It looks as if Eminem's recently announced body of work, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), could be arriving sooner than we think. On Monday (May 20), the veteran emcee shared a cryptic text message on his Instagram account that seemed to confirm an upcoming release date. In the post, fans could see an invisible ink iMessage that revealed the phrase, "And for my last trick!" Just above it was a date stamp for May 31 at midnight, a presumed day and time for new music from the Detroit legend.
The cryptic teaser followed a couple of others over the past month, beginning with a spoof of a crime series in the vein of "Unsolved Mysteries." In that clip, an unknown man spoke about the demise of Eminem's iconic alter ego. "Through his complex and oft-criticized, tongue-twisting rhymes, the anti-hero known as Slim Shady has had no shortage of enemies," the man stated in deadpan fashion. "The same rude lyrics and controversial antics may have ultimately led to his demise. Join me as we recreate the events that led to the murder of Slim Shady."
Earlier this month, fans unveiled screenshots of an obituary from different newspapers, including The Detroit News and The Detroit Free Press. The obit spoke about Slim Shady as "the muse/rapper [who] 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," the obituary continued. "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 the world. May he truly find the peace in an afterlife that he could not find on Earth."