WARNING: This story contains graphic language
Eminem released a surprise 13-track album, Kamikaze late on Thursday night.
The Detroit rapper announced it on Twitter, writing, “Tried not 2 overthink this 1 … enjoy.”
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Kamikaze, which is his second full-length studio album in eight months, was executive produced by Eminem and Dr. Dre.
Eminem’s new album also features some collaborations with Canadian singer Jessie Reyez, Detroit rappers Joyner Lucas and Royce Da 5’9” and Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon.
People on Twitter were quick to point out similarities between the 45-year-old rapper’s cover art and the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill released in 1986.
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Eminem takes aim at fellow rappers Lil Yachty, Drake, Lil Pump, Tyler the Creator, Joe Budden, Lil Xan, Machine Gun Kelly and more.
Eminem directs some rhymes at Cleveland rapper Machine Gun Kelly on the song, Not Alike.
“But next time you don’t gotta use Tech N9ne if you wanna come at me with a sub-machine gun/And I’m talking to you but you already know who the f*** you are, Kelly/I don’t use sublims and sure as f*** don’t sneak-diss/But keep commenting on my daughter Hailie…”
The lyrics stem from a 2012 tweet Machine Gun Kelly posted commenting on how attractive he thought Eminem’s daughter was. She was 16 years old at the time and Machine Gun Kelly was 21.
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He calls out many new rappers and takes aim at mumble rap, with insults coming for Lil Yachty, Lil Pump and Lil Xan.
“Get this f***in’ audio out my audio, adios/I can see why people like Lil Yachty, but not me though/Not even dissin’, it just ain’t for me/All I am simply is just an MC,” he raps on The Ringer.
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He continues: “Lil Pump, Lil Xan imitate Lil Wayne/I should aim at everybody in the game, pick a name” and “I heard your mumbling but it’s jumbled in mumbo-jumbo/The era that I’m from will pummel you/That’s what it’s comin’ to.”
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He calls out Drake in the title track referencing the Toronto rapper’s ghostwriting scandal: “Put me on a track, I go cray on it like a colour book/You got some views, but you’re still below me/Mine are higher so when you compare our views you get overlooked/And I don’t say a hook unless I wrote the hook.”
He also brings up Drake again in the track, where he raps: “All I know is I wrote every single word of everything I ever murdered/Time to separate the sheep from goats/And I got no faith in your writers, I don’t believe in ghosts.” Drake refers to himself as the G.O.A.T., which is an acronym for greatest of all time.
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In the song Kamikaze, Eminem mentions Tyler The Creator.
“Tyler create nothing, I see why you called yourself a — b**ch/It’s not just ’cause you lack attention/It’s because you worship D12’s balls, you’re sacrilegious/If you’re gonna critique me, you better at least be as good or better/Get Earl the Hooded Sweater, whatever his name is to help you put together/Some words, more than just two letters.”
In the same song, he threatens Shady recording artist Joe Budden: “Somebody tell Budden before I snap/He better fasten it/Or have his body bag get zipped/The closest thing he’s had to hits/Is smacking b**ches.”
Eminem also takes a special dig at U.S. President Donald Trump on The Ringer, alleging that he had the Secret Service investigate him, rapping: “Cause Agent Orange sent the Secret Service to meet in person/To see if I really think of hurtin’ him/Or ask if I’m linked to terrorists.”
The Real Slim Shady rapper references the Harvey Weinstein scandal in the song Not Alike, rapping: “I Harvey Weinstein, a bathrobe hanging open/My code name is groper, I roleplay with lotion/I f***** on the world then I throw away the Trojan.”
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Many music critics and the Grammy Awards were targeted by the rapper, both for criticizing his previous album 2017’s Revival.
“Are you really going just to deride everybody who, you don’t like what they have to say about you or the stuff you’re working on?” Eminem’s manager, Paul Rosenberg, asks on the skit titled, Paul. “I don’t know if that’s really a great idea, it’s like what’s next? ‘Kamikaze 2: the album where you reply to everybody who didn’t like the album that you made replying to everybody that didn’t like the previous album?’ It’s a slippery slope, I don’t know if it’s really a good idea.”
The skit appears to be a recorded voicemail message.
Eminem also criticizes his previous album himself, rapping on Fall, “How do I say this?/Last year didn’t work out too well for me.”
He continues on Lucky You, “I took an L when I dropped my last album/It hurt me like hell but I’m back on these rappers.”
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The Good Guy rapper also revealed that some of his music will be featured in the forthcoming Venom movie.
He posted a 15-second clip of his song Venom for the Marvel film.
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Eminem’s fans took to Twitter to discuss the surprise release of the album.
https://twitter.com/j4shelton/status/1035432522564419584
https://twitter.com/pons1pons1/status/1035469802104672259
https://twitter.com/Mad4HipHop/status/1035417499246817280
https://twitter.com/mimi_blak/status/1035535700249255936
https://twitter.com/Lyricoldrap/status/1035541956854775813
https://twitter.com/acidibre/status/1035533786317049857
https://twitter.com/NigelDPresents/status/1035537927252717568
Kamikaze is available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon and iTunes.
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