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Eminem

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Eminem’s latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coupe de Gråce), is the funeral rites for one of rap’s most popular and divisive characters.
Slim Shady, the foul-mouthed alter-ego of Detroit’s most famous MC, was first seen by the masses in the video for “My Name Is,” the debut single from Em’s major label debut, The Slim Shady LP. With a slightly eerie but bemused grin, Slim Shady told kids to “stick nine-inch nails through one of my eyelids.” From there, the character went on to help Eminem, né Marshall Bruce Mathers III, sell millions of albums with an ingenious mix of up-to-the-minute cultural commentary, razor-sharp wit, and a fondness for boundary pushing.

But as rap grew up, Eminem has had to reckon with a changing listenership that increasingly views Slim’s trademark blue bars as inappropriate and offensive. So, now at 51-years-old, Em’s decided that it’s the right time to say goodbye to his beloved alter ego for good. Earlier this year, his team took out an ad in the Detroit Free Press in the form of a fake obituary for Slim Shady that read in part, “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.”

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To properly say “peace,” Em decided to not only bring Slim Shady back in song, but in video form, too. “Houdini,” the first single from The Death of Slim Shady (Coupe de Gråce), is a throwback of sorts. Produced by Eminem and Luis Resto, it has the same feeling of Em singles of old. With a playful beat (partially lifted from The Steve Miller Band’s 1982 smash “Abracadabra”) that sounds like the music for a demented carnival ride, “Houdini” could be “Without Me Part 2.” The refrain at the top of the song even drives the point home by quoting that 2002 single: “Shady’s back. Tell a friend.” But what puts it over the top is the comic book-brought-to-life nature of the video, and the inclusion of a young Slim Shady starring alongside a modern-day Eminem.

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But just how did Eminem manage to recreate a version of himself from 20 years ago? With the help of AI and Metaphysic. Founded in 2021, Metaphysic offers a suite of tools that allows artists to create and manage digital versions of themselves that they can then manipulate and use for their own projects or license out to third parties for movies, tv shows, or other commercial projects.

Metaphysic Pro, its premiere offering, allows creatives and artists to, as the website says, create a “portfolio of high-quality data assets used to create your AI, voice, and performance.” So, if you were a platinum-selling rapper who wanted to protect your image and likeness against the pending artificial intelligence onslaught, you could register with Metaphysic to build a database of your face, voice, and performance videos from any point in your career. Metaphysic will then help you paper licensing deals with so you remain in control of your AI self.

Right now, the law is trailing behind the state of the art, so there is little to stop companies and rogue actors from exploiting celebrity’s image and and likeness. But if some third party decides to just create a digital version of you without your approval, Metaphysic will alert you to any instances they find on any social networks or video platforms. At a time when actors, musicians, and other creatives are increasingly terrified about unauthorized use of their face or voice, Metaphysic works to provide some sort of protection and control.

“We’re here to help people protect themselves and at least understand what’s going on,” says Ed Ulbrich, chief content officer and EVP of production at Metaphysic. He’s running to catch a flight, but is able to still exuberantly extol the virtues of Metaphysics and AI. “It is not unreasonable to believe that people should own their own likeness. They should own their own biometric data. They should have access to their AI self. They should be able to control it. And if you are an individual that is in command, we don’t own that. We maintain it for them, but it’s up to them if they want to license it to someone.”

On paper, Ulbrich is the last person you would expect to tout the benefits of the AI revolution. He went to art school and traditionally trained to be a painter, but when he got his first glimpse of CGI he knew everything was going to change. After short stint in advertising, he saw James Cameron’s 1991 blockbuster Terminator 2: Judgement Day and realized what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. So, after packing up and moving to L.A., Ulbrich managed to get a job with his filmmaking hero working at Cameron’s Digital Domain VFX shop. After rising to the role of CEO, he left to lead Deluxe Entertainment’s VFX and virtual reality teams.

In the over 30 years he’s worked in VFX, Ulbrich worked on some of Hollywood’s biggest movies including Titanic, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Black Panther, and most recently, Top Gun: Maverick. By all measures, he’s had a hell of a career, one that he believes may no longer be accessible to young artists.

