A PSA on Eminem’s social media accounts informs fans about a Slim Shady vinyl combo ready to drop this Monday.
Two Volume Collection
The date is not random – in 1999, on February 23, Interscope released The Slim Shady LP, Em’s major label debut that thrust him into the public eye, attracting admiration, attention, and hate all at once. That was when Slim Shady was introduced to the wider audience. And now Em is pairing this release with the project that marks the end of Slim’s story.
The post starts with the words familiar to anybody who ever played The Slim Shady LP from the very beginning:
“This is a public service announcement, brought to you in part by Slim Shady”. After this nod to Em’s classic work, scarce description follows: “The Shady LPs, featuring The Slim Shady LP and The Death of Slim Shady – coming 2/23”.
What Is Still Unknown
That’s it. No link to pre-order – and there is no page for it on the website. No clear indication that it is a vinyl release – but the fans hope so, because the picture that went up with the post shows an album cover that looks like a double LP envelope. It features the legendary design motive created by SKAM2? for the original Slim Shady LP. He talked with us in length about creating some of the artwork’s vivid characters, explaining where the idea for the Mummy came from and why he had to redraw the trailer.
There is also no information on the track list. Most probably, because it is not going to be different from the official album releases. Some very optimistic fans hope to see a couple of bonus tracks to tie the two albums together. Still, it is very unlikely, given the history of previous anniversary releases.
Is This the End?
So, the beginning and the end of the Slim Shady story come out together, under the same cover, like perfect bookends. Should we be worried that this is the last chapter? Surely, not. While thematically these albums are close, we know that Slim’s story started with an EP (which, by the way, many collectors would love to see re-released).
But even more importantly, Marshall is not a one-trick pony. His most successful songs do not feature Slim Shady, and Eminem still has his own unique voice and a lot to say. If anything, it might be a symbolic end of the chapter, the end of the TDOSS era – before the beginning of a new one, which would start with the release of Em’s new album.
