Eminem joined by Big Sean, BabyTron on new song 'Tobey' as ‘Slim Shady’ release set

Portrait of Brian McCollum Brian McCollum
Detroit Free Press

Days after teasing a new song release, Eminem has dropped the next track from his forthcoming album — this time with assists from fellow Michigan rappers BabyTron and Big Sean.

“Tobey,” the second single from Eminem’s upcoming “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce),” arrived at noon Tuesday, a day after the Detroit rapper revealed the album’s July 12 release date. The new song follows the May release of “Houdini,” which clocked in at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 to become Eminem’s best chart performance in more than a decade.

Cover of "Tobey" single by Eminem, Big Sean and BabyTron, released July 2, 2024.

Over a tick-tocking instrumental whose simmering urgency never quite gets relieved with a beat drop, the four-minute “Tobey” launches with verses from BabyTron and Big Sean before getting handed over to Eminem.

Warning: explicit lyrics.

The new song’s title is a nod to “Spider-Man” actor Tobey Maguire, who’s also referenced throughout the lyrics, while the cover art pays homage to a famed double-identity Spider-Man meme plucked from a ’60s cartoon.

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At one point, Eminem references last year’s beef with hip-hop trailblazer Melle Mel, who questioned the Detroit star’s status as one of history’s top rappers.

The “Tobey” music video, directed by Cole Bennett, will be out Friday, Universal Music announced.