Eminem finally released his long-awaited single “Tobey” today.
The rapper announced the song via a trailer a few days ago, telling fans that a Cole Bennett-directed music video is on the way. While we wait for the video, audio of the song is now available everywhere, including from Michigan emcees Big Sean and Babytron. Stream it live below.
The song is an unconventional arrangement that features very familiar sounds from hip-hop. Still, this unique arrangement lends itself well to a certain musical freedom that allows room for sonic storytelling. The producers tell us a story very clearly, crescendoing everything, rising and falling to compliment Sean and Shady’s narrative.
The rappers can be heard talking about their respective journeys in the rap game. While Big Sean seems to be bucking the rap climate and taking on subs on people we don’t want to guess, Babytron supports the song’s overall narrative in a slightly more understated way.
Eminem, however, was full of energy, going head-to-head with his collaborators and reaffirming his status as one of the most legendary hosts of all time. In doing so, Eminem can be heard talking about his feelings of being left out of the conversation and not being impressed by people’s “top five” since his legacy is the reason most of them are even in the conversation .
Last night, Em revealed that his new album, The Death of Slim Shady, will be released on July 12th. The “Tobey” music video will be released on Friday, July 5th.
