Eminem,Conway The Machine and The Alchemist might have something cooking. On Friday (February 26), an Instagram photo of the talented trifecta started making the rounds, immediately sparking collaboration rumors. Conway only fueled the flames by resharing the post and adding a “shh” emoji in the caption.
But the prospect has yielded mixed reactions — some don’t want Slim Shady involved at all while others will only welcome Em into the fold if “Conway can make Eminem rap and not be rich and corny.”
Still, there were plenty of fans who can’t wait to see what comes to fruition and even more who were enthralled with the idea of Em “finally rapping over some fire beats.” While Alchemist has been Shady’s tour DJ for years, the seasoned producer has only help craft a handful of songs for him, more recently the Music To Be Murdered By cut “Step Dad.”
Conway and the rest of his Griselda brethren signed a distribution deal with Shady Records in 2017, but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. After expressing his frustration with the label on numerous occasions, Westside Gunn appeared on The Joe Budden Podcast in November 2020 and officially announced he was no longer affiliated with the label.
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“Um, I’m off Shady,” he said at the time “I’m off Shady. I’m actually a free agent. It feels great. Who Made The Sunshine was it. I already spoke to Paul [Rosenberg]. Everything’s good. Like, everything’s signed, sealed and delivered I have my paperwork, like I’m off Shady.
“I’m one of those type of dudes I’m not no public talkin’ n-gga. That’s just how I move. It’s like sayin’ me and Benny or me and Conway or Conway and Benny or whoever, we might have a disagreement, but the world will never know. We still gonna be brothers and cousins. It’s the same way even with business, because at the end of the day, this a big world. Even if somebody else is a sucka, I’m never gonna play that sucka role.”
As for Benny The Butcher, he’s preparing to release his new EP Plugs I Met 2 on March 19, but there’s no Shady affiliation either. Meanwhile, The Alchemist is likely anticipating the Grammy Awards later this month where he and Freddie Gibbs are up for a gilded trophy in the Best Rap Album category for Alfredo.