Ed Ulbrich

Courtesy of Metaphysic

“I watched what I love doing back in the ’90s and the early 2000s become factory work,” he says. “The movie business expanded so much. No longer were we sitting with filmmakers in the theater [with] laser pens looking at shots and getting notes and helping craft the movie together with the directors. It became a global business. It became [a business where you had] to have factories all around the planet to get government rebates that get passed back to the studios. I found myself running manufacturing facilities. I never set out to do factory work. I went to art school.”

He believes the tools Metaphysics is building will bring about a “whole renaissance of creativity.” That brings us back to “Houdini.” The video for the lead single from Eminem’s 12th album was made possible by Metaphysic’s Live product — which allows for, among other things, real-time photoreal face swaps driven by live actor performances. The tool allowed Eminem to look 20 years younger without much time (or, according to Ulbrich, money).

Here’s how it works: The Metaphysics team first learns what exactly the scope of the project is, i.e. who is going to be de-aged or have their faceswapped. They then gather all the assets — old photos, videos, and audio samples, etc. — they need to build their models. It takes a little under two months for Metaphysic to train its AI model on all the collected assets. The team tests the model to make sure it looks accurate and works properly before setting up all its production equipment on location. Then it’s showtime.

“If you would have asked me if we could produce a video like this in the amount of time we had with the budget we had two years ago, I would have laughed,” he says.

Resources aside, the most impressive part of the video is just how lifelike and real the younger Slim Shady looks. Everything from his facial features to his movements could be mistaken for a real person. Ulbrich says that’s because it is: “People said, ‘You created Slim Shady!’ We did not create Slim Shady. Let’s be very clear … the real Slim Shady played the real Slim Shady. We just helped by giving him something that makeup couldn’t pull off. We let him play himself but through the interpretation of CGI or any other technology. It’s him playing him.”

To help Em channel his younger self, Metaphysics provided another other its products, the AI Mirror. Built around a huge 85-inch LED monitor, the AI Mirror has a camera and a soft light that work together to allow people to walk up and see live AI projected onto their face. So before the cameras started rolling, Em could see exactly what a young Slim Shady would look like and how he would move to help him better get into character. “You can see yourself 30-40 years ago looking right back at you,” Ulbrich says. “It’s pretty magical to actually go through that.”

Abracadabra, indeed.

Eminem is on track to secure his 11th U.K. No. 1 album with The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), according to the latest midweek charts.
The Detroit rapper is outselling his nearest rival more than three times over.

The album’s lead single, “Houdini” is set to perform another magic trick as it looks to reclaim the top spot on the Official Singles Chart for a third non-consecutive week.

Eminem‘s illustrious career, spanning 25 years, has seen him amass ten U.K. No. 1 albums so far, including The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), The Eminem Show (2002), Encore (2004), Curtain Call: The Hits (2005), Relapse (2009), Recovery (2010), The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013), Revival (2017), Kamikaze (2018), and Music to Be Murdered By (2020).

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In a fiercely competitive week, Glasgow, Scotland band Travis aims for their highest-charting album in 23 years with L.A. Times, currently sitting at No. 2. This could become their tenth Top 10 album in the U.K., following a string of successful releases since the late ’90s.

Newcomer Griff is also making strides with her second Top 10 album, Vertigo, which is tracking at No. 3. Meanwhile, Cat Burns is on the verge of her first Top 10 album with early twenties, currently at No. 4.

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Cigarettes After Sex look like they’ll achieve a career-best with their new album X’s, expected to enter the charts at No. 5. This marks a major leap from their previous albums, Cigarettes After Sex (2017) and Cry (2019), which peaked at Nos 27 and 36, respectively.

John Lennon’s 1973 album Mind Games is enjoying a resurgence, aiming for a new peak at No. 10 following a multi-format reissue. The album originally peaked at No. 13 upon its release 51 years ago.

Clairo’s third studio album Charm is set to be her first Top 40 entry, currently tracking at No. 12. Similarly, Cassandra Jenkins’ My Light, My Destroyer is aiming for a Top 40 spot, coming in at No. 15.

Teddy Swims’ debut album I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) is making a comeback, jumping to 31-28, thanks to the success of his new single “Funeral.” OneRepublic’s latest release, Artificial Paradise, is also making its mark, aiming for a Top 40 position at No. 29.

Liverpool, England’s STONE is poised to debut on the Official Albums Chart with Fear Life for a Lifetime, currently at No. 38, marking an exciting milestone for the rock outfit.

