Eminem has continued the rollout for his new album by releasing an obituary to his fictional alter ego, Slim Shady.
Published in the Detroit Free Press, the obituary was written in promotion of Em’s upcoming 12th LP The Death of Slim Shady (Coupe De Grâce).
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The brief article, which was accompanied by a picture of Eminem wearing a hockey mask, reads: “Fans ‘will never forget’ controversial rapper. A product of Detroit who began his career there as a rogue splinter in the flourishing underground rap scene of the mid to late 1990s, Shady first became a household name in 1999 with the debut of his playfully deranged single ‘My Name Is,’ which — along with its uniquely eye catching video — exposed the young artist and his lyrics to a wider audience.”
The obituary continued: “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. May he truly find the peace in an afterlife that he could not find on Earth.”
Eminem announced The Death of Slim Shady (Coupe De Grâce) last month, shortly after his appearance at the 2024 NFL Draft which took place in his hometown of Detroit.
A teaser trailer for the project was released which took the form of a true crime show.
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In the clip, a reporter discusses Eminem’s controversial alter ego and says: “Through his complex and oft-criticized, tongue-twisting rhymes, the anti-hero known as Slim Shady has had no shortage of enemies.”
50 Cent then makes a cameo appearance and says: “He’s not a friend, he’s a psychopath.”
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The reporter continues: “The same rude lyrics and controversial antics may have ultimately led to his demise. Join me as we recreate the events that led to the murder of Slim Shady.”
Eminem then pops up at the end of the clip as a blurred talking head where he says: “I knew it was only a matter of time for Slim.”
Dr. Dre had earlier confirmed that Eminem would be dropping an album this year and that he was producing on it.
“He has an album coming out, I’ve got songs on it and it’s fire,” the producer said on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in March. “I’m actually gonna hear the entire album for the first time for tomorrow.”
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The Death of Slim Shady (Coupe De Grâce) will serve as the rap legend’s first studio release in four years following 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By.
Em also dropped the Curtain Call 2 compilation in 2022, along with a deluxe edition of The Eminem Show to coincide with its 20th anniversary.
