EMINEM IS READY TO ADDRESS HIS 'GREATEST RAPPERS' RANKING ON NEW SONG, 'TOBEY'
For his second single off his impending return to music, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce), arriving July 12, Eminem drops “Tobey,” featuring Big Sean, Babytron, and a lyrical lynching of his “Greatest Rappers” rating.
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The new song, with it’s title a nod to Spider-Man actor Tobey Maguire, who’s referenced throughout the lyrics, follows up “Houdini,” Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady lead single and best-charting hit on the Hot 100 in a decade, debuting at No. 2.
Over a chiming instrumental track, third up to bat, Eminem addresses his No.5 ranking on Billboard’s 50 Greatest Rappers of All-Time list, published last year.
“But this to me, is a mystery / How rappers I’ve already ripped could be higher up on a list than me / Yet I sit here on your list that went five, wished it was fine, but just know inside / To me that s***’s hilarious,” he spews.
As to what he finds hilarious, that remain unclear, it could be than ranking system as a whole, or possibly any of the four rappers ahead of him on the list, which includes (from four to one) 2Pac, Nas, Kendrick Lamar and JAY-Z.
Em also took “Tobey” as an opportunity to responded to Melle Mel’s criticism of him being in the Top 5 at all. For a reminder, last year during an interview with The Art of Dialogue, Mel said that he believes Em made it as high as he did on the list because he is white.
Clapping back at Melle for his remarks, Em raps “So when I get dissed though and by a pioneer / Who was one of the reasons why I’m here / They tell me I should just let that s*** go and slide/ ‘Melle Mel shouldn’t get no reply, that man is a legend’/ B****, so am I.”
The “Toby” music video, directed by Cole Bennett, is set to arrive this Friday. Until then, you can listen to track below.