The 'Stan' hitmaker shows love for his hometown with the release of the second single from his highly-anticipated studio album 'The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace)'.
- Jul 3, 2024
AceShowbiz - In the midst of excitement for the release of his twelfth studio album, "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace)," set to drop on July 12, Eminem rolled out his latest single "Tobey," enlisting notable Detroit rappers Big Sean and Babytron for a nostalgic yet hard-hitting track.
Fans eagerly anticipated the midnight release of "Tobey," only to find it arriving 12 hours later. The single cover, a playful nod to a Spider-Man meme, hints at the song's theme.
Babytron kicks things off with a nod to the comic universe, "Tobey Maguire got bit by a spider but see, me? It was a goat." His verse, packed with references and a rock-infused beat, sets the energetic tone for the track.
Big Sean continues this thread with Star Wars-themed bars, adding depth to the Detroit allegiance, "If he Obi-Wan then I gotta be Yoda / Don't need no promoter, we pull up, they know us."
The torch is then passed to Eminem, who unflinchingly addresses his critics, "Ain't feeling your top five favorite rappers, so I know they 'bout to be pissed at me / But this to me is a mystery / How rappers I've already ripped could be higher up on a list than me." This verse likely targets remarks from Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, who claimed Eminem's top-five status is due to his race.
Eminem previously responded this jab on Ez Mil's "Realest," but on "Tobey" he takes it further, "So when I get dissed though by a pioneer who is one of the reasons why I am here / They tell me that I should just let the shit go and slide / Melle Mel shouldn't get no reply, that man is a legend / B***h, so am I." Eminem's candid reflections show he's not shying away from controversy.
"The Death of Slim Shady" signals an end to Eminem's long-standing alter ego. A trailer dropped in April, styled after "Unsolved Mysteries," alongside an appearance at the NFL Draft. The narrative suggests a symbolic final act for Slim Shady. This theme continued with a faux obituary in the Detroit Free Press and a promotional video featuring magician David Blaine to unveil the album's first single, "Houdini."
With production contributions from Dr. Dre and Luis Resto, "The Death of Slim Shady" promises a profound close to one of hip-hop's most iconic personas. "Houdini," reminiscent of his 2002 hit "Without Me," even debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, setting high expectations for the forthcoming album.
Stay tuned as Eminem prepares to deliver what might be the final chapter in the Slim Shady saga. With "Tobey" elevating the anticipation, there's no doubt the release will be an event to remember.
