Shady Records’ youngest artist shared a photo with 50 Cent, prompting fans to discuss a possible feature.
Behind the schedule
Three years ago, Eminem and Dr. Dre signed young Filipino-American rapper Ez Mil after being drawn to his versatility and musicality.
However, his first full project under Shady and Aftermath has yet to arrive. Shady Records released DU4LI7Y: REDUX, a reworked collection of songs from his earlier projects, with several new tracks added, including a joint with Eminem, “Realest”.
Of course, Eminem knows better than most how useful extra studio time can be. “The Real Slim Shady” only came together after Jimmy Iovine gave Eminem a couple more weeks to work on the album. But three years feels long for an artist fans were eager to see fully introduced.
Almost there
However, the wait might be over soon. After some cryptic messaging about his new music, Ez Mil dropped a new single. “Leon (Ka)” combines his rapping craft with confident guitar skills he developed when playing in a death metal band.
His lyricism might be more difficult to assess for a US audience, which is famously reluctant to pay attention to non-English lyrics. However, Ez Mil’s insistence on releasing a single in Filipino speaks volumes about his dedication to his roots and his ambition to bring Filipino-language rap to an international audience.
Expect the unexpected
In any case, many see “Leon (Ka)” as a possible lead single for the young rapper’s upcoming album. In the meantime, Ez Mil has been careful not to make any promises. We still do not know whether the album is coming, let alone its title, date, cover art, or a guest list.
Meanwhile, ome of his recent online posts may offer a hint. Ez Mil shared a photo with 50 Cent in his Instagram stories, captioning it “Shady Aftermath University”.
Indeed, there have been only two students at this university, as 50 Cent and Ez Mil are the only artists to have been signed to Shady and Aftermath at the same time. For the younger rapper, just talking to his older colleague would be an invaluable experience. Yet in the context of the new album possibly being rolled out, this photo immediately initiated a discussion about whether Fifty might appear on the project. After all, Ez Mil already has two tracks with Eminem. A 50 Cent feature would turn that Shady/Aftermath connection into something even bigger.