The era of Eminem's alter ego Slim Shady is apparently coming to an end.
The rapper's upcoming album is evocatively titled The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), which makes his intentions for the character pretty clear.
But to really drive the point home, Em posted an official obituary for Slim in one of his hometown's main newspapers, the Detroit Free Press.
Titled "Slim Shady Made Lasting Impressions," the obituary reads like... well, an obituary, albeit kind of a dark one. The obit covers how the Slim Shady character emerged in the "deranged single" and music video for 1999's "My Name Is."
It goes on to say:
“That audience was soon exposed to the extreme darkness of the muse/rapper, as he led millions of music fans down a road that glorified a demonstrably nihilistic worldview."
The obit then announces Slim Shady's death.
“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."
"May he truly find the peace in an afterlife that he could not find on Earth.”
Ask pretty much any Gen Xer or Millennial and they'll tell you "My Name Is" was indeed a bit of a cultural reset back in 1999 when Eminem's major-label debut The Slim Shady LP dropped and launched Eminem's often chaotic and dark career.
Eminem - The Real Slim Shady (Official Video - Clean Version)youtu.be
Accordingly, the obituary has sparked a similar sensation—it was even run in the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and has taken Reddit by storm.
On social media, Eminem fans have lauded the creativity of the endeavor, and are eagerly awaiting the next chapter of Eminem that comes with it.
No official release date has been given yet for The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), but it seems like it just might be another cultural reset if the promotion so far is any indication.
