'The Death of Slim Shady': Controversial Legacy of Eminem's Peroxide Blonde Alter-Ego

1 day ago

Alex Taylor, journalist at BBC News Culture

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Twenty-five years after bursting onto the scene, it appears rapper Eminem's provocative alter ego, Slim Shady, may finally be silenced.

Antagonist Slim Shady, with his peroxide blonde hair and plain blue jeans from Eminem's self-proclaimed "white trash" upbringing.

In a surprise announcement from April, presented as fake murder news. report, Eminem has revealed that his new album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), will be released this summer.

And on Friday, Shady once again said "guess who's back" - reappearing to wreak havoc on the album's first single, Houdini.

With cameos from rap icons Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent as well as comics Pete Davidson and Shane Gillis, Eminem comes face to face with the rap anti-hero he created.< /p>

The title of the new album suggests a completely violent end for Slim Shady, the rapper himself even concluding: "I knew it was only a matter of time."

So, as his alter ego rises for the last time, how should we understand his legacy?

Rapping became an escape when he was a teenager, after a childhood of strained parental relationships and bullying.

He tried to break into the music scene and felt "crushed" when Vanilla Ice became the face of white solo rap in 1990, his pop-party track Ic...