Some Eminem fans are worried that the legendary rapper might retire after the release of his new album, “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).”
With a title like that, it’s understandable why fans might fear the worst, as it sounds like he’s bidding farewell to at least one of his musical personas.
Adding to the speculation is a promotional video for the track “Houdini,” where Eminem teams up with magician David Blaine and says, “For my final trick, I will make my career disappear.”
Several songs on the album directly address a world without Eminem. One track, “Temporary,” is a message to his daughter Hailie, offering her comfort for when he’s no longer around.
Other songs on the album seem to reflect on his life and what could have been if things had gone differently, while he also confronts his younger self.
Will he retire? We hope not. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) “The Death of Slim Shady” feels like a tribute to his career, with many fans noting that some tracks are reminiscent of his early days.
All of this has sparked fears that Eminem might be considering retirement, as an artist declaring an end to his career naturally leads to such thoughts.
This isn’t the first time he has hinted at the possibility of putting down the mic, as he previously mentioned he might retire at a certain age.
Eminem has suggested in the past that he might stop releasing music after turning 50.
“I will always love hip-hop. But how long can I keep doing it? I really can’t give you an answer,” he said. “But the day that this is not better than the day before, I will probably stop. I really love it. But even if I was rapping at 50 [years old], I don’t know if I would put it out. I know that it always makes me feel better to lay things down.”
“See, I’m a dinosaur. My fans could say it’s garbage. You don’t know how long people are going to want you around… Realistically, if I don’t rap, what am I going to do? It’s too late to be unfamous at this point.”
Now, at 51, he’s past that milestone and has just released a brand-new album, which might soothe some fans’ fears. But with a title like “The Death of Slim Shady,” you can’t blame them for wondering.
Ultimately, while the album’s themes have raised concerns about Eminem’s potential retirement, fans are hopeful that this isn’t the end of Slim Shady.
