Eminem's The Death of Slim Shady album a mixed bag, say critics

Can you believe it's finally happening?

Eminem's newest album, The End of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), has just come out and is receiving varying feedback from critics.

In the 12th album of the American rapper, his alternate personality Slim Shady is portrayed as dead - the album cover displays Shady in a body bag, and in the music video for Tobey, Eminem uses a chainsaw on him.

Clash said the album "external" was a bit of everything, they mentioned it was a good way to please fans but also let down some listeners.

"It doesn't feel like a final chapter, but it also doesn't feel like a direct sequel," stated Robin Murray.

An album that is a mix of different styles and sometimes confusing, it showcases some of Eminem's greatest rapping in the past ten years – his quick, detailed flows are always exciting – but his lyrics are not as sharp as they used to be.

Before the album came out, Eminem told his fans that this is a "concept album" and that the tracks should be heard in a specific sequence.

The 19 songs on the album feature songs that have been released before, like Tobey and Houdini, as well as a follow-up to his popular 1999 song Guilty Conscience with Dr. Dre.

Billboard rated the second song, external, as one of the top tracks on the latest album and mentioned that while it may not be the original version, it is still a great follow-up.

At a certain moment, Slim Shady criticizes Marshall for inventing him as a separate persona to provoke controversy and basically be a shield to say shocking things that he didn't truly have the guts to express.

According to USA Today, outside of his 51 years, he is described as a "lyrical fighter, except when he gets emotional and raps about his daughter Hailie Jade".

The track Temporary kicks off with vintage recordings of the rapper conversing with his young daughter.

Melissa Ruggieri mentioned that this song stood out the most on the album because it allows Eminem to set aside his usual act and show his emotional side - something that is not often seen on the rest of the album.

Eminem urges his 28-year-old daughter to stay resilient and assures her that he will always be there to support her.

In his song Fuel, Eminem mentions the numerous accusations of sexual assault made against rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs.

"I'm a skilled MC with many admirers/I have a lot of followers/Wait, did he just misspell the word 'rapper' by leaving out a 'P'?" - as stated in the lyrics.

The website Pitchfork noted that Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, is confronting his past controversies while also stirring up new ones.

The song Antichrist goes out of its way to be offensive with mentions of pronouns, social awareness, and the disturbing video of Diddy assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie at a hotel in 2016.

In a recent video, Mr. Combs, a prominent figure in the rap industry, expressed remorse for his unacceptable behavior. He has also refuted any claims of sexual misconduct.

The Independent's critique of the album only awarded it two stars and described the rapper as "aiming low, lacking joy, and lacking in creativity".

In the blog post about The Death Of Slim Shady, Stevie Chick compared it to a newspaper opinion piece - full of exaggerated attempts to provoke a response by pushing people's buttons and ranting about things like 'PC police' and 'Gen Z' targeting him.