Did Eminem Diss Kendrick Lamar in His Latest Album?

Fans are buzzing with speculation that Eminem took a shot at Kendrick Lamar on his new album The Death of Slim Shady (Coupe de Grâce). But did he really?

On Friday, July 12, Eminem returned with his latest album The Death of Slim Shady (Coupe de Grâce). The album opens with the intro track “Renaissance,” where Slim Shady name-drops several rappers. Eminem’s lines have caught the attention of many: “‘Cause I don’t see no fans, all I see’s a bunch of complainers/’Kendrick’s album was cool, but it didn’t have any bangers,'” he raps on the Luis Resto-produced track. “‘Wayne’s album or Ye’s, couldn’t tell you which one was lamer/Joyner’s album was corny/Shady’s new sh*t is way worse/Everything is either too tame or there’s too much anger/I didn’t like the beat, so I hated Might Delete Later/You nerdy pricks would find somethin’ wrong with 36 Chambers/It’s what they do to the greats/Pick apart a Picasso and make excuses to hate/So you can wait for your flowers until you’re blue in the face.'” While some people interpreted this as a diss, Eminem seems to be speaking in the third person through the perspective of a hater.

Eminem’s new album comes after the release of the project’s lead singles, “Houdini” and “Tobey,” which dropped on May 31 and June 28, respectively. “Houdini” is named after the famed escape artist Harry Houdini and samples Steve Miller Band’s 1982 song “Abracadabra.” Eminem also released a humorous music video to accompany the single’s release.

Regarding “Tobey,” Eminem dropped a cinematic visual for the Big Sean and BabyTron-assisted track on July 8. Directed by Cole Bennett, the video features appearances from all three Detroit natives and captures the rappers around what seems to be Eminem’s childhood home at 19946 Dresden St. in Detroit.

Overall, the latest LP from Eminem includes 20 songs and features guest appearances from JID, Skylar Grey, and others. It also features a sequel to the track “Guilty Conscience.” Marshall Mathers has hinted that this might be his last album. He even connected with legendary magician David Blaine in May for an unusual FaceTime call to tease the release of “Houdini.” In the call, they discussed how Eminem could magically make his career disappear. The promo trailer concluded with Blaine chewing on a wine glass to the astonishment of onlookers.

Fans and critics alike are dissecting every word of Eminem’s new album, trying to determine whether there’s any underlying beef with Kendrick Lamar or other rappers mentioned. While the debate continues, one thing is clear: Eminem’s latest work stays true to his legacy of pushing boundaries and provoking thought.

Check out Eminem’s new song “Renaissance” below and decide for yourself if there’s a diss hidden within his words.

Source: Newsbreak, Townsquare Media