Eminem returned on Tuesday (July 2) with his second The Death of Slim Shady single, “Tobey,” alongside fellow Detroit residents Big Sean and Babytron. Batting third on the track, Em sliced up the ominous production and even appeared to address Billboard ranking him at No. 5 on the 50 Greatest Rappers of All-Time list, which was published last year.
“But this to me, is a mystery/ How rappers I’ve already ripped could be higher up on a list than me/ Yet I sit here on your list that went five, wished it was fine, but just know inside/ To me that s–t’s hilarious,” he spews.
It’s unclear who Slim Shady is targeting, but the four rappers ahead of him on the ranking (from four to one) are 2Pac, Nas, Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z.
Em also responded to Melle Mel’s criticism of Marshall Mathers being a top five rapper. Mel had said during an interview with The Art of Dialogue last year after Billboard‘s list published that he believes Em made it as high as he did on the list because he is white.
Raps Em in “Tobey”: “So when I get dissed though and by a pioneer/ Who was one of the reasons why I’m here/ They tell me I should just let that s–t go and slide/ ‘Melle Mel shouldn’t get no reply, that man is a legend’/ B—h, so am I.”
Mel explained his thoughts in the Art of Dialogue chat. “Obviously he’s a capable rapper. If you was talking about sales, he’s sold more than everybody. If you were talking about rhyme style, OK he got a rhyme style. But he’s white. He’s white,” Mel said. “So now if Eminem was another n—a like all the rest of us, would he be top five on that list when a n—a that could rhyme just as good as him is 35? That had records and all that? He’s 35. He’s white.”
“Tobey” will lead Eminem into the arrival of The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), which is hitting streaming services on July 12. “Houdini” served as the project’s lead single and gave Em his best-charting hit on the Hot 100 this decade when it debuted at No. 2.
Listen to “Tobey” below.