Eminem is ending the year 2020 the same way he started it- surprising fans with a midnight gift.
“Music to be Murdered By – Side B (Deluxe Edition)” released this Friday morning, giving a 16-track addition to January’s “Music to be Murdered By.”
The Detroit rapper was silent about the new album, before its Friday at midnight arrival, In spite of the social media speculation of its existence.
It points the second-shortest gap between studio albums in the rapper’s career, defeated only by the eight-month turnabout of “Revival” and “Kamikaze” in 2018.
Dr. Dre and Eminem as executive producers, the deluxe edition of the album features collaborators like Skylar Grey, DJ Premier, White Gold, Dr. Dre along with Dallas rapper MAJ and Ty Dolla Sign.
This new album is inspired from 1958’s “Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Music To Be Murdered By,” which presented macabre readings by the late director. “Hitchcock’s Theme” finds Eminem, rhyming on top of the theme tune to the TV series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”
The midnight release followed a spurt of social-media hints and online speculation this week- signs that something was going to happen. Among the leads was a post from Dem Jointz, who shared an Instagram picture showing projects that he worked on this year, and it included Side B cover. Rapper Kxng Crooked also shared a press release with a tracklist, featured artists and release date earlier this week via Twitter.
Eminem’s two recent albums, 2018’s Kamikaze and 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By, were also released without advance warning.
Eminem collaborated with Kid Cudi for the track “The Adventures of Moon Man and Slim Shady,” in July. Earlier this year, Eminem was featured in the song “Coffin” with Jessie Reyez.
