During the NYC book release party last night (October 15th) for his upcoming autobiography, The Way I Am, Eminem announced that the official title of his next album will be Relapse. The rap superstar also debuted a track -- "I'm Having A Relapse" (about a Xanax-popping serial killer) -- during last night's Manhattan festivities. The title was also announced and the track played during a radio interview. Previous published rumors suggested that the album would be titled Empack or King Mathers...but Marshall put an end to such speculation with Wednesday's official announcement. Relapse -- the Detroit icon's sixth album -- will be released early next year, if not before the end of 2008.
"There are a lot of fake album titles floating out there — a lot of bullshit titles," Eminem told Angea Yee from the rapper's custom Sirius Satellite channel, Shade 45. "The real title of my album that's coming out is called Relapse." No word on how the title will be spelled, though several sources have suggested the real title might be R3LAPSE. The artist also announced during the Sirius interview that the majority of the new disc has been produced by Dr. Dre, giving Eminem more time to concentrate on the lyrics.
Some hip-hop sites are reporting the new track has already been leaked online and features some of the following lyrics: "Slice you up and cook you after you are murdered by strangulation...How the hell did he manage to get more felony charges?/He's already got life in jail now what the hell is his problem/Well, to be honest, the smell of these chronic leaves make me hella demonic/They compelled me to kill this elderly man and/I get these panic attacks, pop a Xanax, relax/Tryin' to stick my fuckin' dick inside a mannequin's ass.." Um, OK, then...
"Em -- who recently won Vibe magazine's reader's poll as "The Best Rapper Alive" ("Eminem isn't just one of the most successful MCs of all time, he's also one of the most beloved; the proof is in the voting," said Vibe's music editor) -- is also making an appearance on protege 50 Cent's next effort, Before I Self Destruct (are we sensing an ongoing theme with these album titles?), which is scheduled for a December 9th release.
In other news, Em has teamed up with Nike Shoe's Jordan brand for a second collaboration, creating his own custom Jordan edition. The limited edition sneaker will come in various colors and feature handwritten lyrics from various Eminem hit songs printed right on the shoe. Marshall has announced that there will only be 313 pairs of the new edition available -- a deliberate tribute to our fair city's 313 area code. All proceeds from sales will go to the artists non-profit The Marshall Mathers Foundation, which helps disadvantaged youth in Michigan.
Em's autobio will be published next Tuesday...
