Eminem just took his promotion for “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)” to a whole new level – a fake obituary in a real newspaper.
This week, a space in the The Detroit News obituary section caught everyone’s eye. It was a solemn tribute to none other than Slim Shady himself.
The article reads like a darkly humorous eulogy for Eminem’s infamous alter ego. It traces Slim Shady’s journey from underground Detroit rapper to controversial superstar, highlighting his signature shock-rap style and nihilistic themes.
A product of Detroit who began his career there as a rogue splinter in the flourishing underground rap scene of the mid to late 1990s, Shady first became a household name in 1999 with the debut of his playfully deranged single ‘My Name Is,’ which — along with its uniquely eye catching video — exposed the young artist and his lyrics to a wider audience. That audience was soon exposed to the extreme darkness of the muse/rapper, as he led millions of music fans down a road that glorified a demonstrably nihilistic worldview.
Ultimately, the very things that seemed to be the tools he used became calling cards that defined an existence that could only come to a sudden and horrific end. His complex and tortured existence has come to a close, and the legacy he leaves behind is no closer to resolution than the manner in which this character departed this world.
May he truly find the peace in an afterlife that he could not find on Earth.
Of course, this is all part of Eminem’s elaborate marketing for his new album. The Detroit Free Press doesn’t actually have an obituary for Slim Shady in their online listing, but it is printed on paper. It’s a clever way to generate buzz and get fans talking and sharing the pictures of it online.
Eminem’s marketing stunt is a bold move, blurring the lines between reality and theatrics. While his team is leaning heavily into the morbidity of his previous album and a freshly announced project, it finds new ways to draw the public attention in a treu Slim Shady fashion.
