Eminem’s 12th album “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce),” has stirred up considerable conversation among fans and critics alike. The Financial Times, gave it a mere three star review saying that the album brings back Eminem’s notorious alter ego, Slim Shady, for another round of rapid-fire rap, but lacks a narrative.
Still the 19-track set surges to No. 1 on Apple Music in 70 countries and the opening track Renaissance lands at No. 1 on Apple Music UK.
With the return of Slim Shady’s “deaths” narrative, “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce),” some speculate may be a signal of his final album or the very least it’s the 51 year old rapper putting to rest the Slim Shady character.
Eminem is one of the best-selling musicians in the US with the undisputed reign at the top of the industry happening circa 1999 and 2002, but many of his recent albums have not been well received.
On “Renaissance,” he critiques rap fans for being overly critical, and as the album gains momentum with “Habits,” where Shady kidnaps Eminem, he launches into a classic eminent spitting offensive at anyone in the news.
His alter ego exercise superior talent on tracks like “Guilty Conscience 2” like no other rapper in person day Drake and Kendrick era.
On “Trouble,” Shady taunts Eminem with, “You gonna cancel me, yeah? Gen Z me, bruh?” Eminem’s provocative nature is further evident in “Brand New Dance,” a relic from the 2000s that mocks disabled Superman actor Christopher Reeve. The Financial Times criticizes this track as “pointlessly exhumed.”
Where the album finds musical depth is the Dr. Dre produced “Lucifer,” featuring Sly Pyper which samples Land Of Honey, a 1971 track by Dutch duo Mouth and MacNeal.
As for the fans who have been eagerly awaiting a new album for the past four years and they celebrated on social media.
“I’m speechless,” one fan tweeted hours after the album’s drop. “25 years later, and it’s a full circle moment. Eminem delivers one of his best albums, showing us what Slim Shady does one last time.”
Another fan added, “He just dropped the best album within the last decade … Your favorite rapper can’t f–king compete,” while someone else praised, “Lyrics, wordplay, message, beats, production, all TOP TIER.”
Although the album has only been out for a few hours, listeners have already highlighted several tracks as fan favorites. The album’s closer, “Somebody Save Me,” featuring Jelly Roll, stands out, along with the previously released singles “Tobey,” featuring Big Sean and BabyTron, and “Houdini.”
However, the emotional “Temporary” appears to be the most beloved track featuring old recordings of Em’s daughter Hailie Jade, now 28, the song finds the hip-hop titan offering his daughter something to remember him by after his death. “I wrote you this song/ To help you cope with life now that I’m gone … How should I start? Just wanna say look after Alaina, Stevie, and Uncle Nate/ And sweetie, be strong,” he raps, referencing his two adopted children, 31-year-old Alaina and 22-year-old Stevie, as well as his half-brother Nathan.
Suffice to say, fans are overwhelmed with emotion. “Me hearing ‘Temporary’ and ‘Somebody Save Me’ after laughing and vibing for 45 minutes,” one listener wrote on X, sharing a gif of Matthew McConaughey sobbing in Interstellar.
