Album Review: Eminem, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)

The latest album from platinum-selling Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem, sees his provocateur alter-ego return for one last rodeo, set to the backdrop of a supposedly PC-mad 2024.

How does his Slim Shadiness fare in our hypersensitive world?

The rapper’s matchless execution and flow do the heavy lifting, and sprinkled throughout are dark, laugh-prying lines which wouldn’t sound out of place on earlier Eminem records.

However, these tickling glimmers of Y2K shock-humour are overshadowed by instances of Shady trying his hardest to offend. The steadfast conviction that he’d be devoured by ravenous cancel culture is overblown, with references to ‘PC Police’ and a pronoun-obsessed Gen Z getting old fast.

Late actor and paralysis victim Christopher Reeve (who died twenty years ago) and Caitlyn Jenner are the most prominent punching bags of choice. They’re slagged off a myriad of times before the LP even hits the halfway mark around ‘Houdini’, making the disses feel tiresome rather than deplorable or outrageous.

Elsewhere, provocative language is supplemented by apologetic ad libs. In fairness, it’s all part of the album's overarching concept of modern-day Em clashing with Shady – as exhibited on ‘Guilty Conscience 2’ – but the dichotomy comes off as backtracking which takes the sting out of proceedings.

The Death of Slim Shady has its glimpses of greatness, and likely won't detract from Mathers’ overall legacy, but it’s an unbefitting funeral for one music’s greatest ever feather-ruffing characters.

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