Eminem’s latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), has taken the music world by storm, with fans calling it “the best album of the decade.” Released just yesterday, the rapper’s 12th studio album features 19 tracks, including previously released singles Tobey and Houdini, along with a sequel to his 1999 hit “Guilty Conscience” featuring Dr. Dre.
While many fans are hailing the album as some of Eminem’s best work, not everyone is pleased—one particular lyric has stirred controversy.
Eminem Faces Backlash for Lyric About Halyna Hutchins’ Tragic Death
One of the album’s tracks, Fuel, references the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust. The incident, involving actor Alec Baldwin, resulted in Hutchins’ tragic death.
In the song, Eminem raps:
“But it’s in a holster, I proceed to bust it / Fk around and get popped like Halyna Hutchins / Like I’m Alec Baldwin, what I mean is buckin’ you down, coup de grâce then.”**
The lyric has been met with outrage from some listeners, who have called it “sick” and “tasteless.” The controversy comes just as a judge dismissed Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter case, following accusations that the prosecution concealed evidence.
I was just gonna checkout Eminem’s new album. But hearing him bring up Halyna as a Mockery. Been rocking with dude since the 90’s, but he literally is the most Miserable mofo on the Planet. Let them losers stream his shit.
— Jennifer Gump (@Gumpster1987) July 12, 2024
bro i love eminem but was this shit necessary??? like halyna didn’t need to be mentioned … pic.twitter.com/SFOZLvIcFl
— a l e x i s 🌷🌿 (@lillardism_) July 13, 2024
Eminem’s Warning About the Album’s Concept
Ahead of the album’s release, Eminem issued a PSA on social media, warning fans that The Death of Slim Shady is a concept album and should be listened to in order for full understanding.
“Public service announcement: the ‘death of slim shady’ is a conceptual album, therefore, if you listen to songs out of order they might not make sense. Enjoy.”
The message sparked mixed reactions, with some agreeing and others joking about skipping around the tracklist.
A Major Release for Hip-Hop’s Biggest Artist
Despite the controversy, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) is making waves, further cementing Eminem’s legacy. With over 220 million records sold, the Saint Joseph, Missouri native remains one of the most successful artists of all time. His last album, Music to Be Murdered By, was released in 2020, making this his first full-length project in four years.
As The Death of Slim Shady continues to dominate discussions, fans and critics alike are debating whether this album will go down as one of his greatest—or one of his most controversial.
