Eminem, the rapper known for his rapid lyrical delivery, has released his 12th studio album, “The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).”
The album, which dropped today, features 19 tracks. It marks a new chapter in the artiste’s career as he bids farewell to his alter ego, Slim Shady.
End of an Era
Slim Shady got introduced to the world in 1999. With the release of “The Slim Shady LP” and the single “My Name Is,” has been present throughout Eminem’s career. Known for his dark humour, Slim Shady has been both a creative outlet and a source of controversy for Eminem. With this new album, Eminem appears to put this persona to rest.
Hours before the album’s release, Eminem made a post on X urging fans to listen to the album in its intended sequence. “Public service announcement: the ‘death of Slim Shady’ is a conceptual album. Therefore, if you listen to songs out of order they might not make sense,” he wrote. “Enjoy.”
Album Highlights
One of the album’s most memorable moments comes in the track “Somebody Save Me.” Eminem offers an apology to his children for not being a present parent. He also apologises for his struggles with substance abuse. In verse 1, he raps, “Another pill as I start to spiral / Message to my daughters / I don’t even deserve the father title / Hailie, I’m so sorry / I know I wasn’t there for your first guitar recital / Didn’t walk you down the aisle / Missed the birth of your first child / Your first podcast, lookin’ down, sweetie / I’m so proud of how you turned out / Sorry that I chose drugs and put ’em above you / Sorry that I didn’t love you enough to / Give ’em up, how the fuck do / I not love you more than a pill?”
Eminem has only one biological child, which is his 29-year-old daughter, Hailie. The rapper also has two adopted kids, Alaina and Stevie Mathers.
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The album also features several tributes and controversial moments. In the track “Fuel,” featuring J.I.D, Eminem pays homage to The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac. He also insinuates that Diddy had a hand in their deaths. “R.I.P., rest in peace, Biggie and Pac, both of y’all should be living / But I ain’t tryna beef with him / Cause he might put a hit on me like Keefe D did him,” Eminem raps.
In “Guilty Conscience 2,” a sequel to the original “Guilty Conscience” from 1999. Eminem starts a feud with rapper Ja Rule. He referred to him as a “midget.” He also puts an end to all his past rap beef with rappers like Machine Gun Kelly, Christopher Reeves, Nick Cannon, Limp Bizkit, Will Smith, Canibus, and Lord Jamar.
Additionally, the album’s controversial moments include Eminem’s comments on the track “Trouble.” He makes remarks about blind, deaf, and disabled people. “Fuck blind people (What?), and deaf people suck (Stop, yeah) / So do cripples (No), dumb quadriplegic fucks / With Christopher Reeve’s luck (Woah, woah-woah-woah-woah) / Shady, Jesus, what the fuck? / Oh, here comes Marshall to try to clean this up,” he raps, before adding, “You gonna cancel me, yeah? Gen-Z me, bruh?”
In “Lucifer,” produced by Dr. Dre, Eminem also calls out political commentator Candace Owens. She made comments about him being “gay.” He raps, “And Candice O, I ain’t mad at her / I ain’t gon’ throw the fact b—h forgot she was Black back at her / Laugh at her like them crackers she’s backin’ after.”
Furthermore, in the track, “Tobey” featuring Big Sean and Babytron, Eminem criticises Billboard. They ranked him as fifth on their list of Greatest Rappers of All-Time. “How rappers I’ve already ripped could be / Higher up on a list than me / Yet, here I sit on your list though at five, which still is fine / But just know inside, to me, that s-t’s hilarious.”
In “Habits,” a 5-minute track, Eminem raps about his addiction and asserts that despite his issues, he has been a good father. “Calling Shady misogynistic / While raisin’ three daughters / two graduated from college with honours.”
Despite the album’s controversial moments, “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)” is an album that sees Eminem confronting his past, addressing his numerous rap beefs, praising his children, and getting rid of his alter ego.
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