Eminem Retires Slim Shady with ‘The Death Of Slim Shady’ Album

At the turn of the century, many Americans became familiar with Eminem not because of his own name, but because of his Slim Shady alter ego from his sophomore album The Slim Shady LP. Shady famously introduced himself on the breakout single “My Name Is” and has been a looming figure in Eminem’s music in the years since then. But after more than two decades, the Grammy-winning rapper has officially laid the persona to rest.

Eminem’s new album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) is out now and comes after months of him teasing the demise of his Slim Shady character. Back in May, he penned a hometown obituary for Shady in The Detroit Free Press mourning Shady’s passing. “[Slim Shady]’s 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,” the obituary read. “May he truly find the peace in an afterlife that he could not find on Earth.”

The album’s lead single “Houdini” arrived shortly thereafter, followed by the Big Sean and BabyTron collab “Tobey” earlier this month. Across the album’s hourlong runtime, Eminem channels Slim Shady to deliver the venom-filled bars fans have come to expect from the alter ego in the time since The Slim Shady LP. Other artists like Jelly Roll, JID, and Skylar Grey join the party along the way. Even his daughter Hailie Jade is featured on the project on “Temporary,” a love letter dedicated to her featuring old recordings of her as a girl.

When advising fans of how to best absorb the album upon its release, Eminem shared on social media how the project should be consumed to best follow the Death of Slim Shady narrative.

“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 said. “Enjoy.”

Source: The Detroit Free Press