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Eminem has been very clear about his devotion to Detroit and has always paid homage to the city where he began his career as a battle rapper. Now a seasoned veteran, Eminem enlisted the services of Detroit’s younger generation of artists Big Sean and BabyTron to join him on the track “Tobey” and also appeared in a video with (the former?) Slim Shady.
The track “Tobey” is the second single from the upcoming The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), the 12th studio project from Eminem that drops Friday (July 12). Produced by Em, Cole Bennett, Car!ton, Daniyel, Marvy Ayy, and John Nocito, “Tobey” opens with a verse from BabyTron who delivers a strong verse followed by the pyrotechnics of Big Sean before both yield the anchor verse to Eminem.

Check out the video below.
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Photo: Getty

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Is Eminem strapped for cash?? We truly doubt it as the man has moved millions of records throughout his illustrious career. But when we heard he was collaborating with White Castle to move some new merchandise we were shocked and couldn’t help but wonder if this was a quick money grab endorsement for the GOAT white rapper.

The truth is Eminem has a brand new album titled The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) releasing this Friday (July 12). And to hype up his 11th studio album (12 if you count his very first project, Infinite), Eminem and White Castle have teamed up to release some exclusive tees and trucker hats that are sure to be a hit amongst his day-one fans.

Featuring the White Castle logo and colorway, the tees and hats are branded with the terms “White Rapper” (LOL) and the tagline “Buy ‘em by the ‘Sack.’”
Adding another nod to the iconic rapper, the back of the tee reads, “Established In 1972,” which happens to be the year that Marshall Bruce Mathers III (Eminem) was born. White Castle itself was established in 1921.
>While we’re not hating on the Eminem x White Castle collaboration, we’re low-key surprised Em didn’t take the opportunity to do such a collaboration with his restaurant, Mom’s Spaghetti. Sure, some people say the food is atrocious and the restaurant itself should probably be shut down, but Lord knows it could use the kind of promotion and marketing that only Slim Shady himself can provide. Just sayin’.
Check out the Eminem x White Castle collection, and let us know if you’ll be checking your local White Castle joint for the pieces in the comments section below.


Photo: Getty

Eminem has finally revealed the tracklist for his forthcoming album, The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), set to release this Friday, July 12.
The album, which promises to be a deep dive into the psyche of Eminem‘s notorious alter ego, Slim Shady, features 19 tracks that explore themes of rebirth, inner turmoil, and resolution.

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The tracklist was unveiled by Apple Music on July 10, just two days prior to the album’s release. It comes following Eminem’s reveal of the album’s cover art, which features Slim Shady’s head emerging from a body bag in what seems to be a metaphor for the end of one era and the beginning of another.

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The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) tracklist reads as follows:

Renaissance

Habits

Trouble

Brand New Dance

Evil

All You Got (skit)

Lucifer

Antichrist

Fuel

Road Rage

Houdini

Breaking News (skit)

Guilty Conscience 2

Head Honcho

Temporary

Bad One

Tobey (featuring Big Sean and BabyTron)

Guess Who’s Back (skit)

Somebody Save Me

One standout track that’s bound to get longtime fans excited is “Guilty Conscience 2,” a sequel to the 1999 hit that featured Dr. Dre. With Dre having previously confirmed his involvement in Em’s latest project, expectations are high for this fresh take on a classic collab.

In the lead-up to the album, Eminem has dropped two singles that have sparked conversations and fueled anticipation. “Houdini,” released on May 31, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Charts and quickly became a topic of discussion for its intricate lyricism and controversial references.

The track samples the Steve Miller Band’s “Abracadabra” while addressing hot-button issues such as the 2020 Megan Thee Stallion shooting incident and cancel culture.

The second single, “Tobey,” featuring Big Sean and BabyTron, was released on July 8, after initially being slated for July 5. The track marked Em’s first collaboration with Babytron and his fourth with Big Sean, following their team-up in 2017 on I Decided’s “No Favors,” Detroit 2‘s “Friday Night Cypher” and ShadyXV‘s “Detroit Vs. Everybody.”

As the release date rapidly approaches, both fans and industry insiders are filled with anticipation, eager to delve into the journey through the mind of one of rap‘s most iconic figures.

