As Eminem prepares to release ‘The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce),’ his first full-length studio album since 2020, his extensive and sometimes unexpected connections within the music industry come into sharper focus. Scheduled for release in summer 2024, with a reported date of July 5th, this new project follows an announcement trailer during the 2024 NFL Draft, which featured a cameo by 50 Cent, and suggests a conceptual theme around the end of his Slim Shady alter-ego. While no official tracklist or guest features have been announced for the album, past rumors for future projects have mentioned artists such as Adele, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg.
Eminem’s influence and admiration extend across genres, notably reaching country music legend Dolly Parton, whom he considers an “icon” and “superstar.” Parton, in turn, expressed an “unexplained connection” to Eminem, calling him “the very best” at rap, despite limited knowledge of the genre. Similarly, rock icon Chris Cornell admired Eminem’s music, considering him an “amazing artist.” Cornell would sing Eminem’s “Not Afraid” with his son, and his daughter, Toni, shared a video of their family singing Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love the Way You Lie.” Despite these mutual respects, there is no official record of musical collaborations between Eminem and either Dolly Parton or Chris Cornell.
Within hip-hop, Eminem’s strong professional connection to N.W.A. is well-documented, stemming from his protégé status under Dr. Dre. He contributed to the soundtrack for the film ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ which chronicled N.W.A.’s story. Rumors in 2015 suggested Eminem might join a reunited N.W.A. tour to fill in for Eazy-E, though these plans were denied by their representatives. More recently, DJ Yella of N.W.A. shared a picture with Eminem in 2022, but no collaboration was confirmed. Separately, Eminem has openly acknowledged the Beastie Boys as a significant influence, paying homage in his 2013 single “Berzerk” and by imitating Ad-Rock’s facial expression from their “Pass the Mic” video. His 2018 album ‘Kamikaze’ featured cover art that was a direct homage to the Beastie Boys’ ‘Licensed to Ill’ album. The Beastie Boys, who learned of the homage via text and were not informed beforehand, expressed being flattered. While Eminem initially did not appreciate the Beastie Boys’ album ‘Paul’s Boutique,’ he later recognized its “genius.” No musical collaborations between Eminem and the Beastie Boys are on record.
One of Eminem’s definitive collaborations, however, came with Dido on his 2000 hit song “Stan.” Eminem sampled Dido’s song “Thank You” for “Stan” without prior permission, subsequently sending her the completed track. Dido, who was a fan of Eminem, expressed that their collaboration mutually benefited both artists, and they performed the song live together. This unique partnership stands as a testament to the unexpected convergences that have shaped Eminem’s career.