The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)

The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) is the upcoming twelfth studio album by American rapper Eminem. It is set to be released in 2024 through Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records.

The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)
Studio album by Eminem
Released	2024
Genre	Hip hop
Label	Shady Aftermath Interscope
Producer	Dr. Dre Eminem Luis Resto
Eminem chronology
Curtain Call 2 (2022) The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) (2024)
Singles from The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)
"Houdini" Released: May 31, 2024 "Tobey" Released: July 2, 2024

Background

Eminem's widely-known alter ego, Slim Shady, is referenced on many of Eminem's biggest breakout hits like "My Name Is" (1999) and "The Real Slim Shady" (2000). The image of Slim Shady is synonymous with how Mathers appeared as a young man on stage and in videos, a bleached-blonde buzzcut, white t-shirt and jeans. He appears provocative and in-your-face.

On March 19, 2024, long-time producer and collaborator Dr. Dre, while on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, revealed that Eminem was working on his next studio album and that it would be releasing in 2024.

On April 26, 2024, during the 2024 NFL draft event in his hometown Detroit, the rapper shared a video in the style of real crime show Unsolved Mysteries that poses the question "who killed Slim Shady?" referring to the rapper's alter ego. A reporter dressed in a trenchcoat lists the enemies Shady has made over the years with rapper 50 Cent commenting on the persona. The teaser also incorporated clips of "My Name Is" (1999), "Without Me" (2002) and "The Real Slim Shady" (2000). The album and tentative release date were announced at the end of the 56-second long video, along with the opportunity to pre-save the record. The killing of Slim Shady with a coup de grâce is an opportunity for the rapper to close a long-standing chapter in his career, recognizing that the character isn't as vital as he once was.

A fake obituary for Eminem's alter ego, Slim Shady, appeared in the May 13 issue of the Detroit Free Press newspaper as promotion for the album. Eminem is pictured in overalls and a hockey mask as his Slim Shady persona, while the obituary reads, "Ultimately, the very things that seemed to be the tools he used became calling cards that defined an existence that could only come to a sudden and horrific end. His 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."

On May 21, 2024, Eminem made a cryptic post to his social media, containing a video with an iMessage chat addressed to "All Contacts" with the message "...and for my last trick!" Eminem changed his social media profile pictures to match the rabbit-in-a-top-hat emoji used in the post. Following the post, fans took to social media to express their concerns and theories about Eminem's potential retirement.

Singles

On May 28, 2024, the rapper posted a joint video with magician David Blaine. The video shows a FaceTime between Eminem and Blaine, with the former asking for help and a magic trick to which the latter responds by eating a glass of wine. The rapper then previews the track "Houdini" by playing a short instrumental snippet. At the end of the clip, the song title and release date are revealed. It was released on May 31, 2024, as the lead single, along with an accompanying music video. The single was a commercial success, reaching the number one spot in twelve countries and on the Global 200.

On June 28, 2024, Eminem posted a teaser for the album's second single, titled "Tobey" and featuring fellow Detroit rappers Big Sean and BabyTron. The short black-and-white clip depicted the rapper wearing a Jason mask and wielding a chainsaw while standing next to the featured artists, with an instrumental snippet playing in the background. The song is scheduled to release on July 2, with an accompanying music video produced by Cole Bennett to follow on July 5.