The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) is out July 12.

Eminem has once again demonstrated his enduring influence in the rap game with the release of his highly anticipated music video for “Tobey” on Monday (July 8). The track, featuring fellow Detroit natives Big Sean and BabyTron, has received major attention since its release and received the visual treatment that fans have been waiting for. […]

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Source: Amazon Music / Amazon Music
When Biggie Smalls asked, “What’s Beef?” he posed the question at the height of the East Coast/West Coast rap rivalry, which would ultimately result in the death of the Brooklyn MC—as well as Tupac Shakur.

But, does beef always have to end in death? Most Hip-Hop fans would hope not. The very nature of the culture is competitive, and rivalries can be thrilling and entertaining when they stay on wax. 

The recent rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has been one of those quarrels that has reenergized the culture and entertained Hip-Hop fans in a way not seen in years. 

SlotsUp online casino and Media Lab Insights recently prepared and shared statistics that detail the legacy of rap beef—by breaking the statistics and songs into eras which are marked by a major event. 
“These timelines were used to better understand the development of conflicts, success, and the demand for performance in the hip-hop industry,” the report notes. “Their comparison is focused on three main points: the technical aspect (the average tempo of the tracks (which can be calculated by the amount of bars, and the length), the profitability (the amount of platinum albums), and the risks involved (death rate).” 
Researchers at SlotsUp commented on the study. “Until our current era, the more beef was around, the more successful the artists were. Our current era is going against this pattern, with the same amount of deaths and diss tracks as the first era, but with more platinum albums. Over the years, Hip-Hop became less technically demanding, especially after 2004.  This study shows that conflicts aren’t always profitable, and violence can be avoided.” 
The first era was marked by what the researchers called “The Roxanne Wars” in the mid-1980s. Two of the most significant songs were “Roxanne, Roxanne” and “Roxanne’s Revenge.” However, cultural commentators say that there were up to 30 songs related to the beef. The only major death to come out of that era was Scott La Rock—whose murder has not been directly attributed to the beef. The clear winner of this battle was Roxanne Shante, who went on to a lengthy career and is credited as one of the foundational female MC’s.

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The second era was one of the most deadly. Lasting from 1992 to 1997, the beef sparked the true rise of the diss track. The research shows that diss tracks and deaths more than doubled while platinum albums skyrocketed to 35. The era saw 10 deaths, with three being the most prominent—Eazy E, 2Pac, and The Notorious B.I.G. The winner of this era could be seen as the recently disgraced Sean “Diddy” Combs as his Bad Boy imprint saw some of its biggest success following the death of B.I.G. This era also marked Hip-Hop’s biggest foray into the pop genre with an increase in record sales that would last for more than a decade—before the proliferation of streaming.
The third era, lasting from 1998-2004, featured the beef between Jay-Z and Nas. This era was also the most financially successful with more than 50 platinum albums. “Eminem was significant in this era,” as the study shows that the Detroit rapper released nine diss tracks. The winner of this era continues to be debated. However, the culture benefited from the end of the beef with Jay and Nas making several concert appearances together. 
Source: Bethany Mollenkof / Getty
The fourth era: 2005-2008, is one largely of peace—kicked off by the end of the beef between Jay-Z and Nas—two New York rap titans. Also worth noting is the average length of rap songs would begin to get shorter with many getting under the 4-minute mark. The fifth era from 2009-2012, was marked by the release of Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. It would be the second era that Eminem would be involved in numerous beefs including with Benzino and Mariah Carey. It was during this era that beef would escalate in southern states with one significant death being that of Slim Dunkin. 

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Era number six was from 2013 to 2019. The most significant beef was between Drake and Meek Mill. However, the two would eventually collaborate (again, since they were cool prior to Meek’s Twitter fingers) on “Going Bad.” This era is also marked by continued financial success with more than 40 platinum albums. The murder of Nipsey Hussle would mark the end of this era. 
Our current era began with the coronavirus pandemic, which affected the entire world but also highlighted the significance of “beef,” with the good-natured but often tense musical battles as part of the Verzuz series. But without question, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” is thus far the most powerful diss song of the era—but whether or not it’s over is still up for debate, and Drake. Fortunately, K. Dot did his victory lap by bringing gang members together on one stage as a show of unity at the conclusion of his pop out concert on Juneteenth. 

