is almost fully zipped up inside a body bag while still alive.
This look alludes to his controversial Slim Shady character, which he now seems ready to retire.
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Earlier this year, Eminem kickstarted its rollout by releasing an obituary for the aforementioned alter ego that helped kickstart his career in the 1990s. Published in the Detroit Free Press back in mid-May, the piece was was centered on the forthcoming LP.
Accompanied by a picture of the 8 Mile star wearing a Jason Voorhees-style hockey mask reminiscent of his younger days, the article stated that “Fans ‘Will Never Forget’ [The] Controversial Rapper” in the subheading.
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So far, the D12 leader has released two singles to stir up anticipation for the upcoming project: “Tobey” (featuring Big Sean and BabyTron) and “Houdini.”