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Eminem is currently gearing up for his 12th studio release, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), and teased the “end” of his shock lyric persona of Slim Shady not long ago. On the new track “Houdini,” the Detroit wordsmith harkened back to his earlier days with a familiar bop but sparked criticism for making Megan Thee Stallion the butt of one of his jokes in rhyme form.
The track “Houdini, ” produced by Eminem and longtime collaborator Luis Resto, takes its sampling cues from the Steve Miller Band’s “Abracadabra” hit along with Slim’s tracks, “Without Me”, “My Name Is” and “Just Lose It.”
In one portion of the track’s first verse, Megan Thee Stallion has her name inserted with Em connecting her shooting incident using a layered simile as he’s known to do.
From “Houdini”:
And I don’t gotta play pretend, it’s you I make believeAnd you know I’m here to stay ’cause meIf I was to ever take a leave, It would be aspirin to break a feveIf I was to ask for Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with meWould I really have a shot at a feat? (Ha!)
It’s obvious where Em was going with the ending bar, referencing the Houston rapper’s foot injury after she was shot by Tory Lanez in 2020 after a star-studded party event. The line didn’t go missed by the Hotties and other observers who felt the swipe at the expense of a Black woman’s pain was over the top.
Eminem, in his Slim Shady persona, has never spared anyone’s personal business when it comes to his rhyme schemes and this time is no different. However, Megan Thee Stallion is one of the most beloved stars of her time so the reactions to the lyric came in hot.
We’ve got reactions from X, formerly Twitter, below.
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Photo: Christopher Polk / Getty

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Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty / Eminem
For his next trick, lyrical magician Eminem resurrected Slim Shady for his new single, “Houdini,” but some folks—mainly the Hotties—believe the rapper went too far trying to be clever.
After months of speculation, Eminem returned to the music scene with “Houdini,” the lead single off his 12th studio album, “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).”
The 51-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer uses the melody of Steve Miller Band’s 1982 hit “Abracadabra” in his new track and visual, reminiscent of his 2002 hit single “Without Me.”
In it, we see Eminem brings back characters like “Rap Boy,” his classic Slim Shady blonde hair, and even hops back in the Lamborghini for a rare appearance from his mentor, Dr. Dre, in the cameo-rich music video.
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As for the lyrics in the song, those familiar with Eminem’s style will not be shocked as the Detroit native aims at himself, Dr. Dre, and even his children on the track that reflects on his life in the 90s and current times.
In the song, he raps, “Sometimes I wonder what the old me would say if he could see how (expletive) is today.”
But one particular bar did raise eyebrows. In a clear but what many are calling shady way, Eminem mentions Megan Thee Stallion rapping, “If I was to ask for Megan Thee Stallion if she would collab with me, would I really have a shot at a feat?”
This is an obvious reference to Tory Lanez shooting Megan Thee Stallion, which he was found guilty of and is currently serving time in prison for.
Social Media Debates Eminem’s Megan Thee Stallion Bar
The double entendre stirred up Thee Stallion’s loyal fanbase, the hotties, and others. Fans of Eminem point out that this is something he always does, and no one is off-limits.
“This is trash on so many levels,” political commentator and slayer of Mayor Eric Adams, Olayemi Olarin, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Journalist Dee Barnes, whom Eminem’s homie, Dr. Dre, was charged with physically assaulting, also chimed in on the matter, saying, “Proving at that big age you’re only young once… but you can be immature forever.”

Some see no issues with Eminem’s Megan Thee Stallion bar. “Anyone calling this a “diss” didn’t listen to Em growing up,” one person wrote on X.
“I need yall to learn the difference between dissing and referencing… yall make my ass itch,” another post on X read.
Lover of all things Hip-Hop and NBA champion LeBron James loves the song, writing on X, “And just like that, HE’S BACK bruh!” @Eminem Houdini is too good!”

Of course, Bron Bron’s approval of the song also spurs reactions, with some wanting him to take back his positive critique of the single.

So, did Eminem diss Megan Thee Stallion? You can be the judge of that.
We are curious to see if Megan Thee Stallion says anything about it. She is currently on her Hot Girl Summer tour with GloRilla, selling out arenas.
Hit the gallery below for more reactions.

2. Hmmmm, points were made

3. Lol, damn